Author Topic: 25-243 Improved Anyone?  (Read 1604 times)

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Offline Brakeman

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25-243 Improved Anyone?
« on: January 24, 2010, 03:17:16 AM »
Checking in with the good folks here to see if anyone has experience with the rather obscure 25-243 Improved wildcat?
Am looking to build this in a short-action PF M70 for double duty as a walkabout Coyote rifle (85gr Ballistic Tip's) and ditto as a deer rifle (100-115gr).
I'm thinking of using the Sierra data for the 250 Savage AI as a starting point for load development, but am hoping to run across someone else whose run this path before...?

For reference; this `cat is simply a 243 Winchester necked up slightly to .257 and then blown out in the traditional Ackley Improved 40º mode.  According to available data, should be roughly 56-57 grains in case capacity compared to the standard 243 at 52.8grs or the 25 Souper at 53.2, so anticipate a wee bit more juice out of the AI version.

As with virtually all Wildcats, I'm looking for something fun and different, really nothing about need. Interestingly and for whatever reason, comparatively the 25 caliber class in general seems to have become the redheaded stepchild...

Any insights would surely be appreciated.
Cheers,
BrakeMan

Offline Catfish

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Re: 25-243 Improved Anyone?
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2010, 07:06:50 AM »
Brake Man, First welcome aboard. There are 2 different .25 cal. rounds based on the .243 case that I know of. The .257 Durham Jet has a case capacity of 52.66 gr. of H2O and the 25 Souper has a capacity of 56 gr. of H2O. The .257 Roberts has a case capacity of 52.43 grs. of H2O and the 257 imp has a case capacity of 59.35 gr. of H2O. Both are far more popular than any 25 wildcat on the 243 case, and neather of them are big sellers. If you build a wildcat like you want it will cost you extra to have the barrel chemberd as these reamer are harder to come by. You dies for reloading will run $ 100 and if you ever go to sell the gun the market will be very small. I would recomand eather the .257 R or the 257 imp, and do have a 257 imp at present that would really be just the round your looking for. Dies can be had for under $ 70. To form cases you just fire 257 R ammo in the imp chamber, and if you ever try to sell it it would be easier to sell. I play with alot of different wildcats from .17 cal to.411 cal. as you might guess from my handle, Ackleyimp, and figure the first rule is to never build a rifle on a wildcat round that there is a factory that it dupclates. I will buy rifle in these rounds as you can pick them up for little more than the price of the action with the dies included. That means the guy that built the rifle paid a high price to play with it. I on the other hand can play with it then rebarrel the action and still get most of my money back. If your wanting something different you also might consider the a 25 cal on the .222 case, known as the .25 Copperhead. That would get you about 3,000 fps with a 100 gr. bullet. Or, the 25 on the .222 mag case would do even better. I have a 6 x 47 which is the 222 mag. case neck up to 6 mm which is a real sweet round, and the 25 cal should be real nice also. Anyway, just my thoughts.If you have any specif question that I maybe able to answer feel free to pm me.

Offline roper

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Re: 25-243 Improved Anyone?
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2010, 02:51:30 PM »
I shoot the 243AI and 6RemAI.  If I was going to load for the 25-243AI I would start with mid or start loads for the 25 Souper.  I would get a chronograh and work up my loads using that also and when you get to know max loads for the Souper see how they compare to published data.  I really never get too concern about case capacity what you have to look at is load for the parent caliber/case which would be the 25 Souper it's a wildcat with no known SAAMI pressure  but Speer did some loading for it back late 50's and publish that data. 

This site has a warning from GB about pressure/velocity with wildcats you can do a search on the 25 Souper or call Sierra tell them what your thingking of building and they may help out with loading data.  I would also read up on measuring "Case Head Expansion" and use that. 

Well good luck