Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Deer loads for a 25.06?

What is a recommended bullet weight for deer hunting with the 25.06? Also what powder would you suggest to start? I was thinking of H4831 with Hornady SST's. Any suggestions would be great for starting loads. Thanks Esox357

The 25-06 is pretty easy to load for. For 100 gr bullets I prefer H4831. For 115-120's I prefer RL25. My favorite 25-06 load is close to a max load of Rl25 with a 117 Hornady BTSP. Great accuracy/velocity.

I like 100 grain Sierra bullets and IMR 4831.

You'll no doubt get lots of opinions on this! IMO it kinda depends on what kind of deer your are hunting. If your area has "large" deer, I would prefer a 117 to 120gr bullet.

The Sierra manual says that IMR4350 is the "most accurate powder". I've had good luck with 120gr bullets and somewhere around 49gr of 4350 in several 25/06's.

I have had two 2506s. Shot out barrel on first. I have always found the 100 grain bullets to lack penetration at these velocities. Bullets may be better now, but I found all 120 grain bullets to lack penetration on big deer except the 115 gr nosler partition which seemed very good. I used (depending on gun, the first liked hot loads the second mild) 52.5 of surplus H4831 for half inch groups and very dead deer. Incidently, maybe it was because recoil was mild and I ahot better, but it seemed that I had my most consistently quick instant kills with the 2506 and that load.

My preferred .25/06 load for deer uses the 100 grain Barnes XBT either the plain version or the Triple Shock and Winchester 760 Powder. I have a custom 26 inch barrelled Model 70 with the chamber to my specs, but can get 3508 fps using this powder. I have never found that the slower powders could compete.

Penetration is complete, so there is no need to use heavier bullets. They only waste the flat shooting potential of the cartridge.

I'm in total agreement with Aussiegunwriter!

In my experiences, it's the best bullet made for deer and black bear out of a 25-06. Fast kills, lot's of penetration. For elk, I move up to the 115 gr. Barnes. It's spectacular.

100gr. Barnes TSX and IMR-4831 or RL-22. RS

I've had excellent results from factory 120g winchester PEPs on mule deer and antelope. My current load is the nosler 115 ballistic tip on top of IMR 4831. My brother took a whittail last fall with this load and results were bang, flop. I tried the 117g SSTs bu could not get them to group in my rifle.

Ah, great minds think alike! Since the 25-06 became commercial some 36 years ago there has been an amazing advance in bullet and powder technology. Now we have the 100gr TSX and in my rifle it delivers outstanding velocity (3,522 fps) and .5 MOA accuracy. WW Brass, GM215M primers, Reloder 19. Ruger No1B.

More importantly, it is lethal on big mule deer as well as doing an excellent job on bull elk, at least the one I shot @ 225 yards, a nice 6X6. Never have recovered a bullet.

Check your barrel--I think is says .257 WBY... If not, I hope you are wearing a flak jacket and helmet when you shoot it. Could someone run these numbers in QuickLoad and tell us the pressure???

Maybe not, if that barrel is 26" long. Still that is going to be one HOT load, for sure.

I would agree with Handloader as I get 3508 fps in the custom 26 inch match grade barrel I have on my own .25/06.

With the 115 TSX I get 3177 fps and this is no way near max as I got sucked in by the .477 inch groups it averages My preference for using this rifle in the field however, is the 100 grain TSX. I have gotten over 3 feet of penetration and still have never recovered one.

Welcome to the .25/06 club. A discerning group I assure you.

Book Max for Re19 and a 100 gr bullet is 54.3 gr which yields around 3325 fps at 61K PSI, in a test barrel. You guys can continue to run those loads if you want but 200 fps over the max means your pressure is well over the max also. I am assuming you are all grown-ups, so I'll leave it at that.

Try the Hornady 120 gr. HP. I've taken several deer and antelope with them and have yet to have any problems.

Joseph

The old Nosler #1 reloading manual lists 54/IMR4831 @ 3,488 fps in a 26 inch barrel with a 100gr Part. That is exactly what I get in a 26 inch Shilen. Speer HP's for varmints and the Part for critters. Most accurate 100gr load for me and Nosler. The Load I use most with 120's is 54-56gr RL22 for 3,188 fps or 54/H4831. Did a lot of depr shooting last year with the 120 Horn. It worked great which surprised me since I have never read anything good about that bullet.
-Doc-