Meet the .25-327 Federal Magnum

freakshow10mm · February 21, 2008, 01:06 AM

.327 Federal Magnum necked down to .257" with a 60gr FP seated to 1.473". My little wildcat I just designed.

Crosshair · February 21, 2008, 04:06 AM

I see no use for that out of a handgun IMHO. However, out of a rifle that would make a dandy little lever gun varmint round. It could also use cheaper cast lead bullets as well. Kind of a modern 25-20. 25 cal bullets are much easier to case compared with 22 caliber lead bullets. Plus you don't have to drive them as fast to get the energy you need.

One nit-pick. I think you have gone a little overbore with that. I would have cut the case down a bit for a more compact cartridge. Still, I think it is a neat idea.

steveno · February 21, 2008, 05:00 AM

kind of like a long verson of a 256 Winchester magnum. might be interesting out of a TC

freakshow10mm · February 21, 2008, 09:39 AM

Crosshair, the 256 Win Mag is nothing more than a 357 Mag necked down. That was my inspiration.

256 Win Mag on left, 25-327 Fed Mag on right.

Jim Watson · February 21, 2008, 10:11 AM

Looks close to the old .255 Dean, which was a .25-20 Improved.

The neck looks a bit short but probably ok with 60 gr jacketed.

Sevens · February 21, 2008, 10:54 AM

Nobody has asked the most obvious question--

Have you got anything to shoot this new one? Or was this merely an exercise in forming a new round?

Wildcatting has always intrigued me. Forming cases seems totally do-able, but chambering and re-barreling arms-- how?

freakshow10mm · February 21, 2008, 11:31 AM

I have not shot anything yet, do not have a reamer, or a barrel available yet. I'm going to get those as funds allow.

There is at least a caliber's worth of bullet shank in the case. Should be fine. This will be for TC single shots and possible leverguns.

SL1 · February 21, 2008, 01:02 PM

Why not just use the 256 Winchester Mag? I know it is not "yours", but what does yours do that it doesn't do (besides cost more money to get into a gun and shoot)?

SL1

scsov509 · February 21, 2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Why not just use the 256 Winchester Mag? I know it is not "yours", but what does yours do that it doesn't do (besides cost more money to get into a gun and shoot)?

What's wrong with doing something yourself just for the express purpose of doing it yourself? That's half of why I reload, why I built my own AR, why I built my children's crib, and much more. You can't put a price on the self satisfaction that comes to some of us who just like to do it ourselves.

freakshow10mm · February 21, 2008, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Why not just use the 256 Winchester Mag? I know it is not "yours", but what does yours do that it doesn't do (besides cost more money to get into a gun and shoot)?

I do load for the .256 Win Mag.

markr · February 21, 2008, 03:08 PM

This doesn't have anything to do with the thread, but is a question for freakshow. What are your thoughts, if any, on the state of the raw material for bullets market, seeing as how you live in "Copper Country". Is copper still being mined there? I'm from Michigan but haven't been in the neck of the woods since the '80's, at which time I went on a tour of the Arcadia copper mine.

BTW, you will have to post the results once you get your wildcat shooting.

freakshow10mm · February 21, 2008, 05:13 PM

The mines haven't been mined in over 30 years. There is still an assload of copper down there. There's a bunch of hoopla going on over at the Yellow Dog Plains out east by Marquette. Something with a sulfide mine. Just a bunch of BS. People got their panties in a bunch but the situation is easly taken care of. They just don't want to accept it.

Even at today's copper prices it isn't economical nor profitable to mine for copper up here. The regulations and fees nowadays are enough to deter any industrialization or mining in the UP. Dumbasses.

dogfood · February 21, 2008, 08:09 PM

But even without licensing and regulations, I still doubt it would be economical. The U.P.'s Copper Country consists essentially of vein copper, and it was mined via shafts as they "chased the vein".

Today that's very expensive, and all of the major operating copper mines - such as those in Canada, Chile and Arizona - are pit or strip type mines. They simply dig up everything and then chemically process the ore to get the copper. That wouldn't work well in the Copper Country, since the copper runs deep. And I doubt the folks up there would put up with it anyway.

dogfood

P.S. - Win one for the Gipper.

freakshow10mm · February 21, 2008, 11:46 PM

Yes, also the manner in which the copper is mined is costly. However, if they even sucked it up and mined it again, copper would be still there 50 years from now. The cool part of this area is no where else in the WORLD is copper as abundant and/or as pure as in the Keweenaw.

Pretty cool that George Gipp is from Laurium. Not many people know that.

Crosshair · February 22, 2008, 02:23 AM

The Lyman bullet mold would work good for this. It has a gas check and weighs about 75 grains IIRC.

freakshow10mm · February 22, 2008, 08:22 AM

Yeah, I forgot the mold number. They have one in the 60's and one in the 70's. I was going to get one for my 256 Win Mag.

