I had an old, pre '68 Italian made Beretta that if you sandbagged it, at 7-10 yards it would put the whole magazine into one fuzzy hole.

I enjoyed shooting it, but it wasn't economical, even hand loading them as I was. (single stage, working with those tiny cases, oh what fun). I sold it and bought a .22LR that I could shoot cheaper. Don't know that I did, but I regret selling the .25

Three pages of folks who like the .25 acp, it's not going away soon.
I've owned this little Colt for years and shot it hundreds of times.


GGF

quote:

Originally posted by reflex/deflex 64:
As far as defense goes, I was under the impression the .25 was more for stopping dogs while out on your bicycle ride. Presumably an early 20th century problem.

Before ambulances, sanitary medical practices, emergency rooms, antibiotics, and such being shot was a grave matter. If the bullet was not fatal the sepsis or gangrene would be painfully slow killers.

quote:

Originally posted by reflex/deflex 64:
As far as defense goes, I was under the impression the .25 was more for stopping dogs while out on your bicycle ride. Presumably an early 20th century problem.

A close up and personal round of HV .25acp fired into the lower throat area might stop the threat, no matter how large he is.

Right now I have a Beretta 950, a CZ DUO, a Colt 1908 Vest Pocket and a Baby Browning. Every one has been totally reliable with Prvi Partizan FMJ ammo. It's amazing when you think of it how such precision miniature-sized machines function so superbly. What little masterpieces these little pistols are!

quote:

Originally posted by kaschi:
Right now I have a Beretta 950, a CZ DUO, a Colt 1908 Vest Pocket and a Baby Browning. Every one has been totally reliable with Prvi Partizan FMJ ammo. It's amazing when you think of it how such precision miniature-sized machines function so superbly. What little masterpieces these little pistols are!

Yes, works of art they were, until the GCA68 deemed them too dangerous for us to have and slammed the import door on those beautiful guns.

Which opened the door for the production of cheap unreliable Zinc coated pot metal pieced of shit made in the US.

Yep, the gumment knew what was good for us.

I have a Colt Jr that my grandfather gave me. I thought it was such a great little pistol I've added another.

I need to get one of these. Posting to Classifieds now. These are really nice pistols!

quote:

Originally posted by FishOn:
I need to get one of these. Posting to Classifieds now. These are really nice pistols!

FYI, the rare Italian made 950 (1952-1968) had no slide safety, just half cock hammer. GCA68 killed the import of that fine piece of handgun.

Early '70's 950BS is US made with slide safety. More common find.

There was a 950 made in Brazil, from late '60's to early '70's. I never saw one.

Personally, I find the SAO 950 has a better trigger action over the newer 21a.

Good luck finding one.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I once found a Bauer .25 auto under the back seat of my patrol car.
Loaded with one up the spout.
Nice pistol. I had the local court issue an order allowing the PD to keep it.
I shot it quite a bit but never carried it. IIRC, there was a .25 load someone made that was FMJ but had a small steel ball in the bullet tip.

That was the Winchester expanding point. At one-time I think it went by power points. It's basically a jhp, with a steel ball in the cavity to give it a FMJ profile to help in feeding and expansion.

ARman

Both my brother and I have beretta 21's ( he is 25 fan owning about 6 of them and even reloading the cartridge) mine will shoot playing card size groups at ten yards and hold roughly 8" groups at 25 yards with relentless reliability. I Can even carry it in swim trunks on the beach. Sure not much of a cartridge but has put plenty of people down, and as said a 25 in the pocket is better than a 45 out of arms reach

I have one of the 950's with no slide safety. Beautiful little gun that is fun to shoot. Didn't know it was rare! Sits hidden away. Used to pocket carry it sometimes. The little .380s have taken this role over.

Picked up a very nice little Bauer 25 Automatic.
Man this thing is small!
Shot it yesterday and it's a keeper.

Comparison to the 950 Beretta-

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rburg:

>I even reload 25s.

Yow! And I thought reloading .32 S&W was "piddlin' business."

quote:

Originally posted by GCE61:
Picked up a very nice little Bauer 25 Automatic.
Man this thing is small!
Shot it yesterday and it's a keeper.

Comparison to the 950 Beretta-

Bauer made a great copy of the Browning Baby,

My father in law carry a .25 for most of his life, the little center fire never let him down

I seem to have inherited one from my late father-in-law.
Haven't shot it yet. Thanks for the encouragement.
And nope, not for sale.

Another Bauer checking in. Great little pistol, with the emphasis on "little"!

upload image online

Just for fun, try and find/shoot a NORTH AMERICAN ARMS Guardian in .25naa caliber. It's a bottleneck round like the .32naa, 357sig, etc. It's a tiny pistol the size of a SEECAMP, all stainless, a little "heavy", but it's a hand cannon.

https://northamericanarms.com/.../firearms/naa-25naa/

I'll try to make a photo of my Sterling model 300 in .25

Fun little gun to shoot, quite accurate even with no real sights- just a groove in the top.

It's a good backup to my backup to my primary when I go to the city.