I picked up two nice lever rifles at out local gunshow in Filer, Idaho this weekend, A mod 71, 348 and a really nice clean Win. 94 in 25-35 circa 1935 to 40, based on the checker/framed hammer.....

Got a box of factory ammo with the 25-35 it was WW...At my range the first two shots almost touched with irons, sticky cases, inspection showed latteral splits from shoulder to neck on 3 sides. WHAT! I been duked!! shot another one and all was well and two more showed a 1.5 inch iron sight group...then checked the split case heads again and found two S&B 6.5x52R (The European designation for a 25-35) had been slipped into the box..the rest were 25-35 WW rounds and showed a nice chamber.....

Apparantly, and contrary to all thats holy, there is a difference in the 6.5x52 rimmed and the US version 25-35 Win. or the Euro's sure make lousy brass, or maybe it was old, but looked just like the WW, even had the same copper colored primers..

Anyway all is well and the little 25-35 is a real tack driver with factory irons, at least up to about 200 yards, and thats the calibers limit on big game....

Ray, I have a model 94 from 1907 in 25-35. Stupidly, I shot a reload in it, which, though it was a grain or two under book specs, was too hot.

More stupidly still, when it didn't open easily right after the shot, I forced the lever (by hand). And, you guessed it, ripped the case head right off the brass. So now I've a "tube" of brass stuck in the chamber.

I've also known for a while that the chamber is "big" from the appearance of brass. Other brass regularly shows signs of stretching, even with factory WW ammo.

Anything I myself might try to get the case out? Or should I just take it to my gunsmith (Kobe) and have him give it a good work-over?

Thanks,

friar

p.s. Like yours, mine's a real tack-driver. It's also my grandfather's rifle, so I want to keep it in good working order...it's a deer shootin machine!

A simple way to get the brass out is to wad up a piece of paper towel and push it in from the back to where it goes up into the shoulder and pour a small amount of 5 minute epoxy behind it. When it has set up drive the case out with a rod from the muzzle.

Easy, Just push a 30 caliber brass brush into the chamber and pull it out, the case will come with it...

I keep a pistol rod on hand, like the ones that come with S&W pistols, that I bent in a L shape to work in the lever actions with the 30 or 40 caliber bronze or stainless steel brush on it, depending on the caliber of the gun, the brush should be a little oversize..

The bronze brushes fold back as you push them in and can't fold back during extraction so the take a good bite inside the case..works well.

In my experience S & B loads the ammo pretty hot. I don't know if that had an effect but I've had other rounds that have shown high pressure from that company.

Thanks Ray - I'll try it!

friar

Mark, if I can't get it with the brush, I'll try the epoxy. I'm just nervous about my manual dexterity, and don't want to get some epoxy where it doesn't belong!

friar

I'm pretty sure the brush will work, but if not pour a little oil down the bore and let is work overnight and then try a little larger brush.

Ray's idea is sound. When using your oil use Kroil oil,it breaks down to a millionth of a particle + will penetrate anything. You can buy it factory direct or from Brownell's. We use it regularly to remove 'frozen' fan blades from motor shafts,etc. Also useful when mixed with fine grit valve lapping compound to take out bore copper + brass deposits,+ to true up new bores.

quote:

Apparantly, and contrary to all thats holy, there is a difference in the 6.5x52 rimmed and the US version 25-35 Win. or the Euro's sure make lousy brass, or maybe it was old...

The two in fact are not identical, but they are close enough decent brass shouldn't split so. The specs for the Euro version is here, and the Euro spec for the .25-35 is here. You'll find the base of the Euro version is .0051 smaller.

The U.S. specs for the Winchester are in this (big) file. The CIP and SAAMI specs for the base diameter match.

The 5.6x52R and the .22 Savage Imp share a similar mismatch in dimensions.

Karl

6.5 mm bullets mick. about .264 while 25 cal. are .257, .007" difference which is a lot. You are lucky! Bernie

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
In my experience S & B loads the ammo pretty hot. I don't know if that had an effect but I've had other rounds that have shown high pressure from that company.

I've never had that experience with S&B ammo, but I quit using Hirtenberger ammo because it was far too hot!

I've used many makes of European ammo, and the only ones I trust are the older DWM, modern RWS, old Eley & Kynoch, and Prvi Partisan. With almost all the others I have experienced too much variation in pressures and/or brass hardness (and velocities, ergo points of impact) to suit my tastes.

quote:

6.5 mm bullets mick. about .264 while 25 cal. are .257

The "6.5" is nominal, the nearest common metric caliber. The CIP specs call for a .259 bullet in the "6.5" and a nearly .258 for the original Winchester--no luck involved.