building a .25 Remington (believe it or not)
I would like to build a .25 Remington on either a bolt action or single-shot so that I can shoot pointed bullets, and keep my "queens" in the safe, but I don't know if it's possible. The case head dia. on the old rimless cartridge is .422 (between that of a .223 and standard calibers). So, I thought I could have a smith modify the bolt face on a .223 or .222 Remington (Model 722 or 700) and re-barrel, but I've been told there isn't enough metal on a Remington bolt to do that and still hold the extractor. Anybody have any ideas regarding what my other options might be (if any)? Thanx, Kingfisher1
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There is a really popular cartridge nowadays that uses .221 Remington brass, necked up to .30 caliber. It fires a 120 grain spitzer bullet at 2300 fps, which is pretty much same same as the old .25 Remington. It's called the 300 Blackout. IMHO, you would be way ahead of the game by going with the Blackout. 0 -
Do any of the queen's have a spiral fluted magazine tube? They were designed to hold pointed bullets off the primers. Plastic tipped projectiles might hold up to the beating. Shooting on paper would be the test.
Maybe bush a 700 bolt to fit and trim the extractor also. Perhaps a Sako extractor conversion.
Single shot would be easier I think.0 -
Yes, Charlie. Two of them (Mod. 14 rifle and a carbine) each have the spiral mag. tube, but I've been advised both ways on that and so I'm paranoid of taking the chance. Thought it might be better to go with a bolt gun so that I can play with the loads a little more anyway. Thanks for the help! 0 -
You could buy a Remington 700 6.8 SPC that somebody was tired of playing with and rebarrel. Casehead diameter is within a thou.
Or find an old Remington Model 30 in .25 Rem to start with.
Trivia: Remington considered bringing out the .222 on the .25/.30/.32 case diameter but the brass as drawn for the existing calibers was thinner in the head than they thought the pressure would call for. For some reason it was easier to start from scratch than to beef up the .25. Pity, we would have had a .22 Wasp Rimless.0 -
Maybe you could get one of the aftermarket Sako-style extractors for a 700 which would seem to be easier to modify to a different diameter. 0 -
Have you looked at the possibility of a custom contender or encore barrel? 0 -
I have a model 30 Remington in .25 Rem. It is quite a late one (1931 per the barrel code) with the newer style stock and came to me with a Lyman 48 on it and was drilled for scope bases (not sure if that was factory). In my boxes of "stuff" was a Bausch & Lomb scope base for a Rem. 30 and it fit right on there! I put a B&L Balvar 5 on it and one of the first loads I tried with 100 gr Hornadys put 5 shots into less than an inch. It shoots very well with most anything and in a bolt gun like the 30, handloads go well into .250 Sav. territory. I'm sold on that little cartridge.
I like Hawks suggestion on rebarreling a 6.8 SPC which is based on the .30 Rem case head. The last I checked, Remington is still producing .30 Rem. brass occasionally. That's what I use, necked down, for my loads. There was an article on the .25 in one of the old Handloader magazines. Good luck with your project.0 -
A Sako extractor conversion can be performed on a 700 bolt for .378", .473", and .532" case heads, so I see no reason a gunsmith couldn't do this for the .422". I've performed many of these conversions, it's simple mathematics to control the extractor depth.
But, maybe starting with a "claw" style extractor action would be easier. Maybe a small ring Mauser? The extractor could be either replaced with a "blank" extractor ground to fit the .25 Rem case head; or the existing extractor could be weld builtup & refit. Install a single shot loading ramp in the magazine well, I don't think it would feed.0 -
Thanks guys! Great thoughts. I've been looking for a late-model 30s like Ambrose's, but seems like I'm asleep at the wheel whenever one comes up for sale and I miss out. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts. I'll follow up on each one.
Kingfisher1
(drydog@oregonwireless.net)0 -
Had my gunsmith, Mr. Steve Cline here in San Antonio, open up a controlled feed (note the earlier weren't) Ruger 77 II Stainless in 223 bolt face to fit the head of a 7.62X39mm. So I know it can be done but getting the right kind of magazine was a problem until I contacted Ruger and told them what I needed. Strangely, they sent me a complete 220 Swift magazine (i.e., follower, spring, box, etc.) and it worked. If it is a bolt action you're interested in, you need to consider feeding rounds from the magazine too. 0
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