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Common uses: Hunting
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 117gr Winchester Super-X Power-Point |
| Muzzle velocity | 2230 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 1292 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.213 |
| Case length | 51.8 mm |
| Overall length | 64.8 mm |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2230 | 1292 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 1861 | 899 | 0 |
| 200 | 1536 | 613 | -8.7 |
| 300 | 1271 | 420 | -32.3 |
| 400 | 1087 | 307 | -77.5 |
| 500 | 976 | 247 | -152.1 |
At 1,000 yards, .25-35 Win. (117gr at 2230 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 115.2 MOA / 33.5 MIL, retaining 695 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 1271 | Transonic | -32.3 | 10.3 | 2.99 |
| 400 | 1087 | Subsonic | -77.5 | 18.5 | 5.38 |
| 500 | 976 | Subsonic | -152.1 | 29.0 | 8.45 |
| 600 | 899 | Subsonic | -263.1 | 41.9 | 12.18 |
| 700 | 837 | Subsonic | -417.3 | 56.9 | 16.56 |
| 800 | 785 | Subsonic | -621.2 | 74.2 | 21.57 |
| 900 | 738 | Subsonic | -881.5 | 93.5 | 27.21 |
| 1000 | 695 | Subsonic | -1206.5 | 115.2 | 33.51 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .25-35 is remembered as a mild, flat-shooting quarter-bore that pairs light recoil and modest report with respectable reach for an early lever-action round, which made it a favorite for deer and similar-sized game as well as varmints and light predators. Its slender 117-grain class bullets shoot flatter than the blunt .30-30 loads of its era, a real advantage in open country, though the small-diameter projectile and moderate energy make it a deliberate short-to-medium-range proposition rather than a hard-hitting big-game cartridge. In tube-magazine lever guns it is traditionally loaded with flat- or round-nose bullets for safety, which caps its practical trajectory advantage. Today it is largely a niche and nostalgic chambering, kept alive by handloaders, collectors of Model 1894 and Model 99 rifles, and hunters who appreciate a pleasant-shooting classic. Factory ammunition remains available but is uncommon, so many shooters roll their own to keep vintage rifles fed.
Winchester introduced the .25-35 Winchester Center Fire in 1895 for the Model 1894 lever-action rifle, deriving it by necking the .30-30 case down to accept a .257-inch bullet. It arrived alongside the .30-30 as one of the first American smokeless-powder sporting cartridges, giving hunters a flatter-shooting, lighter-recoiling companion to the heavier .30 caliber. Savage later chambered it in the Model 99, and while Winchester wound down .25-35 rifle production in the mid-20th century, the cartridge developed a lasting following among lever-gun and single-shot enthusiasts.
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