Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Favorite 25-06 deer bullets

I’ve been trying to work up a couple loads for a pair of 25-06’s. One is mine and the other belongs to a buddy. I’ve shot 115NPT and BT, 120 NPT, 117 hornady and Sierra spt bt, and 100TTSX. The sierras have shot best followed by the hornady 117 boat tails…. But ALL of them have completely flown apart when I did them out of the back stop…. Which is a combo of dirt and mostly wood “saw dust”. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them one a doe but if a big buck walks out I’d much rather have a stouter bullet. Any opinions on either the Sierra or hornady bullets? I’ve shot exactly one deer with a 25-06, a doe at about 280 yards with the 117 Sierra boat tail so I’m clearly no expert.

Thx in advance.

I liked the 117 Game King. Shoot em right through the shoulders. It messes up some meat but kills like lightning. Shoot em behind the shoulders and they will cover about 20 yards.

A bud and my uncle really like the 117 grain SST.

In 25 cal rifles, my favorites are the 100TTSX and 110 Accubond. 115 NBTs have also done well, but I've only used them from a bean field rifle and shots were usually in the 300yd range. Have you played with seating depth on the TTSXs? That can make a huge difference, accuracy-wise.

If your un-sure your bullet choice will hold together for close range shots the Nosler patrician would be your primary choice.

I only shoot Hornady bullets in my .25 caliber rifles, the Hornady 100 gr spire point along with the 120 gr HP. The
" discontinued" Hornady ,257 120 gr HP was one of the toughest bullet Hornady made. I just picked up another
backup box from the campfire classifieds a few weeks ago. For a regular cup and core bullet this bullet is tough.

I am presently working up a new load soon using the Hornady .257 117 gr SST bullet as a back up load when my
120 gr HP supply gets critical.


The Barnes 100 gr TTSX is never a mistake providing you the bullet confidence your looking for.

110 Accubond

Pick one of the mentioned bullets that shoot well and fill your freezer. All of them are more than capable. I use more 100 grain bullets in my 25s. 100 Ballistic tips, Sierra, and TTSX. Only the 25-284 gets 115 BT.
No problems on deer or hogs.
GreggH

I have been trying to get some accuracy out of the Nosler Partitions in both the 115 & 120. I have not succeeded yet about 1.5 inches off the bench, Noslers bal. tip gives great accuracy but penatration is lacking so I am still looking for a bullet that gives me both. We hunt in areas that if you don't drop the deer in his tracks and they make it into the extremely heavy thick brush without a good blood trail there is a good chance you will not find the deer. So I want an entrance & exit hole. Daniel

Daniel have you tried the 115 BT on deer? I have not had any problems shooting through deer or hogs with it. Another thing you can try with the Partition is a slightly faster powder. Seen it help.
Another option is the Accubond
GreggH

I like the 100gr. Partition, it works really well. I DO practice with the 100gr. Sierras (same powder charge, and both loads hit the same POI, so the less costly Sierras make for good practice bullets). I would have no worries using the 100gr. Sierras if it came to that, though (100gr. flatbased ProHunters).

I see little use in using the Noslers for practice when the Sierras hit at the same POI at half the price.

Gregg, yes the BT has been used several seasons and that is why wanting to go to the partition or would try the Accubond if any could be found. The BT is not a problem other than in 2 of the places we hunt. I know that many believe that they could track a deer thru anything but I would like to see them do it in the 2 areas mentioned. The land owner at one place tried looking for a deer with his thermal with no luck. Several of the deer shot with BT's were dead within 100 yds but in the 2 areas THAT IS TOO FAR to track with out a blood trail. WHAT POWDERS DO YOU RECOMMEND ? Daniel

Of the bullets you mentioned, I've shot deer with the 115gr BT and the 115gr and 120gr Partition, along with some others. I settled on the 117gr Sierra Pro Hunter out of my 22" barreled mountain rifle. I've gotten a lot quicker kills on whitetails with this bullet, than with the Noslers. I always got good penetration with the Partitions, the Sierra just seemed to kill faster. I normally use IMR 4831, but have used RL 22 also.

A high forward shoulder shot will solve all of your tracking issues. Any bullet will work for this.

We used the 115 combined technology in ours, basically a 115 NBT. Killed over a dozen animals with no issues at all with them. Bull elk, mtn goat, large whitetails, mule deer, antelope all died quickly with them. Need to get that one out again sometime.

Use the Nosler Part. 1.5 inch groups are fine for all reasonable ranges on deer-sized game, at least that's the way I see it.

I understand what you are saying about tracking. Tracking blood trails in a pine forest with a good pine straw carpet under it gets to be fun real quick. Try IMR 4831 if you have any. I have had really good success with the 25’s killing game (more in the track kills than any other caliber for me)but If I have a dire need to drop a deer where it stands I shift the cross hairs to the base of the neck. Hogs get head shot almost exclusively.
GreggH

100 TTSX

110 grain AB is my favorite 0.257' diameter medium game bullet as it provided a nice balance of accuracy, penetration, and speed potential.

Previously, I used 100 grain BTs and the three partition weights depending on case capacity.

I’ve only shot deer with the 115 Partition and 110 Accubond and they have both done the job well.
For accuracy the Sierra 117 btsp and Hornady 117 btsp and 120 hp are right up there along with the 115 Berger. I haven’t used those on deer but would have no qualms doing so.

Since the late '70s my favorite rifle for deer size critters has been my .257 Ackley. My handloads are very near to .25-06 velocities, and I've killed many deer and pronghorn antelope with 117 gr Sierra GameKing bullets, 115 gr Nosler BTs, and 120 gr Hornady HP bullets.

The bullet that I've used the most and that has killed the most animals has been the 117 gr Sierra GK which I've used to make one shot kills not only on deer and antelope, but 3 bighorn rams, a Dall ram, a mountain caribou, and one of my best 6x6 bull elk.

Put that bullet tight behind an animal's shoulder and he's dead.

I bought a few bags of the 115&120 partitions from sps a few weeks ago….was really hoping they’d shoot but the gun seems to hate them. Like 3-4” 3 shot groups at 100 yards.

I tried the 100TTSX with two powders, H4350 and RL23 from .025-.085” off the lands and they shot from ok to bad….and yes I thoroughly cleaned the rifle before shooting the barnes bullets. I’ve been using Cci match primers…. I might try a different primer and a quicker powder…it’s perplexing, aggravating and getting expensive!