25-7prc or 25 saum

[willfrye027]

I have to ask though, is 2920 where you got the best accuracy and SDs?
I can run my 6.5 creed beyond 2800 with 147 eldms and H4350, but accuracy and an SD of 4 is at 2700.

A 134 eld at 2900 drifts 1.71 mils at 1k in a 10mph L to R crosswind, impact velocity 1730
A 147 at 2700 drifts 1.76 mils with an impact velocity of 1662
That's with me reducing the 6.5 velocity significantly for optimal match shooting

2920 is about a grain below pressure. 10 shot groups are 1.1MOA at worst, IIRC. It has good vertical at 700 yards and beyond at sea level so the load is more capable than I am in the field..so it does everything I need it to.

Comparable groups/loads in a factory 24” tikka 6.5 creedmoor were 2720 after trying multiple powders to get it there.

Maybe there is a better node with less velocity but I stopped believing in nodes and haven’t looked back

 

[WKR]

7prc next to 135 berger at 3.260” Medium vesper is good for 3.4” That should be ideal even with the 145s.
I just ordered a steel Bartlein and they told me 6 months. But the wait for the carbons could be longer.
View attachment 688959

3.4 with the UM bottom metal...I would prefer a flush fitting mag like the hawkins. I tend to always carry my rifle in hand rather than a sling and thats typically where I carry from. Right around the balance point.

 

[Quicksilver]

Just got off the phone with Barry at Benchmark, put an order in for a Carbon .257 7 twist to be finished at 18". Will be awhile before I see it but thats all right.

Is that medium vesper a 2 lug 90° bolt throw?

Barry is good stuff, been there a long time! I say hi every time I go pick up a barrel from them. I just got a .25 heavy palma to finish at 27”…for what yet I don’t know

 

[Mountainrancher]

I'll probably shoot the 145 blackhole out of the 25-7 prc. My 25 creed sure likes them.

Have you used the 145s on game?

 

[WKR]

Have you used the 145s on game?

No not yet, but they should preform like a berger. I believe Blaine used the berger J4 jackets.

 

[WKR]

Bumping this thread,
Curious what yall think predicted barrel life would be on either cartridge?
I've got a buddy that wants me to put something together similar to mine but wants a little more barrel life incase he gets into NRL comps, I think I might do a 25 saum for his or maybe even a .25-284.

My guess is
25-7prc 800-1000 rounds
25 saum 1000-1350
25-284 1200-1500

Anybody with more insight on really overbore cartridges please enlighten me if I'm way off.

And yes. Before anyone gets on their high horse, I do shoot enough to burn barrels. So its a valid concern.

 

[sportsmans challenge]

Bumping this thread,
Curious what yall think predicted barrel life would be on either cartridge?
I've got a buddy that wants me to put something together similar to mine but wants a little more barrel life incase he gets into NRL comps, I think I might do a 25 saum for his or maybe even a .25-284.

My guess is
25-7prc 800-1000 rounds
25 saum 1000-1350
25-284 1200-1500

Anybody with more insight on really overbore cartridges please enlighten me if I'm way off.

And yes. Before anyone gets on their high horse, I do shoot enough to burn barrels. So its a valid concern.

Just looking at your guessing I would say saum or 25-284/25-6.5prc same capacity depending on bolt face and/or dies on hand.

 

[coleman]

For those of you with the 25 saum, what freebore do you have? I’m looking at getting a reamer spec’s now. Thanks

 

[sportsmans challenge]

For those of you with the 25 saum, what freebore do you have? I’m looking at getting a reamer spec’s now. Thanks

The one used on my rifle was .345 thou

 

[wind gypsy]

The one used on my rifle was .345 thou

Thats some weatherby length throat.

