It seems the batch of new 94's chambered in 25-35 are pretty much sold out this year . So maybe this vintage caliber still has some life and I have some interest as well . Anyone have input or personal experience with this vintage caliber they would like to share ? Much appreciated , thanks !
Winchester model 94 chambered 25-35 interest ?
- Thread starter WIN1886
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Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I have a 4-barrel set for a take-down Savage 99 that includes a 25-35 barrel. In its day, it was considered one of the great "penetrators" on big game, despite its somewhat meager energy numbers. The 117 gr 25-caliber bullets' long, heavy for caliber profile would penetrate far beyond what you could get from many other contemporary rounds according to reports. Elmer Keith related a story in one of his books about him and his brother chasing down a bull elk and finishing it off with a 25-35. One of the largest grizzly bears ever killed was killed with a 25-35, IIRC. So, it is an entirely capable cartridge.
Jack O'Conner
New member
My Aunt Lillian hunted Pennsylvania whitetails for several decades with very good success. Her rifle was a Remington slide action chambered for the 25 Remington which is sort of like a rimless 25-35. The rifle remained within her family after she died and is still in action each Fall while her grandson pursues deer in the steep country of Tioga County.
Although these two 25 caliber cartridges seem marginal on paper charts, they kill deer sized game quite well within reasonable distances.
Jack
Although these two 25 caliber cartridges seem marginal on paper charts, they kill deer sized game quite well within reasonable distances.
Jack
JT-AR-MG42
New member
While roaming high desert Mule deer country, I've found as many 25-35 relic cases as 30-30.
The 25-35 was a popular deer cartridge, regardless of modern warnings about the lack of power.
Did not know about this 'new' chambering, but it does explain the new W-W brass I am seeing for sale.
I always used to use only use new 30-30 brass for forming cases to 25-35 (and further down to 219 Zipper).
Much simpler to form without the head expansion issues one gets with fired 30-30s.
JT
The 25-35 was a popular deer cartridge, regardless of modern warnings about the lack of power.
Did not know about this 'new' chambering, but it does explain the new W-W brass I am seeing for sale.
I always used to use only use new 30-30 brass for forming cases to 25-35 (and further down to 219 Zipper).
Much simpler to form without the head expansion issues one gets with fired 30-30s.
JT
Right after WW2 my father borrowed my Uncle's 55 Win. take down in 25-35 for doe season, when a bedded down doe stood up he shot it and it took off and ran a few yards and fell dead. When he got to where it was standing when shot there was another doe lying dead, the bullet had gone through the first doe and killed the 2nd one also. I would say the penetration was good. I always wanted that rifle and my cousin finally sold it to me this year and have been working on loads for it both jacketed and cast. It is a pleasure to shoot,very accurate with both type bullet.
My grandfather killed this deer with a Model 94 in 25-35 during the depression,
I had it measured and entered into the Boone and Crockett Record Book.
I've killed a few mulies with it when I was a kid. Wanted the gun when he passed on. But when he did, I was in Vietnam. My cousin got it. and I found out a couple years later that she pawned it.
No need to say how ticked off I was.
I've been looking for another...………...some day.
I had it measured and entered into the Boone and Crockett Record Book.
I've killed a few mulies with it when I was a kid. Wanted the gun when he passed on. But when he did, I was in Vietnam. My cousin got it. and I found out a couple years later that she pawned it.
No need to say how ticked off I was.
I've been looking for another...………...some day.
Geezerbiker
New member
I hope they make more. They were all gone long before I heard about them.
Tony
Tony
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
I got one. 1894 model. Built in 1903. Long barrel. Pretty on the wall piece having some extra's ordered {optionals} when purchased new.
Shot it a couple times. Too much neck on the brass after its 117 gr is seated.
If you think the 30-30 is a marginal deer cartridge? 25-35 has got to be down right eneimic in comparison.
I wouldn't dare deer hunt with mine. Such a cartridge just about garners its shooter a game retrieval.
Shot it a couple times. Too much neck on the brass after its 117 gr is seated.
