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December 20, 2014
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I just bought a 1885 25 WRF and have question on the cartridge.I did not know there was a 25 rim fire cartidge.
I have been researching the shell and the best I have came up with is a Stevens 25 RF.
The rifle is stamped on the barrel 25 WRF which I believe would be a Winchester cartridge.
I saw in Gun Brokers a 1885 and on the barrel is 25 RF, not 25 WRF. Would anyone know
the difference. The s/n on the rifle is 53956 is low wall with a #1 barrel.
Thanks
Bill
Hello Bill,
If the barrel is marked “25 WRF”, somebody (other than Winchester) remarked it. There never was a 25 “WRF” cartridge. Per the survey I completed, serial number 53956 was assembled and shipped at as 25 R.F. (25 Stevens), and was originally marked as shown in the picture below.
Bert
Serial number 62586
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
December 20, 2014
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I made a is mistake on the barrel stamp it is not 25 WRF but 25 RF. Is the cartridge a Stevens o Winchester.
thanks again
Bill
William Cawley said
I made a is mistake on the barrel stamp it is not 25 WRF but 25 RF. Is the cartridge a Stevens o Winchester.thanks again
Bill
Bill,
It is the Stevens 25 rim fire cartridge. Winchester chambered (532) Model 1885 Single Shot rifles (in the letterable range) in that cartridge, and at least (7) more in the 110000 – 140000 serial range. Winchester never made their own unique 25 rim fire cartridge.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
December 20, 2014
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Thanks Bert
December 20, 2014
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Another question Bert,this 1885 built in 1891,shoot a 25 rf short or 25 rf long
thanks
Billl
William Cawley said
Another question Bert,this 1885 built in 1891,shoot a 25 rf short or 25 rf long
thanks
Billl
Bill,
There was no 25 RF “short” or “long”… only one size cartridge was made.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said Bill,
There was no 25 RF “short” or “long”… only one size cartridge was made.
Bert
And good luck finding it!
clarence said
And good luck finding it!
It will cost you a pretty penny but!
https://www.rccbrass.com/product/25-stevens-rimfire/
This fellow has modern brass that you can make reloads with using a 22 blank to fire the cartridge.
And here he sells the 25 R.F. Short, doing the same.
https://www.rccbrass.com/product/25-stevens-rimfire-short/
At least that way you can get that barrel to make some noise and you don’t have to worry about re-chambering it.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
Maverick said At least that way you can get that barrel to make some noise and you don’t have to worry about re-chambering it.
Sincerely,
Maverick
Short of rechambering, reloadable cases can be made from .22 Hornet brass, but a centerfire block would have to be found, or the firing pin changed in the original. Or have a .22 RF liner installed, which could be used without changing the firing pin.
But any way you go about it, it’s going to be a LOT of trouble to get it shooting again. Hope you got it cheap.
clarence said
Short of rechambering, reloadable cases can be made from .22 Hornet brass, but a centerfire block would have to be found, or the firing pin changed in the original. Or have a .22 RF liner installed, which could be used without changing the firing pin.
But any way you go about it, it’s going to be a LOT of trouble to get it shooting again. Hope you got it cheap.
I don’t think you were following what exactly I was saying. Using this guy’s brass you can make a reload using a 22 R.F. blanks as the primer, and make a reloaded cartridge for firing in the rifle “As Is”. No reforming and using different brass, No changing to a center fire block, No changing to firing pin, No lining the barrel!
Here is an example of his brass in 44 Ballard Long.
The only drawback I see is that you have make sure to align the cartridge case up with where the rim-fire firing pin is going to hit the head of the cartridge. But for a Single Shot, that is not that big of a deal in my opinion, especially for target shooting.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
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