what can you tell me about the 25-06AI

[shademt]

was talking to a guy that built a 25-06AI, with a 26" tube ...claims he easily gets 150 to 200 fps more than his standard 25-06 loads...his claim is 3200fps with the 120's and 3250 with the 115 gr BT..without any pressure signs whatsoever, and excellent accuracy..now i can get an honest 3150 fps with the 115 nosler partition with a hot load of RL 22..with my standard 25-06 in a 24" tube..but it's pretty warm...he claims he could get a little higher with his AI than what he does...is his extra gain in velocity...due mostly to an extra 2" of barrel length...or the extra case capacity of the improved round..?...i'm thinking that if i get 3150 with a standard 25-06 in a 24" tube..i might get 3200 in a 26" tube...meaning only a 50fps increase for the AI round..

 

[dud]

go to page 8 read debate

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

My 25-06 AI will easily outperform a 25-06 by more than 50 fps. It fills the gap between the 25-06 and the 257 wby.

 

[Buano]

First remember that different barrels of the same length can be ±150 fps (or more).

Your performance would tend to be less than the .25-06AI, which in turn, would tend to be less than the .257 Weatherby. Any reloading manual can give you a range for the performance of each. Just don't expect the performance of your gun to match any one else's. In my humble opinion, each of these is a true magnum & deserves at least a 26" barrel to get maximum performance. I would like a 27 or 28" tube for a .257 Weatherby.

 

[lever-hed]

I can get 3000 fps with 120's on a 22" bbl (non-compressed). So there!!...take that !

 

[Buano]

I can get 3000 fps with 120's on a 22" bbl (non-compressed). So there!!...take that !

I never said any of these cartridges would be slow from a short barrel. I just believe you are wasting some of the cartridge's potential with a barrel that short.

 

[Nomosendero]

I never said any of these cartridges would be slow from a short barrel. I just believe you are wasting some of the cartridge's potential with a barrel that short.

I agree. The 25-06 benefits more than any non-mag I have used with a 26"tube. My personal min. length is 24", but that's me. Nothing wrong with 3000fps with a 120gr, or any velocity really if it suits your needs, but I have loaded for 4 different 26" 25-06's & can get 3200 with a 115 & 3150 with a 120 & one of the rifles a little over 3200 with RL25.

Now with my 25-06AI Sendero I can get 3340 with a 115, 3300 with a 120 & 3250 with a 125 Wildcat. From what I have seen the spread of the 257Wea & 25-06 is about 250-300fps overall
if both have 26" tubes & loaded to comparable pressures. You could use a 27-28" Wea & grow that diff a little. The 25-06AI is smack in the middle of these 2. I love the wea. but I felt for me personally the 25-06Ai was a good place to be, considering I was within 125-150fps of the wea. & able to shoot 25-06 fact. & lots of choices in brass.

It is a very good round.

 

[shademt]

well i am a huge fan of the 25-06..i realize it doesn't have the bc of the 6.5's or 7mm's..but out to 400 yds it's pure murder on deer..with light recoil...i guess i'm still wondering...plain and simple...will improving the 25-06 comparing same barrel length...comparing apples with apples...yield at least 100fps gain over the standard round.

 

[dud]

speaking of brass for the ai what do you feel is the best route standard 25-06 brass or 3006 and neck down?

 

[Nomosendero]

well i am a huge fan of the 25-06..i realize it doesn't have the bc of the 6.5's or 7mm's..but out to 400 yds it's pure murder on deer..with light recoil...i guess i'm still wondering...plain and simple...will improving the 25-06 comparing same barrel length...comparing apples with apples...yield at least 100fps gain over the standard round.

Short answer yes, if your barrel is 24" or longer. It sure worked for me & my brother's Sendero as well.

 

[predator chaser]

I have a 25-06 AI in a NEF. I have completely gone through it. I do the triggers, glass bed with aluminum fore end stud and a Gentry quiet brake. I can almost see through my shot. 26 inch barrel. I shoot 110 gr Nosler Accubonds at 3600 fps, can get 3800 but have pressure signs. I have chronograph, these are not guess velocities. 1.6 high@ 100yds, 2.35 high@200, zeroed at 300, 5.85 low at 400. I use it for antelope and deer, when i hunt in montana. CCI BR- 2 primers, i fireformed brass from 280, some fireforming took me three trys but results are excellent even starting with a low end rifle. 51.6 gr. IMR 4350. I have been testing the Ramshot powders in most of my calibers due to their performance with varying temperatures.

 

[Nutjob]

Lifelong 25-06 fan. When it was time to rebarrel I almost went with a .280 ackley to move to the higher bc bullets. I went with the 25-06 ackley and 110 accubonds. With a 25.5" Lilja 3 groove I get 3500 fps with RL17 and consistently shoot 1 1/2" at 300 yards. I shot a mature Muley buck this year at 620 yards. Broke the shoulder on the way in and exited behind the far shoulder.
In my 25-06 I was running 100 grain bullets at 3400 fps with rl22 and 3200 with 110 accubonds and h4831sc in a 24" factory Remington barrel and 3300 fps with retumbo and accubonds.
If a guy is building a custom or rebarreling I don't see a drawback. I'm sure some of my velocity inrease was due to a barrel that was 1.5" longer and the use of rl17,but increased powder capacity never hurts.
Run the numbers on a 110 accubond at 3450 and a 115 Berger at 3400 and I think you'll like what you see, especially considering recoil is still very mild.

 

[gr8whyt]

In my 25-06 I was running 100 grain bullets at 3400 fps with rl22 and 3200 with 110 accubonds and h4831sc in a 24" factory Remington barrel and 3300 fps with retumbo and accubonds.

Have you tried a load in that 25-06 AI with 100gr bullets? What 100 gr bullets were you using before the re-barrel? Thanks.

-- gr8whyt

 

[Nutjob]

Sorry, haven't run 100 grainers in my 25-06ai. I was running Nosler ballistic tips and 100 Barnes tsx and ttsx in the standard 25-06.