Anybody have any .25-06 loads they'd care to share? I've been toyin with around with some imr 4831 behind the 85gr ballistic tip. Wanting to move up to something a little more substantial. Need a good deer killin load. Possibly something that will put them DRT out to lets say 600yds or so.
.25-06 loads?
- Thread starter Dgutter
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MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
59 gr of RL17 pushes 115 BST's @ 3400 fps in my Sendero 25-06. Work up.
-Mark
-Mark
rscott5028
Well-Known Member
I have a 25-06 with a slow twist that doesn't like the heavy bullets. So, here's a load I worked up with the 80gr TTSX using 62.0gr H4831sc at 3700 fps.
You may be better off with the load I worked up for my dad's 25-06 using 115gr Berger with 51.5gr IMR4831 @ 2961 fps.
As always, back down and work up your loads.
600yds may be pushing it for these depending on the size of your deer. I never really intended them to be long range.
-- richard
You may be better off with the load I worked up for my dad's 25-06 using 115gr Berger with 51.5gr IMR4831 @ 2961 fps.
As always, back down and work up your loads.
600yds may be pushing it for these depending on the size of your deer. I never really intended them to be long range.
-- richard
7mmHCFR
Member
56.5 grains IMR 4831/ 100 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip/ CCI BR2 primer /1/2 MOA out of an InterArms Mark X. I have killed deer regularly out to 300yds with this load. Longest kill @ 347 yds.
Recently I have been tinkering with the 110 Accubonds in a Thompson Encore with a 26" Heavy BBL. Although I haven't played around alot with the 110's I am currently shooting 49.0 grH4350 /Fed 210M primer with acceptable (3/4"-7/8" @ 100) results.
Recently I have been tinkering with the 110 Accubonds in a Thompson Encore with a 26" Heavy BBL. Although I haven't played around alot with the 110's I am currently shooting 49.0 grH4350 /Fed 210M primer with acceptable (3/4"-7/8" @ 100) results.
Grumulkin
Well-Known Member
I use:
Berger 115 gr. VLD bullets
Federal 210M primers
Remington brass
RL-22 (for a load, you'll have to experiment to see what your rifle likes)
This combination is very accurate in my Encore (I think 1:9 twist but maybe 1:10). If you put the bullet in the neck or head, a feat most easily done with an accurate load, your animal should be DRT.
Berger 115 gr. VLD bullets
Federal 210M primers
Remington brass
RL-22 (for a load, you'll have to experiment to see what your rifle likes)
This combination is very accurate in my Encore (I think 1:9 twist but maybe 1:10). If you put the bullet in the neck or head, a feat most easily done with an accurate load, your animal should be DRT.
Topgun 30-06
Well-Known Member
50 grains of IMR 4350 behind 117 grain Hornady BTSPs, but I've never attempted one out at 600 yards. I also hate to hear people talking head shots on an animal at any distance as, unlike paper targets, you never know as you squeeze one off if it's going to move!!! IMO there is absolutely no reason to aim for the head and with over 100 deer, antelope, and elk in the books I've never even thought about or needed to do it!
SBruce
Well-Known Member
I've long forgotten the powder charge, but H4831SC and 115 Nosler Ballistic Tip shot extremely well in my older heavy barrel 25-06. It accounted for quite a few deer and antelope. From up close and personal on out to over 550 yds.
outofayr
Well-Known Member
My go-to accuracy load in 25-06 for whitetail and antelope is CCI BR2 primer, 100gr Nosler BT, and max charge of RL22. Proven performance on that load out to 443 yards. To get to 600, you may want to look at a heavier bullet if your rifle likes 'em - mine doesn't. I'll second an earlier poster's comments - work up to max in your rifle with this powder. I've got a custom 25-06 that maxes out 2 grains below book loads, with 100 fps more velocity, so as always, start a little low and work up. This load has bugholed in 3 different 25-06 rifles.
Have fun,
Brian
Have fun,
Brian
Thanks guys. I had to go back and check but I'm currently running 52.0gr of IMR 4831 behind the 85gr. Nosler BT. These things are nasty little buggers on milk jugs. Definitely afraid of their perfomance on deer though. Figured I should go a bit heavier. Been really eye-ballin the Berger 115gr VLD but sounds like you guys like the Nosler BT as much as I do. I may have to try both and just make sure I grab the green tipped BT and not the blues.
outofayr
Well-Known Member
The 100 gr BT is for hunting (heavier build) whereas the 85 gr is a Varmint style. No need to go to 30 cal (green BT), just use 100 or 115 BT.
SBruce
Well-Known Member
YES, the 85's are designed for varmints and such.
I used them on windy day long range prairie dogs. I don't know that they'd hold up on a deer, especially if you hit shoulder bone at close range.
I was pushing them around 3600'/sec out of a 26" barrel.
I used them on windy day long range prairie dogs. I don't know that they'd hold up on a deer, especially if you hit shoulder bone at close range.
