what do you use in your .25 rf?

m-134

m-134

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has anyone tried shooting like a .25 cal roundball or bullet and just a .27 cal hilti gun blank round out of a .25 stevens? i have a old stevens model 1915 in .25 (shes not pretty, but just neds a firing pin to be a working gun) and one day i was looking at it, and found that a .27 cal hilti gun blank fits rather nicely in the chamber/rim. just need to drop a projectile in the chamber and might be a good and cheap way to get the old .25's shooting again.
 
There are several online reports (other forums) of folks doing exactly that, no firsthand experience though. As you found, most who report trying it also found the .27 to be the correct diameter

I just picked up a Stevens in .32 so I've been reading up on them. The actions (as you may already know) are NOT strong so use your judgment - personally I wouldn't go over Brown (which are hard to find but can be had on eBay of all places, I learned that on here the other day. I special ordered some from the hardware store before I knew this) but YMMV.

Good luck
 
1- I use .27 cal Hilti shells with a variety of projectiles. Round .25 bbs (any sporting goods store), .25 bullets cut in half etc. even .25 auto bullets work. I drop the bullet in and shoved the shell in behind it. Some guys have suggested putting some powder in with it, but its pretty obvious they've never tried it, once you shoot it without!


Ive also glued, epoxy'd, siliconed, JB welded the bullets to the shells. It all works. Silicone stuck on bullets are great as they wont break off while handling and carrying.

You can get the Hilti's at Home Depot, Ronas, etc. They come in yellow, brown, red and maybe the odd other colour. Yellows are pretty good, reds are pretty hot. Use the .27 cal ones. They fit better than .25's and will work with the extractor (25 wont)

2- I've also since been playing with .25 auto's in it. I reload with black powder. Works very well in some guns. It depends on the gun, though. The firing pin isnt in the same place on all. It works on mine most of the time. I've been considering moving the pin down a bit (only takes drilling another hole)
The extractor also works most of the time. Theres just enough rim on a .25 auto for it to catch, it depends on how worn everything is and how it was made.

These guns seem to have been manufactured with fairly wide tolerances.

To sum it all up, my favorite ways to shoot are: *Yellow Hilti w/ loose round ball for plinking.
*Red Hilti w/ silicone stuck-on .25 auto bullet for accuracy.

*Black powder reloaded .25 auto cf.
Once I drill a new hole for firing pin and build up the extractor a bit. I will probably use this exclusively just out of convenience.
 
89diesel said:
1- I use .27 cal Hilti shells with a variety of projectiles. Round .25 bbs (any sporting goods store), .25 bullets cut in half etc. even .25 auto bullets work. I drop the bullet in and shoved the shell in behind it. Some guys have suggested putting some powder in with it, but its pretty obvious they've never tried it, once you shoot it without!


Ive also glued, epoxy'd, siliconed, JB welded the bullets to the shells. It all works. Silicone stuck on bullets are great as they wont break off while handling and carrying.

You can get the Hilti's at Home Depot, Ronas, etc. They come in yellow, brown, red and maybe the odd other colour. Yellows are pretty good, reds are pretty hot. Use the .27 cal ones. They fit better than .25's and will work with the extractor (25 wont)

2- I've also since been playing with .25 auto's in it. I reload with black powder. Works very well in some guns. It depends on the gun, though. The firing pin isnt in the same place on all. It works on mine most of the time. I've been considering moving the pin down a bit (only takes drilling another hole)
The extractor also works most of the time. Theres just enough rim on a .25 auto for it to catch, it depends on how worn everything is and how it was made.

These guns seem to have been manufactured with fairly wide tolerances.

To sum it all up, my favorite ways to shoot are: *Yellow Hilti w/ loose round ball for plinking.
*Red Hilti w/ silicone stuck-on .25 auto bullet for accuracy.

*Black powder reloaded .25 auto cf.
Once I drill a new hole for firing pin and build up the extractor a bit. I will probably use this exclusively just out of convenience.
Click to expand...

What model is your Favorite? 1894, 1915, 44, 44 1/2?

Sounds like you aren't having issues with that action & red?

I'm curious as I have an 1894 and don't want to push her too far, just looking for experiences...the greens are pretty dang hot to use in my .32 revolver (I won't) but browns are great (cases drop right out of the cylinder). If I can use greens in the Stevens, that opens up some more leeway (a lot easier to source green)
 
i have a 1894 in .32, the reciever actualy seems to be pretty solid. i hear of people re barreling them in .38/.357 so they are cheap shooters and easy to get ammo for.
 
Right now I'm dumping the powder and using as a primer for anything hotter than brown, but that's in a revolver not a Favorite (which are not strong actions)

I'm loading with Bullseye but this ain't my first rodeo and I won't state the (very light) charge. BP is the safest bet by far. But if others are using the Greens in the Favorites, I'd like to know (faster). And it seems that there may be.
 
NorthCoastBigBore said:
What model is your Favorite? 1894, 1915, 44, 44 1/2?

Sounds like you aren't having issues with that action & red?

I'm curious as I have an 1894 and don't want to push her too far, just looking for experiences...the greens are pretty dang hot to use in my .32 revolver (I won't) but browns are great (cases drop right out of the cylinder). If I can use greens in the Stevens, that opens up some more leeway (a lot easier to source green)
Click to expand...

Mine is actually an old Remington Roller No.4, which I've been told are weaker than a Stevens. Not sure on that, but the Roller is pretty small!
 
89diesel said:
Mine is actually an old Remington Roller No.4, which I've been told are weaker than a Stevens. Not sure on that, but the Roller is pretty small!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification.

Stevens had several variations of their Favorite, most which are tilting or swinging blocks rather than a falling block. The OP's 1915, and my 1894, are both the weaker tilting/swinging block design.

The .38/357 swap noted above, as far as I can see, were only successful on the only true falling block action Stevens produced (the 44 and 45 - 417 also chambered in .22 Hornet).

So to the OP's question, I'd be very cautious on going too hot with yer Hilti's. The 1889 through 1915 models will (reportedly) shoot loose rather quickly with too hot a load, and safety issues may result.


For some more useful reading:

h ttp://www.wisnersinc.com/additional_info/stevens_favorite_rifles.htm

There is a host of info on some other forums explaining the mechanical differences and variation in strengths between the models (the above link doesn't get that specific but has a useful overview of how to identify the variations)
 
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smellie said:
Anybody else have a COOEY CANUCK in .25 Stevens?

I would be interested to hear what you think.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

the .27 ramset idea should work in that too id use a little bit of crazy glue on the projectile to hold it on the blank or it could slide forward in the chamber and cause something we all don't want
 
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