I've owned a couple .25-06 rifles over the years, but never did much with them in that way of hunting or load development. I just picked up a 24" Encore barrel to try, mainly for my 12yr old to possibly use this deer season. I was able to snag several boxes of Hornady #2540 100gr pointed soft point Interlocks, and plan on ordering either 115 or 120gr Nosler Partitions to try. First of all, how well do the 100gr Interlocks work on 150-200lb deer? Also, is there really any significant difference in performance between the 115 & 120gr Nosler Partitions at .25-06 velocities? I seem to remember a thread possibly here on the forum comparing the two, but haven't been able to find it.

I have plenty of H414/760, H100v, 4000MR, 4350, and should have a pound of Norma MRP somewhere, so I should be set powder wise. Any tips or suggestions with the .25-06?

The 25.06 is my favorite caliber and i've been shooting one for around 30yrs. My go to powder is RL25 & RL22 but i have used 4350 with good results as well as other powders. Lots of people use a 100gr bullet from the 25.06 with good results on game but i've honestly never shot anything under 110grs in all those years that i've used one. My favorite bullet is a Speer 120gr flat base Hot-Cor and it's performance on deer has been excellent for me over the years. I don't think you'd see much difference in the 115 - 120gr partition other than velocity and i'm sure one would kill as effectively as the other. The 25.06 is a fast flat shooting caliber with mild recoil that hits the target hard. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Mike

Not a 25-06 but I have a 257 WBY and use 100 TTSX in it. They work great on whitetail and would think they would be great in your 25-06. You may even look at the 85 gr version to help reduce recoil if that is an issue.

The 100gr Hornadys work great in my 257R at 3000ish. Curious to hear how they work at 25/06 velocities...

49.0gr of IMR4350 behind a 115/117gr bullet has proven accurate and effective in several 25-06s.

With that said, a lighter bullet will certainly reduce felt recoil. To me, one of the worst things a mentor can do to a young shooter is start them on too much gun/recoil... a recoil-induced jerk is a tough habit to break. I can’t imagine that a properly placed 85-100 gr [non-varmint] bullet wouldn’t effectively bring down any deer in North America.

I have an old 25-06. I like 115 grain Ballistic tips with IMR 4350. Mines a Husky action built by Iver Henriksen.

I have had 3 25-06 rifles. I shot 100 grain pills out of them all and they all killed like lightning. Very little recoil as well. I use 55 gr. RE 19 and 100 TTSX's now and they work fantastic.

The 100 grain Interlocks worked very well on deer from my buddy's 257 Weatherby. Putting one of the 4350 type powders under them will be a sure way to quick success in the 25-06.

Mine has done it's best with AA3100. It's not made anymore, but I am told that IMR 4831 is very close, so if I were to start over that's the powder I'd try first.

I load RL 22 and 115 ballistic tips in my buddies rifle.

100g hornady Interlock
100g partition
100g Barnes TTSX

117g sierra
117g Hornady btsp and flat base

115g Ballistic tips
115g partitions

120g Speer btsp
120g partitions

All work just fine

R#25 with a fed 215 in winchester brass in all weights will give excellent accuracy, and about 100 fps faster than the 4350 and R#19 loads I have tried.

R#22 with 115's shure shoots some small groups!

R#23 and R#26 with cci 250's I am is going to impress a tad better than R#25, time will tell.

The Hornaday will work well in the 25-06 I reload these. Both of the partitions will work well I don't think you will see much difference on game between the two. For deer I would probably start with the 115s for larger game the 120s or whichever shot better. I have been loading R26 mostly and R16 with 85 grain bullets. H4350 will work well and some of the other powders should too. Have not tried MRP but R22 works well for everything 100 grains and up so MRP should too.

I would try loading down some for your son and have him wear plugs and muffs when he shoots and plugs when he hunts. I got in the habit of not wearing them hunting and my ears have suffered from doing that.

I really wanted a .257 Roberts or .250-3000, but finding one has proven difficult....then again, the .25-06 will do everything either will and more!

My Encore 25-06 has the 24 inch barrel. I have tried H and IMR 4350, H4831 and RL19 behind Hornady 117s. Best accuracy was with RL19. It has performed well on S. Miss deer. Longest run after being hit has been approx. 30 yards.

