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Keez Offline OP
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Howdy;

I hunted in the 80�s with a Browning Lightning Bolt, bolt action, in 25-06. Had it full length glass bedded and pillar bedded and the trigger worked and that sucker would flat shoot, I�d get cloverleaf like groups at 100 yards all day, so long as I let the barrel cool between shots. My load for everything was, as I remember, IMR 4350 and 120 grain Speer Hotcore bullets. I shot 9 deer in 5 states with that rifle and it was like magic, every time it went boom something dropped dead. The longest shot was on a Georgia Whitetail at 416 yards, right through the heart and he dropped like a rock. I know the distance because my partner had a surveyors tape with him and we measured it. That rifle was stolen in 92 and I never replaced it. Instead, I went to larger and larger calibers which I shot less and less well.

A couple weeks ago I saw a 25-06 stainless A Bolt at Bass Pro and picked it up. My first trip to the range I had a box of 120 grain Federal Fusions, 120 grain Core-Lokt and a box of the Federal 100 grain Ballistic Tips. The 120 grain bullets shot like crap but I was able to get some fairly tight groups, about 1 inch, out of the 100 grain Ballistic Tips. I looked up the twist rate and found that the Browning is a one in ten which is, according to Shilen, only fast enough to stabilize the 100 grain bullets. That seems to be born out so far by my first trip to the range. If I am able to get this new rifle to shoot the kind of groups like my old Lightning Bolt would shoot will the 100 grain bullet have the poop to work out to 400 yard on deer size game like those 120 grain Hotcore bullets, I use to use, and will they buck the wind as well?

Questions:

1. Is the 25 caliber 100 grain bullet a reasonable candidate to hunt 300lb Mule Deer and 200lb Whitetails at ranges up to 400 yards?

2. Which bullet would you use in a rifle of this caliber with this twist rate?

Thanks for any help on this.


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Q#1-yep absolutely!

Q#2-100 TSX and 7828 and or R22

Lastly a 10 twist is the way to go in the 25/'s and it will shoot the flyweights to the heavy weights.

Mark D


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A ten inch twist is standard for the .25-06 on factory rifles. I've seen lots of them shoot just fine with 120 gr. loads.
Any decent 120 gr. load or the 100 gr. Partition or the 100 gr. TSX. Works as well as anything for deer. E

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+1 - but would also look at the 110 AB. Shoots great out of my Sako 25-06 pushed by my favorite....RL22.

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I used to use a 1-9" twisted barrel with 117gr Hornady interlock boat tails behind 56gr R-22......

IC B2

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I've had good luck (accuracy and kills) with the 115 gr. Partition.

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I like 100 grain Sierra GameKings in 25-06. I haven't been able to get any 25 caliber Ballistic Tips to shoot well in anything yet.


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I have to agree on Shilen's recommendation on a 9 inch twist for 117 and 120 grain 25 caliber bullets. My custom .257 Roberts 3 inch chamber with a 10 inch twist Shilen barrel has shown a marked preference for 100 grain bullets. Compare the 110 Accubond, 117 Sierra BT, Nosler 120, to any 100 grain bullet and you'll see how long they are for their bore. Mine will shoot them acceptably, but will put the 100 grain Sierra FB into very small cloverleafs. If was to do it over again I would go with a 9 inch twist if I primarily wanted to shoot the heavier bullets.

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ccrifles-how many 10 twist 25's have you worked with?

Many thx

Mark D


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I use a Rem 700 25-06 with a 10 twist that shoots 100gr NBT and 85gr CT into 1/2 MOA with regularity. Have also shot the 100gr Sierra very well. I use IMR4831 56.0gr for the 100's and 58.0gr for the 85's. I have never felt undergunned for deer, but did order some 110gr AB and 100 TSX to try this year. Just trying to fit in with the crowd.

CK


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That was my third (3) one that I personally barrelled and a few other factory chamberings I've reloading for, and I not saying I'm an expert just given my opinion. But I figure that Shilen has worked with more than most gunsmith shops, and their recommendation is a 9 inch twist for bullets heavier than 100 grains. It's just been my experience that a 10 inch twist usually shoots 100 grain bullets more accurate than 117s or 120s. I even tried the 110 Accubonds and 115 Noslers, and 100s beat those too. Most factory 7mm are 9 inch twist, 6.5mm is usually 9 or 8 inch twist, because of their long for bore bullets. I don't think a faster twist would hurt. If all I wanted to use was 100 grain bullets I'd probably just use a 243.