If you think the 30-30 is a marginal deer cartridge? 25-35 has got to be down right eneimic in comparison.
I wouldn't dare deer hunt with mine. Such a cartridge just about garners its shooter a game retrieval.
Mike Irwin
Staff
The .25-35 was one of the first two (the other was the .30-30) cartridges that was developed for and released commercially for smokeless powder.
It was quite popular up through the 1920s, when it started to fade.
Winchester and Savage chambered lever rifles for it, Marlin brought out their own version called the .25-36, which had a slightly longer neck, and Remington brought out a rimless version for its autos and slide action rifles.
It was also chambered in Winchester single shot rifles where it was considered to be a very accurate round and was used in competitive events.
Necking down the .25-35/.30-30 to .22 caliber produced one of the first wildcats to make it into standard factory production as the .219 Zipper.
The Zipper was also later wildcatted to the even more potent Donaldson Wasp cartridge.
Both the Zipper and Wasp had good reputations for accuracy out of single shots, but like the .25, faded over time.
It was quite popular up through the 1920s, when it started to fade.
Winchester and Savage chambered lever rifles for it, Marlin brought out their own version called the .25-36, which had a slightly longer neck, and Remington brought out a rimless version for its autos and slide action rifles.
It was also chambered in Winchester single shot rifles where it was considered to be a very accurate round and was used in competitive events.
Necking down the .25-35/.30-30 to .22 caliber produced one of the first wildcats to make it into standard factory production as the .219 Zipper.
The Zipper was also later wildcatted to the even more potent Donaldson Wasp cartridge.
Both the Zipper and Wasp had good reputations for accuracy out of single shots, but like the .25, faded over time.
I have never thought the 30-30 was anemic at all. If I were limited to one rifle the 30-30 might be my first choice. If there is any problem with the old 30-30 its that cases don't last that long when reloading. But thats the only downside to that round. See my sig line for how well I like the 30-30.
I would like a 24-35 and looked at them when Cabelas had a couple for sale several years ago. But I wasn't about to pay what Cabelas was asking for one of them.
"...maybe this vintage caliber still has some life..." Yep. The CAS game players will be all over it. Only issue is the lack of ammo. Winchester brand is in "Limited Production".
Hornady 100 grain Flex Tip is currently on Clearance at Midway for $22.56 per 20.
Hornady brass is on sale at $35.09 per 50.
A Redding case forming die runs $88.99. RCBS die sets are on sale at $32.84. Also at Midway.
"...or .25-35 are marginal for deer..." Especially as that's what the .25-35 was designed to do.
Hornady 100 grain Flex Tip is currently on Clearance at Midway for $22.56 per 20.
Hornady brass is on sale at $35.09 per 50.
A Redding case forming die runs $88.99. RCBS die sets are on sale at $32.84. Also at Midway.
"...or .25-35 are marginal for deer..." Especially as that's what the .25-35 was designed to do.
You know what? The same people who beat their gums on how deadly a 357mg
carbine is,are the same ones who badmouth catridges like 25/35, 25 Rem, 32/20
ect. These cartridges have put a lot of deer in freezers. They ain't bean Field guns but are reasonable woods deer guns. I've never killed a deer with a 25/35
but have shot a few with Rem 25 in M14 Rem. These deer were in the woods and
100yds or less. The result was a dead dear. Loaded with spitzer bullets I have
shot groundhogs out to 150yds rested with tang sight. If you do your part and
make a decent shot these old cartridges will do their job. They say a cartridge
doesn't make up for a poor shot. This is not true. To many use a hi-vel rifle with
expanding bullets that will blow a hole through a deers guts you can put your
fist through. The shock and blood loss will put the deer down. If it doesn't the
deer is not going to go far. If you gut shoot with a Lo-vel cartridge the deer can
go miles before it piles up. It also takes a lot less skill to shoot a Hi-vel rifle
most are going to be scoped. Not hard to drop them into 6" at 300 yds with the
average HV bolt gun/ scoped.
