Im looking to buy a 25-06 and the guy says it likes the 100 nosler ballisic tip. Has anyone shot the 100 nbt at whitetail. How do they perform. Any info would be appriciated. Any other killer loads for it?
thanks

The Nosler 100 gr BT with Rel 22 is hell on deer from the 25-06. This is my go to Whitetail load in my 25-06. I have killed deer out to 350 yards and they have went no more than 15 to 20 yards after a hit behind the shoulder. You will love this bullet on deer in the 25-06, another good bullet in the 25-05 is the 110 gr Accubond with Rel 22

The 100-grain Ballistic Tip works very well on whitetails. The 100-grain TTSX will kill them neatly too, as well the 100-grain Hornady, 100-grain Partition, etc. etc.

The most consistently accurate load for 100's I've encountered has been 52-53 grains of H4350 or IMR4350. This doesn't make theoretical sense, due to the case not being filled up, but that's what's happened in several rifles.

+1 for RL22 and 110AB

how does the 100gr buck the wind

+1

I was also looking for some load info. re; the 100gr NBT and the 25-06.

IMR 4350 I have on hand. What about the Magpro powder, is that a possibility also?

Others to try?

RL 17 wound up working for me with the 80 gr TTSX. Used JB's 52 H4350 with the 100 Partition. Got up to 5 grains higher with the RL 17 and the 80 gr TTSX - work up as per usual.

How much off the lands do y'all load the nbt. Barns recommends keeping them off pretty good from what I've read

I shoot a lot of Hornady 100 grain SpirePoints in a variety of .257" bore rifles, from 250-3000 to 25-06. Several different 100 grain bullets have shot good groups in 5 different 25-06s ahead of H4350 in Winchester/Olin cases.

Jeff

The Browning A-Bolt SS I am trying to sell shoots 75 grain V-maxs into 5/8" groups. When I'm not shooting deer with the 100 NBTs, I use my 06 to hunt coyotes. Behind a maximum charge of Varget it really packs a punch.

Mule Deer's load is a classic for the 25/06, make no mistake abou that fact!

Check this site for some loads reported by shooters in their particular rifle:

http://www.centerfirecentral.com/viewer.html

Shot the 52 grs h4350 out of my buddies Ruger with the 100 nbt at about 1 1/2. My sendero is supposed to be in Friday so we will have a pretty good comp between his heavy barrelled Ruger and my remmy. If its like my other sendero he better get to working up a load

Went to grab some 100gr NBT last night at my local drive thru gun shop and not-a. They ordered them for me and should be in Saturday morning.

Grabbed a jug of IMR4350 for starters.

If you really want to see them scream, build up to Alliant's 53g load of R17. That's the fastest I've been able to take 100s in the 25-06. R22, 7828, 4350s are all great as well.

IVE NEVER USED RL 17 BUT IM GONNA TRY IT. WHAT KINDA SPEED SHOULD I EXPECT

53gr of R17 game me the exact same speed as 53gr of IMR4350, in my 22.5" barreled rifle, right at 3300-3325fps, but I had pressure signs with R17 and none with 4350. Accuracy was clearly better with 4350, too. This is all in my rifle, and YMMV.

Mine is a sendero wth the extra barrel length I'm curious to see mv difference.

Jordan,

I tried RL-17 with 100's in my pair of .25-06's too. They have 24" and 26" barrels and RL-17 did beat H4350 in velocity, but the listed maximum of 53.0 grains was too hot in both rifles.

52.0 grains of RL-17 got another 60-70 fps over 52.0 H4350, but groups were twice the size as with H4350.

I remember reading an O'Connor article years and years ago that he described shooting seals with a 25/06.
That article made me want one so bad that it took 3 of them to wear the want off. still think it's a very practical round.
Any other old farts remember that article?

Fred

keith,

Very interesting link! Looks like a good source of info on loads in different rifles.

