Reloading the 25 acp

Alex Johnson · August 16, 2002, 11:54 AM

How many people bother to reload the meager 25 acp round? I've been considering the purchase of a jetfire and would like info on reloading this cartridge. Considering they cost close to $10 a box in my area, I figure reloading it might be justified.

ACP230 · August 16, 2002, 12:00 PM

It can be done. A friend of mine loads for his .25 ACP pistols. He picked up a couple thousand brass for cheap through Shotgun News a few years ago. FMJ bullets are available from some bullet makers.
I don't know what load he's using, but the powder charges he mentioned once were really small.

bfoster · August 16, 2002, 12:42 PM

For cheap 25 ACP ammunition you might try to find Lyman mould #252435. This has been discontinued in the recent past, but it is probably available without a prolonged search. Load these bullets over not more than 1.2 grains of Bullseye to an OAL of about 0.9". (And watch your fingers as you close the press).

Bob

Johnny Guest · August 16, 2002, 03:50 PM

- - -The .25 case is too short. I make an adaptor thusly:

Take a .223 case and put it in shell holder. .380 ACP shell holder will work, too. Put the expander die for the .25 ACP in the press and run the expander stem well down, to where it puts a BIG bell on the mouth of the .223 case. Then saw the .223 case off a bit above the base web, but don't smooth out this cut. Now the baseless, well-expanded .223 case may be "screwed" into the bottom of the plastic powder funnel, extending same so you can fit the .25 ACP case into it and drop those carefuly weighed, match quality, charges of Bullseye, Unique, or whatever, without losing track of the case.

RESIST the urge to soup up this little cartridge. The utmost you can achieve doesn't even approach mediocre. But you sure can runi a gun in the process. You can have cheap practice ammo, and that's worth enough in itself.

Who, ME? Load .25 ACP? Well, yes . . . .

Best,
Johnny Guest

cheygriz · August 16, 2002, 10:24 PM

I reload .25 ACP. I use Lyman carbide dies. My load is:

Cases Remington

Primers Remington 1 1/2 standard small pistol

bullet Remington 55 GR FMJ (Purchased by the thousand, they're pretty cheap)

Powder Hodgdon HP-38- charge 1.1 GR= That's right= one point one grains and it's MAX!!!

If you have a little time and a lot of patience, this is a rewarding pursuit. It requires your TOTAL attention, and will take your mind off of other problems.

Alex Johnson · August 16, 2002, 11:20 PM

What kind of presses do you guys use for the 25 acp? I would think that given the small size it might be easier to do it on a single stage press. My father has a couple of Dillon progressive presses, but all I have right now is an old Rock Chucker.

Peter M. Eick · August 17, 2002, 02:59 PM

My hat is off to you all...

The 25 is one cartraige I will shoot and treat like the 22lr. Expendable.

My fingers must be to big for it because I always fiddle with the cartraige to much to be fun. 380 auto is about my small size limit.

Anyway, keep up the good work and I compliment your dexterity.

David Wile · August 17, 2002, 09:13 PM

Hey folks,

Shame on you Peter! How can you throw away any centerfire case with a Boxer primer? I also have to confess that I have been reloading 25 auto cases since I first started back in the 1960s, and, no, it is not a picnic. I do not shoot my 25 very often, but when I do, I get out my old RCBS dies and go to work on them. While I usually have a hundred or so to do at a time, I still have never tried to reload them on my progressive press. To tell the truth, I probably do not even have a shell plate for the 25. I also have been reloading the same five boxes of Remington ammunition that I bought back in the 1960s. In all these years, I do not think I have lost more than ten of the empty cases, and none of them have yet to split or show other signs of fatigue. I have never been able to get my two girls interested in reloading and shooting, but I still may have a chance to get one or more of my grandchildren interested. If that happens, I wonder how long those old Remington 25 auto cases can last?

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

cheygriz · August 18, 2002, 09:53 PM

Alex,

I load my .25s on a Lyman "Orange Crusher" press. I don't shoot enough of them to justify tooling up the Dillon 650 for that calibre.

