WB
One I've never done.
Monday, September 14, 2020, 08:41

I've always wanted to load .25 ACP, just to day I did. I've loaded .32 ACP and it was really easy and I got wonderful results with cast bullets. I did find I need a special powder dispenser if I wanted to do very small amounts of powder. It's on my list.

.25 ACP is a very fun gun and round. Old men love to collect the varied examples and seldom actually shoot them, much less reload for them. Virtually all examples I know of are "blow back" operated where the slide weight and spring tension are the only thing protecting you from a blow out case. Thankfully I've never heard of any issues. It does limit the loading antics, as does available case capacity. Truly I figure a home made powder dipper from a modded case and some fine fast burning powder would be the hot ticket.

I do happen to have a bullet mould close to the factory 50 gr. FMJ driven at a nominal 750 fps. I've seen lighter bullets of expanding types but never a heavier loading. I think this a mistake. I believe any expanding bullet a waste, the focus on reliability and penetration are the only things going for the teeny round anyway. Why limit that trying to get blood from a 35 gr. pill?!

My mould is a 60 gr. HP or 65 gr. FPGC solid. It is 0.257" diameter, not the needed 0.251". They do like to make things complicated. But I can fix that. Maybe I will finally pursue this silly bucket list item. It sounds like fun to me.

Some of my favorite .25's are the Astra, Colt (although I've never owned one), Bauer copy of the Baby Browning, the Beretta's too. Someone made a copy of the CZ DA that held 10 rounds and is a pocket sleeper if you can find one. The .25 is maligned but more effective than some may really know.