Mild 25-06 Load for Youth

[TheMoose]

I Know that the 25-06 is not a long-range cartridge, but I bought my grandson his first centerfire rifle chambered in it to introduce him to reloading and shooting.. he is small in stature for a 12 year old, and I am in the process of measuring and planning on cutting down the factory stock and ordering a Boyd's laminated one for after he stops growing... but what I would also like to do is to start him out with him building his own mild recoiling loads so that he won't be intimidated by a sharper recoil... any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. He will be only punching paper initially, then perhaps on to groundhogs... I have ordered some 87gr bullets to start.

Thanks for your help,

TheMoose

 

[DocDoc]

If he has not already shot a .22 LR, I would begin with that. When he is ready for the .25-06, I would start with a varmint weight bullet, like 75 gr Vmax and the starting load of a slightly faster powder like Varget. Lighter recoil for the rifle and no problems with pressure excursions from a light charge of a slower powder.

Bet he enjoys it. You might be surprised at how quickly he adapts to the full power load.

 

[TheMoose]

Thanks DocDoc,


He has been shooting BB guns for about 4 years and graduated to 22 a few years ago...feeling comfortable with it now.. so I thought it was time to step it up a notch... thanks for your load suggestions.

 

[RT2506]

Most anything out of the average weight bolt action 25-06 is not going to be very much recoil. Just be sure and ALWAYS use ear protection because the noise is what will bother most youngsters more than the slight recoil of a 25-06. If you have ordered 87 gr bullets already give 52.2 grs IMR 4350 a try. This is the suggested accuracy load from one of my Sierra manuals that I found to be really accurate with the Sierra 87 gr SP and runs a little over 3300 fps from my rifle. It SCATTERS RED MIST STYLE a groundhog. 52 grs IMR 4350 with 100 gr bullets usually is very accurate and good for most deer. 49 grs IMR 4350 with 117 Sierra Pro Hunter with a CCI 250 mag primer in a Rem case loaded 20 thousands off the lands does 3000 fps and is a bug hole shooter in my 25-06 and BANG FLOPS deer.

 

[TheMoose]

RT2506,


Thanks a bunch for the great info... sounds like Grandpa did ok for the first rifle...

Greatly appreciated your sharing...

TheMoose

 

[Jud96]

My first deer rifle, that wasn't one that my Dad let me borrow, was my .270 and Dad loaded me a mild load with a 140gr bullet to start. I was a big eleven year old, so I could handle the loads quite well. I also grew up shooting my .22 since I was 3 and I often shot a lot of military rifles including .303 Enfields, Mosin-Nagants, 8mm Mausers, and a plethora of other makes and models that my Dad and I collected so recoil never bothered me. I believe you made a good choice for your Grandson and if you load those 87s up light it should kick like my .243 which is very manageable, even for my 13 year old brother who is only a buck twenty can shoot it all day comfortably and very accurately out to 700yds!

 

[Elkriver]

75 gr hot core or a-max 19.5 gr trail boss thows bullet at about 1500 fps good for rabbits squirl paper not the most a accurate but low recoil and fun for small game

 

[TheMoose]

Thanks Elkriver,

PM sent.... I appreciated your help.


TheMoose

 

[tailbon3]

I start my shooters with H4895 - 60% loads. Those things barely kick

Read about it here. https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895 Reduced Rifle Loads.pdf