25-06 and bullet selection

[sand909]

I recently purchased a browning x-bolt in 25-06 with a 1:10 twist. I don't have any reloading equipment so I bought a box of hsm ammo with 115 gr berger vld bullets and a box of nosler ammo with 100 gr nosler partition bullets.
I went to the range to shoot and I was not impressed with the above ammo. The hsm and the nosler gave me a 36" group at 50 yards. At first I thought it was the scope, I checked the scope for tightness and all was good. I decided to buy a box of hornady superformance with 117 grain sst and federal fusion with 120 grain. both of these shot 1/2" groups at 100 yards. What would the problem be with the hsm and the nosler ammo? Is the twist rate not fast enough for these bullets or what . What would be recommended for ammo and bullet selection with lighter bullets for use on deer size game?

 

[MudRunner2005]

The problem with the HSM ammo (which I find funny and odd) is that Berger has never offered a .257 caliber VLD in 140gr.....They only offer it in 115gr, and they shoot great. If you have 140gr VLD ammo it will be in either a 6.5 or 7mm caliber...

 

[smallbutfierce]

Is that 36" or 3-6". Either way. The factory offerings for .25/06 are a little limited. EXTREMELY limited where I am. But I had good luck with 85 nosler grain ballistic tips from federal, and 117 grain sst's in the superformance line. 1-10 twist stevens 200.

 

[RT2506]

The 10" twist in a 25-06 will shoot from 120 gr bullets on down including 115 VLD. There had to be something else going on to make a rifle shoot 36" groups at 50 yards then go to 1/2" groups at 100.

 

[MudRunner2005]

140's means he was shooting the wrong diameter bullet which could definitely cause issues and I'm amazed he didn't crack his barrel all the way down...If that's what happened.

 

[lloydsmale]

ive got to say that ive never seen a bolt action gun that shot a 36inch 50 yard group with any ammo. Especially one that turned around and shot a different ammo into an inch at a 100

 

[Beluebow]

IMHO buying factory ammo with a Berger VLD is risky at best.Considering how finicky they can be to load I couldnt imagine great results.

 

[Dr. Vette]

My 25-06 shot very well with Federal Fusion 120gr ammo. Inexpensive and accurate - hard to beat it.

 

[BEEMAN]

My 25-06 AI shoots the Berger 115's and the 100 gr Swift Scirocco's very good. All are reloads and group quite well. The 115's work really good on deer. I have not shot any deer with the Scirocco's.