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Why didn’t Winchester chamber the Model 1894 in .25-20 S.S. instead of the .25-35, since it already existed?
mrcvs said
Why didn’t Winchester chamber the Model 1894 in .25-20 S.S. instead of the .25-35, since it already existed?
Simple… case head size. The 30 WCF and 25-35 WCF share the same case (as does the 32 WS). The 25-20 S.S. has a much smaller rim diameter, and is a shorter cartridge.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
.25-20 SS was developed for small-game hunters & target shooters; does that sound like the purpose WRA had in mind for the ’94?
deerhunter said
What about the Model 64 in .219 Zipper?
Don,
There is no reasonable comparison that can be made between the 25-20 S.S. and the 219 Zipper. The 25-20 S.S. was/is a low velocity target cartridge, whereas the 219 Zipper is a high velocity Varmint cartridge.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
Clarence,
The original 25-20 Marlin was not interchangeable with the 25-20 WCF, as it could not be fully inserted into a 25-20 WCF chamber. However, the 25-20 WCF could be used in any 25-20 Marlin chambered firearm. In the early years of production, the 25-20 Marlin had a sharper shoulder that was slightly longer than the more tapered shoulder on the 25-20 WCF, and it had a slightly longer neck than the 25-20 WCF. That difference made it easy to load a 25-20 WCF in a Marlin, but prevented the 25-20 Marlin from being loaded in a Winchester rifle chambered for the 25-20 WCF.
The 25-20 Marlin did precede the 25-20 WCF by approximately 6-months. However, Marlin simply took Winchester’s 32 WCF cartridge, necked it down, and called it their own. In the end, Winchester got the last laugh, as Marlin replaced the 25-20 Marlin with the Winchester 25-20 WCF by WW I.
I do not know specifically when or where Winchester first advertised the 25-20 WCF. The earliest Model 1892 rifles in 25-20 WCF appear in the early 40000 serial range. I know that serial number 41117 was received in the warehouse in late June of 1895 as a “25/20”. Model than likely there are a few earlier specimens.
Bert
I ran a piece of brass marked 25-20 Mar. through my 25-20 WCF dies and fired it in my 1892. The case separated just in front of the rim. Hope it wasn’t a collector piece of brass?!
Bert H. said
…the 219 Zipper is a high velocity Varmint cartridge.
And a good one, in a heavy-barred bolt-action or SS with a high-power scope…but not in a top-ejecting lever-action repeater. Comb through the multitude of books & articles written on varmint-hunting between the ’20s & ’60s, & count up the number of times you find the M.64 recommended for this purpose.
The Zipper chambering was the answer to the question, “How can we sell another 64 to the customer who already has one in some other caliber?”
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