Hunting Washington Forum
Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: MerriamMan on March 04, 2009, 05:56:43 PM
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I just received the dies for my .25-06 and was wondering if anyone would share their thoughts on this caliber in general. Of course, there are many different loads out there to choose from. I'm talking deer, and I'm leaning toward the 115 grain Nosler partition but I'm definitely open to suggestions. Does any one have a recipe they would be willing to share? I know right now many components are hard to find but hopefully they will become available again some day. Thanks
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Here's two loads I am going to use. They shoot well. Just not sure on game performance.
.25-06 Barnes TSX 115 Grain Flat Base, IMR 4320 44 Grains, Federal 210 Large Rifle, OAL 3.144
.25-06 Nosler Partition 100 Grain, IMR 4350 48 Grains, Federal 210 Large Rifle, OAL 3.20
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I use a 117 Grain Hornady BTSP, IMR-4831 (46 grains), CCI Large Rifle Primer, Winchester Brass. Nice group at the range, but no game experience with the load. I am planning to use this round on mule deer in Montana. :)
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I loaded Barnes 100gr. TSX for my 2007 WY antelope and mule deer hunt. Worked up to 56gr. RL22 and Winchester Mag primers. I shot them out of my Savage 110 with a 26" varmint contour barrel. Pushing right around 3450 over my chrono if I remember right. Awesome accuracy and very flat shooting round. I killed an antelope and a mule deer both one shot and the results were devastating.
-Lowedog
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Thanks Guys, That's exactly the info I'm looking for. Any other general comments on the .25-06 pro or con would be appreciated. I bought one from a guy that said he was going to bow only and wouldn't be shooting anymore. He said he hated to part with it because it was a "Tack driver" and blah blah blah. Well I'll be damned if he was kidding. The first group I shot with factory ammo was great.(By my standards, I'm a crappy rifle shot.) Any way he said if I tinkered with hand loads I could get some real tight groups but he couldn't find his data so I could duplicate it. Thanks again.
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love my 25-06. been shooting just 120 rem factory and took a muley with it. Shoots very good, I just pick up dies too and will be working up a load. great gun though
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My most accurate load (so far) for my 25-06 is 52.4 gr H4831sc, 117gr Hornady BTSP Interlock, WLR Primer, and Remington Brass. Average velocity with this load is 3089fps, and will shoot about .75"-1". I hope to get it to shoot under .5" with some tinkering. Please keep in mind this is safe in my gun, maybe not yours!
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I've never met a 25-06 that didn't like RE-22 and 100 grain bullets... and I've been around a lot of them. I currently shoot 55.5 grains of Ramshot Hunter with 100 grain Nosler BTs... load runs 3350 our of my 24" barrel. Anything in the 4350, 4831, RE-19, RE-22, range will work well for 85-100 grain bullets.
A lot of guys like the Barnes TSX when tackling big game with the 25-06... I haven't found them neccessary on deer... but if bear were on the menu then the 100 TSX would be my huckleberry. For deer on down I like the 100 Nosler, but any of the 100 grainers will get the job done.
If you step up to the 110-120 grain bullets RE-22 still works well... but Retumbo, Ramshot Magnum, IMR 7828, RE-25, etc. will provide a little better velocity. I like the 115 Bergers with 59 grains of Retumbo... and magnum primers... for about 3150. Those bullets are slick and hit harder than any other load I've found for the .25-06.
Congrats on your purchase... the .25-06 is by far my favorite caliber, most guys that shoot them... will say the same.
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The 115 Nosler Partition, some IMR 4350, and you will be set! Should be lots of good loads using IMR 4350.
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Hornady just came out with a 100 grain interbond for the 25 calibers. I shoot them out of my .270 and my 30.06 and they kick butt. 90-96 percent weight retentions on bullets that I have recovered. Very accurate also.
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Below are some results from my reloading years ago. 25-06 is my favorite. Bullet seating near or at the lands proved to be the most accurate in my rifle. The Hornady BTSP was great on deer. The B-Tip was not and would not recommend it.
Caliber Bullet Type Bullet Wt Powder Wt Primer Shots Group Comments
25-06 Hornady BTSP 117 gr IMR 4350 49 Win 4 1.14 3 in 0.71
25-06 Hornady BTSP 117 gr IMR 4350 50 Win 4 1.24 pairs touch
25-06 Hornady BTSP 117 gr IMR 4350 50 Win 4 1.37
25-06 Hornady BTSP 117 gr IMR 4350 51 Win 4 1.89
25-06 Nosler B-Tip 100 gr IMR 4350 50 Win 5 0.81 4 in 0.62
25-06 Nosler B-Tip 100 gr IMR 4350 53 Win 5 1.01 4 in 1 hole
25-06 Nosler B-Tip 100 gr IMR 4350 52 Win 5 1.25 4 in 0.91
25-06 Nosler B-Tip 100 gr IMR 4350 51 Win 5 1.5
25-06 Sierra SPBT 117 gr IMR 4350 51 Win 4 1.28
25-06 Sierra SPBT 117 gr IMR 4350 50 Win 4 1.87
25-06 Sierra SPBT 117 gr IMR 4350 49 Win 4 1.91
25-06 Sierra SPBT 117 gr IMR 4350 50 Win 4 2.28 strung out
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I get good velocity and accuracy out of 100 gr. Sierra's and IMR 7828 about 10% under maximum. The Nosler books have the specs on this.
I used to shoot some of the faster burning powders in the 25 but slowed it way down and the groups tightened right up. Good luck.
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Thanks again Guys, All this info is great? Although stock around here is pretty depleted, I did find some Hornady 117BTSP,IMR4350,and H4831sc to start. No primers to be found. Oh well, I did hear a rumor there is some kind of hunting season starting in 36 days and 9 or so hours. I guess I can go do a little scouting to pass the time until they come in. Thanks and good hunting.