MADISON · August 19, 2002, 01:18 AM

I would NOT Reload the 25 acp because you can not put enough powder in the case. I'd be afraid of loads with no powder.

cheygriz · August 20, 2002, 11:30 AM

Madison,

Not a problem! Since I load them on a single stage press, I just look inside every case before seating a bullet. If I ever "tool up" my Dillon 650 for them, the powder checker stage will not allow an uncharged case to get through.

Really, reloading .25 ACP is no different than reloading any other handgun round. It's just a bit more tedious because of the size of the case ans components.

But you're correct about the tiny powder charge. It does require that you pay attention to what you're doing.

David Wile · August 21, 2002, 01:35 PM

Hey Cheygriz,

I agree - tedious is the correct word.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

Alex Johnson · August 23, 2002, 11:42 AM

Does anyone know if the old Lee Loaders were ever offered in 25 acp? This would seem to be an ideal way to load the small ammount of cartridges one would use and probably not all that much more work than using a conventional press.

Johnny Guest · August 23, 2002, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Does anyone know if the old Lee Loaders were ever offered in 25 acp? This would seem to be an ideal way to load the small ammount of cartridges one would use and probably not all that much more work than using a conventional press.

Maybe, but I respectfully take leave to doubt that, sir.

If you've never used a Lee Loader, this defines the term "Tedious." It is a good thing for the trapper who has one box of .25-35 brass in his Alaskan cabin or something like that. You can put the whole loading setup, with components, in a large shaving kit, and keep busy on the long winter nights - - -

Old Lee Loaders in the less popular calibers are bring some fairly high prices nowadays, for some reason. You may very well find an old set of conventional dies gathering dust in a gun shop, or a LITTLE used set for sale at a gun show, for less money than a complete Lee Loader.

(Besides, I'm not sure they ever made the LL in .25 ACP.

)

Best of luck - - -
Johnny Guest

Paul Fitz Jones · August 29, 2002, 01:23 PM

As a Police Rangemaster and Departmental reloader, all brass that hit the floor that was not reloaded for duty weapons was mine.

Consequently I have a large quantity of 25 auto, 32 auto, 32SWL and other pistol calibers old and new, cleaned, inspected and packed in heat sealed plastic bags or new Fitz Ammo boxes by my Boy Scouts.

Anyone need four 41 Long Colt??

Contact me at fitz_grips [email protected]

August 16, 2002, 11:54 AM	#1
Alex Johnson Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2000 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 812	Reloading the 25 acp How many people bother to reload the meager 25 acp round? I've been considering the purchase of a jetfire and would like info on reloading this cartridge. Considering they cost close to $10 a box in my area, I figure reloading it might be justified.

August 16, 2002, 03:50 PM	#4
Johnny Guest Moderator in Memoriam Join Date: August 28, 1999 Location: North Texas Posts: 4,123	When using a plastic powder funnel - - - - - -The .25 case is too short. I make an adaptor thusly: Take a .223 case and put it in shell holder. .380 ACP shell holder will work, too. Put the expander die for the .25 ACP in the press and run the expander stem well down, to where it puts a BIG bell on the mouth of the .223 case. Then saw the .223 case off a bit above the base web, but don't smooth out this cut. Now the baseless, well-expanded .223 case may be "screwed" into the bottom of the plastic powder funnel, extending same so you can fit the .25 ACP case into it and drop those carefuly weighed, match quality, charges of Bullseye, Unique, or whatever, without losing track of the case. RESIST the urge to soup up this little cartridge. The utmost you can achieve doesn't even approach mediocre. But you sure can runi a gun in the process. You can have cheap practice ammo, and that's worth enough in itself. Who, ME? Load .25 ACP? Well, yes . . . . Best, Johnny Guest

August 19, 2002, 01:18 AM	#10
MADISON Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2000 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 2,678	Reloading the 25 acp I would NOT Reload the 25 acp because you can not put enough powder in the case. I'd be afraid of loads with no powder.

