I've been shooting .25 ACP for about 25 years in a Colt 1908. About 20 years ago I picked up 2000 MagTech bullets (50 gr FMJ) for under $50 at a gun show. Got a set of Lee dies and started reloading all the empty cases I accumulated. After awhile, I stopped shooting the gun as much and just bought the occasional box of ammo. About 2 years ago, I got interested in the gun again and started shooting about 20 rounds every time I went to the range. I got a case of Federal ammo when they were running rebates in 2019, but that's almost gone. After checking availability and price of factory ammo now, I decided to try reloading these little guys again since I still have lots of brass and bullets.

I use a Lee Micro Disk (no longer available) for the tiny charges of powder, which can be a problem if the powder "bridges" in the measure, leading to a squib. I used to use 1.4 grains of HP-38 and this would sometimes occur. I decided to switch to AA #2 because it meters better. The Speer Manual 14th edition gives a load of 1.5 grains of AA #2 with a 50 grain FMJ bullet. My Micro Disk set at 0.15 cc delivers that charge reliably. I loaded up 100 rounds with a COL 0f 0.890 inches and a light roll crimp. I've fired 40 rounds of this load with no problems and am very pleased to use up these old bullets and not spend $40 per box for factory ammo. I do check the charged cases with a flashlight and have found no problems with powder metering. Planning to do another 200 this weekend.

Because of its size, this cartridge is slower to reload and requires a little more care in handling than .38 Special or .45 ACP. The biggest problem is finding the spent brass - it just seems to evaporate with about 30% loss.

In spite of its small size and primitive sights, the Colt 1908 does quite well out to 50 feet on a reduced silhouette target and its fun to shoot this 80+ year old pistol with my own reloads.

That's really cool. There was just a 25 acp reloading article in one of the magazines. I shoot that little Colt sometimes too.

I remember that Federal rebate...case of 9mm was $135 and Case of 45 was around $180 if I remember correctly. Still mad I only bought a single case of each!! Still haven't opened either.

Interesting to hear about this. How do you avoid seating your fingertips? :-) I have some difficulty loading 32 S&W. I can't fathom loading the tiny 25 ACP. As you mention, power charging can be an issue. With the 32 S&W, there's not much difference between a max and min load, and they're small charges. Fortunately many 32 S&W guns can handle more pressure than the round is loaded to.

I used to load for a cheap .25 auto. I actually like the cartridge for a plinker and wished there was a rimmed version and a K frame to shoot it out of.

I’ve done a fair amount of a 1.2 grain load (not in 25acp tho) and I made myself a scoop out of a 22 short case with a copper wire stuck thru it. Soldered the wire in the bottom and realized I could just fill half the case with solder and then use a drill to gradually deepen the inside til it scooped the right charge. Works really well, and fast too.

I hit my limit on small cases at the 380. My stubby fingers just don't do too well with those tiny items. I do like shooting the .25, I shoot my Baby Browning, and had a Mauser 1910 for awhile.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

25 ACP is one tiny cartridge. I don't know that I would have the patience to reload such a thing and I would definitely have to be wearing/using some sort of magnification to clearly see the powder inside those tiny cases.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I load lots of 32 S&W with my Rock Chucker and only use a scale to measure each load, since I just feel more comfortable seeing the weight before I put it in the case. As you state, loading these small cartridges is time consuming anyway and one has to be very meticulous with the entire process.

The good news about loading your 25 ACP is that you are using a pistol, not a revolver. If your Lee micro disk ever bridges, your case will not eject. Be very careful to check the case and perform a simple check to see where the bullet is before chambering another round. In a revolver, there is always a temptation to just pull the trigger again.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I only load 45 acp, 38, and 9. If I had a 380 I would probably load them just because of ammo prices on 380. But even those are just too small for my old fumble fingers. I can't even imagine loading 25 or 32.

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Ron
Southern IL

Good for you! I have an old Colt I shoot sometimes too. Haven’t loaded .25 yet - maybe I should give it a try.


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I always wanted to load for the .25 ACP, but I still haven't run into the right pistol. I load .380 on my Dillon and have no problems but I'd load the .25 ACP on a single stage. Don't think I'd really need that much ammo. Plus I doubt Dillon even makes a .25 ACP shell plate.

I can’t imagine how frustrating loading 25 auto must be. I find 380 to be on the small side.

A pound of powder would last forever though!

The smallest pistol cartridge I reload is the 32 ACP. Because of the wee powder charges (2.0 gr. Bullseye) I weigh every charge and double check by looking in every charged case. On a bad day I have to hold the case in my right hand and start a bullet, then put it in the press to seat the bullet. I've thought hard about reloading for my IJ Walther PPK clone, but I don't shoot it much and with my big hands and small gun, many times shooting it isn't fun...

If you’re losing brass, Midway USA has a brass catcher that works great.

To catch my pistol cases at the table at the range, if you have enough room............

I put one large cardboard box, inside of another and tilted the top box towards the pistol.
I had to lift the top flap up and secure it on one pistol that really tossed cases all over !!

