Getting curious about this one. Anybody have any pics of the round, any experience with it?

This is what I have on the 25 Copperhead round. Parent cartridge is the 222 Remington Mag.

Mick,

The original 25 Copperhead was based on the std 222, not the mag. John Wooters came up with it (see Rifle Mag #22).

The other Copperhead is AKA 257 Kimber and its' parent case is the 222 Mag.

Case length 222 = 1.700" (shown in the drawing), 222 Mag = 1.850".

http://www.riflemagazine.com/m.../PDF/ri22partial.pdf

The original based on the 222 is the one I,m interested in, as opposed to the one based on the 222 Mag...

Would it not make more sense to use the 5.56/223 case? There's plenty of them around and they are cheap and easy to find.

Jim

quote:

The original 25 Copperhead was based on the std 222, not the mag.

You're right, I miss-typed. Even the drawing notes say the parent cartridge is the standard 222.

Arkypete, it probably would make more sense to go the 223 route in a lot of ways. Got an old Rem 700 in .222 thats due for a rebarrel. Seems like an opportunity to do a little experimenting. Its got a Bell&Carlson stock with a blind magazine, seems like either back to .222 or a small step up in caliber would be the path of least resistance. Had pondered the 6x45 as well as a couple of other options. Tenth of an inch does,nt seem like much, but I have some concerns about getting anything much longer than a .222 in the mag without having to hog it out, or load anything bigger a little short. Would be dealing with a small case capacity and don,t want to have the bullet taking up any more powder room than necessary.
Have,nt previously done any wildcatting of any sort, tryna keep things relatively simple on the first outing...

I built myself a 250 Myra about 12 months or so ago. Arthur Langsford at Myra's Sports Store in Broken Hill developed the cartridge well before John Wooters, so sorry to all the U.S guys, but 250 Myra should be the correct name!

Anyway, I built mine on a Sako L-461 with a 3 groove Pac-Nor 10 twist barrel.
I have loaded Sierra 70 grain Blitzkings to 3050 fps with Lil' Gun and 87 Speer TNT's to around 2850, also with Lil' Gun.
Haven't tried anything heavier at the moment.

Regards,
David.

Don,t anticipate using anything heavier than 85-87 grains myself. Considered the idea of being able to use it on the little blacktails around here. H&H, have you used yours on game? Read a little about it being used for kangaroos, and while I have,nt seen any in Alaska, I,m thinking they,re a similar size to small deer..maybe..
How do you like the round? Would you do it over again?

Just cobbled together a couple dummy rounds, one with a 6mm, one wtih a .257.. A 6mm version would be easier on the brass, goin over to the 6x45/ 223 side of the street might simplify things a lot in the long run.. Still ponderin..

Muttly,
No, I haven't had the opportunity to use it on game yet. I'm planning on taking it out in Autumn or early winter next year to a property in western QLD to shoot some Dingo's, as they are beginning to take a liking to my relatives calves.
A kangaroo would sort of be similar in size to a small Blacktail, although, 'Roos are all legs and hips, not far through in the shoulder region.
I think I'll end up using an 85 Ballistic Tip or an 87 Sierra when I do go hunting with it.

To form the brass, I used 2 of the Sinclair expanders, first step 6mm, then 25 cal. Never lost a case as yet in forming about 400 cases.
There are a few 6mm-222's around here as well, a real over-achiever. Incidentally, it is known here as the 243 Myra!.

Regards,
David.

Mutty

I've been pondering to make a 25 cal on the 5.56/223 case to use 100 grain close to there about, cast bullet.
I thought I'd use one of the mini-Mausers with a twenty inch barrel.
I'd think this would make an inpressive squirrel gun.

Jim

Wotters always said he would never take the copperhead deer hunting but within reasonable range it would be a good little deer killer.

The little Sako would be nice to use but are not cheap, I am waiting on a CZ 527 in 222 to build one on.

quote:

Originally posted by 376 steyr:
Wotters always said he would never take the copperhead deer hunting but within reasonable range it would be a good little deer killer.