February 21, 2008, 01:06 AM	#1
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	Meet the .25-327 Federal Magnum .327 Federal Magnum necked down to .257" with a 60gr FP seated to 1.473". My little wildcat I just designed.

February 21, 2008, 04:06 AM	#2
Crosshair Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2004 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 5,333	I see no use for that out of a handgun IMHO. However, out of a rifle that would make a dandy little lever gun varmint round. It could also use cheaper cast lead bullets as well. Kind of a modern 25-20. 25 cal bullets are much easier to case compared with 22 caliber lead bullets. Plus you don't have to drive them as fast to get the energy you need. One nit-pick. I think you have gone a little overbore with that. I would have cut the case down a bit for a more compact cartridge. Still, I think it is a neat idea. __________________ I don't carry a gun to go looking for trouble, I carry a gun in case trouble finds me.

February 21, 2008, 10:54 AM	#6
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Nobody has asked the most obvious question-- Have you got anything to shoot this new one? Or was this merely an exercise in forming a new round? Wildcatting has always intrigued me. Forming cases seems totally do-able, but chambering and re-barreling arms-- how? __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

February 21, 2008, 03:08 PM	#11
markr Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: Arsenal of Democracy Posts: 405	This doesn't have anything to do with the thread, but is a question for freakshow. What are your thoughts, if any, on the state of the raw material for bullets market, seeing as how you live in "Copper Country". Is copper still being mined there? I'm from Michigan but haven't been in the neck of the woods since the '80's, at which time I went on a tour of the Arcadia copper mine. BTW, you will have to post the results once you get your wildcat shooting. __________________ I like to make beer, bullets, and jerky.....but not at the same time. Washed up 11B1P

February 22, 2008, 02:23 AM	#15
Crosshair Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2004 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 5,333	The Lyman bullet mold would work good for this. It has a gas check and weighs about 75 grains IIRC. __________________ I don't carry a gun to go looking for trouble, I carry a gun in case trouble finds me.

February 21, 2008, 05:00 AM	#3
steveno Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Minden , Nebraska Posts: 1,407	kind of like a long verson of a 256 Winchester magnum. might be interesting out of a TC

February 21, 2008, 09:39 AM	#4
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	Crosshair, the 256 Win Mag is nothing more than a 357 Mag necked down. That was my inspiration. 256 Win Mag on left, 25-327 Fed Mag on right.

February 21, 2008, 10:11 AM	#5
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	Looks close to the old .255 Dean, which was a .25-20 Improved. The neck looks a bit short but probably ok with 60 gr jacketed.

February 21, 2008, 11:31 AM	#7
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	I have not shot anything yet, do not have a reamer, or a barrel available yet. I'm going to get those as funds allow. There is at least a caliber's worth of bullet shank in the case. Should be fine. This will be for TC single shots and possible leverguns.

February 21, 2008, 01:02 PM	#8
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	Why not just use the 256 Winchester Mag? I know it is not "yours", but what does yours do that it doesn't do (besides cost more money to get into a gun and shoot)? SL1

February 21, 2008, 05:13 PM	#12
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	The mines haven't been mined in over 30 years. There is still an assload of copper down there. There's a bunch of hoopla going on over at the Yellow Dog Plains out east by Marquette. Something with a sulfide mine. Just a bunch of BS. People got their panties in a bunch but the situation is easly taken care of. They just don't want to accept it. Even at today's copper prices it isn't economical nor profitable to mine for copper up here. The regulations and fees nowadays are enough to deter any industrialization or mining in the UP. Dumbasses.

February 21, 2008, 08:09 PM	#13
dogfood Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2004 Location: Southwestern OH Posts: 239	But even without licensing and regulations, I still doubt it would be economical. The U.P.'s Copper Country consists essentially of vein copper, and it was mined via shafts as they "chased the vein". Today that's very expensive, and all of the major operating copper mines - such as those in Canada, Chile and Arizona - are pit or strip type mines. They simply dig up everything and then chemically process the ore to get the copper. That wouldn't work well in the Copper Country, since the copper runs deep. And I doubt the folks up there would put up with it anyway. dogfood P.S. - Win one for the Gipper.

February 21, 2008, 11:46 PM	#14
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	Yes, also the manner in which the copper is mined is costly. However, if they even sucked it up and mined it again, copper would be still there 50 years from now. The cool part of this area is no where else in the WORLD is copper as abundant and/or as pure as in the Keweenaw. Pretty cool that George Gipp is from Laurium. Not many people know that.

February 22, 2008, 08:22 AM	#16
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	Yeah, I forgot the mold number. They have one in the 60's and one in the 70's. I was going to get one for my 256 Win Mag.