.25 Stevens

.25 Stevens
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designed	1898?[1]
Produced	1900-1942
Specifications
Bullet diameter	.251 in (6.4 mm)
Neck diameter	.276 in (7.0 mm)
Base diameter	.276 in (7.0 mm)
Rim diameter	.333 in (8.5 mm)
Case length	1.125 in (28.6 mm)
Overall length	1.395 in (35.4 mm)
Primer type	rimfire
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy 65 gr (4 g) (smokeless) 1,180 ft/s (360 m/s) 208 ft·lbf (282 J)
Source(s): Barnes & Amber 1972

The .25 Stevens was an American rimfire rifle cartridge.^[1]

Developed by J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company and Peters Cartridge Company,^[1] it was developed between 1898 and 1900; catalogs suggest it was introduced in 1898, but most sources agree on 1900.^[1] It was offered in the Crack Shot #15 rifle, which debuted in 1900.^[1] It may also have been available in the Favorite rifle, which was first released in 1894.^[2] It originally used a 10 to 11 gr (0.65 to 0.71 g) black powder charge under a 67 gr (4.3 g) slug; this was later replaced by smokeless.

With "an excellent reputation"^[1] as a small game (such as rabbit) and varmint round, it suffered excessively high trajectory (a drop of 5.1 in (130 mm) at 100 yd (91 m))^[3] compared to the .22 Long Rifle.^[1] It was available with either solid lead or hollow point bullet.^[1]

Serving as the parent for the less-successful .25 Stevens Short and experimental Remington .267 Rimfire, it was dropped in 1942.^[1]

Notes

1. Barnes, p.276, ".25 Stevens".
2. The Favorite was dropped in 1935. Barnes, p.276, ".25 Stevens".
3. Barnes, p.282.

Sources

• Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".25 Stevens", in Cartridges of the World, pp. 276 & 282-3. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. ISBN 0-695-80326-3.