25 RPM

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Time will tell if it catches on along with the rest of Weatherby's RPM cartridges. They might end up like most of the Winchester short mags. But then there is the Weatherby purest that will take it and run, much like a number of other Weatherby rounds that really didn't catch on but are still alive.

A couple of years ago I found a very unique 240 Weatherby in a Ruger #1. I drooled over that rifle until I didn't have any drool left in my mouth. I would of brought it home except I would of had to morguage my home for what they were asking.

It was so bad that I had to go home and fondle my #1 in 270 Weatherby mag.

@JimP
A mate had a beautiful No1 in that horrible 270 with a 26" tube. Bastard sold it for $1,600 AUD and didn't tell me.
Would have rebored to 35 Whelen nicely
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

257ROB AI (Roberts Ackley Improved) will do over 3000 fps with a 120 grain pills. I don't believe the game will care much what the chambering is...as long as it's not a .243 cal

Too many good fast .25's out there. 257WBY, 257ROB and 25-06 would top my list long before anything created in the past 50 years.

@BeeMaa
You are gaining much wisdom my son.
All we have to do now is educate you in the benefits of the Whelen.
Bob

 

[Daryl S]

Re-boring that .270 Ruger #1 to .35 Whelen would be a wonderful use of a Ruger #1.
I stopped reading Jack O'Connor when he admitted that he averaged firing 3.8 shots to kill a B.C. moose. That was quite early on, as well.
I know the .270 is a good moose rifle, but with decent 150 to 160gr. bullets, not O'Connor's 130gr. ST's
that he demanded to use, it appears.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I saw the advertising for this and they seem to be pitching the idea of fast twist for use with heavy for caliber bullets.
My personal opinion is that this is another waste of effort.
Just grab any proven 25 caliber and go have fun at a fraction of the cost.

@Firearmdoc
Years ago Barnes bought out the 6.5QT (quick twist) that would launch a 200gn 6.5mm bullet ( yes you did read that correctly) at something like 3,000 fps.
Now if'n y'all want very high sd and off the charts BC that would have been the way to go.
Unfortunately ahead of its time so like the square wheel it went nowhere.
Bob

 

[Daryl S]

Same with the Barnes 90gr. .224's for the 6" twist blown-out swift ctg. and .22/250 IMP.

 

[Axle2010]

What made Weatherby what it is hasn't been relevant in over 20 years. Nobody is buying extremely overbore magnums. We have rangefinders now, and ballistics/performance of low B.C. bullets get spanked downrange.

Pining for Old Weatherby cartridge design is like wanting an old 460 CID Engine when a 6 cylinder turbo beats it in

My 5.0 coyote has outlasted 3 friends ecoboost junk and the only way that 6 beats a 460 is in economy.
As for the super mag cartridges you're right the range finder has made them much less necessary but if imo if you're shooting way out there then you still need more horsepower when you get there than some of these new rounds put out. "Use enough gun." This 25 rpm doesn't do anything that isn't already being done.

 

[MS 9x56]

Re-boring that .270 Ruger #1 to .35 Whelen would be a wonderful use of a Ruger #1.
I stopped reading Jack O'Connor when he admitted that he averaged firing 3.8 shots to kill a B.C. moose. That was quite early on, as well.
I know the .270 is a good moose rifle, but with decent 150 to 160gr. bullets, not O'Connor's 130gr. ST's
that he demanded to use, it appears.

I grew up hunting big game with shotguns and slugs so I guess that almost garaunteed I would become an Elmer Keith fan, which once I read his books I wholeheartedly did. After rifles were finally allowed in my area and I saw what meat damage was done by the fast smaller caliber rounds, I became a heavey for caliber larger caliber user.

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

Weatherby’s explanation from their website:
“The 25 RPM follows the same design philosophy that made the 6.5 and 338 RPM such a standout performer. RPM stands for rebated precision magnum, a modern case design built to maximize performance in the lightweight Mark V 6 lug action. The idea is simple, create a magnum level cartridge that fits in a lighter, more compact rifle without sacrificing velocity or downrange capability.”

I’m always glad to see a new cartridge. I went with the 25 WSSM 20 years ago and have not been disappointed with that cartridge. Bold move by Weatherby to bring that expensive investment to market.

 

[Bandera]

My old 25-06 shoots 117 grain and 120 grain bullets just fine.