I've been beating this 25-06 topic like someone stole from me and I caught them.
First I was thinking 80 grain TTSX, then I was thinking 100 grain SS2's, then/now I am thinking of 115 Bergers to buck the wind in a canyon. Now after reading this, I am rethinking 100 grain pills. Since my 25-06 is primarily a coues/javelina and maybe mule deer rifle, I am thinking the ballistic tips over the SS2's, however since I am thinking of 500/600 yard max, the berger's are still on my mind.
That being said is there much difference in wind deflection between the .393BC of the 100grn NBT at roughly 3300ish and the .466 of the 115 bergers at 3100ish?
From what I have read and seen, everyone prefers the 100 grain bullet weight. So what I wonder, is how many of the 100 grain fans shooting beyond 300 yards? I figure a deer at 300 yards or less wouldn't be able to tell if it got hit with a 80 grain, 100 grain or 115 grain bullet. Then again will a deer be anymore dead with a Barnes TTSX over a Nosler Ballistic Tip?
Right now it seems that 100 grain bullet in front of H4350 or IMR4350 is the ticket for most. That being said, I think anyone including myself looking to shoot a 100 grain 25-06 round should start there and branch off. These decisions are a pain in the butt. Guess experimenting with the Ramshot Powders will have to wait for me until I experiment with the H4350. Thanks JB!!

Just my opinion, but the barns have yet to impress me. I know that as a general rule light for caliber barns perform best but I have yet to see it. I have shot the tsx in 4 rifles and ttsx in 2 rifles. This being said I have went back to the nbt or hornady sst in all my rifle with much better results. Like I said that's just me!!

Btw accuracy was not the issue with the barns. I just could not get a deer to fall where I shot it or bleed. I don't mind one running but if there's no blood to follow then I don't like that. I did recovery all but one shot with the barns but I was always afraid of the one monster that I more not get lucky and walk up on

Maybe I can help you decide on your bullet choice.

These are my 25-06 rifles. Sendero with 26 inch barrel and a Classic with a 24 inch Pac-Nor barrel. The Sendero likes 100 grain Sierra Game Kings and the Classic likes 100 grain Nosler ballistic tips and IMR-4831.



100 grain Sierra Game King. IMR-4831


340 yards. 100 grain Ballistic tip.


100 grain Ballistic tips.

100 grain Ballistic tips.

100 grain Sierra Game King.

100 grain Ballistic tips.
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/Sells/Antelope%20hunt/DSC02306-1.jpg[/img]
100 grain Ballistic tips.
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/Sells/Thanksgivinghunt08001.jpg[/img]
100 grain Sierra Game King.
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/Sells/best%20hunting%20pics/000_0330.jpg[/img]
100 grain Sierra Game King.
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/Sells/Sells%20hunting%20lease/DSCF0156.jpg[/img]

Still unsure?





Any questions?

Killed several deer, black bear, and sheep with a 100gr bullet via .25-06, and many of those were TSX/TTSX bullets. They all worked great. The farthest that typically ran was 50 yards, including several broadside shots through the ribs, but most went down where they stood, or within 15 yards or so. The 100gr MK worked well on a few critters, including a yote at 942 yards, and a BH sheep at 400. I've seen the 100gr BT and SGK work, too, but I've not been as impressed by the small samples of those bullets that I've seen run through game at close range, as I have with the TTSX. IMO, this is a perfect case for the TTSX bullet. Running out of the muzzle at 3300+fps is stressful on any bullet on close impacts, and the Barnes has worked wonderfully in this regard.

My perfect load arrangement for the .25-06 included a 100gr TTSX at ~3350fps for close-medium range stuff, and a 115gr Berger VLD for shots over 400 yards. It is noticeably better in the wind than the 100gr bullets, but not everybody shoots game when there's a breeze

I've had little trouble getting darn near any bullet to shoot very accurately out of a T3 .25-06

I used 52.5 H-4350 with 100gr. Partitions and it kills deer real dead, and shoots quite well, too. I practice with Sierra 100gr. ProHunters, for about half the price of the Nosler bullets. POI is the same with both bullets in my rifle, and even if I foul up and use the Sierras deer hunting, I'll still kill the deer real dead.

