Rem 700 LR 25-06

[emp1953]

What is your barrel length and twist rate? I'm guessing 24" and 1:10"? I don't buy factory ammo for my .25-06 as I handload. My rifle shoots a lot of bullets good and I have used the Hornady 87 grain Spire point and the Sierrra 90 grain Blitzking for varmints. For deer, it's either the 115 grain Nosler Ballistic tip or the Sierra 117 grain Gameking. All of these bullets have been around for a while, give me consistent .5 MOA performance, they're cost effective and have good terminal performance. If you can find any factory offerings with these bullets, it might be worth trying a box. Cheers!

40 rounds is not much of a barrel break in period. Some barrels need upwards of 100 rounds. Your groupings will most likely change from session to session until break in is completed.

 

[YZ-80]

When I decided to buy a rifle the supplement my meager two rifle stable, I opted for the 25-06. I had a 30-06 and a 22-250 so my thought was to buy something as a crossover. Use it for deer and varmints.
When I first acquired the 25-06 a very good friend from Kansas told me, based on his life long experience with his multiple 25-06, to shot a Sierra 117-120 grain bullet with
H-4831. Being on a life style budget, low income and three kids, I tried some yard sale 87 grain Hornady bullets and a powder other than H-4831. Group looked like a shotgun group. My friend chewed my butt for wasting time on a loading that didn't work.
I went to the Sierra manual, picked a middle of the road load using H-4831 and 117 grain GameKings. Looking through my scope as I was shooting the group, I was really unhappy because only one shot was on the paper at a hundred yards. When I finished the string I walked down to the target and got the surprise of the year. That group was a measured, outside to outside, .367. I didn't realize at that time in my shooting that you measured center to center. I am, as someone else said, of the opinion, Isn't broken, don't fix it.
The rifle I was using was a used Ruger 77 with the tang safety of unknown round count. I did glass bed it and free float the barrel. I was using a Leupold 12 power scope with adjustable objective. I loaded those rounds, and continue to do so, with standard old RCBS dies. I still have the rifle and it still shoots itty, bitty groups.
There are other powders out there that are probably as good a choice as H-4831 but I really don't have any interest in trying to find a different load.
It has been my experience with Barnes bullets that bullet seating depth is really finicky. Once you find the correct COAL they will shoot. Factory seating may not be the best for your rifle.

I can relate. I stumbled on the 51.0 grain charge of IMR 4831 and can pretty much use it interchangeably between the 115 Nosler BT and the 117 grain Gameking. Both .020 off the lands and both solid .5 MOA shooters. I haven't tweaked the load in years, besides chasing the throat a bit. The bullets are a bargain too, so I stocked up on both of them.

 

[littlewhaler]

I have been shooting the 25-06 about 30 years and there are a few bullets that just stand out for usage on deer. My favorite bullet is the 117 Sierra Pro Hunter or Game King. My current rifle shoots the Pro Hunter best. 115 Nosler BT, 115 Nosler Partition, 100 gr Sierra GK are other outstanding deer bullets. Federal used to load the 117 Sierra and 115 Nosler BT and Partition in some of their ammo. Only factory ammo I have ever shot has been what people have given me and I shot it up just for the cases except some Remington 87gr HP I think it was that shot so good I used it to kill some ground hogs once. I hand load for best ammo. Powders that just stand out are H4831, and any of the 4350s. I have not tried any of the newer powders because at this stage in life I am more and more an "if it ain't broke don't try to fix it" person. To make any factory Remington 700 shoot well it has been my standard procedure to free float the barrel, set the trigger at 2 1/2 lbs, if wood stock glass bed. Make sure that you check the action screws and keep tight. You will need to break in the rifle by shooting it some and cleaning it then do all your shooting on a fouled barrel. No offence intended but it has been my experience that many so called bad shooting rifles is operator era. Make sure that you have a good front rest and rear bag on a steady table. DO NOT USE ONE OF THOSE LEAD SLED TYPE REST. The rifle needs to recoil the same every shot like it will while hunting. Use a proper relaxed shooting form with cheek weld in the same sport every time. Follow BRASS ,B breathe, R relax, A aim in (get a proper sight picture) S stop breathing (take in a full breath and then let out about half to a comfortable pause) S squeeze the trigger (Let it be a surprise when the rifle fires) If you know when the rifle is going to fire then you made it fire and jerked the trigger. Good luck, you will love that 25-06 on deer and it is a laser with lighter bullets in the varmint field.

Good stuff from Pointman. I too find the Sierras very accurate and really effective on deer out to 400 yds. Also like the Accubond a lot. Once you find the right recipe you will love this cartridge for antelope, deer, and coyotes. I go bigger bore for elk even though I know many on this forum have planted elk with their 25-06's.