carbine is,are the same ones who badmouth catridges like 25/35, 25 Rem, 32/20
ect. These cartridges have put a lot of deer in freezers. They ain't bean Field guns but are reasonable woods deer guns. I've never killed a deer with a 25/35
but have shot a few with Rem 25 in M14 Rem. These deer were in the woods and
100yds or less. The result was a dead dear. Loaded with spitzer bullets I have
shot groundhogs out to 150yds rested with tang sight. If you do your part and
make a decent shot these old cartridges will do their job. They say a cartridge
doesn't make up for a poor shot. This is not true. To many use a hi-vel rifle with
expanding bullets that will blow a hole through a deers guts you can put your
fist through. The shock and blood loss will put the deer down. If it doesn't the
deer is not going to go far. If you gut shoot with a Lo-vel cartridge the deer can
go miles before it piles up. It also takes a lot less skill to shoot a Hi-vel rifle
most are going to be scoped. Not hard to drop them into 6" at 300 yds with the
average HV bolt gun/ scoped.
458winshooter
New member
Interest?
Hell yeah! I have never laid eyes on one though.
Hell yeah! I have never laid eyes on one though.
I found one at a gun show that I suspect was originally a custom order due to the shorter magazine tube. Some idiot had whacked off about 4" of the barrel and tried to pawn it off as a Winchester short rifle. 
Outside finish was fair and the bore was pristine. Proved to him it was not a short rifle and talked him out of it for $400. If I ever get lucky enough to find a proper barrel I'll restore it to what it was. I did have to make a front sight blade but that was easy. it's a good shooter considering my old eyeballs don't work all that well with iron sights. Serial # places it mid 1911 give or take a month. Same vintage as my Great grandfather M94 carbine which based on the serial number was made in the first two or three days of 1911. Kind of a cool old rifles even with the chopped barrel.
Paul B.
Outside finish was fair and the bore was pristine. Proved to him it was not a short rifle and talked him out of it for $400. If I ever get lucky enough to find a proper barrel I'll restore it to what it was. I did have to make a front sight blade but that was easy. it's a good shooter considering my old eyeballs don't work all that well with iron sights. Serial # places it mid 1911 give or take a month. Same vintage as my Great grandfather M94 carbine which based on the serial number was made in the first two or three days of 1911. Kind of a cool old rifles even with the chopped barrel.Paul B.
Nevmavrick
New member
A few years ago, I came across an M94 in .32 Special, that had been made in the early 1940s. I thought it would make a good .25/35 so I bought a Douglas 10" twist tube and cut it off at 22". The cut the magazine to 1/2 mag size, and mounted a Redfield peep sight on the receiver. I used a .25/35 Improved reamer on it and have one of the nicest little carbines I can imagine.
It uses cast 65gr and 86gr gascheck and 117gr round-nose jacketed bullets and will take small-game where I can "eat right up to the hole" and deer to 200 yards.
Wish I had an M99 Savage that I could convert the same way.
I have enough .30/30 cases to use in the .25/35, and my .219 Zipper Improved M1885 Winchester.
Have fun,
Gene
It uses cast 65gr and 86gr gascheck and 117gr round-nose jacketed bullets and will take small-game where I can "eat right up to the hole" and deer to 200 yards.
Wish I had an M99 Savage that I could convert the same way.
I have enough .30/30 cases to use in the .25/35, and my .219 Zipper Improved M1885 Winchester.
Have fun,
Gene
Paul B, if you want to turn your short rifle into a long (26 in) rifle) let me know. I have an octagon barrel in 25 35 that needs restoration (maybe relining) but would make a cool gun. I shot a couple of rounds thru it a year ago just to see if the cases would split, and they seemed fine. No idea how the bore is. A lot of hours with a wet stone on the outside could clean it up. I had hoped to turn a Winchester low wall into a 25 35 since I have had a 94 in that caliber since I was a kid, but the pressures are too much for the low wall action. PM me your phone number if you might be interested. Grant.