Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 'Best' 25-06 Bullet

yeah with that 80 grainer sighter in at 320 you can hold ten inches over the deers back at 500 and score a kill shot....

120 NP's and RL-22

So far all I've used is a 100 gr. CoreLokt factory load, which was effective. I'm thinking I'm gonna go with 100 gr. Ballistic Tips in my handloads.

I am also a Nosler Partition (120 gr.) fan for the 25/06; they have done the job for me.

The Hornady 120 (#2560) shoots to the exact point of aim in my Ruger 77 as do the Partitions, so perhaps you too will be able to sight in with the Partitions, practice a lot with the cheaper Hornadys, and save the Partitions for hunting.

I typically used IMR 4831 powder for the 120 grain bullets, and Norma MRP for the varmint weights.

IME those 120gr Hornady HP behave a lot like 120gr Partitions.

This was the first year I hunted with the 25-06, used 115 gr. TSX for pigs and deer. Worked great!

Dober,

The downside to the uber-light-for-caliber School Of Thought is wind at longish ranges--beyond 300yds.

Now, I don't go looking for long range shots, but it has been known to happen

I just had that demonstrated again this winter shooting at 600 and 900 yds with a buddy. A 243 with 100gr and a 308 with 155 gr gave up the ghost as the wind became stronger (and stronger). A pair of 270's with 150 NBT's (one is a 25 in bbl that really moves a bullet) held out longer before adjusting for windage became ridiculous. The clear winner was my buddy's 300RUM with 190 Bergers.......

Even running a light bullet 3-400 fps faster doesn't make up for the effect of wind. Give me BC and enough mass for caliber when it comes time to make that canyon shot or bust a pronghorn in the breezy sagebrush country

?

?? (could u elaborate somewhat?)

Alpine-you might of missed this post I had a bit earlier. From where I sit I feel that weight isn't everything and that at some point speed helps a ton load.

Dober

on mid and small sized things decent accuracy and high velocity trumps all......out to 500 yards

just for fun run an 80 grain tsx at 3800 against a 52 grain bullet out of a 220 swift. It's not that far off.

my 25-06 is twisted 1:12 and the only bullet it shoots really well is the 75 grainer

That kind of sucks, but I think that Barnes once upon a time did some 75 X's? Steelhead would know as I think he has one or two world supplies of them..grin

Dober

I enjoyed really good results from the 80gr TTSX in my .257 Wby. I don't see why it wouldn't also be wonderful when launched from a 25-06.

John

Correct as usual Mark. Here were my loads in a 26" barrel.

75gn Barnes X
48gn IMR 3031 3.234" 3525 Mild
49gn IMR 3031 3541
50gn IMR 3031 3594
50gn AR 2206 3705
51gn AR 2206 3831
57gn H 4350 3.211" 3659 1.5"
58gn H 4350 3709 1.230"
55gn 760 3666
56gn 760 3.452" 3698
58gn 760 3770 2368 MOA
* 59gn IMR 4350 3.215" 3807 2414

John

I use the Nosler Partiton 120 grain bullet for large deer. I have practiced on paper using the Nosler 110 grn Accubond (very accurate in my rifle) but I still like the 120 grain partition bullet a little better. I wish Nosler would come out with a 130 grain Accubond bullet for that 25cal.

From all of the responses it looks like Sierra is making the 117 SBT just for me. To be sure, all of the other choices are excellent and I would have no problems using the Partition myself but for 25-06 game (antelope and deer) I have had pretty good results with the Sierras. I think the key is shooting whatever your bullet of choice is as much as possible so that you can hit where you aim with a high level of confidence and precision. That being said there will always be a need for a specialized bullet for a specialized application, so if someone wants to shoot his buffalo with a less than optimum caliber rifle you had best use one of the premiums.

I shot a 25-06 for many years and had very good luck with 115gr PT and the 117gr Hornady. I shot the Hornady more due to price and never felt I needed more of a bullet, they were very accurate and performed very well on game. I lived in a place that had rock chucks at 450yd from my porch which gave us lots of fun shooting. We shot all kinds of rifles at the chucks, but the 25-06 with 117gr Hornady(and my 6.5-06 with 140gr BT) gave the most consistent hits in all conditions. Sadly that rifle was stolen but I will get another some day.

Sorry, my C.R.S was kicking in. Its the 117gr Gameking #1630.