.25 ACP Pistol Suggestions

[WarEagleEd]

I'm thinking about getting a .25 ACP pistol and would like some suggestions. I can buy used or new, but not looking to spend too much. I've been looking at Colt Automatics/Juniors and the Phoenix Arms HP25. The former usually sells for $300+ on Gun Broker, the latter can be had for under $150, I think. However, I am open to anything so long as it is made well and doesn't have a lot of/serious know issues.

Suggestions?

[Happyguy]

I wouldn't go with the Phoenix, I have had one and it is junk. I have had several Colt Juniors and they have been very good. Right now I have an Italian made 25 ACP, for the last 35 years, and the only thing I have had to do with it is replace the barrel at about 5,000 rounds as it became a smooth bore. I am still partial to the Colts. I have 2 Llamas one in 32 and one in 380, I am just a 1911 kind of guy.

[Mbaker78]

My dad has an old llama 32acp 1911 style. I learned how to shoot with that little thing.

[gandog56]

Long long time ago, I had one. But the ammo costs way too much and there is not a lot of bang for your buck. They are hardly worth even trying to reload for them. I got rid of that and just got a small .380.

[Happyguy]

Cappie, I have been reloading the 25 ACP for about 15 years, I purchased the conversion for the Dillon 550 and it is a breeze to reload. The 25 that I have id the one I started my children on when they reached the age of 6. I also shoot and reload for the 380 and 32 ACP, with the Dillon they too are a breeze to reload.

[WarEagleEd]

I'm interested in the .25 ACP for the novelty of the tiny round and the fact the John Browning designed it. I'm not interested in using as a defensive carry gun (for that I have a .380). I am leaning toward a Colt Junior/Astra Cub/FIE A27.

[DukeInFlorida]

Actually, I have had a LOT of experience with the 25 ACP, both in terms of reloading, and choosing a good gun.

After going through a bunch of guns that always seemed to jam, the one that was hands down reliable is the Beretta Model 21-A. Beretta calls it the "Bobcat" model. It loads with the first round manually placed in the flip up barrel. I have thrown a bunch of different rounds through it, including many factory cartridges and my own reloads, including a cast lead bullet load. Not a single failure to function.

I bought an out of production Lyman mold that casts wonderful 50 grain Round Nose bullets. I also managed to acquire an out of production conversion kit for the Dillon 550b. Those are very rare and hard to find. I use Titegroup powder for the loads, and it seems to work great.

That's my two cents worth.

[WarEagleEd]

So I have pretty much settled on a Colt Junior/Automatic/Astra Cub or a Beretta 21-A Bobcat in .25 ACP. But, I'm feeling kind of cheap right now and don't want to get in a hurry to get one and end up spending too much. So, I will keep my eyes open for a good deal on one of those (could take years to find one at the price point I'm satisfied with). However, in order to "scratch my itch" short term, I bid on and won a FIE Titan .25 on GunBroker. I got it for $97 shipped, plus I'll have to pay a transfer fee to a local gun store. I know it is an American made frame that is an alloy with a high zinc content (ZAMAK). I don't really care so long as it goes "mouse toot" when I pull the trigger. It will be, after all, a stop-gap measure and a plinker to shoot at the range just for the fun of it.

[Specht]

That sounds like a pretty decent deal. I'm tempted to order one too. Do tell us how you like it when you get a chance to try it out at the range.

[WarEagleEd]

I should have the Titan in about a week or so.

I think I'm going to add the Star Model CU or CK to my list with the Colt & variations and the Beretta Bobcat.

[WarEagleEd]

It took about three weeks to get the gun delivered. I took it to the range a couple of weeks ago and fired it. It fired the 25 or so Remington rounds I had with no problems at all. 4 of the 50 Winchester rounds didn't fire the first time through, though I think this was due to the age of the ammo because the firing pin appeared to be striking the primer with sufficient force (made a nice, consistent dimple in the primer). 3 of the four fired on a second try, 1 refused to do a thing. I recovered the majority of my cases, but the gun tends to throw them all over the place. It is fun to shoot and is pretty accurate.

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[Happyguy]

Now you can use your night vision and ambush those pesky mice.

[WarEagleEd]

They don't stand a chance. The Titan is a pretty accurate little gun.