Dober's oft mentioned IMR7828/hornady 100 load is a peach...

i started low and worked up to a max load, and groups really tightened towards the top...
it's what i'm gonna use this year...

NMSSHOOTER and I shot our 25-06's yesterday. His is a Sendero, mine a Ruger target model. We shot the same loads and I think both are acceptable.

Proud to see you got them posted. We loaded some more accubonds and some 115 gr barns. With 53 gr 4350 the Ruger didn't like the accubond but the sendero tightened up. The barns shoot about .7 out of both guns. I've been impressed with both guns ability to shoot different loads at well less than 1"
The only bad part is I havent been able to outshoot the Ruger yet.

prarrie dog shooter that is some tite groups. maybe i can get mine to do that some day. what have you not killed with the 25-06??

Last two 25-06s I've had shot John's 4350/100BT load very well. Current one will get close to .5 for 3 shots, if I am consistent!

Well, I was glad to be carrying the 7mm Rem Mag loaded with 160 grain Nosler Partitions on this day.

nice camo

Well, I was glad to be carrying the 7mm Rem Mag loaded with 160 grain Nosler Partitions on this day.
[/quote]

Is that a sendero in 7mm?
I have one in 7mm too that will outshoot the 25-06

That is the first rifle I put together. It was a 700 BDL in 300 Win Mag. I had Pac-Nor install a 24 inch stainless barrel chambered for 7mm Rem Mag. I put it into a McMillan Remington Hunter stock, bedded it with Brownell's steel bed,polished and adjusted the trigger, and topped it with a Leupold VX-III 6.5 X 20.

It shoots as well as the 25-06 rifles.



160 grain Partitions.

WHAT VEOLOCITY YOU GET OUT OF THE 120 VMAX IN THE 7RM.
I HAVE NOT SHOT ANY THAT LIGHT IN MINE.

54gr IMR 4350-winchester brass -cci lrp -100gr nbt seated 20K off lands =dead coyote shot quarting away @ 75yds he was shot on the other shoulder..
I saved this picture because i've never seen a two hole wound like this .
Don't believe the 100gr NBT is a varmint bullet it has great penetration and killing power -deer/pronghorns rarely ever take more than a couple of stumbling steps .



------------------------------------------------------------

Had this 25-06 since 1979 and have killed more deer -coyotes -well i won't bother writing all the stuff i've taken w/this rifle.
Rem 700 bdl pictured it is sitting in an HS Precision thumbhole w/a 6.5x20-50 conquest now it is in a bell and carlson carbolite but may be put into a mcmillan edge and wears a 4.5x14-44 conquest now.
The 25-06 has the right amount of killing power and recoil that i like -i can shoot it many times and not get flinchy -once bullet weight reaches about 130 to 140 grains [270] i start noticing the recoil and don't shoot as well.

That's a hell of a hole(x2). I've never seen to exit holes like that. What kinda velocity do you get out of 54 gr. I shot 52 and 53 but have not chronoed them yet. I just put a zeiss 4-14 on my sendero. Mine has mildot and target turrets, ready to try it out.

nmsshooter ,

I don't have a chrono so no idea on velocity - I think that load is out of Lee manual but i might be a couple of 10th's over max.

ol mike,
from the picture looks like you got it figured out without the chrono. I still amazed at how it split like that

I've mentioned this before around the campfire, but I've longed for a 25/06 every since reading the words of Bob Milek from way back when. Finally got one in a Ruger #1 that shot lights out, but for several reason I let that one go down the road. I now have a Ruger Hawkeye in that caliber and a AZ Coues' tag to go with it. Sounds like that 100 grainer is a top choice, but personally speaking, I was so used to my .243 and 100gr bullets than when "upgrading' to the 25 cal, my mind feels better moving up in weight as well, even though the few grains probably don't make a difference.

