.25 Cal (Quarter Bore) / Big Game Success - 25 Creed, 25-284, 25-06, 25 PRC, 25 SAUM

My 22" Mcgowen #3 with 5/8-24 threads is on the way to UM for 25-284 chambering, receiver threading, and spinning on to my action. I will be mailing barreled action and dummy round to UM this week. With 134 ELDM boattail seated at case/neck junction, COL is 3.176".

I will be listing my stainless OEM Tikka 1:10 25-06 barrel on the classifieds once I get it all back from UM. Round count on this barrel is <300.

25-284 with 134 compared to 100 grain 25-06.
 

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The 25/284 should be a perfect match for the Tikka action. Sounds like a cool build.
It only took me 2 years of rabbit-holing to decide to go with it. I know I irritated some guys on here with my constant string of questions, and I appreciate all of their feedback and patience. A few of the reasons I went this route are below:
  • Uses a standard bolt which I already had
  • Easily fits in LA mags which I already had
  • No COL restrictions in Tikka action due to shorter case
  • 284 case has 35 degree shoulder for reduced case stretch
  • Cases easily formed by necking down high-quality Lapua 6.5-284 brass with Redding 25-284 dies
  • No fireforming necessary
  • Can achieve 3,000 MV with 133-135 grain bullets in 22" barrel vs 26" barrel
  • Same performance as 25-06 in shorter barrel makes it better suited to firing suppressed
  • Has a little more juice than 25 Creedmoor (although this is mostly overkill unless shooting long distance)
Honestly, it was a tough decision between this and the 25 Creed. I just knew after necking down and trimming hundreds of 30-06 rounds to 25-06, this wasn't something I wanted to do long term. Plus I wanted to shoot the heavies and the Tikka action limits COL and powder capacity in 06 case.
 
My 22" Mcgowen #3 with 5/8-24 threads is on the way to UM for 25-284 chambering, receiver threading, and spinning on to my action. I will be mailing barreled action and dummy round to UM this week. With 134 ELDM boattail seated at case/neck junction, COL is 3.176".

I will be listing my stainless OEM Tikka 1:10 25-06 barrel on the classifieds once I get it all back from UM. Round count on this barrel is <300.

25-284 with 134 compared to 100 grain 25-06.
Gahhh you let the intrusive thoughts win, I'll be building something very similar soon!
 
Anybody with a 25 saum want to chime in..

15 rounds down a new 23" 1:7.5 twist brux with brake. Running N570 ( see below charges), 215m, adg 6.5 saum brass. Go further if brass all looks the same or try some other powders? I have retumbo, @b23said he may have some rl26 to donate toward a pressure string to see what happens. Other than those 3 I don't want to go looking too much for powders and feel they should be able to match up well.

At 63.6 grains of n570 I was not crunching yet and I am at .050 off lands to reduce some pressures.
 

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Went out today with a string of retumbo and a little hotter string of n570.
Retumbo is not a great match, still no big pressure signs on the n570. Have seen a couple nodes with the n570 so will probably stick with it.

Came home cleaned up the brass and loaded the rest of the virgin brass in the box to 60 grains and will shoot them to get it all fire formed, then play a bit more with where I should be, barrel should be a bit faster once those are done with a total of about 80 rounds on the barrel.
 

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All one shot kills with my .257 Ackley and 117 gr Sierra GameKing bullets...
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And my 2nd best 6x6 bull elk that I didn't get a field picture of.
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