AEA HP Carbine .25 Ammo Help

[fc84]

Just got an AEA HP Carbine .25, no mods yet and looking for advice on what ammo to try besides the tin of polymags I'm using right now. I'd prefer slugs for 50-75 yard shots. Anyone tried the .249 H&N slugs or .25 FX Hybrid slugs? I've read that I need to keep it under 35 gr if I want it to cycle.

 

[McMadCow]

I have the HP Varmint in /25, so I know it's not the same thing, but I can tell you it doesn't like lightweight slugs. It hates 26gr hybrids, and NSA 26.8 slugs are 2-3MOA. It loves the H&N 36gr and ZAN 37gr, both of which it keeps under MOA.
I know that doesn't help with your cycling question, but I've heard these guns like heavier slugs and that's been my experience as well.

 

[N2 Shooter]

NSA 26.8gr slugs worked well when I had an AEA HPBP in .25cal. But if you can get the AEA to shoot FX Hybrid Slugs, by all means rapidly proceed in that direction!

 

[customcutter]

I tried the FX 26gr in my AEA HP Carbine. They were as accurate as my best pellets at that time, and no cycling issues. I haven't tried any others yet. Don't expect great accuracy with a 13" barrel semi-auto. A quarter would have covered everything at 25yds distance. LOL Not sure what you can expect at 75 yds.

 

[Sicumj]

I have a Backpacker in .25. I have shot slugs from 33gr on down. I have settled on 26.8 gr NSA's. Over 30 shots mine averages 883fps, SD of 12. I get quarter sized groups with these slugs, 10 rnd at 50 yds. The FX Hybrids shoot about the same. Most accurate projectile out to 50 yards is Polymags. Cupped based slugs shoot better than flat based. At 75 yards slugs shoot about 3' higher than pellets out of my gun.

Congratulations on the carbine. Shot this 5 shot group at 75 yards with AA 25.4 gr pellets. I was aiming at the bolt at top of disc.

 

[fc84]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Tomorrow I'm going to clean and polish the barrel, then start working away at the $150 in pellets and slugs that I just ordered!

 

[darylm]

My .25 Carbine shoots the hybrids pretty well. It didn’t like the Hades surprisingly, but it. also liked the H&N Hunter Extremes and the Hatsan Vortex pellets. Interesting to hear about the NSA 26.8s, I’ll have to try those……. I think shooting past 60 yards is asking a lot of a 13” barrel budget-friendly semi-auto though.

 

[Sicumj]

My barrel was extremely dirty after one tin of pellets. I ended up using JB Bore cleaner and trueing the muzzle crown. Accuracy improved and barrel does not show the dirt when cleaned as it did before. My barrel needs shot about 20 times after a cleaning for the accuracy to come back. I would expect to hit a target ay 60 yds with my rifle. IMO they are made very well with a simple design that has been reliable. I have about 4k rounds through mine now and it shows no signs of undo wear.

 

[fc84]

Sicumj, that 75 yard group looks great. I'll be very happy if I can achieve a similar result. Can you provide some details about your process for trueing the muzzle crown?

 

[Sicumj]

I chucked the barrel up in a lathe and used a brass crowning tool. . You can also place the barrel in a vise and place the tool in a drill and do it by hand. Instructions and grinding compound come in the kit. Tool I used was similar to this. https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...tools/45-brass-lap-sku080624045-679-2853.aspx

Some people use a round head brass screw and valve grinding compound. I would use medium then fine grades. If doing it by hand they say to rotate the tool around some to give the muzzle a balanced grind.

 

[fc84]

Does anyone happen to know the sizes for the barrel breech end interior and exterior o-rings? Looks like about 1x9mm for the 2 exterior barrel seals and 2x6 for the internal pellet probe seal?