.25-06 hand loads

[Tronneroi]

Hey Folks,

I've been using the same 120gr, 100gr, and 90gr loads for my .25-06 that were passed down to me when I first got the gun. I use the Lee, Hornady, Lyman, and Nosler books as well as loaddata.com but I'd like to know what other guys are having success with too.

Thanks,

[Dick284]

My 25’06 has a gain twist barrel, and I’ve run nothing but moly coated bullets through it, so I won’t give you any charge weights.

All loads are loads into re formed 30’06 Winchester brass(turned necks), and CCI 250 primers throughout.

I’ve had stellar results with Varget and 75 gr Vmax’s.

IMR 4831 gets the nod with 85gr Nosler Ballistic Tips.

Reloader 22 is my go to with either 100gr Nosler Partition’s or Barnes TSX’s.

[merasmus]

I hae been using 115 gr Nosler Partitions with IMR 4831 powder for years with great success on Elk and deer. Partitions have been my go to bullet for my 25-06, 30-06 and 7 mm Rem mag because they reallly work. This year I decided to try some different bullets. I'v loaded some 117 gr Hornady SST which shoot really well but haven't used on game as my tags were already filled. Also decided to try the new 110 ELDX and some 110 Accubond. My rifle shoots the Accubond better than the ELDX. I also tried RL22 powder, but still have better results with the IMR 4831
25-06 is a great, underrated caliber.

[saddleup]

I have been reloading my 25-06 for twenty plus years. Always nosler balistic tip, boat tails, 120 grn with imr 4831 . Have taken moose elk deer and antelope with this load. Never had any problems at all and have never lost an animal. Again... a very under rated cartridge.

[CNP]

100 gr Speer BTSP 57.7 gr RL22
117 gr Sierra BT 50.5 gr RL22
120 gr Speer Deep Curl 52.0 gr RL22
CCI 200

[Beeman3]

25-06AI with a 115 Berger and H1000 at 3350 FPS. It’s a real deer killer. I started out using R22 but couldn’t get the speed I wanted and it’s very temperature sensitive. H1000 has been great. Not sure how it would work in a standard 25-06. Some guys also like 7828, but I also found it temp sensitive and pressure spiked unpredictable. It did give good speed though.

[GrandSlam]

115gr BT and Retumbo.

[Tronneroi]

Thanks for all the info guys. The loads the old man passed on to me were between 53 and 54 grain IMR 4831. All Winchester brass and CCI 200 primers.

90gr Sierra HPBT
100gr Nosler ballistic tip
100gr Speer SPBT
120gr Horrnady interlocks

I haven't chronographed any of these, but I plan on starting from scratch now that I'm finished with last of the old re-loads. Also plan trying out some RL22 to compare against the 4831 and will probably ditch the 120gr interlocks to go with Nosler partitions.

The old man kept the OAL's to spec so I'll be pushing those out a bit as well.

[Huntsman]

I’ve had good success with Sierra 100gr GK and IMR4350. Shoots like a laser.
Now I’m trying Barnes 100gr TSX with R22.
I have some 100gr Speer and 117gr Hornady to try to too but I plan on giving the Barnes a go for this season.

[Tronneroi]

So I tested out a couple of loads today. All cartridges were Winchester brass, CCI 200 primers, and loaded with IMR 4831 (couldn't get my hands on RL22 to test out) shot at 100 yards. These were the best performers...

90 gr Nosler HPBT @ 3.100 OAL
2930 avg velocity 0.719" group
52 gr IMR 4831

100 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip @ 3.242 OAL
3140 avg velocity 0.578" group
54 gr IMR 4831

100 gr Nosler Partition @ 3.190 OAL
3090 avg velocity 0.977" group
54 gr IMR 4831

I'll be trying out some RL22 loads next time, but I'm pretty happy with these overall.

[waldedw]

When I had my 25-06 my pet load was 51.5 gr IMR 4350 behind a 110 gr nosler accubond 3210 FPS and right around .750" at 100 yards out of a sako finnlight

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Tronneroi

So I tested out a couple of loads today. All cartridges were Winchester brass, CCI 200 primers, and loaded with IMR 4831 (couldn't get my hands on RL22 to test out) shot at 100 yards. These were the best performers...

