Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 25'06 Back to the Drawing Board...

After shooting a buck last Sunday with the 110gr Accubond through the shoulders at 140 yards- and having it run 350 yards straight uphill- I'm thinking I want to try out some other pills for hunting. The bullet pretty much blew up after 1 lung and was gone.

I lean towards 115gr Partitions, but also have 100gr and 115gr Ballistic Tips on hand. Of course, the TTSX would kill awesome but I'm a cheap-azz.

Couldn't be happier with either the 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips or the 115 gr Berger VLD hunting bullets over Retumbo. Am getting only 3120 fps from my latest loads, but with really nice accuracy. Have loaded them hotter, but see no need.

Have not had a mulie run yet, they just drop at the shot.

Guy

Cool, I'll have to give some a try over Retumbo. How would you feel about a 115 BT on an elky?

Wow, that's surprising, I guess personally I'd probably go with the Partitions just to cover all my bases at once.

I was very surprised myself, I was thinking the AB was a sure bet. Dead deer, but I just couldn't believe how far he made it uphill.

Congrats again on that big mulie you took BTW, quite a buck! He was a stud too, running uphill like that on one lung.

Dunno 'bout the 115 B-Tips on a big mature bull. Am sure they would work, but am also sure there are better answers, like a bigger bore & bullet. I've never taken elk with a .25-06, though I hear of quite a few people who do so regularly.

The 115 Partitions shoot almost as accurately for me - and I'd feel better about them if lots of penetration was needed.

The 115 B-Tips & VLD's have worked real well for me on mule deer and now on pronghorn too.

Best of luck! Guy

What a tough bastard. I would've chose the exact same bullet as you to start with as well. Granted the bullet didn't function properly, that's still a long way to run on one lung, especially uphill.

117 hornady

Tanner,

The 100gr TTSX is THE bullet for .25-06 game killing.

I go through boxes of A-Max's and MK's like they're candy, but a box of TTSX bullets may last me a couple years after developing a load with the first half box or so. Hint.

Hey cheap ass, try Hornady's.

Or just save the TTSX's for killing stuff.


Travis

I hear you guys on the saving TTSX for killing, it makes perfect sense. It'd be Sweet if I could get the X and something like a Horn or NBT to shoot kinda' close.

I've shot the 100gr ILK a bit, and that's a sweet bullet. May have to shoot something with one to see what's up.

115NBTs and 120 GKHPBTs have worked well for me. I've ran the 115s through shoulders w/o an issue, though not on deer of that size.

In my 257Wby, the TTSX penetrates like heck. Most likely fixn to run the 80s in my 6-06.

Mine would shoot the 100gr SMK and 115gr VLD to the same POI as the 100gr TTSX. Hard to complain about that...

My wife and I have killed dozens of big game animals with various .25's from the .250 Savage to .257 Weatherby with a lot of different bullets. The 100 TTSX is our pick of the Barnes bullets, but this year after a decade or so of trying almost everything else possible, I went back to the 115 Nosler Partition, and quickly remembered why it was long my favorite .25 bullet.

It shoots really well in most rifles and on average kills quicker than the 100 TTSX with plenty of penetration. Just a great bullet. I tend toward Ramshot Magnum for 115-120 grain bullets in the .25-06, having gotten fine results in several rifles (especially velocity but also accuracy) but in my experience the .25-06 is one of those rounds that works well with a lot of different powders in the right burn-rate range.

Thanks MD. I'm definitely going to give the 115 Partition a try here soon. I'd sure feel good about shooting anything at most angles with that bullet speeding along around 3100fps.

Stop pussy footing around and get some 100gr ttsx. Go pick bottles, check the couches for spare change or what ever. For flat killing big game the ttsx is the best bullet for the job. I run that bullet in my wby and have killed game close and far. I have only recovered one from a big cow elk at a 250 yards.

The 100gr smk is the other bullet I run for paper and steel

250 yard cow elk

Tanner I think one excellent bullet you've overlooked for the 25-06 is Hornady's 117gr BTSP. A very tough and relable bullet in the 25's. powdr

TTSX or the Swift S2 are the only two that I've killed with that is going to give you much over the Accubond. 300yds is ridiculous and in certain areas, would result in a non-recovery. S2 can be fickle though, so it's a risk to plop down the money for a box of 100. Be patient and they throw the TTSX on sale at Midway on occasion, and that would be your best bet by a longshot for penetration. I bet you could get your load in 5-10 shots, and as it was said, a few boxes would last you for years.

BTW, out of the 5 deer we've taken with the 100 NBT this last week, 2 exploded. They'll be back to FF duties. We have been shooting some very big bodied Sitka Blacktails though, at some odd angles. (love the rut)

Calvin, you're right about the 300 yards and very nearly did result in a no-recovery honestly, it was incredibly lucky that my pops located the buck. I was on pins and needles literally running around the hill looking for blood.

I'll probably just throw down for a bunch of TTSX, it really ain't a big deal; the only reason I complain about price is that I like to shoot a lot. But, there's cheap bullets for that.

I don't know if that buck had some major bullet-stoppin' voodoo, if I hit a branch/twig, or if it just flat out blew-up, but somethin' wasn't right. I couldn't believe it when he took off like a bat outta' hell up the hill. I hit him 2x again as he was running, but even those two didn't drop him where he was. Some major adrenaline and "cling" to life I suppose...

I wouldn't be afraid to use a 100 gr. Interlock. A friend uses it to great effect in his 257 Weatherby, I use it in a 250 Savage, so we have your 25-06 bracketed.