.25-20 Winchester

Type

Rifle

Place of origin

United States

Service history

Used by

ranchers, trappers, small game hunters, varmint hunters, mule hunters

Wars

none

Production history

Designed

1892

Manufacturer

Winchester

Produced

1895-present

Number built

90750

Specifications

Parent case

.32-20 Winchester

Bullet diameter

.258 in (6.6 mm)

Neck diameter

.274 in (7.0 mm)

Shoulder diameter

.333 in (8.5 mm)

Base diameter

.349 in (8.9 mm)

Rim diameter

.408 in (10.4 mm)

Rim thickness

.065 in (1.7 mm)

Case length

1.330 in (33.8 mm)

Overall length

1.592 in (40.4 mm)

Primer type

small rifle

Ballistic performance

Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
60 gr (4 g) FP	2,101 ft/s (640 m/s)	588 ft·lbf (797 J)
75 gr (5 g) FP	1,877 ft/s (572 m/s)	587 ft·lbf (796 J)
86 gr (6 g) SP	1,673 ft/s (510 m/s)	535 ft·lbf (725 J)

Source(s): Hodgdon^[1]

The .25-20 Winchester, or WCF (Winchester center fire) was developed about 1895 for the Winchester Model 1892 lever action rifle. It was based on necking down the .32-20 Winchester. In the early 20th century, it was a popular small game and varmint round, developing around 1460 ft/s with 86 grain bullets.

While the SAAMI pressure rating is a full 28,000 CUP, modern ammunition is often loaded lighter in deference to the weaker steels used on many of the original guns. The early black powder cartridges were loaded to about 20,000 psi, but the SAAMI rating is close to that of the high velocity smokeless rounds produced later. The high velocity loadings developed 1732 ft/s.^[2]

It was easy and economical to reload, and was once a favorite with farmers, ranchers, pot hunters and trappers. Though the .25-20 has been used on deer and even claimed the James Jordan Buck, a whitetail deer of long standing record in 1914,^[3] its use on large-bodied game is not advised due to its sedate ballistics and light bullet construction, which makes humane one-shot kills unlikely.

References

↑ .25-20 load data at Hodgdon
↑ Whelen, Townsend. The American Rifle, The Century Co., New York, 1918, pp.220-223
↑ James Jordan Buck at the Burnett County, WI web site, accessed 09-2009

Cartridge dimensions from ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4-1992 p. 45
Accurate Smokeless Powders Loading Guide (Number Two (Revised) ed.). Prescott, AZ: Wolfe Publishing. 2000. Barcode 94794 00200.

External links

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Winchester firearms and cartridges

Rifles

Lever-action	Henry rifle Model 1866 Model 1873 Model 1876 Model 1886 Model 1892 Model 1894 Model 1895 Model 53 Model 55 Model 64 Model 65 Model 71 Model 88 Model 150 Model 250 Model 255 Model 9422

Bolt-action	Model 1878 Hotchkiss Model 1895 Lee Navy Model 1900 Model 1902 Model 1904 Model 43 Model 47 Model 51 Imperial Model 52 Model 54 Model 56 Model 57 Model 58 Model 59 Model 60 Model 60A Model 67 Model 68 Model 69 Model 70 Model 72 Model 75 Model 121 Model 131 Model 141 Model 320 Model 325 Model 670 Model 770

Pump-action	Model 1890 Model 1906 Model 61 Model 62 Model 62A Model 270

Semi-automatic	Model 1903 Model 1905 Model 1907 Model 1910 Model 30 Model 63 Model 74 Model 77 Model 100 Model 190 Model 490

Full-automatic	Olin/Winchester FAL Model 1917

Falling-block action	Model 1885

Shotguns

Pump-action	Model 1893 Model 1897 Model 1912 Model 25 Model 42 Model 1200 Model 1300

Lever-action	Model 1887 Model 1901 Model 9410

Single-shot	Model 20 Model 36 Model 37 Model 37A Model 41

Double-barrel	Model 21 Model 24 Model 96 Model 101

Semi-automatic	Model 1911 SL Model 40 Model 50 Model 59 Model 1400 Model 1500 SX-1

Cartridges

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.25-20 Winchester

See also

References

External links