I was pushing them around 3600'/sec out of a 26" barrel.
rifle: ruger m77 24"hvy. barrel
nosler 120 gr. partition 51 gr. h4831 rem. brass rem. primer
53.5 gr. retumbo rem. brass cci 200 primer
nosler 115 gr. ct 50 gr. h4831 win brass cci 200 primer
nosler 110 gr. a-bond 47.5 gr. imr4831 rem. brass cci 200 primer
hornady 117 gr.btsp 50 gr.imr7828 win. brass cci 200 primer
these all shoot 1/2" and better@100 yds. in this rifle.
enjoy!
nosler 120 gr. partition 51 gr. h4831 rem. brass rem. primer
53.5 gr. retumbo rem. brass cci 200 primer
nosler 115 gr. ct 50 gr. h4831 win brass cci 200 primer
nosler 110 gr. a-bond 47.5 gr. imr4831 rem. brass cci 200 primer
hornady 117 gr.btsp 50 gr.imr7828 win. brass cci 200 primer
these all shoot 1/2" and better@100 yds. in this rifle.
enjoy!
MNbogboy
Well-Known Member
Dgutter,
All the advice above is good...While having reloaded for 45 years I must admit I have only been loading the 25-06 for the last three decades....It seems like that I have tried a lot of bullet/powder combos ....Recently having built a couple more 25s has kept me busy looking for that perfect load....
Good hunting bullets for deer size game are all mentioned above... I personally have had good luck with 110 Accubonds, 120 grain Speer SPBTs, 120 Sierra Gameking SPBTs, 117 Hornady SSTs, 117 Hornady SPBTs and some limited success with 115 VLDs.......Nosler Partitions would not shoot for me in any of the three rifles (but maybe I never had the right combo to really even start tuning)....
The VLDs shot great groups (sub moa) out to 500 yards in only two of the three 10 twist rifles (you really have to play with the jump/jam to find the sweet spot)....The Hornady bullets seemed to like IMR 4350 best and are good tough game bullets with the SST being somewhat more accurate as far as groups in my rifles....Hornady groups varied from less than 1/2" to 1" at 100 yards but opened up quicker at longer ranges.....The Speer 120s grouped well in all three using H4831 & H4831sc out to 300 yards...The VLDs shot best behind 54 grains of H4831sc....
Every rifle is a science of its own, so as mentioned above start out low and work your way up.....In my opinion I believe you should try the heavier bullets first to see if your rifle will stabilize them, because the heavier bullets will give you best down range performance on the game.....Right now I am building 2 new rifles both are .260 Remingtons and the load developement starts again....
Good luck with your 25,
Randy
All the advice above is good...While having reloaded for 45 years I must admit I have only been loading the 25-06 for the last three decades....It seems like that I have tried a lot of bullet/powder combos ....Recently having built a couple more 25s has kept me busy looking for that perfect load....
Good hunting bullets for deer size game are all mentioned above... I personally have had good luck with 110 Accubonds, 120 grain Speer SPBTs, 120 Sierra Gameking SPBTs, 117 Hornady SSTs, 117 Hornady SPBTs and some limited success with 115 VLDs.......Nosler Partitions would not shoot for me in any of the three rifles (but maybe I never had the right combo to really even start tuning)....
The VLDs shot great groups (sub moa) out to 500 yards in only two of the three 10 twist rifles (you really have to play with the jump/jam to find the sweet spot)....The Hornady bullets seemed to like IMR 4350 best and are good tough game bullets with the SST being somewhat more accurate as far as groups in my rifles....Hornady groups varied from less than 1/2" to 1" at 100 yards but opened up quicker at longer ranges.....The Speer 120s grouped well in all three using H4831 & H4831sc out to 300 yards...The VLDs shot best behind 54 grains of H4831sc....
Every rifle is a science of its own, so as mentioned above start out low and work your way up.....In my opinion I believe you should try the heavier bullets first to see if your rifle will stabilize them, because the heavier bullets will give you best down range performance on the game.....Right now I am building 2 new rifles both are .260 Remingtons and the load developement starts again....
Good luck with your 25,
Randy
str8shoot
Well-Known Member
I have used 57 gr Retumbo under a sierra 117 bthp gameking. This combo gives me 3100 fps and never worse than 3/4 moa accuracy out to 650 yards without wind.
I have been playing with the 100 gr sciroccos lately. Best groups have been around an inch so far, I'm sure I'll have to play with seating depth some more. 59.5 grains H-1000 puts me right at 3500 fps best accuracy was 58.5 at 3430 fps. H-4831 was a little more accurate. 56 grains of h-4831 gave me 3430 and best accuracy is around 55 grains 3390 fps.
I think the scirocco will be a real killer at those velocities. I think I can dial in the H-4831 around 3400 fps with good accuracy. One revolution of the turret (12 moa) will get me to 750 yards. My bullet will still be going 2000 fps at that range. That would smack a deer or antelope pretty good.
I have been playing with the 100 gr sciroccos lately. Best groups have been around an inch so far, I'm sure I'll have to play with seating depth some more. 59.5 grains H-1000 puts me right at 3500 fps best accuracy was 58.5 at 3430 fps. H-4831 was a little more accurate. 56 grains of h-4831 gave me 3430 and best accuracy is around 55 grains 3390 fps.
I think the scirocco will be a real killer at those velocities. I think I can dial in the H-4831 around 3400 fps with good accuracy. One revolution of the turret (12 moa) will get me to 750 yards. My bullet will still be going 2000 fps at that range. That would smack a deer or antelope pretty good.