I have a bunch of 115gr. BTs to try someday, just haven't got around to it. The Horndays have worked well and I've got a ton of them.

I shoot a 25-06 Weatherby Vanguard. It thrives on the 100 gr Hornady interlocks. First season I took it out I took an antelope on 1 hunt and a 4x3 mulie buck. I've shot other bullets like the 117 and 120 gr. But my best groups were with the 100 gr and a dose of IMR 4350.
You can load it down or up so it's versatile.

If you load a 100 gr Ballistic tip to 257 Roberts velocities your son will be at no disadvantage in the woods and definitely will enjoy the recoil better.
GreggH

So far with 115 Ballistic Tips (silver tip & standard) & the .525 ogive Partitions from SPS, RL23 is the hot setup in my rifle. Too bad I'm down to the last 1/2 lb of it.

If you chose to go lighter, both RL22 & H4831SC both seem to work very well with 100 gr Ball. Tips & the now discontinued Sierra FB spitzers respectively.

All with either Fed 215 or WLRM primers & bullets seated about .020" short of touching.

That 100grn TSX is unbelievable in either cartridge. Of course, any bullets that is not highly frangible is. If I don't shoot the TSX, it's a 115grn NP.

one of my dads woodchuck hunting buddies used a Savage 112 in 25-06 and it was a very accurate rifle indeed.

I shoot 100gr Hornady Interlocks with 4350.

MD load.

Fast and accurate.

25-06 might be my favorite caliber

That 100 grain Hornady is all you will need for deer.

A bud used em for a few years on everything from varmint sized critters to deer. No issues at all.

It appears that Hornady has discontinued the 100 grain bullets in .257. That was my preferred bullet for the last 25 years. That bullet at 3350 fps put the deer down right there. I am on my last box of the 100 grain flat base bullets. I will probably just move up to the 117 grain soft points. They are not quite as accurate as the 100s, but they still work great.

Man this thread just hit me hard. I just realized I bought a Ruger No.1 in .25-06 last July and STILL haven't shot it. That's never happened to me before. (I own a couple family heirloom guns I've never shot, but I've never bought one and not shot it right away)

Part of it was not wanting to get deeper in debt rushing to get what I needed to shoot it. The other was just not being able to get the stuff. But I've had a the scope mounted for many months. Had dies, brass, bullets and the last hold up, powder for over a month now. So sad.

100 grain Partition should replace the Hornady rather nicely.

My rifle thrives on 4350 and the 110gr Accubond.

The 100gr Hornady ammo will do just fine on deer. I've got a Kimber in 25-06 and it will shoot anything between 90 and 120gr. Preferred powders are R22 and 4831. I'm currently shooting Berger 115gr bullets for deer, know my chances of getting an exit are slim but most of my shots are under 100 yards and when I do my part they're on the ground inside of 50 yards. Careful letting your 12y/o get their hands on it, you might not get it back.

I have a .250 Savage barreled T/C pro hunter...the only rifle I carry anymore. I shoot 117 gr SST bullets out of it with deadly results.

I also have a 25-06 pro hunter my son uses shooting the Hornady 100 gr interlock. Two years ago he dropped two does with the Hornady 100 g bullets at over two fifty hundred yards with complete pass throughs. Last year he shot a 4 point at 80 yards with no bullet exit and couldn't find the 100 gr bullet. The little buck was dead right there. Load is 51.0 of H-4350 @3389 FPS.

My favorite bullet for the 25-06 is the discontinued Hornady 120 gr. hollow point. I'd hunt Elk with that bullet in a nano-second.

I had a couple 25-06’s. One was the Police/Tactical model, it shot really well with anything. I liked the 75 grain Vmax for yotes. 117’s for deer.

I guess I have shot the .25-06 when it was still a wildcat.. My current one is about 1000 rounds old and very accurate... I have used 115 BTBT, have some partitions loaded in that wt.. but never used them.. It would be used more if I did not have other rifles.. For many years the .22-250, .25-06, and .300wm were my three rifles for my hunting... I still have all three.. For the .25-06 around 52-53 gr. of I4350 has always been very accurate.. I usually used 100 gr. Horn. BTBT, or Sierra.. I like the 100 gr. because I can get it to between 3350 and 3400fps.. That makes hitting deer or coyotes much easier of shots that require fast action.. Sierra told me years ago I4831 was the powder of choice.. I bought a bunch of it and it has been my choice since then.. Many of the newer powders mentioned are also excellent I am sure, but just have never used them.. Good luck and enjoy..

