NEW: Custom 25 Creedmoor Build A-Z

SAAMI-Certified 25 Creedmoor is new for 2025. I built a 25 Creedmoor back in 2020, but it was still a wildcat at the time with no factory rifles or ammunition available. It’s time for an update!

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Bill of Materials

For this build I have a 1934 Armory BE1 action and Custom Rifle Barrels (CRB) super heavy contour 1:7.5 .257 barrel blank. (SAAMI specifies a 1:7.5 twist.)

This is my second time using a blank from CRB after phenomenal results with my 7mm SWC build. Three shots at 100 yards measured 0.159”.

1934 Armory also sent along what I can say is probably the nicest action wrench I’ve ever seen from an action manufacturer.

I have a reamer from JGS Precision and go and no-go gauges from Manson Precision and Forster respectively.

I decided to use the same trigger I did in my 7mm SWC build, the Bix’n Andy TacSport Pro-X Trigger from Bullet Central, along with tried-and-true Foundation Genesis 2 micarta stock.

This precision stock has been a part of some of my best builds and does not require bedding! I paired the familiar stock and trigger with another one of my favorites, Hawkins Precision M5 DBM.

For this project I also have a new scope, the Telson Target Master 5-25×56, with XLR 34mm rings, and Area 419 HELLFIRE brake.

About 25 Creedmoor

Some of the big news to come out of this year’s SHOT Show was that the 25 Creedmoor was now SAAMI-certified.

This cartridge has been around for awhile, but until now did not have official specifications for manufacturers, gunsmiths, and reloaders to reference.

This cartridge takes an 87 to 134 grain 0.257” bullet and splits the tradeoffs in recoil, barrel life, and long range ballistics between the 6mm and 6.5 Creedmoor.

This news has contributed to a new array of heavy .25 caliber bullets and supports the development of better load data!

About the 1934 Armory BE1

1934 securely packages their products to impress, their action and bolt contained in a hard case with high-density laser cut foam.

This REM 700 clone costs just under $1,000 with both .308 and magnum bolt faces available. It has a 0.062” firing pin, optimal for small rifle primer brass, as well as an external bolt stop and integral Picatinny rail.

It has a one-piece spiral-fluted bolt, integral recoil lug (0.300” thick)), wire EDM raceways for more uniform tolerances and is fully PVD coated to prevent corrosion and allow smoother cycling.

The BE1 also has a quick-change option to make the action more versatile. This configuration uses set screws to secure a quick-change barrel without needing a barrel vise and action wrench.

From 1934 Armory:

The BE1 bolt action is crafted for shooters who demand accuracy and reliability. Our BE series is a tribute to the timeless design of the Remington 700 2 lug, enhanced with modern engineering finesse. The BE Action represents the pinnacle of firearm technology, blending traditional design with cutting-edge advancements. Whether you’re a competitive shooter, hunter, or firearms enthusiast, the BE series from 1934 Armory is designed to elevate your shooting experience.

Lead time is 2-3 weeks.

- Based on the classic Remington 700 lug design
- Mechanical Ejector
- One piece bolt – 0.718″ Bolt Body DIA.
- Wire EDM raceways for more uniform tolerances and smoother cycling
- Integrated Picatinny Rail for seamless, stable scope mounting, providing a consistent shooting experience.
- Smaller ejection port cut-out for a more rigid action body
- .062” firing pin to accommodate SRP brass
- Integrated .300” recoil lug
- Tool-less fire control removal
- Accepts any Remington 700 style trigger
- 1-1/16”-16 thread pitch
- Side bolt-stop release
- Oversize bolt knob
- Spiral fluted bolt
- Full PVD coating for more corrosion protection and smoother operation
- Available in standard and magnum short action
- BE1 Tenon Drawing

About the PM-1440HVT-2

The Precision Matthews PM-1440HVT-2 is a great gunsmithing lathe, with the following stand-out features:

All Taiwanese built with Japanese spindle bearings
2.055″ thru-spindle capacity
Available cast iron ultra-rigid base
Variable Speed drive
14” Swing, 40” Between Centers
D1-5 Chuck Mount
MT3 Tailstock Taper

If you’d like to know more about the PM-1440HVT-2, check out our full overview HERE.

Machining

I chambered the CRB blank on my Precision Matthews PM-1440HVT-2 lathe, following my chambering checklist and referencing the appropriate tenon print from 1934 Armory.

As usual, I began with the breech end, installing the barrel in the lathe and indicating it to 0.0005”.

When I had it running perfectly true, I pre-drilled the chamber area.

After pre-drilling, I indicated the throat area to 0.0001”, and single-point bored the chamber area true with a single-point boring bar.

Next, I turned the tenon and thread reliefs, and threaded the tenon.

There was no need to cut counterbore, so I proceeded with cutting the bulk of the chamber with a JGS reamer.

I ream to about 0.00030” remaining, then slip over a ring and take a depth micrometer reading. I was right on my first try! I threaded the action onto the barrel, still installed in the lathe, and checked headspace with the go and no-go gauges.

Everything was in order, so I flipped the barrel order and threaded the muzzle ⅝ x 24, also adding a flat recessed crown.

Putting It Together

With the barrel chambered, I had to decide what barrel finish I wanted: polished, Cerakote, or bead-blasted.

I settled on bead-blasting for a matte look and torqued down the barrel on the action using the Bravo barrel vise.

I performed another headspace check, which it passed with flying colors, before installing the barreled action into the Genesis 2 stock with the M5 DBM.

I mounted the Telson Optics Target Master 5-25×56 using the Arrow Products Precision Scope Leveling Mount.

For a full demonstration of how this mount works, check out our dedicated story and video!

Finishing out the build was an Area 419 HELLFIRE muzzle brake.

Range Results

I bore-sighted the completed rifle at 100 yards to get on paper, using a load I had previously worked up: 131 grain Blackjack bullets over 42.6 grains H4350 in Peterson Small Rifle Primer Brass.

This load performed well, my first three-shot group at 100 yards measuring 0.237”.

Conclusion

This was a fun build to put together with some of my favorite components. I look forward to doing continued load development and taking a closer look at Peterson Brass!