I have a Rem m25R, pump action carbine 25-20 with a 17" barrel, neat gun little take down piece from 1928 that I was working with. I had read that it is one of the weaker actions that the 25-20 was released in so I took it fairly easy on the 80+ year old carbine. I was set up with the 75 grain Speer flatnose bullet but that is a very hard bullet that didn't mushroom or disrupt at all at the velocity that I was loading them.

Here's a generic example of the m25R from the web:

[Linked Image from cdn.rockislandauction.com]

I was looking for bullet options that would expand, and tried the 70 blitzking with the polymer tips filed off. They were slightly less accurate than the Speer, but hit exactly 1/2" higher with .4-.5 grains more of 4198 for the 70 grain Sierra. I was still getting under 1" groups at 50 yards with either bullet.

I had heard of people using the 75 grain Hornady vamx on deer from a 25-20, but that bullet profile wasn't going to work for the Remington action, so I went with the Sierra.

I liked the idea of the 25-20 as a "meat in the pot" gun and carried it for small game with the 75 grain Speer and went with the 70 blitzking when I wanted expansion.

I still would like to hunt turkey with the little 4lb carbine, but will have to go out of state for that.