Steve,
I thought I would answer your msg here as other may have different thoughts.
I bought my 25-35AI reamer from Midway as a stock item. This is a PTG reamer which reamed a good chamber for me. One of the flutes of the reamer did not cut as well as the others but this did not seem to affect the end result. I had shot this 24� barrel quite a bit but it is still a very accurate barrel.
I enjoy loading for and shooting the 25-35AI. The cartridge is similar to the 30-30AI in that the case does not appear to be fragile at all. Case life is excellent with the highest pressure loads. Eventually you will wear out a primer pocket � this is to say the pocket has less resistance when seating the primer. I use hand priming tools and I am able to feel the difference when seating the primer. All of my cases will accept 10+ high pressure loads. The majority of my cases will be loaded many more times.
The 30-30AI and the 25-35AI will both exhibit cases stretching when loaded to high pressure � I am describing loads above an estimated 50,000 CUP. If you start with new brass you will not have case life issues. Using brass previously loaded as 30-30 or standard 25-35 is acceptable for lower load levels but for high performance, use new cases. You will occasionally break a case at the pressure ring. I have broken one 25-35 AI case at the pressure ring and I have been shooting the cartridge regularly during summer for 5 years or so.
Now for the unpopular part � high pressure loading. There is little difference between the 25-35AI loaded to high pressure and the 250 Savage loaded with published load data. In my situation I had a barrel with extraction problems as a standard 25-35. Reaming the chamber to the Improved shape eliminated the problem. I have shot my 24� 25-35AI side by side with two Remington Classic rifles and the 24� barrel 25-35AI, loaded to higher pressure I�ll admit, will exceed 250 Savage velocities from the 22� barrel. This is not an apple to apples comparison but II believe it illustrates the potential of the 25-35AI cartridge. The rimmed cartridge case is easier for me to handle with the Thompson Center action, particularly in winter.
Now to real world stuff. Fired in the light TC rifle the 100-grain bulk Remington bullets have proven to be able to group into 1 �� three shot groups from field positions. This is with makeshift rests and sitting positions with the scope set on 8X. 36.0 grains of Alliant Reloder 15 gives me just over 3,000 fps and this is a fine load. Higher cost bullets will shoot smaller groups from the bench but in the field I cannot tell the difference between bullet brands.
My Winchester 25-35AE wears a Weaver V-3 which is more than enough scope for this rifle.
We are discussing varmint shooting but I have driven the 117-grain Hornady round nose bullet above 2,980 fps and this load kills deer very well. I prefer a load giving 2,800 fps and several powders will deliver this performance.
IMR 4320, Alliant Reloder 10X, Hodgdon 4895 and Varget will all deliver similar performance if 50 fps less velocity in some cases.
I have found no advantage to forming cases from 375 Winchester cases. Others may report different results but I have not been able to prove an advantage for the 375 Winchester case.
I generally form my cases from new 30-30 brass and always inside ream the necks after fire forming with fast powder and corn meal.
Everyone has an opinion and here is mine. I would ream my chamber to the standard 25-35 case. With a good extraction system the 25-35 cases will deliver fine performance when loaded to higher pressures. I still prefer the 100-grain bullets in the standard chamber and the 100-grain JHP Speer bullet is a favorite for me. This Speer bullet is accurate and tough enough for anything I will encounter. Any of the medium burn rate powders will push the 100-grain bullets above 2,600 fps from a 20� barrel. 4320, Reloder 10X, Varget and 4895 all proving to be top performers in the modern 25-35 rifle.
When my New Deal Handout comes in and I am a Hundredaire I hope to have a lever action rifle reamed for the 25-35 Tomcat. This will up my performance a bit from the standard cartridge will eliminate any fooling around with case forming. The reamer and reloading dies will be expensive but I believe the result will be worth the cost. I would prefer this milder form of Improvement to the full Ackley treatment. P.O. Ackley assisted Francis Sell in the design of his wildcat so there is no doubt about the careful thought put into establishing the performance goals for the cartridge and the design of the case.
With a discussion board as broad as the Campfire there must be others who already been there on this.
