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.25 ACP

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.25 ACP
.25 ACP cartridge with scale
TypePistol
Place of originUnited States and Belgium
Production history
DesignerJohn Browning
Designed1905
Produced1905–present
Specifications
Case typeSemi-rimmed, straight
Bullet diameter.251 in (6.4 mm)
Neck diameter.276 in (7.0 mm)
Base diameter.278 in (7.1 mm)
Rim diameter.302 in (7.7 mm)
Rim thickness.043 in (1.1 mm)
Case length.615 in (15.6 mm)
Overall length.91 in (23 mm)
Rifling twist1:16
Primer typeSmall pistol
Maximum pressure25,000 psi (170 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy
35 gr (2 g) JHP 900 ft/s (270 m/s) 63 ft⋅lbf (85 J)
45 gr (3 g) JHP 815 ft/s (248 m/s) 66 ft⋅lbf (89 J)
50 gr (3 g) FMJ 760 ft/s (230 m/s) 65 ft⋅lbf (88 J)
Test barrel length: 2"
Source(s): Guns & Ammo Magazine

The .25 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) (6.35×16mmSR) is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled centerfire pistol cartridge introduced by John Browning in 1905 alongside the Fabrique Nationale M1905 pistol.

Design

The cartridge is of semi-rimmed design meaning that the rim protrudes slightly beyond the diameter of the base of the cartridge so the cartridge can headspace on the rim.[1]

Though the .25 ACP was designed for semi-automatic pistols, various .25 ACP revolvers were produced in the early twentieth century by Belgian, French, and German gunmakers such as Adolph Frank and Decker.[2] In the late twentieth century, Bowen Classic Arms produced a custom Smith & Wesson revolver in .25 ACP.[3]

Performance

The use of the .25 ACP allows for a very compact lightweight gun, but the cartridge is relatively short-ranged and low-powered, putting it in the same class as the .22 LR rimfire cartridge but at a significantly higher cost. The .25 ACP is viewed by some as a better choice for personal defense handguns due to its centerfire-case design, which is inherently more reliable and more powerful than a .22 LR rimfire cartridge.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ *Wilson, R. K. Textbook of Automatic Pistols. Plantersville, SC: Small Arms Technical Publishing Company, 1943. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-935632-89-7.
  2. ^ Hogg, Ian; Walter, John (2004-08-29). Pistols of the World. David & Charles. ISBN 0873494601.
  3. ^ Bowen, Hamilton. The Custom Revolver. Privately printed, 2001. ISBN 978-0-9713366-0-5.
  4. ^ Jerry Ahern (2010), Gun Digest Buyer's Guide to Concealed-Carry Handguns, Gun Digest Books, pp. 19–20, ISBN 978-1-4402-1383-0