What is everyone's favorite 25-06 varmint bullet?


jr1968

I am a big fan of the 75 gr, VMax.

It has been quite accurate in several different quarter-bore rifles.

If varmint means yotes, the 100 BT.

75grain Hornady hollow point or V max.

Either the V-max or the 85gr ballistic tip. I've had great results with them in the the .25/06, as well as the .257 Roberts, but 75gr V-max really hammers the chucks, too. And they're cheaper.

The 75 vmax is sparklingly accurate in my model 70 featherweight.

When my .25-06 was my woodchuck rifle of choice, I got great accuracy and explosive results with 75 grain Sierra HP's over 3031 or 4064 at warp speeds.

I've had 4-5 .25-'06s but I haven't owned one in over 10 years. Back then my load was 75 grain Sierra HP over 55 grains of H414 or Win 760.

I know some people really like them but I couldn't get either 75 grain Hornady to shoot well enough. Same story for the 85 grain ballistic tip.

The 87 grain Speer TNT and 90 grain Sierra BTHP did sort of ok, not spectacular, but ok.

If I were working with a new .25-'06 today the first bullet I'd try would be the new-ish 70 grain Blitzking.

Tom

I'd also look at the 90gr Sierra Blitzking. BC is up close to .400.

75 grain Hornady VMax or Sierra HP

87 grain Speer TNT

90 grain Sierra HPBT

I've yet to own a .257" bore rifle that wouldn't shoot the 75 grain VMax.

While I like the 90 grain Sierra HPBT, at the end of the day I like the greater speed potential of the two 75 grain bullets.

It depends on the twist of your rifle. In my oddball Browning 1890 highwall with a 30" bbl. and 1 in 13 twist, it loves the 75s and can push them to 4000 fps.

For 1 in 10 guns, the 87 Sierra is hard to beat for varmints as is about any 87. Depends what shoots the best in your rifle.

Back in my "ute" when the 25-06 was still a wildcat, we would fill LCNM61 cases with the old slow milsurp 4831 (50 cents/pound), card them off and seat the 87 Sierra.
When you hit a chuck' there was a "ka-thowp" and a very dead chuck. Also worked well on feral cats.

Great cartridge !

25-06 is the bottom one:

I am looking to build a rifle around this bullet. I am considering a 25-308 using Lapua 308 Palma brass. It should be a fin one, when I get to it!

I got up to 3,350+/- with the 90 grain Sierra HPBT out of the 25 WSSM from a Winchester/USRA 70 Coyote with a 24" barrel.

If I still had confidence in this bullet for deer, I would probably load it for all-around coyotes and deer, but I don't and like the performance of the 75 grain VMax at 3,650+/- for all varmints.

So, Larry, you're posting as both "Oldman1942" and as "Spalding"?

Cool!

I used to have a Winchester Model 70 that weighed 14 lbs. It seemed to thrive on 75 gr Sierra or Hornady 75 gr. HP with 51 grs. Imr 4064. According to Ken Waters this would clock 3690 fps.
It was capable of launching prairie dogs like a three stage rocket. Great fun on feral cats as well.
whelennut

100 gr Speer HPs turn coyotes & woodchucks inside/out!

That Horn 75 gr HP makes an audible POP on water-filled milk jugs at 300-ish.

I have used various 75, 85, 87, 90, & 100 grain bullets in my various .25-06's.. Noslers, Speers, Hornadys, and of course Sierra's..

My present one likes 75 gr. Vmax and 100 gr. Sierra FB..

I have used a lot of 75 gr. sierra hps , 87 grs sierra sp and 85 gr Nosler Ballistic tips on ground hogs.
They all were pretty destructive but I think the 75 gr hp was the most violent and was easy to make accurate in a couple of .25-06s.
I rebarreled before the Sierra blitz came out. They would probably be on my short list also.

90 grain Sierra Blitzking.