Remington Sendero 25-06

[UK Varminter]

Hi

I'm just getting into this long range hunting business and would appreciate some honest advice.

I have an opportunity to buy a Remington Sendero in 25-06 calibre at about two thirds of the cheapest UK new price. The rifle is about 2 years old, has been professionally bedded and had custom trigger work. It's fired very few rounds and comes complete with Talley mounts, Redding dyes, cases, heads, etc.

I intend to use it for varmints and deer.

I would appreciate any thoughts or opinions.

 

[Donham]

When I was looking to buy a 25-06, I had a Sendaro on order, bought the rings and all that... Then found out no one had them, this was back in or around 1993 (don't remember exactly year), and was on backorder... I ordered a Ruger M77 Target Varmit in 25-06 with 26 inch Stainless steel bbl... I beded it... preped 20 brass, fireformed one shot, cleaned etc etc...

The gun shoot 1/2 MOA, but you have to let it cool down 3-4 min between shots.. Ruger uses cheap steel.. that I think warps more than others...

Remington is a much better choice I think..
The Ruger coems with nice Rings, but they will not work with a 50mm scope bell like I use... I could have sent them back and got replacments, but went ahead and bought leupold extra high ringsfor my 6.5-20x50mm leupold matt AO scope..

The 25-06 I think is a great one, the 6.5-06 has heavier longer bullets with much better BC... but for varmits, coyotes, deer, the 100-115 grain bullets are great, launching a 115 at 3200 fps with a Berger 115 VLD BC drag of .522, pretty flat shooting out to 400-500 yards.. velocity at 3200 fps may seem nil to the 22-250's but by 300 yards, the 115 VLD is actually faster than 90% of the hot fast 22 centrfires at the same range, even though they started at 3800-4100 fps..
I plan to maybe re-barrel mine, and I'm going back to the 25-06 (standard, maybe tighter neck) with a longer barrel and muzzle break......
good luck

scott

 

[Donham]

SORRY for dbl posts
scott

[ 02-16-2003: Message edited by: Donham ]

 

[UK Varminter]

Thanks for your help Scott. I like the rifle but what worried me was I read in some of the forums that Remington were using cheap barrels on their rifles. I don't know if it's true or not but it was enough to make me think twice.

 

[demarpaint]

The Sendero's that I have are nice shooters. The barrels are pretty heavy and seem to be of a higher quality than Remington uses on the ADL and BDL's. As with any new firearm quality is a coin toss, sometimes you get lucky. Worst case is you have a good platform to build a custom rifle.

In any event Good Luck,
Frank D

 

[Ian M]

UK,
What about these guys for a future replacement barrel...
http://www.border-barrels.com/homepage.htm

 

[UK Varminter]

Thanks for the advice Guys

I'm going to take the plunge and buy it. I'm on a tight budget but I'll see what type of shooter I've got first but look at the custom barrel route when funds permit.


A labradors born half trained, a spaniel dies half trained.

 

[Donham]

Correct, I believe the Sendaro's like the Remmington 40XB's use a little higher quality barrels than the standard thin barrel sporter..
Just Like Rugers, there standard barrels are crap, the ones on the target/varmit model are a little better...
I would buy the Sendaro, and not look back.. I've not heard a bad thing said about them for accurcy...
if it's not too intrusive, how much is he asking? how many rounds though it??

scott

 

[UK Varminter]

Hi Scott

The best p[rice you can get a Sendero for in the UK is just under £700 sterling. The price for the rifle I'm looking at is £500. The rifles was bedded and the trigger reworked by the UK importer of Tooley rifles. The price includes Talley mounts, Redding Dies, 100 Nosler heads, Cases, cleaning brushes, rod, etc. The rifles in 'as new' condition and has only fired 30 rounds. It has been solely used for deer stalking.

 

[Rusty]

UK Varminter,
I own and operate a gun shop here in the U.S. I have yet to see a sendero that didn't shoot good. I'd go for it!

Good Luck!
Rusty

 

[dwm]

UK Varminter,

I have a Remington 700 Sendero in 25-06 and it shoots really good. Well under .5 MOA with good handloads, even with 115 Grain Nosler Partitions.

Great gun!

 

[UK Varminter]

Hi DWM

What powder and weights do you use for your handloads? I bought the rifle but now i'm going to have to work up some accurate loads for it.

Thanks

Mark

 

[dwm]

Started with H4831SC. It worked well. Case not full enough for me though.

Then thought that since I had 8 pounds of Hodgdon Retumbo laying around for the 7mm RUM I would give that a try. (Going for max load density.)

Here goes:

Rem 700 Sendero Stainless Fluted
26" Barrel
Factory trigger adjusted to ~2 pounds
Leupold 6.5x20 50 mm LTR
Standard 30 mm Leupold mounts

Hodgdon data for a 25-06 with Retumbo (24" barrel) states:

117 GR. HDY SPBT (Starting Loads)
DIA. .257
COL: 3.165"

RETUMBO 56.0 grains 2876 fps 44,600 CUP

117 GR. HDY SPBT (Maximum Loads)
DIA. .257
COL: 3.165"

RETUMBO 60.5C grains 3079 fps 50,700 CUP

First thing was to find where the lands were. Got out the Stoney Point and figured out what depth to seat the bullets. (0.005 off the lands.)

Also, all brass was fire formed, trimmed, neck turned, and only neck sized.

Started with 58.0 grains Retumbo and worked my way up to 60.5 grains.

Using Fed GM 210 Match large rifle primers.

Shooting Chrony said the average velocity with 60.5 grains Retumbo was 3135 fps. Max velocity spread was 23 fps over 10 shots.

115 grain Nolser BT or Partition shoot almost exactly the same. Didn't move the seating die. It also likes the 85 and 100 grain Nosler BTs. (85 grainers will go 3350 fps out of this rifle.)

Don't start at the max load, your chamber may be different. Work your way up to max.

 

[UK Varminter]

Thanks

I don't know if the retumbo is available in this country but I'll find out. The 10 fps spread must translate to one accurate load downrange. The H4831sc is available and that was the route I was thinking of going. Viht 140 is popular here for the lighter bullets and Viht 160 for the 100 grain plus heads. They're both good powders but don't give the velocities of hodgdons.