Kirk Durston said
What a great thread! If anyone else has a Model 53 that they have not gotten into the Model 53 survey, please either forward that info to Bert, or to me at [email protected]

Regarding the 25-20 and the 32-20 against feral pigs, I’d be very interested in that as well. I must confess to having some doubts about such a small cartridge, especially the 25-20, for pigs. I have a Model 53 in 32 WCF (32-20) and have used it for quite a few problems, especially Racoons and Woodchucks. On Woodchucks, I find the 32-20 at standard velocities to be more effective than the 25-20. The 32-20 almost always drops them on the spot, but I’ve often had Woodchucks make it into their hole before they expire when using a 25-20. As a result, I use only the 32-20 now with excellent results, but I still have doubts about using it for pigs. If I had to, I would load the standard 115 grain bullet with a medium speed powder and put it out the barrel at the original H.V. velocity, which was closer to 1,600 fps. 

I don’t use those old HV ballistics, for three reasons. First, I like a near-subsonic (below 1,200 fps) muzzle velocity to be a bit more discreet and, second, the H.V. loads can really reduce brass life and, third, the 1,200 fps 115 grain bullets almost always drops Racoons and Woodchucks, and skunks on the spot. Pigs, however, are probably a different category.  

Kirk,

If you want an anchor them where hit load for your 25-20, try these bullets with a stout load of lil gun powder. (great velocity with low pressure)

https://www.precisionreloading.com/cart.php#!l=HN&i=2510   It’s far from subsonic but it’s a proven killer on those mid size varmints.

Erin

Thanks for all your comments and interest guys,

first for Bert,

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s8kxv706xabhmql/AAA4sOlE7xj34Ubwx7kgOoPua?dl=0

I hope that light is good enough, it’s overcast and raining here today,  it is certainly better light than the shed and I must say I am very embarrassed about the condition of my rifle, it was and is still a bit dirty and looks terribly unloved.

in my defence she was carted about in the front of the work Ute for a year on and off. And that leads me to the nature of my hunting and to answer your questions about the pigs. I was so incredibly lucky to be working on a large outback station where I could carry my firearms with me on a daily basis, and as such the nature of my shooting varied greatly, my workhorse was a  weatherby vanguard .223 rem with 60 gr nosler  varmints for light skinned game and 60 gr nosler  partitions for the feral pigs, I was super lucky that point of impact was so close to being the same for these two rounds. I loaded them with 26.5 grains of AR 2208 for around 3100fps, a hot load and right at maximum but worked beautiful for me. 
pig shooting would generally consist of me running into a mob of pigs, often with 20 or so mid sized pigs, plenty of little ones and a few decent boars lurking nearby. The .223 would take care of the biggest ones and then invariably it would be a wild ride chasing the remainder of the mob down, ringing them into a circle and the .25-20 could pick of a few of the smaller pigs. I have only used the factory Winchester rounds so far in this rifle I have plans to reload for it but have had some trouble sourcing brass, I have probably put 300-400 rounds through it but only have a fraction of that brass to show for it as the ejector is fantastically strong.

i would occasionally come across a larger pig and usually would aim for the butt of the ear, with both the .25-20 and the .223 I have found that to be most effective. But I’m not sure I can really recommend the .25-20 for a 100% humane solution 100% of the time.  But as has been said shot placement is key, I have seen a dirty great big sow dropped with a .22 magnum, I have also seen a buck kangaroo take a jaw shot from a .300 Wby and keep going. So nothing is guaranteed, but I do understand we have a responsibility to ‘use enough gun’.

thanks to everyone for their contributions

cheers

Dave

Thanks Mike,

I sure was lucky in those years. Our pigs are effectively wild domestic pigs, so they are a bit softer than some others around the world. We plant forage oats as a winter feed and one year in a paddock next to some overgrown brigalow regrowth I saw between 80 and 120 pigs streaming off the paddock, they were like black lines running down the shallow gullies into the timber. I had the .25-20 with me that day and she accounted nicely for a few of the tail Enders, but if I’m honest I was to shocked and awed to make much of the opportunity, I didn’t know wether to go for rifle or camera and it took a moment to pick my jaw up off the ground. 

I also have that .300Wby, that certainly stopped everything, I’m lucky with that rifle too, it’s more accurate than I am that’s for sure, I fired it off a lead sled once and it made a cloverleaf hole at 100 yards.

i have always dreamed of a .38-55, and when I get a bit more settled down I want to look into casting my own bullets as well, and if I could find a western action shooting club nearby I’d be all over it like a fat kid on cupcakes.

thanks,

Dave