Centerfire Rifle · SAAMI
.25-45 Sharps
A modern AR-15 hunting cartridge introduced by Sharps Rifle Company in 2012 by necking the .223 Remington case up to .257 caliber.
- Caliber
- 0.257″ · 6.528 mm
- Introduced
- 2012
- Case
- Bottleneck
- Parent
- .223 Remington
- Primary use
- Hunting, Target
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 2012
- Type
- Centerfire Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Sharps Rifle Company
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Max pressure
- 55,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 250 yd
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for .25-45 Sharps, so this is the shape gravity alone gives the advertised velocity. Drag would steepen it. The tool below solves real loads through their published G1 or G7 model.
Open in Ballistic Compare- Parent case
- .223 Remington
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
reloading data · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 6.53 | 0.257 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 7.21 | 0.284 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 8.97 | 0.353 | ~ |
| Shoulder angle | 23° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 9.55 | 0.376 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 9.60 | 0.378 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.14 | 0.045 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 6.12 | 0.241 | ≈ |
| Case length | 44.70 | 1.760 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 57.40 | 2.260 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .25-45 Sharps is highlighted below.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
A modern AR-15 hunting cartridge introduced by Sharps Rifle Company in 2012 by necking the .223 Remington case up to .257 caliber. Designed specifically to give AR-15 hunters a legal option in the growing number of states that impose minimum caliber restrictions on deer hunting with semiautomatic rifles. SAAMI-standardized in 2015. Functions in any standard AR-15 lower receiver with only a barrel change — the bolt, magazine, and gas system are unmodified.
FAQs
- What bullet diameter is .25-45 Sharps?
- .25-45 Sharps uses a 0.257″ (6.528 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .25-45 Sharps still in production?
- .25-45 Sharps is active.
- What is .25-45 Sharps used for?
- .25-45 Sharps is primarily used for hunting, target.
- What is .25-45 Sharps based on?
- .25-45 Sharps is derived from the .223 Remington case.
Sources & provenance
- Manufacturer Sierra Bullets — Sierra Load Data — 25x45 Sharps · bullet ⌀, velocity, grain weights archived
- Secondary American Rifleman (NRA) — The .25-45 Sharps: A New 'Old' Cartridge · year, grain weights, velocity archived
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →