Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Opinion's Wanted on caliber differences

Hi, single shot shooters. I need some advise on selecting a new cartridge for a small Martini rook rifle that was originally 297/250 then rechambered too 256 win.mag in the 60's but the bore was left as it came from the factory and is now very rough.
My dilemma 25-20WCF or 38 special.
The gunsmith can re-line the barrel in 25-20 wcf or Re-bore and chamber to 38 special.
My question is what would someone like yourself (much more gun experience them myself ) find more exciting to own take to the range and target shoot, hunting game not a factor, mostly at 50 yrds ,open sights shot off hand and benched for accuracy.
I will be handloading for either one. But can the 38 special stay fun and interesting and accurate enough to keep up with the 25-20 which I would imagine would probably feel like shooting a lazer beam with twice the FPS then the lumbering 38.
How does a 38 special +P with a 125 grain bullet perform in a 25" rifle barrel?
I know it's a tough question but any Pros or Cons will be helpful. Thanks Jimi

I'd rather load 500 38 specials over 50 25/20's.

Most of the fun with .25/20s these days is in the hunt for brass. .38 brass is still easy to find. A .25/20 is a fine small game and plinking gun, but I think you would get fed up pretty quick trying to feed it.

.38s can be very accurate. Within 50 yards, even full wadcutters should shoot very well.

Not sure where your interests lie, "dinkin" around with "odd/old/obsolete" type calibers (25/20 and .256 winmag) or just being able to quickly load up a bunch of straight walled .38's and go shooting.

I own some stuff in .256 and think it's a great cartridge, mild recoil (hardly any), great velocity & so on. Brass hard to come by but I've got most of what I'll ever need. My question for you is why reline/rechamber for 25/20 (I've got a couple of those too)? Why not just reline and keep the .256 chambering. Brass can be made from .357 (info here on the 'fire) or you can find it at gun shows and online sometimes. Oh, an added benefit, you can run mild loads in the .256 with cast bullets and have your 25/20 fun too.

AS for the conversion to .38 special. If you're going that route why not chamber for .357 magnum (maybe even .357 Max, assuming the Martini action can take .357 Max pressures) as it is already chambered for .256 which runs slightly higher in pressure than .357 if I'm not mistaken. Either of the .357 chamberings would allow you to use 38 special or download their cases to .38 levels and have the flexibility to run full power loads too.

I don't have issues with loading 25/20, but I'm a slow loader type of guy. The .38 would certainly be easier to handload. Personally, I like oddball calibers and the ability to download from full power loads, so I'd stay with .256 or 25/20. I can certainly see utlity in a nice .357/.38 though.

Good luck whichever way you go, sounds like a fun gun.

Geno

I am not very versed in Martini actions but did have one that was chambered in .357 Magnum. Assuming you gunsmith agrees that your action will take the .357 I would get it chambered for the Maximum round. You can shoot .38's in it as well. I liked mine.