25-06 Remington

[41mag]

Big,

Can't say it will be the overall best in your particular rifle, but RL-22 has been my "go to" powder for mine for about as long as I have had it.

I started out using the 100gr bullets and IRM-4831 which gave me my best groups and velocities for that weight except when using the Sierra 100gr bullets. For them I had to adjust my seating depth a little and switch to IMR-4350 as per the Sierra loading center's suggestion. It worked for their bullets dropping groups from around 2" to around 1/2".

I moved up in weight however to the 115 gr Partitions and never looked back. With RL-22, WIn cases, and Win-WLR primers, my load is running 3150 from a 24" barrel. This load has shot so many 1/2" groups at 200yds that if it isn't grouping I know it's me having a rough time of it. I also shot a few of the Bergers, and quite a few of the Barnes in the original X and they all shot right there with the Partition.

A couple years ago, I passed that particular rifle over to my daughter since we ended up fighting over it when deer season rolled around. About the same time I tried the 110gr AB's changing nothing otherwise with the previous load. I found it also shoots as good or better with everything else identical.

I did also find with this particular rifle, that the seating depth was key to the performace of the loads. When I was using the 100gr BT's which was by far the most accurate load, I had them seated to 3.250" from base to tip. As I devoloped the heavier bullet loads, I tried to adjust things accordingly with the longer bullets. What I found by accident was that with the seating die set for the OAL of the 100gr BT's, if I simply seated the other bullets with out changing the die, they also shot the best. This has been the norm with that rifle. Since then I have had the die set up for the same OAL and loaded everything except for the Sierra's, and not had to change anything.It shoots Nosler PT, and BT's and AB's, Barnes x and STX, and the Bergers all within a 1" overall groups at 200yds. The only change I have had to make with the rifle when changing from 100gr to, 110 or115gr load has been to go up with the scope 2 clicks.

Your on the right track looking to the heavier bullets. That was also my reasoning. With the 115 - 117's you get probably the best overall velocity/BC/weight combination for this caliber. With your 26" barrel, I would look for the most accurate load somewhere around 3150 - 3200fps, and you should have everything your looking for. Out to 400yds your looking at around 18" drop with a 200yd zero and still packing plenty of punch for most medium sized critters. If using the Berger, you should have no problem introducing vermin to the red mist theory. You will also probably find that the 100gr pills will start to get a wiggy out to the longer ranges than the 115's will. This was the other reason I moved up in weight, less interferance from the wind and more retained energy no impact. You can run it on all of the ballistic programs and you will not see much difference, but in real world use, I have certianly seen the difference many times.

I am looking forward to working with my newest 25-06 AI, it has a 28" Broughton tube on it and hopefully it will be somewhere as capable as my previous one.

Good luck with yours.

[Sheedy]

I am currently using 57grs of RL-22 under a 100gr Nosler Boattail Ballistic tip and cci 200 primers wincester brass and holding about .02 off the lands and getting baseball size patterns at 200 yards. Im using a Mossberg 4X4 with a 24" barrel. i have less that 125 rounds down range with this rifle and im still working on an ideal load. but as for now im pretty happy with the way its holding its patterns at 200 yds now. Not sure of the fps as i dont have a chrono.

[338 LEGEND]

Im using IMR 4350 52.0 gr with sierra 100 hpbt and fed 210 primers with the bullet on the lands ( one hole ).

[roughneck]

44.0 grs. IMR 4064
CCI 250 Magnum Primer
winchester case
100 gr. SMK.....not seated particularly high
3170 in ruger 24" barrel
1/2" center to center with five shots at 100 meters

[skma]

54.0grs imr 7828 fed 210 primer in win cases out of wifes tikka t3 shoots 3 shots inside a quarter @ 100 meters all day with 115 tsx's, couldnt tell u how fast cause batt went dead in crony :(

[DKA]

My most accurate 25 06 load is 55 Gr H 1000 under 115 Gr Nosler Ballistic Tip.

[MontanaRifleman]

If you want a good LR wind bucking load the you should go to the heavier and higher BC bullets like the 115 Berger and 115 Ballistic Silvertip or Ballistic Tip.

Right now my chrony is telling me I'm getting...

3405 fps with 55 gr of RL17 pushing 115 BST's and...

3500 fps with 55 gr of RL17 pushing 110 AB's

My actual drops suggest the velocity is faster. The rifle is a 26" barrel Sendero. My best group has been .4" @ 212 yds for 4 shots and 3 of those measured .18" It consistantly shoots sub .5 MOA if it's not overly fouled.

Good shooting,

Mark

PS... RL17 was 200 fps faster than Retumbo out of my rifle and Retumbo is the fastest powder listed by Nosler for the 110 bullets.