 

[redneckdan]

I also have a 700 LR in 25-06, recently aquired. 12x SWFA. First range session was somewhat dismal. Stock bolts werent really torqued to any specification. Loads were a hodge podge of 120gr Speer SPBT and SSTs loaded over appropriate charges of various leftover powders. Main goal was barrel break in and brass forming.

Trigger was horrid; keep in mind I find an adjusted savage or a tuned ruger american trigger to be pretty okay, this thing was an abomination. I shot 12 rounds and said the hell with it. Ordered up a TriggerTech special on black friday. We'll see if that helps. I bedded the action in the b&c m40 stock.

 

[dogbuster0006]

Like a few other have said make sure everything is tight first. I've only owned shot a handful of brand new rifles through the years but, I've sighted in several for friends that were set up incorrectly. Make sure action screws, scope base and rings are aligned and tightened properly. If it's got an adjustable trigger tune it or have it tuned low as you're comfortable with. I've owned and shot a 25-06 for nearly 15yrs never seen one that with the right ammo wouldn't shoot lights out.

 

[imartin]

If you load, try 52 gr's of H4831 and a 117 gr BTSP from Hornady seated to book length to start. It won't set any speed records, but I haven't seen a gun that won't shoot it moa. It kills deer fast too.

 

[ButterBean]

I'm a Two Bit Ought 6 Enthusiast and as it has been mentioned you may get lucky and find a decent factory load but the 25-06 really responds to H-4831 SC and 115gr Nosler BT's Or 115 CT's although I would lean towards the BT's as the CT's cause problems in high round counts and I know this will stir up the age old argument but it also responds to the factory crimp as a tuning tool

 

[imartin]

The best group I ever shot out of my gun was with factory Winchester 120 gr ammo believe it or not. 1 ragged hole at 100 yards. It was hollow point flat base (I think they called it "PEP - positive expanding point" or something) ammo, I don't think they make it any more. Not necessarily a long range bullet, but some guns prefer the flat base vs the boat tail. Absolutely flattened a deer with that load which was the first deer I killed with a 25-06 and it made me a believer. Might want to try something like that if other options don't work out.

 

[redneckdan]

Finally got out again with mine. Bedded the action and added a triggertech special. 3 shots at 100yds. Speer 120 over a max charge of imr 4831. .8 mil high for dead on at 300yds.

Results from my first trip would have been embarrassing to post.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Hey guys, I got a new rem700 LR in 25-06 and have put a Leupold vx3 on it. I have put 40 rounds through it, a box of Barnes vortex 100gr and hornady 117 gr And it doesn't seem to like the vortex very much and hornady is very inconsistent at 100yds. I know I haven't tried all brands just trying to see what has worked for other owners of this gun. Thanks in advance for the help!

My sendero sfII really liked H4831sc and 115gr bergers.

Also liked the factory hornady precision hunter with the 110 eldx.

 

[PC Python]

I have a Weatherby Mark V with a Bartlein 1-10 twist that is a tack driver with H4831SC and 115 gr. Berger VLDs.

Getting ready to do some load development with the 98 gr. Sledge Hammers and 92 gr. Hammer Hunters. I will be starting with H4831SC for them as well.

 

[RT2506]

redneckdan I have most of my life ran a 3" high zero at 100 yards on most of my hunting rifles because usually it will stay within an above or below line of sight 4" out to 300 yards which is usually with in 90% of shots where I hunt. With my 25-06 running the 117 Sierra PH at 3000 fps I hit 3/4" low at 300 yards. Looks like your 100 yards zero is around 3 to 3 1/2" high so I might pass on a little caution. When a deer is at 200 yards and if like me you hold in the center of it's shoulder you may destroy part of the back strap because the POI will be about 4" high so I learned at that yardage to hold just a might lower. I love flat shooting rifles.

 

[Don A Parsons]

My long time friend is on the search for a 25/06,,, mostly for predator control in the BC Canada region...

Of course he will hunt lots of Deer and Moose with it,,, up close and personal,,, He's an exceptionaly skilled hunter with lots of years under his belt...

32+ years of his 7mm Remington Mag has wore him down,,, so he's stepping it down a notch to enjoy the limited years of good times...

I hear what he's up against,,, the little 1/4 bore will suit his needs,,, alot less recoil and cheaper ammo since he doesn't reload...

Cheers from the North.

 

[jjmp]

Lots of good advice , also try some factory pmc ammo if you can find it ,pretty sure they still load Sierra bullets ,100 grainers work great in mine but their reloaded ,as do nosler balistic tips , 40 rounds as was stated is Not a bbl brake in ,experiment with different weight bullets , your rifle will show you what it likes ,ps I'm not against heavier bullets but match them to your game ,mines a 1/10 twist 26 cm Shilen bbl mated to a 700 action .good luck n cheers !