 

[liv4thehunt1]

I have built a dozen .25 Cal’s in the last year. From .25 Creedmoor to 25 Sherman. The favorite so far has been the Quarter pounder. It’s a 25-260 with a 30 degree shoulder. We did the first one on a 22” Bartlein and plus p’d it shoots 134’s at 3100 fps. Then we did one on a 22” pac-nor and did a cone shaped improved throat and it also shoots 134’s at 3100. That’s 975 foot pounds at 1000 yards. Recoil is laughable. I just did 2 more Quarter pounders on 20” barrels and both are sub 7 pounds scoped. Details to follow.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

I have built a dozen .25 Cal’s in the last year. From .25 Creedmoor to 25 Sherman. The favorite so far has been the Quarter pounder. It’s a 25-260 with a 30 degree shoulder. We did the first one on a 22” Bartlein and plus p’d it shoots 134’s at 3100 fps. Then we did one on a 22” pac-nor and did a cone shaped improved throat and it also shoots 134’s at 3100. That’s 975 foot pounds at 1000 yards. Recoil is laughable. I just did 2 more Quarter pounders on 20” barrels and both are sub 7 pounds scoped. Details to follow.

That sounds perfect for what I’m looking for.

I have a tikka 30-06 I would like to rebarrel for the heavy 257 bullets. I know the tikka mag COAL prevents the 25-06 from being a the best option. So I was looking for the best performance from an 18-20” barrel that can use the 06 length magazine and .473 bolt. 25CM is easy button, but I feel like there is still room for more case, so a 257 Bob AI fast twist was something I was considering, but I didn’t see high quality brass for that.

A 25-260 AI or similar would probably do the trick.

 

[willfrye027]

That sounds perfect for what I’m looking for.

I have a tikka 30-06 I would like to rebarrel for the heavy 257 bullets. I know the tikka mag COAL prevents the 25-06 from being a the best option. So I was looking for the best performance from an 18-20” barrel that can use the 06 length magazine and .473 bolt. 25CM is easy button, but I feel like there is still room for more case, so a 257 Bob AI fast twist was something I was considering, but I didn’t see high quality brass for that.

A 25-260 AI or similar would probably do the trick.

25-284 works really well with the tikka mag limitations and standard bolt. Good brass and dies are easy to come by..the blackjack reamer is spec’d just right as well. Gets you 100-150fps over the creedmoor.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

25-284 works really well with the tikka mag limitations and standard bolt. Good brass and dies are easy to come by..the blackjack reamer is spec’d just right as well. Gets you 100-150fps over the creedmoor.

Who makes good brass for 284? Would neck turning be involved with that much necking down?

 

[JBMAK]

Who makes good brass for 284? Would neck turning be involved with that much necking down?

Lapua 6.5-284 Brass. One step neck down from .264 to 2.57.

 

[wind gypsy]

Who makes good brass for 284? Would neck turning be involved with that much necking down?

Lapua, Peterson.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

Lapua 6.5-284 Brass. One step neck down from .264 to 2.57.

Well… that’s easy enough. Sweet.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

That sounds perfect for what I’m looking for.

I have a tikka 30-06 I would like to rebarrel for the heavy 257 bullets. I know the tikka mag COAL prevents the 25-06 from being a the best option. So I was looking for the best performance from an 18-20” barrel that can use the 06 length magazine and .473 bolt. 25CM is easy button, but I feel like there is still room for more case, so a 257 Bob AI fast twist was something I was considering, but I didn’t see high quality brass for that.

A 25-260 AI or similar would probably do the trick.

I had the same mindset and 25-284 is what I went with as I already had a Tikka .25-06 with LA stop and mags. No need to change the bolt, and brass was simple one pass neck down from 6.5-284 Lapua brass.

UM has the reamer and its scheduled to be chambered next week. Blank is a 22" McGowen #3.

​

​

 

[AZ_Hunter]

25-284 sounds perfect. I’m pretty excited about that.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

25-284 sounds perfect. I’m pretty excited about that.

I'm looking forward to it as well, and it took me about a year of tossing around several different cartridge ideas before I landed on this one. The guys in this thread and @Brandon.miller.4 are great resources with lots of experience with the wildcat .25s.