25 06 Rem info required

[Land Rover]

Hi Guys

I have a custom 25 06 Rem. It is a P17 action with a new 26" #3 contour S/S barrel with 9.5 twist, timney trigger and a boyds prairie hunter pepper laminated stock. It is being pillar bedded at my gunsmiths at the moment. I would be interested to hear any info from other 25 06 enthusiasts about their rifles and loads etc. I am keen to shoot 117gr SST for the longer ranges. Any ideas on ethical distances for shooting goats, pigs or deer would be appreciated. I was thinking around 400-500 yards. Any thoughts on other projectiles/powders etc would be great.

cheers Ben

 

[Jud96]

Hi Guys

I have a custom 25 06 Rem. It is a P17 action with a new 26" #3 contour S/S barrel with 9.5 twist, timney trigger and a boyds prairie hunter pepper laminated stock. It is being pillar bedded at my gunsmiths at the moment. I would be interested to hear any info from other 25 06 enthusiasts about their rifles and loads etc. I am keen to shoot 117gr SST for the longer ranges. Any ideas on ethical distances for shooting goats, pigs or deer would be appreciated. I was thinking around 400-500 yards. Any thoughts on other projectiles/powders etc would be great.

cheers Ben

Awesome action! Using a P17 to build off of right now.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I shoot the Berger 115 VLD's out of my .25-06 AI 40*, and use IMR 7828 SSC powder with Federal 210M primers. I form brass out of inexpensive (and easy to find) Winchester .270 Win brass.

I'm a .25-06 enthusiest, but a slightly different one, therefore none of our load data will interchange, without some serious negative effects on your end, since the AI version can handle more powder and pressure than the standard .25-06. But I still recommend the same powder and bullets that I use.

 

[Dosh]

Rover, loaded Berger 115 VLD with H4831 SC in Hornady brass and Federal 210 primers. .338 MOA at 200 yards. 26 inch #4 barrel in a bedded custom maple thumbhole stock, 2 1/2 pound trigger and 4X16X50 scope. Has taken javelina at 400+ and coyotes at 600+. This rifle is my son's and I would not hesitate to see it do deer at 600+. Tried Nosler Accubond, but this rifle didn't like them and haven't tried the SST. Wish my .257 Wby shot as well.

 

[newmexkid]

I have 15 rounds loaded, ready to shoot as soon as Christmas is over. I loaded 50 to 51 grains of 4831SC with the 110 gr Nosler. Can't hardly wait for the company to leave. LOL. We should have a total of 13 people in our house by Christmas eve. Help!!!

 

[Jim in Cali]

I shoot the short version 25-284 though I've not tried any 115's or 117's yet it rocks with 100 gain Nosler BT's and Partitions. I load to right at 3400fps with H1000 and H4831 WWlr and F210 primers. 25's don't get the respect they deserve!

 

[RT2506]

I have been shooting the 25-06 for about 25 years. One of the best deer size game killing calibers I have ever seen. I used to do crop damage control with my buddy and he turned me onto the 25-06 pretty quickly when seeing him shoot deer 400 to 500 yards across a bean field and they drop in their tracks like the ground had been jerked from under them. I have tried all kinds of cup and core bullets and I really like the 117 Sierra. My current rifle is a Rem sportsman 78 action (it is a 700 action that was not polished as well or engraved that was made in the 1980s). It has a Shilen #6 SS select match 26" barrel in a HS Precision full bed stock with Rem 700 SS BDL bottom metal. It is a bug hole shooter with 49 grs IMR 4350, Rem case, CCI 250 mag primer, 117 Sierra Pro Hunter flat base bullet that does 3000 fps. If I had to go after game the size of elk all I would do is substitute some older model Speer 120 Grand Slam bullets I have stored back into the above load. Those things are tough bullets that will drill a deeeep hole through things.
Most 25-06s will shoot this load perfectly. 52 grs H4831 or the SC version, CCI=BR2 primer, 115 to 117 gr bullets. This is a max load so work up to it. My current rifle does not like this load for some reason but I had a Rem. 700 that did but traded it to my hunting buddy for a custom 264 Win mag on a Rem 700.

With the 25-06 pushing the 117 Sierra at 3000 fps I sight my rifle to hit 3" high at 100 yards and it hits dead on at 300 yards and 4" low at 350 yards. I hold center of front shoulder of a deer from point blank to 350 yards and squeeze one off and 99% of the time they drop in their tracks. If they are between 350 and 450 yards I hold at the top of the shoulder still in the hair and at 500 to 600 I hold a cross hair width of daylight above the shoulder. Practice shooting at these distances will let you know where to hold. Or you can use a dial-a-scope. Most of my deer shooting in inside 500 yards.

