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Location: Medfield, MA
.25 caliber rim fire
I was in a gun shop yesterday, and saw a .25 caliber Stevens Favorite rifle. The gun is in very nice original condition. The .25 caliber round is obsolete, hasn't been made in this country since about WWII. A Canadian company last made them in the 70's. Whatever is out there is likely to cost in the neighbir hood of $100 to $150 a box of 50.
I contacted 2 makers of custom bullets, they both said they could not make rim fire bullets.
Does anyone know of a source that could make custom rim fire bullets, or does anyone know how to go about making a rim fire bullet.
Is it realistic to think I could make my own rim fires?
I have loaded thousands of shotgun shells, but those supplies are easily obtained.
I would think the hardest part would be obtaining, or making, or resizing brass. .???
Any thoughts or opinions will be appreciated!
Thanks, Larry
LJP, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun Forum since Aug 2013.
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Larry,
I ran across something about reloading rimfires a while back. I'll rack my brain and see if I can figure out where. You may want to check over at the American Single Shot Rifle Association, if anyone knows how to reload rimfires, those guys would.
Another place to try would be the Cast Boolits forum. They seem to like the odd reloading challenge.
Tom
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I always thought it a bit "tricky" reloading rimfires 
DaveH
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(09-04-2013, 08:26 AM)DaveH Wrote: I always thought it a bit "tricky" reloading rimfires
DaveH
Dave, what do you mean" tricky"?
LJP, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun Forum since Aug 2013.
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09-04-2013, 01:47 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-04-2013, 01:48 PM by DaveH.)
"Tricky" - a lot of misfires  (Not easy to get it right all of the time)
Not as if I have done any - some of the guys I know reload with the centre primer, but not the rimfires.
When I have asked about reloading rimfires they just said it was too much trouble
DaveH
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The following 1 user Likes 12345678910's post:
EdK (09-04-2013)
If the gun is not a pristine collector's piece and you just want to shoot it.
Consider having the barrel drilled and lined with 22 barrel liner.
It gets drilled with a long piloted drill, a 22 barrel sleeve gets soldered or epoxied in.
Then the barrel gets chambered and machined for any extractor cut-outs and such.
The firing pin will probably work as is.
Or, perhaps you could make up sleeves that adapt to fit a .22 rimfire into the 25 chamber.
It would be a pain to pick them up and re-sleeve though, I expect they would be delicate.
Posts: 75
Threads: 8
Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Medfield, MA
(09-04-2013, 02:52 PM)12345678910 Wrote: If the gun is not a pristine collector's piece and you just want to shoot it.
Consider having the barrel drilled and lined with 22 barrel liner.
It gets drilled with a long piloted drill, a 22 barrel sleeve gets soldered or epoxied in.
Then the barrel gets chambered and machined for any extractor cut-outs and such.
The firing pin will probably work as is.
Or, perhaps you could make up sleeves that adapt to fit a .22 rimfire into the 25 chamber.
It would be a pain to pick them up and re-sleeve though, I expect they would be delicate.
This gun was in nice condition. He is asking $500.
He had other Steven's Favorites in 22LR, but they were not in the same condition. He was only asking $150 for them...
Any idea what it would cost to have something like that done? (barrel sleeve)
Thanks, Larry
LJP, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun Forum since Aug 2013.
Posts: 3,798
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Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan
Larry,
Unless it's a model 44 or 45, which is a larger frame version of the Favorite, that's WAY too much money. I see really nice Favorites all the time at gun shows for $200-$250, and they are in the more desirable .22 caliber.
Tom
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09-05-2013, 08:31 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-05-2013, 08:33 PM by Highpower.)
(09-05-2013, 07:39 PM)LJP Wrote: Any idea what it would cost to have something like that done? (barrel sleeve)
Thanks, Larry
Larry,
I have no idea what shops in your area would charge, so it would be time well spent to shop around. I'm sure there will be a wide range between different shops.
Supplies and tooling to do it yourself (.22LR liner) on your own lathe & mill would set you back around $300 - $350. Plus your own time for labor of course.
http://www.brownells.com/search/index.ht...&ksubmit=y
Good luck in your quest.
Willie
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(09-05-2013, 07:39 PM)LJP Wrote: (09-04-2013, 02:52 PM)12345678910 Wrote: If the gun is not a pristine collector's piece and you just want to shoot it.
Consider having the barrel drilled and lined with 22 barrel liner.
It gets drilled with a long piloted drill, a 22 barrel sleeve gets soldered or epoxied in.
Then the barrel gets chambered and machined for any extractor cut-outs and such.
The firing pin will probably work as is.
Or, perhaps you could make up sleeves that adapt to fit a .22 rimfire into the 25 chamber.
It would be a pain to pick them up and re-sleeve though, I expect they would be delicate.
This gun was in nice condition. He is asking $500.
He had other Steven's Favorites in 22LR, but they were not in the same condition. He was only asking $150 for them...
Any idea what it would cost to have something like that done? (barrel sleeve)
Thanks, Larry
As mentioned , you've got to find out locally.
Last time I asked it was relatively cheap.
The action stays on the barrel, the smith already has the tools and
after all it's "just a .22".
You can't justify charging as much as bench rest match grade centirefire work.
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