Because we know the 25-20 and 25-35 never killed any deer!

Sam Fadala , I think it was, made up a 6/222 or 243 Myra
He built it to use for deer and antelope and thought it was quite a peach for that use!
I have a 6 TCU on a mini mk X, it's killed alot of deer with the 80 grn Rem bullet without a lost one yet.

A friend of mine shot one for years..When I built mine I opted for a change and used the 6x45 (243/223) as it was becoming more popular at the time...I have used the 6x45 for many years now with a 75 gr. GS Customs bullet at 3000 FPS for deer and antelope and the 60 gr. Sierra HP and Nosler 70 gr. balistic tips for everything else...Its a great killer or deer size animals up to 200 yards and super accurate varmint rifle..We could never tell much difference between his (Tony Barnes) 25 Copperhead and my 6x45..both superb cartridges. Tony later built nemours custom pistols on Sako L-461 actions and shoot a lot of deer with them in 6x45 and a 30/30 Rem case cut back to fit in a Sako action...

H & H What charges of Lil Gun are you using? I have acquired a 25-221 Fireball, and would like to use that powder if possible. My rig is going to have a little less case capacity than yours, but a starting load would be great help.

Thanks

Jerry

Well, Some time back, I picked up at 25-222. It is a Sako Riihimaki action with magazine.(was a 222) Aftermarket stock and rebarreled by Shilen W/ a varmint class stainless barrel. Kind of like getting a tatoo or getting married, seemed like a good idea at the time...Well, I found out what dies cost and it's been sitting ever since. Anyone have a spare set of 25/222 dies for sale? Thanks for listening, Jerry in Mn.

Jerry,
With a 70 Sierra Blitzking, I worked up to a maximum load in my of 18.5 grains, from a 24" barrel, they do 3082 fps.
Speer 87 grain TNT I worked up to 18 grains for 2775 fps.
Haven't tried anything heavier yet.

These are the absolute max in my rifle as well.

Regards,
David.

Thanks David: I believe I'll reduce your loads a couple grains with the same bullets, and work from there. Thanks for the help.

Jerry

Jerrys9

I was fortunate enough to get the forming die 22to 25, and the set of reloading dies with the rifle. I was lucky, Good Luck

Jerry

Hi Muttly
I made mine on a 600 receiver with an older McGowen XX barrel and it shoots like there is no tomorrow! Unfortunately old age, bladder cancer and travel to the VA [not being reimbursed$%%%obummer]mean it`s on GB now. Kevlar stock and all. Hell on Oregon Blacktails and even a cougar. I used the 90 Gr Sierra Gameking and it WORKS!
Aloha, Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Muttly:
Just cobbled together a couple dummy rounds, one with a 6mm, one wtih a .257.. A 6mm version would be easier on the brass, goin over to the 6x45/ 223 side of the street might simplify things a lot in the long run.. Still ponderin..

AND you could do that on an AR15 platform.

My $.02 is to go with the 6 X 45. I have one on the AR platform, and it is incredibly accurate. The issue, of course, is keeping OAL to 2.260" or less, which pretty well dictates projectiles of 90 grains or less.

The beauty of a bolt rifle is that is not an issue, and the 6 X 45 will launch 100-grain pills in the mid 25s. I would think that plenty of punch for whitetails out to 200, although I am very much against that small a projectile on deer, as I have stated on many occasions.

My 6 X 45 will be used for paper, prairie dogs, and maybe coyotes; nothing bigger. But that is purely my decision. I am not trying to convince anyone else the round is too small for whitetails. I am sure it would do quite nicely if held within its limits.

I built a 6X45 on an AR for a friend last year and it is a neat little round. The 85gr Sierra HPBT Gameking does a good job on deer with that round and it's pretty accurate to boot. I'd go with the 6X45, dies are easy to get and brass is cheap, plentiful, and very easy to form.