Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Hmmmm 25 Creedmoor, 25x47 Lapua, .257 SMACK.

I had a reamer done quite awhile back. But with life in general, work, my first daughter, more work, the list goes on. The reamer has been gathering dust until one evening I stumbled across the new BlackJack “Ace” 25 Cal 131gr Match bullet.

My reamer is based off of necking down a .260 Rem Lapua case to .25 Cal. Then fire forming, which will give it minimum body tapper, blow the shoulder forward ( 37 degree shoulder).

I went to the Blackjack web sight to purchase some bullets and come to find out they have reamers, bullets and barrels on hand. So I ordered some bullets along with a deal I couldn’t pass up. A stainless X-Caliber #15 Varmint, 1-7 twist barrel blank for $214.00 Shipped. I started looking at the reamer specs and noticed. They have a .289 neck and .115 freebore on both their 25 Creedmoor and 25x47 Lapua reamers.

Just so happens that my .257 SMACK reamer has a .289 neck and .113 freebore. With a .330 G7 BC, the 131gr ACE bullet should be interesting. My reamer was done back in 07.

I wanted to give the Kelbly “Atlas” action a try. This may be just the project for it.

BLACKJACK

https://blackjackbullets.com/?v=7516fd43adaa

.257 SMACK reamer and dies. .243 Win case just bellow the reamer.

Ive seen this, He says they are working on a hunting version on the "ACE" bullet..... I'm gonna wait and see how that bullet turns out first but I think I'm gonna do a 25-280Ackley and see how fast I can push it!

I had read they were working on other 25 Cal bullets. A 25-.280 Ackley should get one moving. I saw they suggested a 1-8 twist if pushing the 131gr Ace past 3300.

Hmmmmmm. .256 Gibbs? I have a bunch of new properly headstamped 6.5 Gibbs brass.

Kelbly is about 5 miles from me. I should go check it out sometime. I like the cartridge and a 7 twist in 25 caliber is interesting.

Hmmm, wonder how that bullet would work out in my Rem 700 25-284? Never could get that rifle to be consistent with the fodder I've fed it yet, maybe this is the one to try? I'll be watching for some results with this one to see if it is worth a try.

Bob

If you would like some of the 131’s just to see if they shoot in your 25-284. Just PM me and I’ll send some your way as soon as I get them.

Yeah ive been following him on facebook since he announced the news about High BC .25 cal bullets. I think I would run a 1-7.5" just because I'm so close to sea level in CA... but for sure a 1-7" if your running anything under 50gr case capacity.

OT. I like these cats. I also wanted to try things based on the 308 case in Imp form. Wanted a 6.5 and a 9.3-08. Maybe a .375-08. But I keep thinking on the larger side the 358 Winchester on an improved case could be all I need. Back to the 6.5 I'm still exploring the 6.5x54. The M/S being one of my ultimate guns to own and now one sits here a few feet away. Next question is what about a modern action in the 6.5x54? Maybe the 6.35x54? Too many cats, too few years to experiment, and as always, not enough dollars to spread around.

Not really sure of the point in rebarreling a rifle to a fast twist 25, in order to shoot bullets that match the BC of readily available 6.5 bullets. The 131 grain 257 bullet has a very similar advertised BC to the 140 grain ELDM. A cartridge with a given case capacity in either bore diameter will shoot those bullets essentially the same speed. So the fast twist 257 route seems like a good way to spend a lot of money, just to be "different" - doesn't seem to fill any niche that needed filling. But to each his own.

I agree!

I was thinking the same thing but "because it's interesting/unique and I just wanted to do it " is ample reason for me.

I WANT TO is good enough as far as I'm concerned.

PM Sent
Thanks,
Bob

It is different, that’s why. I already own 6.5 Creedmoor’s. I shoot them and very much enjoy the chambering, accuracy and performance of the 6.5 CM.

It's a quarter bore thing, they just grow on you and work so well with the bullets already available. But you always wonder what a higher BC bullet could do.

Many would say necking a 260 to 25 is counter productive (intuitive?) and they would be right but it would be cool. A 25 Souper Smacker? Warren Page would approve and then probably take it on a culling operation in New Zealand if he were still around.

Years back I had a 25 Souper and a 257 DGR. I started hunting deer with a 25-284 back in the early 80’s. I enjoyed them all.

I built a .25 creedmoor awhile back. It’s proven to be a great little round and in my rifle very accurate..a fun project! Good luck with yours...

I'm just about to start my build with these bullets. I'm just waiting for my reamer to come and my action to get back to me from being blueprinted. My reamer should be here next week and my action within 2-3 weeks. I'm building a 25-284 with a 7.5 twist Krieger sendero contour. My reamer will have .145 freebore. My action will be a fully blueprinted 700 long action. Should be a fun round. The BC is .330 g7 at 2900fps on these bullets. I'm thinking I should be able to drive them past 3000fps fairly easy.