Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Who makes the highest BC bullet in .25 caliber?

With the re barrel of my FN 257WBY and the coming out of the local Rockchucks at about the same time, the idea has sprung forth to wait on developing a load for the hunting bullets I use (100gr Barnes TTSX's with Moly) and load up some ammo for long range rockchuck shooting. Anyone know of any 117-120gr +/- a little bullets with a BC of something in the high 500's? Barrel is going to be 28 inches long, with a 1 in 10 twist rate so super long VLD types may not stabilize even at the higher velocity a long tube 257WBY can push them.

Thanks in advance.

Berger 115 VLD has a BC of .523 but it's almost like they've ceased production on everything, I can't find anything in stock.

I bought a 25-06ai a couple of years ago and wound up trading it off. It's for sale again and I've been looking at the same thing.

Thanks, if I could find some of those I could likely make them work just fine in my 1 in 10 twist 257WBY. Sounds like an ideal varmint bullet where terminal effects are not a real concern. Any bullet out of a 257ROY is going to tear a rockchuck up pretty well. Berger ads often used to pop up here in banner ads. Next time that ad shows up here I will click on the link and see what they have.

I am going to peruse my reloading manuals and see what kind of BC is claimed for the 120gr Scirrocco ll, Hornaday SST and Sierra BTHP. If Hornaday makes an A-max in 25 caliber I will look at that one as well.

Time to pester Jessica Brooks at Barnes again and see if they have an LRX coming out in 25 caliber. If they do, that will be my new favorite bullet for my uberfast 25.

Load 115 vlds in my 25 wssm and love them. great bullets

I will look for some. Thanks!

They used to list the 115 VLD at .523.... Now they list it at .463, which is much more in line with reality IME.

You want BCs in the high fives.... you shoulda gone 6.5

The factory 1-10" twist rate for most .25's is going to always be the limiting factor in BC/length. I think the fast .25's are better as quickly-implemented game guns for unknown ranges inside of 500yds, using 100gr stuff at warp speed. If looking at longer ranges, I'd go with another caliber.

JLK has a 108gr VLD listed at .500 BC.

115 Berger Hunting VLD, .466
115 Nosler Silvertips, .453
100 Barnes TTSX, .357

I'm liking the 115 Noslers

And I agree with JPro

I very seriously considered going with an uberfast 6.5, but I had to do a 100% trade out with a gunsmith to get the barrel replaced and I cannot really afford to buy new brass (Especially not 26 Nosler Brass, the leading contender for me when I abandoned hope) Dies, bullets etc. I have hundreds of 257WBY brass in hand, lots of Moly'ed 100gr TTSX's, and 30 years experience with this round and close to this same load even. So, the 6.5 idea had to be scrapped for cost savings.

And the bullet I choose will be just for getting the barrel broke in right, practice and shooting rockchucks and rocks. Right before deer season, back to the Moly'ed 100grTTSX's.

Thanks for the replies and ideas! Just want to shoot some Rockchucks etc a bit with this one, not needing a better hunting bullet.

Ya know, just as I was typing this reply above the thought occurred to me that if one of my goals is to become a better 0-500 yards (and maybe a LITTLE beyond) shot with this rifle. Maybe it would be better to use an inexpensive 100gr bullet with a BC similar to that of my much loved Barnes TTSX! That way, I would be learning how my rifle WITH MY HUNTING LOAD, how it acted and shot and where it hit in the wind and on uphilll and downhill angles etc.

Maybe there IS a use for Sierra bullets on my loading bench....

(don't get all up in arms Sierra guys, just pullin yer chain a little. I use Sierra's a lot in my centerfire 22's for gophers and such. Very accurate bullets in most cases.

I'd look at the 90gr. Sierra BlitzKings, they shoot great, and are similar in weight to your preferred TTSX, I'd guess the BCs are pretty close, too.

Sounds like loads of fun! My reservation coming from a long ago recollection of some early Blitzkings (albeit in .224 VS .257) was having some 50 gr versions vaporize mid flight when fired out of a 22-250. Not even making it to a 25 yard target 1/2 the time. I am wondering if they would hold up to 257WBY velocities. Wouldn't cost much to try 'em, I suppose, but I would have to look at how well they replicated the flight path of my TTSX's.

Brunos has them in stock.

115 grain berger is a good killer. First hand 100-500+- on white/mule

Good to know! Thanks!

A good dual purpose bullet is a Nosler 100 gr. Ballistic Tip for varmints or antelope.
jmho
whelennut

Probably would be. Bad news however just came from my gunsmith. The rifle wont be done until late Summer.

This will only give me enough time to get a basic load worked up for the Mule Deer Season in early October. Ground squirrels are long down by the time I get this rifle back in hand.

I think I will Moly up and try some of those, however, for practice and rockchuck shooting the following year. BC should be really close to that of the Barnes TTSX, so the practice would be beneficial and transferrable.

The 100gr E-tip and Swift Scirroco both have BC's just above .400, which ain't shabby at 3,650+ fps.