Any one have a 25 in hornet? I am not a big savage fan but kinda been lookin at them. Are they any good or just ho-hum? Don't want to dump $$$ on one just to try it and not like it. Would just be using it on gophers and such. I already have a 204 and 223 and 22-250...Consider it a play rifle for fun!!
Savage model 25..22 hornet. Thoughts?
- Thread starter icehunter121
- Start date
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
If you are already not a Savage fan, do not buy that gun.
I bought one last year and sold it before years end. It was the heavier barrel (24 inch) with the laminate stock. Very nice bluing job but that was about all.... Here were the problems... Bolt was a little sticky to begin with as the machining was not perfect and the bolt would rub the action on opening the bolt. Second problem is that the magazine is pinned too shot. Could not load some real nice 22 cal bullets as they were too long (including 40 gr VMax). Third, it did not feed hollow points well up the ramp. Fourth, the stock fit was a little off centre and as such was not truly free floated. Fifth, it shot ok only.... Could barely get any handloads under an inch. Lastly, I just didn't like loading for the 22 Hornet. Brass is hard to find and very thin walled so extra care is needed when loading. Factory ammo actually shot pretty well but was stupid expensive for what you were getting.
I'd say stick with your other small bored and get a 35 Whalen and load it with handgun bullets for blowing up bullets
Lol!!!I am the guy stubblejumper is talking about, and I can not recommend the model 25,
22 hornet, yep great little round, cheap to reload for,
I bought one last year and sold it before years end. It was the heavier barrel (24 inch) with the laminate stock. Very nice bluing job but that was about all.... Here were the problems... Bolt was a little sticky to begin with as the machining was not perfect and the bolt would rub the action on opening the bolt. Second problem is that the magazine is pinned too shot. Could not load some real nice 22 cal bullets as they were too long (including 40 gr VMax). Third, it did not feed hollow points well up the ramp. Fourth, the stock fit was a little off centre and as such was not truly free floated. Fifth, it shot ok only.... Could barely get any handloads under an inch. Lastly, I just didn't like loading for the 22 Hornet. Brass is hard to find and very thin walled so extra care is needed when loading. Factory ammo actually shot pretty well but was stupid expensive for what you were getting.
I'd say stick with your other small bored and get a 35 Whalen and load it with handgun bullets for blowing up bullets
Mine .17 hornet model 25, had most of the above problems, wouldn't feed reliably, some times ejected, too much head space, chamber very oversize, brass difficult to get into full length die, forget how many thou over but lots 30 odd I think. stiff to ####, magazine difficult to load, barrel of center in stock, scope mounts so far off center, that I had to buy windage adjustable mounts to get on target, It did shoot well, Never heard back from savage, and local sports store was hopeless, nor interested in doing anything about any kind of repair.
Buy a Cz, they are a far superior rifle, and will load and eject every time.
hunter7mmRM
CGN Regular
- Location
- Northern Alberta
I got a savage model 25 in the walking varminter in the 22hornet. I could get a decent local deal on one, although I don't really like the plastic stock, I still bought it thinking i will put a Boyd's on one day. My bolt so far, after a dozen rounds is still a little sticky on the last half inch while closing the bolt. My magazine had been swaped somewhere up the line with a 17 hornet one, so the rounds would not come up properly. Local gun store was really good and got a new one ordered for me. And as for shooting, on a cold breezy day, off the tail gate of my truck I was getting about an inch at a hundred yards. Not too bad. I think it'll turn out to be a great shooter. I really like the feel of the heavier barrel. Good balance. I hope to reload for it soon. Should be fairly inexpensive to reload for, and in light of the rising rimfire prices, it should be quite efficient.
- Location
- Quebec city
IMHO It's one of the ugliest rifle on the market. But .22 Hornet is one of my preferred caliber on the market and it's fun to reload to!
I'll jump in and say that I bought the model 25 lightweight varminter
in the 17 hornet. Mine has been an awesome shooter with both factory load and hand loads with the 20gr VMax, 3/4 inch at 100. I'm not a Savage fan, but I love this rifle, and it's my go to for targets and small game. Only issue I had was the floor plate cracked, Savage sent me another, no problem.
On a side note, HUNTER7MMRM, I've got a laminate stock I could sell you for a decent price if you have the heavy barrel
in the 17 hornet. Mine has been an awesome shooter with both factory load and hand loads with the 20gr VMax, 3/4 inch at 100. I'm not a Savage fan, but I love this rifle, and it's my go to for targets and small game. Only issue I had was the floor plate cracked, Savage sent me another, no problem.