 

[earlcurtis67]

my go to load is much like RT25-06s first load he talked about. 49.5 grs of IMR 4350, BR2 primmers, but with 117gr SSTs. It also shoots 85gr NOS BTs with IMR 4831. I wish I could get the 90GR sierra's to shoot out of my S-2 but havent found a good combo yet, maybe I'll try mag primmers and try diff seating debths.... anyway, have fun and keep us posted E

 

[RT2506]

If you need a varmint load give 52.2 grs IMR4350 with the Sierra 87 gr SP with CCI 250 mag primer and Rem case. Very accurate and will red mist and scatter parts on ground hogs. Also 52 grs IMR 4350 usually shoots great with 100 gr bullets.

 

[Catahoula]

With lighter bullets I use H414 & go to IMR4831 for heavier bullets. The 25-06 kills deer like hot lightning & I have lost track of how many elk I have dropped with mine. The 25-06 will make a great fur bullet as well. Lots of guys will argue this but try the Sierra 100MK for coyotes. Great fur bullet. Hope this helps.
Have some great holidays, Kirk

 

[Land Rover]

Thanks Guys, I will keep you posted and add some pics once it has been bedded.

 

[Land Rover]

I went with a 9.5 twist as I want to use the heavier bullets 117gr or 120gr.
Factory 25 06 rems are 10 twist but some of the charts I looked at said I would have marginal stability with the longer projectiles. What do you guys think?

 

[MudRunner2005]

I went with a 9.5 twist as I want to use the heavier bullets 117gr or 120gr.
Factory 25 06 rems are 10 twist but some of the charts I looked at said I would have marginal stability with the longer projectiles. What do you guys think?

My 1:10 shoots the Berger 115 VLD's and Hornady 117 Interlocks great.

 

[lloydsmale]

I do crop damage shooting every year too and a couple of my favorites are the 2506 and 257wby. My partner about exclusively uses a 2506. Ive between him and myself weve accounted for proabably 200 deer with the 25s (he had a 257 for a while too) The conclusion we have come to is with the right bullet its a swift killer out to about 400 yards. We shoot sometimes 5 deer a night so we don't like to have to track wounded deer. If I know my shots are likely going to be farther then that I like a bit more gun like a 7mag or 300 mag. those big 150s,165s,and 180s just smack animals harder when the velocity has fell off. I wont say you cant shoot deer at 600 yards with a 2506 as ive done it myself but personaly I think its really stretching the 2506 and even the 257wby. At 600 yards your probably talking the power level of a 2520 at 50 yards and not many would go deer hunting with a 2520. 600 yards for me starts at my 264 and goes up quickly from there. 600 yards is territory my 300 ultra or 7stw arent even considered being overgunned. bottom line is anything over 300 and surely 400 is to far for the average guy that shoots one of two deer a year anyway. Unless he spends hours shooting long range before season. Combine that with a marginal gun and your asking for trouble. Remember you shooting live animals not paper targets. I don't know about the rest of you but I feel I owe it to the animal to use enough gun that there killed quickly.

I have been shooting the 25-06 for about 25 years. One of the best deer size game killing calibers I have ever seen. I used to do crop damage control with my buddy and he turned me onto the 25-06 pretty quickly when seeing him shoot deer 400 to 500 yards across a bean field and they drop in their tracks like the ground had been jerked from under them. I have tried all kinds of cup and core bullets and I really like the 117 Sierra. My current rifle is a Rem sportsman 78 action (it is a 700 action that was not polished as well or engraved that was made in the 1980s). It has a Shilen #6 SS select match 26" barrel in a HS Precision full bed stock with Rem 700 SS BDL bottom metal. It is a bug hole shooter with 49 grs IMR 4350, Rem case, CCI 250 mag primer, 117 Sierra Pro Hunter flat base bullet that does 3000 fps. If I had to go after game the size of elk all I would do is substitute some older model Speer 120 Grand Slam bullets I have stored back into the above load. Those things are tough bullets that will drill a deeeep hole through things.
Most 25-06s will shoot this load perfectly. 52 grs H4831 or the SC version, CCI=BR2 primer, 115 to 117 gr bullets. This is a max load so work up to it. My current rifle does not like this load for some reason but I had a Rem. 700 that did but traded it to my hunting buddy for a custom 264 Win mag on a Rem 700.

With the 25-06 pushing the 117 Sierra at 3000 fps I sight my rifle to hit 3" high at 100 yards and it hits dead on at 300 yards and 4" low at 350 yards. I hold center of front shoulder of a deer from point blank to 350 yards and squeeze one off and 99% of the time they drop in their tracks. If they are between 350 and 450 yards I hold at the top of the shoulder still in the hair and at 500 to 600 I hold a cross hair width of daylight above the shoulder. Practice shooting at these distances will let you know where to hold. Or you can use a dial-a-scope. Most of my deer shooting in inside 500 yards.