I still have my first .25-06, a pre-war Model 70 that was rebarreled in 1965. I've had four other .25-06s and never found a better powder than H4831. My favorite bullet for a long time has been the Sierra 117 ProHunter. I think that bullet was discontinued a couple of years ago but the GameKing may shoot almost as well.

They did discontinue it, which makes me sick. I have no idea why H thought that was a good decision.

I picked up several hundred before they disappeared for good.

My second pick is the Nosler 100 gr BT. Those will get loaded once the IL’s are gone.

That 120 grain Hornady is my preferred choice, unfortunately my remaining supply is getting low. Performance is amazing

One caution with the shorter bullets. They do not buck the wind as well. I traded my .25-06 Model 70A for a 7 Mag after killing an antelope with a neck shot at 383 paces when I was aiming at the heart. The wind blew that 100 gr. Hornady Spirepoint all over the place. I was just lucky it flew into a killing zone. The 140 gr 7mm does a lot better job of staying straight, in my experience since then. Also, I respect the wind a lot more and pass on the shot if it is too erratic. Maybe that is the real secret.

Yeah I can vouch for that as well.

Shot a doe antelope at about 300. Wind was barely noticeable but it drifted back into the guts.

Doe ran out into the middle of a big sage flat and just stood there. No way to get closer without spooking her off.

She must have been late cycle because three bucks were circling her and trying to mount her hunched up form.

Poor girl finally died after an hour and a half.

I just ran a couple of calcs with the Hornady calculator. I compared the 100 grain spire point and 139 grain spire point, both launched at 3300 fps. With a 10 mph wind there was about 1.5" difference in wind drift at 400 yards.

Not really an issue where we hunt, longest shot we will typically take is 200 yards.

Speer 100g HOT CORES are an excellent bullet, 120g also if you can find any.

I originally used H870 with 117gr and 120gr bullets. Very consistent, but H870 is long discontinued. In about 1991, I switched to RL22 and have not looked back.

It’ll kill the hell outta medium size game

As many have mentioned 100gr pills will work great for your application. I prefer the 100 NBT and RL19 for a general purpose load. Right around 3,300fps depending on the rifle. I used Nosler Data for my powder charge and found it to be spot on for my current 3 and the 2 I foolishly let go. Have a Stash of the 120NP's that are OLD, the lathe marks on the jackets are pretty cool and they seem to retain as much or a tad more then the new 25 cal NPs do. No proof however. YMMV but I think loading some at around 3,000FPS should be a hoot for him to shoot at the range and in the field.

Fave load for this 700C-grade is 100 grain TTSX factory. All I need for now.
Bob

Anyone loading with H100v? I just picked up a couple 8lb jugs, hopefully it will work well....

Hodgedon has some data here: https://shop.hodgdon.com/hodgdon/hodgdon-hybrid-100v

100V works well in the 257 Roberts so should do fine in the 25-06.

RGK
Looks like you have a winner there.
GreggH

Thanks! I'm liking it more every day. It was one of the last custom guns that came out of the custom shop (maybe the last one) before the shutdown.
Bob

Late to the party here but I have two 25-06's, a Weatherby Vanguard S2 and Remington 700 CDL. I have shot lots of combos through both of them. RL22, RL17, H4831sc, Varget, H4350, 75grn Vmax, 85grn NBT, 115grn NBT, 100grn hotcor, 120grn grandslams, 100grn gamekings, Barnes TTSX both 80 and 100grn. The TTSX' bullets shoot ragged holes in both rifles. The 75grn Vmax with full dose of H4831 in my Vanguard shoots incredible, as does RL17 and RL22 with 80 and 100grn TTSX bullets. My CDL loves a full dose of H4831 with the 80grn TTSX, I can tell you from experience it will hammer a coyote at 300 yards. Both the rifles shoot under an inch with RL22 and H4831 with 115grn NBT's. In my experience the 25-06 starts to tighten up at max velocity (no secret).

This 25-06 shoots Federal's 100 grain TSXs very well.