I loaded that 115gr Berger for a "client" and it shot bug hole groups, and eventually a Coues' at a lo-o-o-ng way out. My rifle shoots 117gr Hornadys because that's what I had at the time, but I got some b-day certificates and bought a box of the 110gr Accubonds. Hope to see what those will do in the followig weeks.

I have not shot anything but paper but the 110 accubond is what I'm gonna take my first deer with. From the bench they seem to do very well out of my sendero. Hopefully I can give a report of a yote soon. Gonna be off a day or two and hope to take one

Does anyone have a suggestion on the Grains of powder for the rl22 load. I couldnt find anything in the book

I shot mine Sunday with the 100gr NBT. IMR 4350 51gr, 51.5 and 52 charges. Mine liked the 51.5gr load (4/10") and 3180fps avg.

I'll load up some more and hit it again later this week to make sure it wasn't a fluke.

Gun is a Sako AV 25-06 that I bought off here a month ago, no in box. I put a Leupold Vari x III 2.5-8 on it for now but have a 3.5-10 en-route.

53gr of IMR4350 for ~3300fps has always shot bugholes for me, with various 100gr bullets.

Lot of better bullets than the .257. Hard to beat the old 1/4 bore. Have three and they are always my go to guns. 115 berger h4831 does good things.

Pulling up this old thread from the past.

How have you Guys been doing with your 25/06 rifles... or have you put them aside like a lot of rifleman have for the newest thing????????

My 25/06 is my newest thing but it never made it out this year, I hunted less than two hours total to fill my blacktail deer and bear tag. Success is bittersweet.

Good read for me as I'm about to start working on a load with my son for his Remington. We currently use a 120gr Sierra HPBT with IMR-4350, but it is just ok in his rifle, so he wants to chase something more accurate and faster. I've got a couple of boxes of 100gr Swift Scirocco and some IMR 4350, 7828 and Rl22 to play with.

I like the 110 Accubonds and the 100 TTSX

Both shoot great groups!

Glad to see this thread back up. I've been working with a new-to-me Barrett .25-06 but haven't settled on what load I'll use in it next season. This is my third .25-06. Knowing what I know now, I could have saved a lot of experimenting with dozens of rifles and cartridges if I had gotten a Remington 700 first in .25-06 and used exclusively on deer for the past 45 years or so. As it is, I've probably taken 75 critters with the cartridge. Whitetail, mule deer, pronghorn and coyote. Most with a 100 grain Hornady Interlock. Sadly, this bullet is now discontinued (what were they thinking?!).

RS

Love my 25-06. My favorite load is a 110AB with IMR 4831. If I do my part, tracking is never an issue.

My Dad has killed a Whitetail. Every year for at least the last 10 with the 100gr BT 25/06. Also 4 pigs. One being a 160 pound sow. All one shot kills with little or no tracking.

It’s the prefect size for deer and pigs in my opinion

Bought my first 25-06 in 1978 (M700), Had two others since. My favorite for medium long range pokes, is the one on an FN M98 action, 24" SS Douglass, 3/4" at the muzzle Always favored 100gr bullets, nothing but the BT since they came out. First load developed was and still is, 54grs of IMR 4831. Pretty much my favorite white tail load and easy on an old man's shoulder.

The Douglass barreled rifle has taken deer out to about 500 yards and plenty a bit closer. Farthest one killed with the M700, was a tad over 200 yards. All but one of those dozen plus deer, were one shot kills.

I shot the 120 grand slams for a long time.