August 29, 2002, 01:23 PM	#15
Paul Fitz Jones Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2002 Location: Sacramento California Posts: 266	.25ACP Brass Available As a Police Rangemaster and Departmental reloader, all brass that hit the floor that was not reloaded for duty weapons was mine. Consequently I have a large quantity of 25 auto, 32 auto, 32SWL and other pistol calibers old and new, cleaned, inspected and packed in heat sealed plastic bags or new Fitz Ammo boxes by my Boy Scouts. Anyone need four 41 Long Colt?? Contact me at fitz_grips [email protected]

August 16, 2002, 12:00 PM	#2
ACP230 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2000 Posts: 708	It can be done. A friend of mine loads for his .25 ACP pistols. He picked up a couple thousand brass for cheap through Shotgun News a few years ago. FMJ bullets are available from some bullet makers. I don't know what load he's using, but the powder charges he mentioned once were really small.

August 16, 2002, 12:42 PM	#3
bfoster Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 1998 Location: N. of Fords Switch, OK, USA Posts: 297	For cheap 25 ACP ammunition you might try to find Lyman mould #252435. This has been discontinued in the recent past, but it is probably available without a prolonged search. Load these bullets over not more than 1.2 grains of Bullseye to an OAL of about 0.9". (And watch your fingers as you close the press). Bob

August 16, 2002, 10:24 PM	#5
cheygriz Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2002 Location: high up in the rockies Posts: 2,289	I reload .25 ACP. I use Lyman carbide dies. My load is: Cases Remington Primers Remington 1 1/2 standard small pistol bullet Remington 55 GR FMJ (Purchased by the thousand, they're pretty cheap) Powder Hodgdon HP-38- charge 1.1 GR= That's right= one point one grains and it's MAX!!! If you have a little time and a lot of patience, this is a rewarding pursuit. It requires your TOTAL attention, and will take your mind off of other problems.

August 16, 2002, 11:20 PM	#6
Alex Johnson Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2000 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 812	What kind of presses do you guys use for the 25 acp? I would think that given the small size it might be easier to do it on a single stage press. My father has a couple of Dillon progressive presses, but all I have right now is an old Rock Chucker.

August 17, 2002, 02:59 PM	#7
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	My hat is off to you all... The 25 is one cartraige I will shoot and treat like the 22lr. Expendable. My fingers must be to big for it because I always fiddle with the cartraige to much to be fun. 380 auto is about my small size limit. Anyway, keep up the good work and I compliment your dexterity.

August 17, 2002, 09:13 PM	#8
David Wile Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2001 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA Posts: 585	Hey folks, Shame on you Peter! How can you throw away any centerfire case with a Boxer primer? I also have to confess that I have been reloading 25 auto cases since I first started back in the 1960s, and, no, it is not a picnic. I do not shoot my 25 very often, but when I do, I get out my old RCBS dies and go to work on them. While I usually have a hundred or so to do at a time, I still have never tried to reload them on my progressive press. To tell the truth, I probably do not even have a shell plate for the 25. I also have been reloading the same five boxes of Remington ammunition that I bought back in the 1960s. In all these years, I do not think I have lost more than ten of the empty cases, and none of them have yet to split or show other signs of fatigue. I have never been able to get my two girls interested in reloading and shooting, but I still may have a chance to get one or more of my grandchildren interested. If that happens, I wonder how long those old Remington 25 auto cases can last? Best wishes, Dave Wile

August 18, 2002, 09:53 PM	#9
cheygriz Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2002 Location: high up in the rockies Posts: 2,289	Alex, I load my .25s on a Lyman "Orange Crusher" press. I don't shoot enough of them to justify tooling up the Dillon 650 for that calibre.

August 20, 2002, 11:30 AM	#11
cheygriz Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2002 Location: high up in the rockies Posts: 2,289	Madison, Not a problem! Since I load them on a single stage press, I just look inside every case before seating a bullet. If I ever "tool up" my Dillon 650 for them, the powder checker stage will not allow an uncharged case to get through. Really, reloading .25 ACP is no different than reloading any other handgun round. It's just a bit more tedious because of the size of the case ans components. But you're correct about the tiny powder charge. It does require that you pay attention to what you're doing.

August 21, 2002, 01:35 PM	#12
David Wile Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2001 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA Posts: 585	Hey Cheygriz, I agree - tedious is the correct word. Best wishes, Dave Wile

August 23, 2002, 11:42 AM	#13
Alex Johnson Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2000 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 812	Does anyone know if the old Lee Loaders were ever offered in 25 acp? This would seem to be an ideal way to load the small ammount of cartridges one would use and probably not all that much more work than using a conventional press.