The Accurate Reloading Forums
A .25-35 Tomcat lever gun
16 July 2015, 20:19
Bill/OregonA .25-35 Tomcat lever gun
Thought I would start a new thread on this project. This cartridge was developed by Francis Sell after discussions with his friends Parker Ackley and Chick Donnelly, late of Siskiyou Barrel Works. It is essentially an improved .25-35 Winchester; Sell wanted to be able to safely move a Hornady 117-RN at 2500-2600 from a Marlin 336 for killing deer and bears in the Oregon coast forests.
I have an early waffle-top 336 as the donor, and hope to have John Taylor rebarrel with a Shilen 1:9 twist barrel, to be 26 inches long.
Will keep y'all in the loop as this package comes together.
There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
18 July 2015, 01:45
matt salmSounds interesting. I just got a 250 Savage reamer and a pencil thin 25 cal Mullerworks barrel and decided to build one on an old pre-81 browning BLR. Figured it would be a nice deer rifle for my 10 year old daughter as she is left-eye dominant...don't have much for lefties laying around and this should be a dandy deer rifle in a fairly compact, low recoil package for her.
Shoot straight, shoot often.
Matt
18 July 2015, 20:55
Nordic2As a lefty i had a blr81 for a couple of years bad trigger difficult to shoot laying down not the rifle i would start a kid with. As i see it buy her a lh rifle to start with if she not interested in hunting later sell it, they hold value well.
20 July 2015, 04:58
matt salmShooting will be off a rest in a blind, and this rifle is in pieces already. I will most likely pick up a lefty action down the road when she can handle more recoil and put something together she can use the rest of her life if she chooses...and the triggers on any of the three I have seem more than acceptable...pretty good actually.
Shoot straight, shoot often.
Matt
26 July 2015, 08:21
Idaho SharpshooterI owned an AW Sukalle Borchardt in a similar cartridge for years. Very neat cartridge for varmints and game the size up to deer.
I loaded it to 250 Savage velocity.
26 July 2015, 18:44
Bill/OregonBill Sukalle was a favorite of Jack O'Connor. Got any photos of your old Borchardt Rich?
There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
31 August 2015, 18:39
matt salmJust finished putting together that 250 Savage BLR this weekend... What a pleasant little round to shoot. 100gr Sierra SBT's at 2780fps and 90gr Hornady GMX's at 2875 with the same load of IMR 4064 (34.0gr). No recoil to speak of and a right handy little rifle. Need to whittle a new buttstock with a higher comb to fit the daughter but it is usable at the moment.
Shoot straight, shoot often.
Matt
04 October 2015, 02:18
AtkinsonIts a ballistic twin to a Savage 99 in 250-3000, I say that because one has to load the Savage 99 in 250-3000 about 2 grs. below book max as a rule due to the springy action.
I have considered that for quite some time with a donor Marlin, but never got around to it, mostly because I have found the std. 25-35 to be a very good deer rifle to 200 or so yards with mostly one shot kills, and I have or have access to half a dozen 250-3000s around this outfit.
I just purchased a new Kimber lightweight in 308, that gun is probably destined to become a 250-3000 sometime in the future, but will have to shoot it a bunch before then..
Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120
rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
31 December 2015, 22:59
iirangerWay back when I wanted a big boomer and thought of making a Siam Mauser into a .348 WCF in .358 caliber. I wrote Mr. Ackley and he suggested the .35/.348 Ack Improved. Great idea. Nearly equals the .358 Norma. Yes, IT KICKS!
I also got his books to consider. The cartridge that "blew me away" was the .25/35 Ack Imp. Unbelieveable performances. I guessed that this was in the heavy buffalo single shots rebarrelled. I wrote Mr. A and he said "NO" he got these velocities in Win 94's and Marlins and etc. 20 inch barrels!
Same "efficiency thinking" that lead to Mr. Donaldsons .219 Wasp. And for Mausers the "ACE" series on .225 WCF case.
Currently worked on by Mr. Brown, eabco.com.
If you need the rimmed case, lever action or single shot, virtually equals the .250/3000.
Since 1903 the bolt has come on strong. Old flat sides are still viable. Then there is the single shots. Go for it... Enjoy. Luck. Happy New Year. Happy Trails.
05 January 2016, 03:07
AtkinsonBeing a avid 25-35 and 250 Savage fan, I have always wanted a mod. 94 Win. or 93,36 Marlin in 25-35 ACkely Imp..but when I get the itch I always say WHY, I have two 250-3000s in FWT Savage 99s...but I still want a Marlin Tomcat, can't explain this, it makes no since!!!

I have always wanted a 250-3000 IMP in a 99 Savage, but the beauty of a 250-3000 is mild recoil, soft noise, and it kills extremely well, it makes no since, but I still want a 250 IMP...

Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120
rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com