Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General 25-35

Rimfire I may experiment with 4320. None of my loading data lists 4320 for anything heaver than 100 grs. The top load for 100 is 29.0 at 2465fps. I am just getting into 25-35 but have been loading for 25-20 for 15 years in both jacket and cast. My model 92 WIN. shoots most everything well.

The 25 Tomcat sounds interesting, where can I find info. on it?

To all 25-35 lovers:

As mentioned above, I'm having a Ruger # 3 in 375 Win re-barreled to a 25-35. Dave Manson is making the reamer and it should be finished around the end of January.

When my gunsmith finishes the re-barreling, I'll be glad to lend my reamer for free, to whoever needs one here at the Fire.

So if not having 25-35 reamer has held you back from re-barreling, you now can be good to go.

Steve

Now That is a GENEROUS Offer. I for one will be watching 24HCP for news about how all this plays out. That should be a nice package. If I find the right barrel I might take you up on that offer.

I'll have to get a better photo of mine, but here is my 94 winchester in 25-35. I got it from my Grandfather and have taken several deer with it. My son carried it this year hunting for the first time. Tucked next to it is an 1873 trapdoor in 45-70 that is just incidental to the photo.

Very nice.

Steve,
With your single shot you might want a neck size die.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/819654/rcbs-neck-sizer-die-25-35-wcf

Almost fourteen years ago, I had retired from my career job and worked for a year or so trouble shooting and putting out fires for a large company. A friend asked me to keep an eye out for a pawn shop that might be for sale. Found it, deal made. Helped friend keep an eye on things as he had another business to run. The store had in stock at the time of the purchase a Model 12 20 ga. modified field grade and a 1894 in .25-35. Both were made in 1937, the year I was born, and in nice condition. I could have bought them for $225 each. Friend was struggling to get the business up and running, and I felt he needed to get the marked prices for his own good. Life's regrets. I should have just doubled his generous offer and took both. 20/20 hindsight. A re barrel on one of my Marlins will likely cost more. jack

Ooooohhh...Bummer!

One day I hope to find a shooter because I have been finding ammo for them for years.
I have on hand 6 boxes of Winchester factory loads.Almost made a deal on one with the crescent butt plate but the deal didn't go through.
Nice youngster as well.Treasure them.

Oh I do. Thank you.

He fired a gun for the first time the other day. Ruger 10-22. He loved it.

Francis Sell wrote two specific articles on the Tomcat and then a third about off hand shooting that featured the rifle, a 24� barrel Marlin 336.
Wolfe publishing has printed a book of cartridge drawings by Dave LeGate. Wolfe removed Dave�s signature mark on the drawings in the book. Here is a copy of the drawing from the article with his signature.

A Custom Deer Rifle by Francis Sell, American rifleman May 1978

.25-35 Tomcat by Francis Sell Rifle September/October 1982 reprinted in the Wildcat cartridges book from Wolfe Publishing.

Thanks for posting the Tomcat drawing. I will have to check this out further. I am in the middle of moving so most everything else is on hold.

I prefer the �mild Improvement� of the Tomcat and the .25 Bullberry to the sharp shoulder of the Ackley for the 25-35. Using today�s powder in a modern rifle, there is not a pressing requirement for any �Improvement� in the 25-35. The �need� is for a modern bullet for the modern lever action rifle.
Ken Waters wrote an article titled along the lines of �Bullets Wanted� and he called for a 100-grain flat nose bullet for the 25-35. I too prefer the 100-grain bullets in the 25-35 and have experienced good results on our little West Texas deer and smaller pigs when using the 100-grain Speer JHP bullet. I have several friends who shoot the 7-30 Waters with 24� and 20� barrels. I give up nothing to these rifles when comparing the cartridge under typical field situations. These words do not apply to the standard 25-35 in the Thomson Center Contender due to the limits of the extractor.
The questions for the builder of a new 25-35 today is what game will I hunt and what rifling twist is optimum. I believe the 1-10� twist is best but if I was certain this was primarily a small game rifle I would select a 1-14� twist. Greg Mushials 1-14� twist rifle would shoot very small groups with the Speer 75-grain flat nose bullet. If I were hunting coyotes this might not be the best selection - I guess I need a switch barrel Model 94AE!

You seem very up on the 25-35. What pressures do the Tomcat and the .25 Bullberry develop? Would they be compatible with a winchester 94 pre. war model?
Thanks for sharing your information on the fire.
When I get moved I will start getting serious about the resources you have posted.

I know this is a lever forum....but I do not have a lever 25-35 winchester - yet

I do have an Austrian stalking rifle in 25-35

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Have yet to take any animals with it yet - but I will keep trying!!!

Who cares.That is a nice looking rifle.

Thanks Plainsman456 it must have been built for a woman or a young person as the LOP is 12.5". I put one of the leather cover pads on it and it works for me

Does anybody have any thoughts or experience on having a 25-35 barrel made for a Stevens 325?

That ought to be cool. I had never thought of it, but it would seem that it should be an easy setup.

I thought I recalled Winchester using 1-8" twist and noted that you mentioned this a few pages back as well. I have a 1-8" twist barrel blank available and thought about using it. I shoot mostly cast bullets and currently have a couple molds in the 75-100 gr. range. Have you worked much with cast in your Winchester? I keep thinking back to the troubles the cast bullet guys had with the 6.5X55 and it's quick twist. It would shoot well up to maybe 1700 FPS or so but most efforts to make it past that did not turn out well.