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100 grain bullets make this caliber shine, a .243 can't push a 100 @ 3350! thanks fats

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(100 grain bullets make this caliber shine, a .243 can't push a 100 @ 3350! thanks fats) That's true FATS with the 25-06 but not with the .257 Roberts.

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I have a 1/10" Douglas barrel on my 25-o6 and it shoots 115 & 120 grain NP's just fine and equally as well as the 100's.

Certainly the 1/9" isn't going to hurt anything with the heavy bullets, but I question the need; all factory, and most custom barrels are 1/10".......that has to tell you something.

I've been very happy with the performance of the NP's on deer and if changing I would try the Accubond 110's (just got some) and the 100 TSX.

I think, if a gun shoots them well, the TSX might be the very best for the 25-o6, but again, I've not tried them yet.

Also for load development & paper punching, the NBT's have worked well for me, both the 100's & the 115's.

RL22, H-4831SC & Norma MRP are my choices for powders; Fed. 210M primers.

MM

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Keez,

I concur with your choice of bullets. Speer bullets are just enough tougher than most other cup/core bullets that they provide significantly increased terminal performance. When going for heavier game I would choose the Speer Mag-Tip or Grand Slam. In any case, for any animal, I would NOT use lightweight bullets.

I hope you find another 25-06 to replace the stolen one. That story broke my heart. I checked the Kimber website for you and found that their 8400 rifles in 25-06 have the 1:10" twist rate. I also checked the Remington site and the M700 CDL is the same, as is the Ruger M77R MkII. I gotta believe with all those manufacturers making their barrels 1:10" that they should be able to shoot the 120 grain Speer. I'm just glad that my new Ruger M77 MkII 6.5x55 has a rifling twist rate of 1:8" bacause 140 grains is the LIGHTEST bullet I want to shoot.

A buddy has a Rem 700 Sendero that was giving him troubles. I suggested working up to a load of 50 grains of IMR 4831 with the Speer 120 grain bullet. He tried it and was ecstatic! His gun now shoots 3/4" groups. The maximum charge in my Third Edition Hornady Handbook is 50.3 grains of IMR 4831 with the Hornady 120 grain Spire Point bullet. The Speer bullet should react very similarly. As always, start 5-10% below maximum and work up.

Best of good fortune to you in your quest for a good 25-06.
_


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My Tikka T-3 Lite has shot every bullet I stuffed it with around MOA or less. It has a 1 in 10 twist. From 100 grain TSX, 100 gr BT, 110 AB, 117 Hornady RN interlock and the Hornady 120 gr HP, have all gone very well. Since my self imposed range limit is 250 yds, I use the 117 gr Hornady round nose for hunting. It lays the smack down just fine.

I know alot of folks shy away from round nosed bullets, but unless you are shooting serious long range, it wont make a major difference in trajectory. It has also been my expierence that they tend to open a wider wound channel faster then most pointed, non plastic tipped, bullets yet hold together for deep penetration.

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MM,

Have you measured the twist in that Douglas? According to Douglas the tolerance on their twists is plus or minus a half inch. So you may be running a one in nine and a half. Not that it would necessarily make a big difference, but it's a possibility.

mathman

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Mathman,

No, I have not measured the twist on the barrel.

You are correct, there is a tolerance on all of them, but I think the cut rifled barrels are probably the closest.

MM

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[quote=
A buddy has a Rem 700 Sendero that was giving him troubles. I suggested working up to a load of 50 grains of IMR 4831 with the Speer 120 grain bullet. He tried it and was ecstatic! His gun now shoots 3/4" groups. The maximum charge in my Third Edition Hornady Handbook is 50.3 grains of IMR 4831 with the Hornady 120 grain Spire Point bullet. The Speer bullet should react very similarly. As always, start 5-10% below maximum and work up.


_ [/quote]

Hornady volume 11 lists a max of 53.8 grains using 4831 with the 120 grain bullet. Interesting is it not?

AGW


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