There were two versions, the regular one and a "short" one. I think the rifle was originally chambered for the regular, or "long" version, but it was capable of using the "short" also.
The .25 Stevens was developed sometime between 1890-1900 by J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. (the maker of Stevens firearms) and the Peters Cartridge Company. The original load was a 67-grain bullet with 10 or 11 grains of blackpowder. Later on, smokeless powder was used, and only the smokeless variety was being produced when the cartridge was discontinued in 1942.
I found the chart at the end of the chapter. I knew it had to be in there somewhere. Factory ballistics with smokeless powder has it launching a 67 grain bullet at a MV 1180 fps for a ME of 208 fpe.
It supposedly had a good reputation as a small game getter at short ranges. It had a high trajectory that made long shots (beyond 60-70 yards) more difficult. It suffered in popularity mainly because it was so much more expensive than the .22 Long Rifle. And once the .22 Magnum hit the market, the .25 Stevens was doomed to extinction.
The .25 Stevens Short was introduced in 1902 and was originally loaded with 4½ to 5 grains of blackpowder. Less expensive and less powerful than the original, it was also less useful, and still more expensive than .22 ammo.
The picture is from ammo-one.com.