 

[Flbt]

We used "issue" ammo on our own range for practice. The joint did not sell ammo.

Ours did that to. But if you wanted to buy ammo for your practice elsewhere they would sell use the range ammo at cost.
But we also had to buy our duty guns they were not issued.

 

[uplander01]

I've been working in this gun industry for decades, the entire market is struggling to find a way to sell sporting rifles and stay profitable. The trend lately is maximum performance from a small lightweight package, long bullets with different twist rates, shorter barrel for suppression, techy materials. For me, I'm not into it, I'm not a plastic rifle guy, even though I have some and they work all the same. Bottom line, this is where most of the younger generation is with their mindset.

 

[Hififile324]

The days of the Weatherby company that I loved are gone! I loved the wood, the blue, the MKV, the ads with the movie stars. Unfortunately they have gone the way of mass marketing, T-Shirt and Hat sales, plastic guns, useless calibers, all to corral your shooting and hunting dollar! A pity!

 

[JG26Irish_2]

I had no use for the 25-06, let alone this new item. Yes, I know is has a faster twist for high BC boolats. I know it is fatter than the 06 so it can possibly hold even more powder to burn out my bbl that much faster. I know it gets us near magnum performance without the belted mag case and all the potential issues that come from it. What would I do with it? Shoot groundhogs?, Pronghorn? PD's? Paper/Steel at longer range? I can do all that with the "Useless" 243.

This one got a mild "Meh" out of me.

Reminded me of the 50-BMG cased necked down to 22 as a paper weight/joke. Maybe we can get somebody to neck down the 50 BMG to 25? Bigger is better, right?

 

[Rifleman97]

My old 25-06 shoots 117 grain and 120 grain bullets just fine.
View attachment 737887

That meme could’ve been published in a magazine when that movie came out and it would’ve been just as relevant as today I love new stuff though, even though it’s 100% not necessary

 

[Rifleman97]

I had no use for the 25-06, let alone this new item. Yes, I know is has a faster twist for high BC boolats. I know it is fatter than the 06 so it can possibly hold even more powder to burn out my bbl that much faster. I know it gets us near magnum performance without the belted mag case and all the potential issues that come from it. What would I do with it? Shoot groundhogs?, Pronghorn? PD's? Paper/Steel at longer range? I can do all that with the "Useless" 243.

This one got a mild "Meh" out of me.

Their design intent was based around their 5 pound rifle 6 lug action. Skinnier receiver and bolt to have less weight for mountain sheep annd other and deep backcountry hunting.

Maybe we can get somebody to neck down the 50 BMG to 25? Bigger is better, right?

Don’t tempt me lol, I’ve got a 25-300 norma mag in the works already

 

[Daryl S]

Now that .50 BMG to .25 would be downright silly. But, a .416 Rigby to .257 with an 8"twist? THAT would be perfect. NOT.
Rather silly in my world of self induced maximums of 300yards, lasered. My 6.5's, .1936 m70 in .30GVT06, 9.3's or .375 can handle that. I "see" no reason to shoot further on animals I respect.
Yes, with the .17's I shoot, coyotes and gophers have longer maximum ranges. With those, 530yds. is maximum on gophers. Coyotes depends on which .17.

 

[Flbt]

I've been working in this gun industry for decades, the entire market is struggling to find a way to sell sporting rifles and stay profitable. The trend lately is maximum performance from a small lightweight package, long bullets with different twist rates, shorter barrel for suppression, techy materials. For me, I'm not into it, I'm not a plastic rifle guy, even though I have some and they work all the same. Bottom line, this is where most of the younger generation is with their mindset.

I would rather more over bore cartridge with long / heavy for cal bullets.

Say the new 25 130-140 gr 25 cal bullets say 3500-3900 fps

 

[Daryl S]

Each to his own!

 

[Rifleman97]

I would rather more over bore cartridge with long / heavy for cal bullets.

Say the new 25 130-140 gr 25 cal bullets say 3500-3900 fps

Left to right
25-06 with TTSX
25-300 Norma Mag improved with 101 LRX at 4100fps
25-300 Norma mag improved with 135 berger at 3800fps

 

[Daryl S]

I see no belts on that brass. I assume this is a "new" ctg., and not the "old" .308 Norma mag case. It does look even "fatter", as in the .404 basic case?