My 303-25

[Wyatt Smith]

Very popular wildcat caliber in Australia Wyatt, lovely rifle you have

Thanks! It’s been a fun project.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

25/06 is a great cartridge. I used the 120 grain Bullets.

I believe there was a sabot bullet for the -06 but can't recall anything about it. Perhaps someone on the thread does.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

@Badboymelvin
I remember reading about Len Richardson back in the day say in g the three O 270 was to much gun for sambar so he went with the 243/303 and 90 grain sakos and thought it was the ducks guts for sambar. Now for some reason we need a lot bigger. My last one was with a 270 and 130 grain ACPs.
Bob

Hells bells Bob, I had an encounter or two with Sambar stags and thought I was undergunned with a 30-06 and 180grains !

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I remember him!
And if I remember correctly he was the guy who used to ride a little motorcycle through the bush/ scrub after deer!
As you said he liked the .303/243 for sambar hunting and I'm sure it served him well, but all things considered I prefer my .338WM...
But getting back to the .303/25, I'd love to get a .303/25 EPPS in a nice strong front-locker and really wring it out to see what it could do...

@Badboymelvin

Russ top photo is a,100 yard target with 115grain nosler combined technology silver tips
Middle 2 loads of 25/303 Epps 100grain Barnes ttsx and 115 grain Nosler combined technology silver tips
Bottom my P14
If you really want to ring the best out of the cartridge you need Hogdon superformance powder. ADI 2213sc a close second.
100grain Barnes TTSX chronoed at 3,670 fps both the 117grain SST and the 115 grain Nosler 3,340fps
I modified the Epps version from a neck length of .311 to .257 moving the shoulder forward to give even more powder space.
Any time you want to build one let me know my reamer has only cut two chambers.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hells bells Bob, I had an encounter or two with Sambar stags and thought I was undergunned with a 30-06 and 180grains !

@Cervus elaphas

this is the last one I shot and no it's not a spiker. He was a 9 or 10 year old with antlers like frozen dog turds. The mate estimated his weigh at 250 to 270 kg on the hoof. One shot with the 270 at around 170 yards all done and dusted. Very Nice eating after aging. For comparison I'm 6 and a half feet and around 250 pounds.
Bob

 

[Uncle Sauce]

@Uncle Sauce
Have you tried the 100grain Barnes ttsx in your 25. It can be loaded up to 3,400fps with devastating results and real flat trajectory.
Bob

I haven't Bob - Sounds like a scorcher! I'll have to give it a go one of these days if I run out of the other components.

 

[CBH Australia]

I only used both the 303 and 303/25 shall we say very little
My first rifle was a Slazenger 22 followed by a 243

Mmm, saying very little about your age I'm thinking. You surely could be old as Bob who is as old as time?

I haven't Bob - Sounds like a scorcher! I'll have to give it a go one of these days if I run out of the other components.

What a Yank who has plenty of components? Maybe you are the hoarder

Bob, you can put Russ and myself in that category of young blokes like Wyatt, but we would still have a can with a dinosaur like yourself.

 

[camerl2009]

@camerl2009
I have the 25 Epps but modified it by moving the shoulder forward and blowing the case out straighter and 35 degrees shoulder.
It is a wickedly fast round using a good dose of Hogdon superformance behind a 100grain Barnes ttsx I get 3,670 fps SAFELY on a P14 action and a 24 inch Llijla match grade stainless barrel.
Accuracy is unbelievable with it ,the 117grain SST and the 115 grain Nosler combined technology silver tips.
Bob

Not really looking for a ton of speed but do like the idea of longer case life. and Epps sporting goods was originally here in my hometown.

 

[Uncle Sauce]

What a Yank who has plenty of components? Maybe you are the hoarder

I've been through some of these shortages before and laid in a decent supply (or at least I thought!) The longer this goes on the more my 'decent supply' doesn't seem so robust!!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Not really looking for a ton of speed but do like the idea of longer case life. and Epps sporting goods was originally here in my hometown.

@camerl2009
When I was in Canada I took the 25 Epps cartridge to Epps sports store in Orillia and had a great yarn with Wes the owner and some of the staff. There workshop was most impressive as well.
The reason for taking the 2 5 cartridge was they had all the other Epps cartridges but no 25. It now sits on display with the others.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Mmm, saying very little about your age I'm thinking. You surely could be old as Bob who is as old as time?

What a Yank who has plenty of components? Maybe you are the hoarder

Bob, you can put Russ and myself in that category of young blokes like Wyatt, but we would still have a can with a dinosaur like yourself.

@CBH
The good Dr is older than me, I don't know how old Russ @Badboymelvin is and @wyatt Smith is half your age and I don't know about being as old as time, shit I'm only 63.
Bob

 

[bruce moulds]

shit bob you look older than that.
must be all the drinking, smoking and womanizing.
bruce.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

shit bob you look older than that.
must be all the drinking, smoking and womanizing.
bruce.

@bruce moulds
Maybe in my younger days pre 40 years old but not nowdays. Shit what I used to do all night now takes me all night. @CBH being younger his sex life and being married is probably try weekly, people as young as @Wyatt Smith it is probably tri- weekly and at my age and having lived a wild life when younger it is TRY WEAKLY.
Bob.

 

[bruce moulds]

i don't know bob.
the gun world is a small place, and the rumour is that you are still a bit of a wily old fox.
maybe the trapline got a bit shorter, but you can still do all the traps in the line.
bruce.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I believe there was a sabot bullet for the -06 but can't recall anything about it. Perhaps someone on the thread does.

Years ago, Remington made loaded ‘06 ammo using a sabot containing .22 caliber bullets. I believe they were fairly accurate too?

 

[CBH Australia]

Years ago, Remington made loaded ‘06 ammo using a sabot containing .22 caliber bullets. I believe they were fairly accurate too?

Yes I remember saboted projectiles being listed in adverts.
I either was reloading or didn't have ready cash at the time, maybe I didn't have a .30 running. Iv had a few .308 over the years.
Does anyone know if saboted projectiles are available?

 

[CoElkHunter]

Years ago, Remington made loaded ‘06 ammo using a sabot containing .22 caliber bullets. I believe they were fairly accurate too?

“Accelerator” is what Remington called them.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Yes I remember saboted projectiles being listed in adverts.
I either was reloading or didn't have ready cash at the time, maybe I didn't have a .30 running. Iv had a few .308 over the years.
Does anyone know if saboted projectiles are available?

Search for the thread here, “Saboted bullet loads”. Interesting information.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

@Cervus elaphas
View attachment 405202this is the last one I shot and no it's not a spiker. He was a 9 or 10 year old with antlers like frozen dog turds. The mate estimated his weigh at 250 to 270 kg on the hoof. One shot with the 270 at around 170 yards all done and dusted. Very Nice eating after aging. For comparison I'm 6 and a half feet and around 250 pounds.
Bob

That sure is a stunted head, even mature females are bigger than that one. Good for eating but. The ones I met on the side of a large wooded hill were more like the attached pic.
Photo acknowledgement: New Zealand Safaris dot com

typical 6 point mature stag. He's a big'un

 

[Cervus elaphus]

“Accelerator” is what Remington called them.

I wonder what the muzz velocity was with all that brass behind them. Back in the dark ages at high school we used .303s converted to single shot .22 for indoor target shooting on a Wednesday Cadet day. We didn't understand then we were being prepared for the next batch of cannon fodder.