Good shooting.

For small cases such as the .25 acp, .32 acp and .32 S&W I use a Lyman no. 55 powder meter. It can drop very small charges of powder with great consistency and no bridging.

I also use a cheap tweezer dipped in Plasti Dip.

Since so many people were interested in this post, I'll give you an update. I've now reloaded 400 rounds of .25 ACP, all with 50 grain FMJ bullets and 1.5 grains of AA #2 powder. I'd estimate that it took me about 50% longer than reloading a similar quantity of .38 or .44/.45 caliber rounds. I'm pleased with the product with no malfunctions in 60 rounds fired. If factory ammo remains unavailable or very expensive, I'll do another batch in 6-8 months. The recoil and muzzle blast are similar to factory ammo from Federal and PPU. Inspection of the charged cases with a flashlight was not difficult and there were no visible under- or over-loads. AA #2 powder meters like water, even at this small charge. 10 consecutive throws were between 1.45 and 1.55 grains with an average of 1.475. I don't think I would have done this if I had to weigh each charge.

Someone mentioned a rimmed version of this cartridge; it is already a rimmed cartridge and headspaces on the rim (see SAAMI specs). I used a roll crimp and so do the commercial manufacturers. There were revolvers manufactured in .25 ACP in Europe before WW II, but I've never seen one. I read that Bowen Classic Arms once did a custom built S&W revolver in this caliber - it would be neat as an I-frame caliber.

Next on my reloading schedule is 300 rounds of .44 Special - definitely the other end of the size spectrum!

I bought 25 acp dies 40 years ago and still haven't reloaded any. I shoot 25 acp so seldom I think i'm still on my first box. I'm a nut for odd ammo, I have dies for 25-35, 22 Hi-power, 25 Remington, 30 Remington, 25-20, 450 colt, etc. My Lyman 55 is so old it's gray instead of orange. Started reloading on an old Herters press.
SWCA 892

My hat's off th you. I'm still working up the nerve to load .32 S&W. I tell myself it can't be much worse than .22 Hornet.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

I still have few hundred loaded rounds. Only have Beretta 950 to shoot them from. Love to shoot it, hate loosing those tiny cases


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Of trying to artificially inseminate a cockroach. Just sayin.

We were down on Hilton Head Island a few years ago and the cockroaches were much bigger than a .25 ACP round.

I have medium size hands/fingers and the smallest I have reloaded is the 380 (on a single stage) with no problems except a much slower pace. I do not wish to go smaller ... I applaud those who can and do.

The only reason I reload the 380 is because I bought one 380 EZ in 2018 and just recently fell right into a new 380 Performance Center EZ. I seem to shoot both well but brass chasing has been a challenge. I will have to rethink how I can improve that part.

A long time ago I got a .25 ACP die set in a box of used reloading tools. I'd like to try it but only in a pistol that is large enough for me to shoot accurately. That's a problem. As far as I know the 1910 or 1914? Mauser was the largest ever commonly available. I have not stumbled into one inexpensive enough. A reloader posted the story of his custom .25 ACP Ruger Single action on a Ruger forum. That would be a fun project as would a .25 ACP Thompson Center Contender. A tiny pistol would have to be a gift.

I believe the Chamber of Commerce prefers to refer to those as "palmetto bugs".. as if that makes any difference!

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Old paratrooper in NC

I have 3 .25's and love to play with them. I have used W231, WSF and 20/28 powders. The Hornady 35 gr HP can be pushed to just over 1000 fps with no problems. Accuracy at 10Y is surprising but those sights are small. Factory ammo seems to be pretty anemic, barely functioning in the Colt. Somewhere I managed to pick up some 50 gr. cast bullets and they also shoot well. I have found the .25 ACPs to be much more reliable than the very small .22LRs.
C.G.B.

It's not a rimmed cartridge, it's a semi-rimmed cartridge. It has a rim large enough to headspace on but small enough to reliably feed through a magazine and small enough to need an extractor groove for positive extraction. In a revolver design that doesn't use the rim for extraction it would be fine, but in a revolver that does use the rim for extraction it would be a nightmare. It could be done with an extractor design like the 547 uses, but having a true rimmed case would be much simpler. I was hoping for something along the lines of a K-25.

I have 35 rds of range brass I picked up.
I would be glad to send it to you for free.

I am sending you a PM.

By FAR the most frustrating round to reload is the 17 Remington.

Having to use tweezers to seat the bullet in the case mouth convinced me to go to a larger caliber.

Folks that mention reloading the .25 ACP also mention "tweasers". Certainly for putting the bullet atop the case. Some for handing the empty case itself.

I have a fondness for mouse guns and have several .25s. But I don't reload the caliber. As others have said, I have enough trouble with .32s. 25s would probably just piss me off.
But .25s were always cheap and plentiful. So I'd just pick up a couple of boxes at gun shows when I thought about it. I usually have plenty on hand. Even now I have a pretty good supply.