.25-35 Lever action?

Savage 110 Carbon Tactical - Unmatched Precision - Viking Arms
plumber01 said:
also , funny enough I have been looking at lever actions, and cant decide whether to go 357 or 44mag? the sensible me says 357 , the childish fool says man up and get a 44mag, only ever going to be used on a range, ( unless this virus causes an apocalypse)
Click to expand...
Why not consider a .444? I have one conditioned for range and deer and it can easily be downloaded to subsonic velocities - with 240grn cast bullets a 10yr old could shoot it!
 
8x57 said:
25-35 Winchester (25-35 WCF)
The figures quoted by Barnes are;

60 SP 2800 fps 1045 ft/lb. Source Hornady.
60 SP 2900 fps 1120 ft/lb. Source Hornady.
117 SP 2300 fps 1375 ft/lb. Source Hornady.
117 SP 2200 fps 1258 ft/lb. Source Hornady.
117 FL 2230 fps 1292 ft/lb. Winchester factory load.

By comparison a 158 grn .357 Magnum out of a 20-24 inch barrel at 2000 fps would produce 1430 ft/lb of energy.
Click to expand...

with what load data exactly? 125 gr is optimum for .357 power wise in a rifle based on all data I have seen and based on mine and a buddies loading experience, 140gr and up the power drops off
 
Dodder said:
Why not consider a .444? I have one conditioned for range and deer and it can easily be downloaded to subsonic velocities - with 240grn cast bullets a 10yr old could shoot it!
Click to expand...

Won't penetrate Scottish deer according to the law.
Unless I go for lighter slugs and manage to launch them at over 2450 fps? Can't imagine good choice of ammo.
 
Good thread . The 25/35 is still around out here , but it's far from common . I've shot a few , but never used one on game . I know one guy who still uses his for local white-tails in the creek bottoms , more out of nostalgia than anything . It's been in his family for about 90 ? years and carries a lot of history . It works well enough on deer , but was considered a general purpose varmint , pest and deer rifle for around the farm / homestead . British velocity requirements aside , I think it would make a perfect woods rifle for Roe , along with the 7/30 Waters .
I own and use most of the above mentioned lever guns , with the exception of the Marlin 444 ( great rifle/cartridge ) . I've used Marlin , and other , 45/70's for about 40 years and still carry one every fall if I'm out for Moose , Elk or other larger game , it is one of my go to rifles . I own a first year production BLR in 308 , another good rifle , but it doesn't have the feel of the old levers . Nothing against it , it's one of my favourites , it's just different and the detachable mag is handy . It's also a very slick actioned rifle .
One rifle that hasn't been mentioned is the Savage 99 . Some love it , some think it's fugly . I'm in the first category lol . A 99 in 250/3000 would take care of most game in the UK and meet velocity requirements easily . They're fast to use , especially the straight gripped models like the 99A , reasonably accurate ( most will group under 1.5 MOA ) and point extremely well . The downside is , they're very popular out here and getting hard to find . I doubt there's many kicking around the UK , but you never know . It isn't a classic looking lever like the Winchester 94 or Marlin 336 , but it has a faithful following here for good reason . Food for thought .
No matter what you choose , lever guns do tend to grow on you . Some think them out dated , but they haven't ghosted through the black timber at first light with one in their hands though lol . Good luck and keep us posted .

AB
 
Last edited:
mChavez said:
I think we should bring it back. With modern heads bullets and modern powders, it should outperform .223 by a good margin I'd think.
.25 SD Express
How does that sound? :evil:

If 30-30 brass can be necked down, I don't see this being a difficult round to load for.
Can moderns lever actions be re-chambered into it without feeding issues?

One can dream, of course. Being self-employed in current conditions and with stock markets wrecked, I would be as close to getting a custom .25-35 as I am to getting a drilling.
Click to expand...

It would be fairly simple to re-barrel a 30/30 chambered rifle to 25/35 . Whether it would be worth the cost , barrel , reamers and labour , is up to you . You could probably buy an original for a lot less ........ if you could find one that is . But I do like how you think .

AB
 
Not to bother unless you sincerely have a woody for it. Had one and it was underwhelming.~Muir
 
kingston 074.webp
Get a 30/30 Winchester 94. You'll do ok with it. Don't look at the numbers, just shoot it. Comes up like a shotgun.
Trigger is a fiddle but doable.
 
25 Sharps said:
with what load data exactly? 125 gr is optimum for .357 power wise in a rifle based on all data I have seen and based on mine and a buddies loading experience, 140gr and up the power drops off
Click to expand...

As mentioned all the data was taken from Barnes, no details were given as to actual load for the .357mag.
 
8x57 said:
As mentioned all the data was taken from Barnes, no details were given as to actual load for the .357mag.
Click to expand...
I think they are cooking their figures then.

Hodgdon load data for 158 gr comes up short of 1600 FPS with H110 which is a very good powder in .357, when you consider Barnes projectiles are lead free and therefore longer so less powder space I’m afraid I call bullsh*t (from them not you)
 
25 Sharps said:
I think they are cooking their figures then.

Hodgdon load data for 158 gr comes up short of 1600 FPS with H110 which is a very good powder in .357, when you consider Barnes projectiles are lead free and therefore longer so less powder space I’m afraid I call bullsh*t (from them not you)
Click to expand...
You maybe surprised how much you can compress in a case.
 
25 Sharps said:
I think they are cooking their figures then.

Hodgdon load data for 158 gr comes up short of 1600 FPS with H110 which is a very good powder in .357, when you consider Barnes projectiles are lead free and therefore longer so less powder space I’m afraid I call bullsh*t (from them not you)
Click to expand...

:-| Where did Barnes lead free bullets come into it. The reference quoted and as previously mentioned was from Frank C Barnes Cartridges of the World 12th edition.
 
8x57 said:
:-| Where did Barnes lead free bullets come into it. The reference quoted and as previously mentioned was from Frank C Barnes Cartridges of the World 12th edition.
Click to expand...

Ah ok, wrong Barnes.

Either way based on ALL available load data I’ve seen it’s wrong.

Hottest load available from hodgdon with a 158 is 900 ft-lb, no one is going to magically find close to 600 ft-lb and a 66% increase out of thin air!!

125s will do 1400 -1500 ft-lb 110s will do 1200 to 1300......
 
Last edited:
Smellydog said:
You maybe surprised how much you can compress in a case.
Click to expand...

I wouldn’t, have you seen my hornet loads?? Not that I’m suggesting anyone tries it but 14.8 gr of lil gun will fit in a Remington hornet case if you use a 16” drop tube......

Seating the bullet is problematic when the powder is at the rim though, 14.2 gives about 1 mm to play with getting the bullet in

(Please don’t anybody try this it is beyond published load data and as such should be deemed unsafe)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Sold: Southern Gun Company 9mm Lever Action Rifle
Replies
4
Views
2K
Mousegunner-UK
Mousegunner-UK
Best Lever Action for the UK?
3 4 5
Replies
97
Views
9K
Smellydog
Smellydog
Lever action
13 14 15
Replies
286
Views
21K
tayweb
T
Sold: Winchester 9410 .410" lever action shotgun
Replies
7
Views
823
Donkey Basher
Donkey Basher
Which is more handy - single shot or lever action?
2 3
Replies
41
Views
3K
6pt-sika
6pt-sika
1967spud Reloading Supplies Ltd - UK Suppliers for Reloading Equipment supplies, We also stock Bullet Heads and Bullet Cases Guns Cabinets, Night vision and much much more...
Back
Top