Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Best twist rate for a 25-06?

What would the best twist rate to get for a 25-06?

Traditional is 10-twist. That will be good for most 25-06 bullets.

However, that will only be good for marginal stability with the Berger 115s. If you wanted to shoot those bullets, you might consider a 9 or 9.5 twist.

v/r
Joel

For myself, getting a custom barrel I'd go 1-9 for sure. I've had a couple 1-10 factory guns that wouldn't shoot heavier bullets decently at all, and one custom tube that was also troublesome (to the point of getting sold at a significant loss).
I've also had a couple factory 1-10s shoot very well, more so with 100 grains than heavier bullets though.

1-9 at least, I wouldn't be scared of a 1-8.

Shilen offers a 1 in 9 twist but nothing faster for a 25-06 so thats what I will go with I guess..

Thanks!

1-9 is absolutely fine. Don't lose any more sleep over the twist.

When thinking of a barrel twist for a 25, it might pay to think of it as a 6.5 since the .007" difference isn't really all that significant. In 25 caliber, the 120 is percieved as being a long, heavy bullet. In a 6.5, it's a lightweight. Perception.
This is evn more apparent when you measure the length of the bullets. A 120 grain Speer spitzer in 25 cal is 1.075" long. The same weight bullet from the same maker in 6.5 mm is 1.070. By way of comparison, the 140 graim 6.5 is 1.2 inches long.
Now, a nine twist will stabilize a 6.5 140 just fine. A twelve inch twist will stabilize the 120. Reduce the diameter to .257, and things don't change much. I don't have a Berger 115 to measure so I can't comment on it. I also don't have a Barnes 120. These bullets may be long enough that the standard ten inch twist won't handle them but I can't say for sure.
I do know that for myself, I would use a ten, for a customer, I would do what I was asked to do! GD

Greydog is of course right.

So why do I recommend 9 twist? A few years ago I had a "10 twist" Shilen chambered in 257 Roberts AI. With bullets up to the 100 B Tip in length, it would shoot 3/4 MOA at worst. Anything longer it opened up closer to 3 MOA. Bullets like a 100 TTSX or a Berger 115 VLD were a pipe dream in that barrel.

The cleaning rod told me that although spec'ed 10 it was more like 10 3/8". Since the extra twist doesn't hurt anything I hedge my bets. In fact some might argue faster twists blow up varmints better and are more decisive on larger game.

Our Hart barrel is a 10 twist and it shoots 115 grainers quite well. I typically twist fast however that rig sure does fine with a variety of bullet weights. If I want to run high bc bullets, I just grab the 6.5-06 twisted 8.

1-9" at least.......

1 in 9 it is then....

pm sent greydog

Then start shooting that in 20 below weather and see the wheels really fall off.

9 all the way

+1

I have a 10" 257 AI that shoots bug holes w/ anything the length of a 100 gr Interlock or shorter, but the 100 gr NBTs are even too long for sub-MOA much less VLDs.

When I do a custom Roy or 25-06 AI I'll certainly twist as fast as possible. Nothing lost!

considering that barnes says that their 115 might not work in 1-10 twists I would probably build on a 1-9

From Pac-nor's web site:



Caliber and Twist Rate Chart
Highlighted numbers are standard or popular twist rates.

25 (.257")
3 groove 10" 12" 14"
4 groove 11"
5 groove 9" 10" 12"
6 groove 8" 14"
Polygonal 10"


I have 1:9 barrels on a .250AI and a .25/06. Very happy with the results.

I have a 9" PacNor enroute for a 250AI project. Hoping to use 115 ABs in it.

OTOH ... I have a 10" King bbl (257R) that won't shoot heavier than 100s, but then there's nothing wrong with 100gr Hornadys anyday.

I had a 1-10 twist 25-06 and it was very accurate with Hornady 120 hollow points. If I built another I would be tempted to try a slightly faster twist because of the rumored greater effectiveness on game. A 1-9 Pac-Nor #2 would be my choice.

Bump

Hmmmmm

8 twist.

Makes ya wonder if that fast twist critter damage at the end is true...

Try 7828 mitch berger recommended this powder to me and it really tightend up 115vld groups.

I'd go at least 1:9, especially if you're shooting the 117's, or 120's and the profile is long ( A-Max )