New old .25 cal wildcat

AkleyFan said:
Mike - do you have a post going for this build? If not, please consider doing one, I'd like to follow along. I may build a 25-280AI lafter I finish the 6.5-280AI that I have going on a Mauser action.
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No. It will be awhile before anything will happen. Waiting on componments for the rifle. I bet it will be next year before it done. I will post any info that I come up with. My 6mm/280AI got me educated somewhat. Sure updated my reloading equipment. I run into one problem or another this last year. Being split between Montana and Mexico-North cut into my time. (calif)
The one thing I can say is fire-forming will be a lot easiers. Being the main portion of the case is already made. I have several Mauser action that have been changed to something else. I love the safety on them. It's only rifle that I will carry a round in the chamber.
 
FEENIX said:
You do not owe anyone to justify your wildcat. I considered .25 wildcat a couple of years ago since U never had any. I stayed with the .257 WBY as my first .25 Cal and WBY cartridge. I have 1:7" 22" suppressed for the 131 BJ, and 133/135 Bergers but jumped into the 145 Black Hole instead. Good luck with your build.

View attachment 439581
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What is the BC on the 145's?
 
Mike Matteson said:
What get me started on 280AI case necked down to either 6mm, or .257/280AI being built now. The 280AI case is about .1 longer to the shoulder than any other AI case. More powder, but not sure where this is going to lead too, but I am looking forward to see what I can come up with. I had gotten use 700 LA to use. Found in pond shops. A,B,C in the serial number are find to convert. Beyond that serial letter not so good. The other is I can get 280AI cases ready made, but have to size the necks.
I never had a 6mm, and wasn't impress with the 243 or 6mm. I wanted something with higher velocity. I am sorry to say I believer in veloctiy. With movement toward all copper bullets and the Hammer design bullets was a major step forward. I had used some barnes a great many years ago. Found to be hard to drive and didn't group very good. Groupinf was about 1" @ 100yds. To wide for me. If I can get a bullet to group closer to or under 1/2" @ 100yds, I am not interested in them. I did back then and now work with powder, primers, and all the other parts to but together a hunting load. The other was I want to extend my range out to 700yds+ or so. 500yds has been my max before.
Necking the case down to 6mm or 257 isn't a real problem. Just have to step the bushing down in steps. 4 steps for 6mm.
I do things a little different. I cut my brand new cases to all the same length first. The Peterson cases I have found varied several thousands from one case to the next. Then cut the necks for thickness. Then start my stepping my case necks down. I going to anneal after the 2nd down sizing.
Fire-forming cases have to be done anyway. So there no way around it. I am setting up a dumby action to do my fire-forming. I got or getting one barrel, and still looking for a .257 barrel that will match up to a Rem700 action. The barrel can be wore out. I am going to rechamber the barrel for my dummy action. That after I brake in the new barrel in either of the rifles.
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I am going the other way. I'm neck sizing the .280 AI up to .30 cal. Reamer should be in by 1st of November. I plan to use the new Speer Impact 190gr almost exclusively. It will equal the .300 SAUM and slightly exceed the .30-06 AI and I don't have to waste time or components fire forming. You can't get .300 SAUM or .300 WSM brass and if you find it, it's $4 or more a case. Granted 280 AI isn't much better, but both Hornady and Nosler produce it, and I think ADG or Peterson may have picked it up. It's slightly cheaper in Nosler and way cheaper in Hornady. Hornady brass has its issues, but given lots of patience and a couple extra steps, it can shoot as accurately as anything else (most of the time). 26" Proof barrel on a Kelbly long action in a custom inlet Mesa (Pure) carbon fiber stock.

Not necessarily with that particular bullet, but I'm good for anything in the western hemisphere, I believe.
 
So I settled on an HS Precision Pro Sporter stock, since they were on sale at Red Hawk. Stock arrives Monday. Gunsmith has the donor rifle and the Brux 7.5 twist .25 cal blank along with the Manson tooling. With luck, I'll have a finished rifle by the 4th. That's my next day off!
 
.300 Dakota said:
I am going the other way. I'm neck sizing the .280 AI up to .30 cal. Reamer should be in by 1st of November. I plan to use the new Speer Impact 190gr almost exclusively. It will equal the .300 SAUM and slightly exceed the .30-06 AI and I don't have to waste time or components fire forming. You can't get .300 SAUM or .300 WSM brass and if you find it, it's $4 or more a case. Granted 280 AI isn't much better, but both Hornady and Nosler produce it, and I think ADG or Peterson may have picked it up. It's slightly cheaper in Nosler and way cheaper in Hornady. Hornady brass has its issues, but given lots of patience and a couple extra steps, it can shoot as accurately as anything else (most of the time). 26" Proof barrel on a Kelbly long action in a custom inlet Mesa (Pure) carbon fiber stock.

Not necessarily with that particular bullet, but I'm good for anything in the western hemisphere, I believe.
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Peterson does make brass for the 280AI. The last I purchase was 500 case for $750.00 from Grafs.com. the 280AI case is longer from base to shoulder by .1" or close to. I was original going to build 6mm/06AI chamber. I was looking at the different cases like the 06, 270, 25/06, 280 and a few other. Saw the 280AI case and dimension on that case. It was a no-brainer to change to it. Hopefully it isn't to much.
 
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.300 Dakota said:
The .264 Win Mag was known as a barrel burner from its inception. A .25cal version will be much more so. The trick is to spend very little time doing load work up, and puts the pressure on the designer to produce a load that performs to expectations QUICKLY.
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the 264 WM is NOT a barrel burner with H1000!
 
I'm a quarter-bore fan as well. Had a 25-06 that I shot out, rebarrelled to 280AI. I have a 257 WBY that won't shoot. 1.5" is the best I've ever gotten, shot the throat out trying. Got 1/2" cut off the barrel and re-chambered with a much shorter freebore, still no good.

So after reading this thread I now want to rebarrel to a fast twist 257 WBY. Still debating whether it should be 7 or 7.5" twist, any advice on that?
 
With your MV I can't imagine needing faster than 7.5"
Unless you are going to try to shoot something heavier than the 133/135's
Use Berger's twist stability calculator for whatever bullet interests you.
 
I went with a 7 twist because where we deer hunt the temp can be 15' and the elevation is 200' ASL. I was unsure what muzzle velocity I would get. The difference with a 7 and 7.5 twist is 1.77 and 1.54 on the stability calculator with 3000 FPS.
 

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