We still shoot a 25-284 Model 700, which is basically a short action 25-06, plus or minus. RL17 has been the powder for speed, making 3,330fps with 100gr E-Tips. They aren't the most carnage-inducing bullets, being a mono-bullet, but they shoot well and penetrate deeply. The little rifle is a 23" #2.5 contour in a McMillan Mountain Rifle stock and it is still the best feeling sporter I've ever owned.

i don`t use a 25-06 myself but its a great cartridge,but i do reload and shoot a 257 Weatherby Mag. and a 257 Roberts in a few different brand rifles .i have been using 100 grain Nosler B.T. and Partitions over many years and yes they shoot well. but i have noticed my groups at 100 and 200 yards are better with 115 gr. Nosler B.T.out of some of my rifles,most of the time including my new toy a 257 Creedmoor.i have even purchased a bunch of 131 gr, Black Jack bullets and these bullets at 100-200 yards don`t shoot as small as groups as the Nosler B.T.`s do yet out of a custom target bench rifle.Nosler B.T. bullets sure do shoot well for reloaders, maybe before you settle on 100 gr.B.T. bullets try a box of 115 gr. B.T. bullets. good luck and Merry Christmas,Pete53

100gr NBT
53gr of IMR 4350

This load has worked in multiple 25/06 rifles. Same load as MD suggested. RL22 works well too but I personally don’t like the powder.

I have two 25-06 rifles. One loves 100 gr. Sierra GameKings, the other 100 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips.

Sorry about butting in to the thread, I don't have a 25/06 but have a 25/303 Epps Newton same sase capacity also have a friend of mine who has a 2506.
We both used to use hogdon 4831 with excellent results with 100 and 117grain projectiles.
I decided to try hogdon superformance, that turned out to be the best decision I ever made.
On consulting a burn rate chart it is slower than 4831 so I started 2 grains lower and worked up to the same as my normal load of 4831.
No pressure problem, easy bolt lift, rounded primers.
Velocity with 100grains ttsx went from 3,440 with 4381 up to 3,660 with superformance. Both of these are chronoed velocity
117sst velocity went up from 3,270 to 3,370 fps.
Both these projectiles group to the same point of impact at 200 yards, 2 inches high. 9 inch group.
Sighted 2inches high @100 still 2inches high @ 200 and less than 2inches low @300. Now that's flat shooting folk, hold on hair out to 400yards and things fall down real quick. Deadly on deer and pigs to any sane range.

Thanks guys just my 2 cents worth though you might like this. Try some new powders it will amaze you.

Is that a typo, 9" group @ 200?

Looks like it no not 9 inches but 0.90 inch @ 200 out of my 25 with the 117sst at 3,370 fps fraction smaller with ttsx and 115 nosler combined technology ballistic tip. Last deer I shot with the sat at 250yards in the neck. Easy to remove the head no spine left. Only problem the meat was bruised down to the shoulder. Me thinks a bit to much oomph but dead is dead. Shot on in the shoulder with a 100gn Speer stuffed both shoulders. When I skun it the offside leg and shoulder came off with the hide.
My 35 Whelan might do less damage. Ha ha

Hey, not to steal the thread, but there is a lovely 25-06 Winchester Classic Model 70 with wood stock and BOSS for sale in Reno, NV. It's on Armslist and the owner is willing to negotiate for a VERY nice price (around $500).

I'm also willing to check it out and take pics for any Campfire member not in this area.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Not very many of those around that's for sure.

The 25-06 and I continue to get along just fine.

115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip over Retumbo, one shot at 355 yards:


I've had the rifle quite a while now and it's done real well on pronghorn, mule deer and the occasional coyote. Used Mule Deer's load with H4350 & 100 gr Barnes TSX for a few deer. Tried the 115 Berger VLD for three mule deer, it worked well. Switched to the 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip and have stayed with that bullet. Nice combination of accuracy, expansion & penetration. The 25-06 is just a peach of a cartridge! So easy to load, easy on the shooter too.



Regards, Guy

WOW.... that should be on a Calendar.

Cascade classic photo and local for a 25-06.

