Any salvation for the .25ACP?

[Koblenz]

I own a Beretta in .25 ACP and from what I have read the .25 ACP has about the next lowest stopping power to a BB gun. Is there any kind of improved ammo out there that would increase the power of my Beretta .25? Or should I try to attach a bayonet to the barrel?

I have been considering trading my Beretta in on a Kel Tec, but I just keep on seeing thread after thread about reliability issues with the Kel Tecs.

 

[Jeff Timm]

Unfortunately the average size of criminals has increased with the average size of society. The .25 ACP is sorely lacking either penetration or expansion.

Suggest you look at a Beretta Tomcat in .32 ACP, loaded with W-W silver tips.

Geoff
Whose smallest pistol is a 9mm.

 

[1 old 0311]

With a .25 go for penertration. FMJ is the way to go.

 

[Old Fuff]

Maybe it's because of they're wide distribution, but I think the little .25 has wounded and killed more humans then any .45 caliber.

What makes the little round lethal is when it hits a vital organ, so the key is marksmanship and penetration. Since the cartridges is used in little blow-back pistols I doubt that you could get it much hotter. Use ball and check out some European manufactures for slightly better offerings.

On a personal note, for what amounts to a grasshopper gun (smaller then a mouse gun) I prefer a .32 S&W Safety Hammerless revolver.

 

[usp9]

I think it would be surprising to many people just how often the smaller calibers are being carried.

 

[Myles]

A .25 in your pocket beats the 1911 that was too heavy to wear for a quick run to the store.

 

[weisse52]

I agree a 25 is better than nothing, but at that same size you can get a whole lot more.

BUT, I would take that over nothing.....

 

[Onmilo]

Put the .25 acp in a pistol such as the Smith 41 or a Hammerli Target pistol and you would be amazed at how accurate it is.
Factory cost per cartridge prevents this right now though if the matter was pushed, the manufacturers could make guns and ammunition for less cost than say the .17 Mach 2

The .25 has a reputation as a bellygun cartridge and saturday night special cartridge and this probably prevents more development than anything.

In a semi automatic rifle with modern powders and bullet design it might could be the ultimate squirrel round too.

 

[gripper]

I'd use a .22 instead of a .25;there are some decent small .22's that are reliable with the mini mag solids&you can afford to practice quite a bit more. Iused to tuck away an old Phoenix Arme HP22(with the 11 round magazines). It was suprisinly accurace,reliable and over built for the price and size class.Not a .45,butI could tuck it away almost anywhere(it got missed in a pat down search!)and under stress I gould put all th erounds where I wanted in a hurry at 7 yards.

 

[pbearperry]

I believe I would rather carry a small 22 with hi speed hollow points than a .25.

 

[herohog]

Lemme tell ya a little story... yer sitting in a rough little bar in South Louisiana and an argument breaks out. Not unusual here, you turn to watch the show. Some 5 foot nothing guy is being REAL mouthy with this 6 foot wall of flesh and muscle wearing a lined denim jacket (it's winter). Things escalate then it happens... POP! POP! POP! POP! The little guy whips out a .25 and pops the big dude right in the chest... this pisses the guy off REAL bad. The shooter was carried out to the ambulance in REAL bad shape. The shootee walked to the ambulance with a few nice minor flesh wounds to his chest.

If ya carry a mouse gun, shove it in their face THEN pull the trigger. You do NOT want to have the eat it should it fail to incapacitate the person you shoot!

 

[MASTEROFMALICE]

If you shot me with a .25, and I found out about it later on, I'd be pissed.

 

[JERRY]

12" of penetration against bare ballistic gelotin isnt very bad.......50gr. FMJ if a .25acp is carried....

 

[HisSoldier]

This has been discussed several times since I joined the forum. The cartridge has at least twice as much brass wall thickness than a .22 LR, so it could be loaded well above what we buy now. Then there's the guns, most are lightweight slides on blow backs, retard or lock the slide, or make the slide heavier and there is no doubt in my mind (For what that's worth ) that you could boost the energy well above what could be gotten out of any .22 rimfire case. But the energy figures for .22 LR are generally out of longer barrels, so find stats on .22 LR's out of 2" barrels, then compare. But we aren't done yet, many small auto's are chambered for one of two cartridges, either .25 ACP or .22 short. The .22 short has a double whammy against it, it is way underpowered and ignition isn't as certain as center fire ignition. I had a .22 short, newly purchased, misfire Saturday night shooting indoors. I recocked the hammer and tried again, nothing. I pulled the round, turned it 180 degrees and it fired.

 

[mljdeckard]

Not if I have anything to say about it.

When you shoot someone wearing a heavy coat, their reaction should NOT be: "Ow!!! That's going to leave a WELT!!"

 

[SeanMTX]

Shoot...I've got a Beretta .380 85F, and while it's a lot of fun to shoot (albeit expensive), it's not something I carry unless I have to. (like my .45 being in the shop)

Nice gun, very well made, but IMO .25's are too small for anything but prairie dogs and plinking.

 

[old_ironsights]

The .25's main asset is it's miniscule size. It's made for deep concealment, surprise, and very close work. It will kill.

 

[JBP]

I take my Beretta Jetfire every time I go to Florida or Arizona. It's more reliable than my Beretta 21A and holds one additional round. Yeah it's a mouse gun but I'm not looking to start a war and it's very concealable. If I'm wearing shorts it sits in a cross draw belt holster under a shirt and if I'm wearing long pants it's in an ankle holster.

 

[herohog]

No doubt that it will kill. My point is, with wimpy calibers, shot placement is everything!

BTW: After he was shot, the big dude exclaims: "You S.O.B., you shot me!" Then he proceded to feed the guy his own gun.

 

[PX15]

JMOFO:

No reason for anyone to settle for a rimfire pistol, OR a 25cal pistol for cc when you can buy a KelTec P32 for around $200.00.

Or: Keltec P380 for around $220.00
Or: NAA Guardian for around $405.00
Or: Seecamp LWS32 for around $425.00.

I won't add the Beretta Tomcat to my list because the one I had was a pos.

My personal choice is the Seecamp, but I've depended on both a Guardian and a KelTec P32 in the past. I still have both, although I cc the LWS32.

My wife liked my LWS32 so much I had to get her one of her own.



Murphy's Law tells me that 22cal rimfire round will decide NOT to ignite at the very moment you need it to work properly, and why carry a 25cal pistol when you can get a good 32 for less than $200 (new).

YMMV

J.Pomeroy

 

[Constantine-p89]

Look at this.........
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/4800/one-shot.htm

 

[rcmodel]

One-Shot Stop?

Who says you have to only shoot the BG one time?

7 rounds of .25 ACP is 315%!


rcmodel

 

[MICHAEL T]

I have 3 of the little Beretta's in 25 auto. They are good relieable pistols. And as it was pointed out in the jell test went over 12" so mets FBI requirements.
Use Ball and use several. Most 32 and 380 HP won't do that 12" or a 22 from short barrel.
I have a total of 5 25 autio's and 3 KelTecs I like mouse guns

 

[Timthinker]

Onmilo has raised an interesting point about making the .25 acp more versatile. For many years, I have believed that a "hot" .25 acp round chambered for the Ruger 10/22 would make an interesting combination. Heck, it might beat the .22 Magnum in this platform.

Now, back to the question at hand. Some "hot" .25 acp ammo may be available from Corbon or another ammunition distributor. It may not cycle in some .25s, so consider this as a suggestion that needs to be tested. Merry Christmas.


Timthinker

 

[Soybomb]

$250 will get you a jframe or keltec .380 that will drop in your pocket, thats the route I'd take.