I have a custom Smith & Wesson "K" frame 6 shot revolver chambered for 25/20 win., that i really enjoy shooting!! My revolver was made up by useing a "rim fire cylinder" out of a S&W 22 jet revolver, and chambering and fitting it in a reworked S&W 38 spl. revolver i already owned. The barrel was then cut to 5" and relined for 25 cal.. Man, does this ever make a sweet revolver!!!!

I also have a "hand made" single shot rifle in 25/20 win. It's a "copy" of a Browning "T-bolt" rim fire, only this ones in center fire. Another fellow and i made it in my shop as a project gun out of 4140 bar stock. (if i remember right?)

For bullets, i have all the dies to "swage" jacketed bullets just for this cartridge, and my favorite to make is a semi wad cutter "Keith" design. I like to take "spent shot gun primers" apart, and use them for the jackets. These swage into a very nice bullet useing soft lead as the core. This bullet looks just like the swc "Keith" 250 grain lead bullet that was invented and made famous by "Elmer Keith" for the 44 mag. cartridge, and it works on the same principal in my little 25/20 revolver.

25/20 shells are quite long to be putting in the cylinder of a revolver, so that's why i got the idea to make the swc Keith style bullets. They are a short bullet, yet still heavy enough to be usefull! And, that full diameter shoulder helps them to kill more cleanly.

Ted Smith (who pretty much invented home bullet swageing) and i made all the dies up in his shop in N. Bend Or.. while was there visiting him for a few days. He gave the dies to me in return for a favor i did for him, in that i fixed a couple S&W revolvers he was haveing trouble with after he had worked on them. BUT, that's a "whole other" story!!!!!

The 25/20 works very well as a small game gun, and with the way i make the ammo up, it doesn't cost much to load other than my time. I've always liked that stubby 25 cal. bullet!!!

Drilling Man