Why did you switch from Berger to the BT was it due to performance? I have both but was thinking of just going with the BT as the BC difference is not that great and I like the slightly tougher BT.

The short fingers of a working man! Machinist?

Nice photo Cascade.. I used quite a few 115 BTBT's in my 25-06.. I have killed quite a lot of mule deer, whitetails, antelope and of course coyotes.. Now coyotes are my main focus for that rifle... Killed a very nice mule deer buck 13 years ago.. Don't have a photo that I can print on the fire.. Not as nice as yours, but one of my best...

The biggest Mule deer I ever saw shot was in Wyoming near la barge with a Mauser in 25-06. The guy that shot it hung it up between two buildings by the horns from roof to roof! He use the Remington 120 gr. corelokt though.

The wife's Tikka 25-06 loves 115 Nos BTs with RL-22. Extremely accurate .75 when we do our part at the range Plus the deer don't run far at all. Her last two shots accounted for a buck (ran less than 40 yds ) & a big doe that went maybe 20 yds.

There's nothing like a Tikka in any caliber... especially in the 25/06.

And if you could read the lines on those fingers... I'm sure there would be a lot of Tough Man Western Stories.

Glad you guys liked the photo. I laugh a bit at it, 'cause there were two nearly identical bucks hanging out together - one was however clearly larger & older. I got 'em confused in my head and shot the smaller one. Sigh...


Re the Berger vs the Nosler Ballistic Tip... I liked the Berger, took three mule deer with it. Confirmed that it did exactly what John/Mule Deer said it do. But... I guess I'm just a Nosler guy, been using them since the 1970's, and I went back to my old favorites after messing around with the Bergers, and the Barnes too for that matter.

Regards, Guy

and.... Nosler has one of the BEST load data charts.

I still have the Nosler #1 manual, March 1976. The only .257 bullets they offered back then, were a 100, 115 and 117 grain spitzer Partition. Later they introduced a few more, including the solid base spitzers that a lot of guys liked. That was supplanted by the BTs. Know guys that still lament the demise of the solid base selection and hate BTs.

A friend shot his first buck back in the 1970s with a M700BDL in 25-06 and the 115gr Partition. Knocked the buck down, but it didn't stay there. Got up, ran farther down the mountain side and another hunter killed it. Looked things over and the Partition never opened up, went straight through. No bone or vitals hit. Last Partition he ever loaded.

Great bullet for the most part, but not always. Most of the deer we've killed with that cartridge and a 100gr BT, dropped where they'd stood or walked.

Tagged

It's hard to imagine that a deer hit well with a 25-06 and the 115gr Partition could get up and run away... but I guess anything is possible.... but it also sounds like the BT bullets perform well most of the time.

Anyone ever use the Hornady Superformance 90gr GMX load in your 25-06. Wondering if the extra velocity of the 90gr would be any better than the 100gr TTSX or Nos E-tip on deer sized critters. Trying to decide between a do all load with the 100 gr TTSX or E-Tip or 100 gr NBT, and saw the 90 gr GMX Superformance load. I already know the bc sucks, but this is not for long range work, I have other stuff for that.

Thx

Wow, I haven’t thought bout this post in along time. I have been hunting with the 25-06ai for several years now. I use the 110 accubombs over rl22 now at 3360fps. I still use the 100gn nbt in a few 25wssm which is a twin to the 25/06. I really don’t have a preference on either Bullet other than I found a deal on the 110 ab and have several hundred to play with now.
I really believe in the 1/4 bores as one of the best calibers out there for deer sized game. I have shot deer with almost every caliber from 22-45 and none kill quicker or more drt than the 1/4 bore. Of course that’s my opinion.

The 100gn Ballistic Tip is a wonderful bullet for the .25/06. If limiting that rifle to deer sized game, you could stop right there. I have stepped up to the 100gn Barnes TTSX as that will suffice for anything hunted with my own .25/06.