On a side note, HUNTER7MMRM, I've got a laminate stock I could sell you for a decent price if you have the heavy barrel
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Wow lots of negative comments on the 25. I bought one a few months back in 204 ruger. I'll admit the bolt is kinda crappy. Other than that the stock is very comfortable and aligned. Magazine has had no issues. It shoots sub MOA with h4895 and 40gr v max. Overall I'm pretty happy with what I paid and how it preforms
I'm shooting the 25T (thumbhole stock) with good results.
75 grain hornady BTHP over 24 grains Varget and achieving 0.75" at 100
I honestly think the rifle shoots better than I do
But mine is 223 and perhaps that makes some difference.
Either way I have no real complaints.
YMMV
Shoot straight - chrisco
75 grain hornady BTHP over 24 grains Varget and achieving 0.75" at 100
I honestly think the rifle shoots better than I do
But mine is 223 and perhaps that makes some difference.
Either way I have no real complaints.
YMMV
Shoot straight - chrisco
I was shooting my model 25 in 17 hornet just today, it operates flawlessly, hits where its aimed and I am more than happy with it
Its the heavy barrel, laminate stock model
2 complaints, its heavy and the 4 round clip is a nuisance
Its the heavy barrel, laminate stock model
2 complaints, its heavy and the 4 round clip is a nuisance
I have a M25 in .17 Hornet. When Savage was developing the M25, it appears that they had some problems with reliable chambering and extracting (I have shot 20 and 25 grain V-Max and Horndady HP 25 grain so far). Based on my experience, I can say than my M25 has been flawless. I bought it in Feb 2016; I have seen other M25s that were finished in a gloss blue and the cap on the end of the bolt were much smaller than mine. Based on my experience with mine compared with what I've read about people's past experience with this rifle, I have to conclude that Savage had some problems to work out with V1.0 but seem to have solved them with M25 V2.0.
FWIW, mine is mat blue, and the bolt end cap is much bigger than some of the web pictures I've seen. It chambers, loads and extracts perfectly. I have two magazines and they both work perfectly. I agree that Savage rifles are not the prettiest, but they design and manufacture them to be less complicated and therefore less expensive than some of their competitors. All I can say is that mine (M25 Light Varminter in .17HH, mat blue finish) works perfectly and is a tack driver. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another or to recommend it to a friend. FWIW, I have been shooting for over 40 years and have been reloading for over 30.
FWIW, mine is mat blue, and the bolt end cap is much bigger than some of the web pictures I've seen. It chambers, loads and extracts perfectly. I have two magazines and they both work perfectly. I agree that Savage rifles are not the prettiest, but they design and manufacture them to be less complicated and therefore less expensive than some of their competitors. All I can say is that mine (M25 Light Varminter in .17HH, mat blue finish) works perfectly and is a tack driver. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another or to recommend it to a friend. FWIW, I have been shooting for over 40 years and have been reloading for over 30.
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I think that Savage reworked the M25 because of all the problems that were being reported. I saw one at Elwood Epps here in Ontario recently. It was used and I noticed it because it was gloss blue (the newer ones are satin) and the cap on the end of the bolt is conical shaped and larger. Guy behind the counter told me it was an older model. But more importantly, I think they've ironed out the chamber and ejection issues. Mine loads and shoots flawlessly. I haven't reloaded any yet, but the once fired cases look very healthy and normal and I don't expect any problems. I also think that some of the early batches of Hornady ammo were flawed, with lousy primer pockets and even over pressure in some circumstances. That didn't help the launch of that caliber/rifle.
It's unfortunate that these got a bad rap when they first came out, because once people's negative experiences are out on the web, it's very difficult for a brand to recover from that even if/when they've fixed issues. Savage's rifle stylings in general are not to everyone's taste for sure, and I would include myself in that camp to some extent, but I love my M25, including its looks, and I positively love how it shoots. This is my first Savage, although I borrowed one from a friend for a season many years ago. It was a vintage M99 in .300 Savage. Thought it was kind of ugly as lever actions go because it didn't look like a 94 or 336, but it was very nicely made and shot like crazy and that's what mattered ultimately.
You may have seen my recent thread about my experience with my new M25 in .17 Hornet. Based on my experience, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
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