90 gr Nosler HPBT @ 3.100 OAL
2930 avg velocity 0.719" group
52 gr IMR 4831

100 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip @ 3.242 OAL
3140 avg velocity 0.578" group
54 gr IMR 4831

100 gr Nosler Partition @ 3.190 OAL
3090 avg velocity 0.977" group
54 gr IMR 4831

I'll be trying out some RL22 loads next time, but I'm pretty happy with these overall.

You have great starting loads. Rather than mess with powders and the like, try working on your COAL first. You can often cut group size in half just by adjusting the seating depth. Your best group was with the longest COAL 3.242. I would try the other loads at that COAL and work out longer without touching the lands.

[Tronneroi]

Originally Posted by Dean2

You have great starting loads. Rather than mess with powders and the like, try working on your COAL first. You can often cut group size in half just by adjusting the seating depth. Your best group was with the longest COAL 3.242. I would try the other loads at that COAL and work out longer without touching the lands.

I pushed the Nosler partitions up to 3.242, we'll see how those fare next go-around. The 90 gr HPBT is already 15 thou back from the lands at 3.100 so I don't want to mess with the length on that one. I'm going to step up that load in .2 gr increments to see if I can tighten it up a bit.

[Double Dropper]

Originally Posted by saddleup

I have been reloading my 25-06 for twenty plus years. Always nosler balistic tip, boat tails, 120 grn with imr 4831 . Have taken moose elk deer and antelope with this load. Never had any problems at all and have never lost an animal. Again... a very under rated cartridge.

Ballistic Tips on Elk??? Tell me more!

[CNP]

Originally Posted by Tronneroi

I pushed the Nosler partitions up to 3.242, we'll see how those fare next go-around. The 90 gr HPBT is already 15 thou back from the lands at 3.100 so I don't want to mess with the length on that one. I'm going to step up that load in .2 gr increments to see if I can tighten it up a bit.

.

Should there be concern for how much grip from the case neck there is on your bullets when loading short projectiles and going for longer COAL?

These are 100 GR Speer SPBT loaded to 3.113 COAL...

Edit: I didn't get the bullets lined up accurately for the picture...…..the unseated bullet would be seated further up the case neck than the picture suggests.

[saddleup]

Originally Posted by Double Dropper

Ballistic Tips on Elk??? Tell me more!

Thats all i have ever used, 25 plus years, shot many elk , 4 moose lots of deer, never lost one. its all about bullet placement. I am a good shot I dont take risky shots, know where to shoot, and am very comfortable with my rifle. Have owned rifle since new in 1970. I have never shot anything but reloads and have never played or varied the load data. if if works, dont fix it. I believe we overthink cartridges today. But thats ok, to each his own.

[Tronneroi]

Originally Posted by CNP

.

Should there be concern for how much grip from the case neck there is on your bullets when loading short projectiles and going for longer COAL?

No, I'm not concerned. There's plenty of neck tension and the bullets are sitting concentric in the case.

[aardvaark]

I’ve got many hundreds of rounds thro a Tikka m695 25-06. Love how that thing shoots. Most accurate is the 110 accubond with H4831. Sub 1” most days. Fastest deer round is the 115 partition with IMR4831. In fact so fast that it should show serious pressure signs but I can’t find any, and I rarely shoot it cuz of that. 1” plus is the norm for this round. Shot 100gr Speer spbt with IMR43-50 very well and don’t really know why I quit cuz they were amazing on Deer. And I set my COAL at 15 thou off the lands on everything.

There’s been a lot of press that the 25-06 would benefit from the longest barrels and the slowest powders. And the reasoning behind this press makes a lot of sense to me. If I was to re-barrel I would definitely go that route as my barrel is only 22” and the way it bellows I’m sure it would do better with a longer tube.

[aardvaark]

Originally Posted by Dick284

My 25’06 has a gain twist barrel, and I’ve run nothing but moly coated bullets through it, so I won’t give you any charge weights.

All loads are loads into re formed 30’06 Winchester brass(turned necks), and CCI 250 primers throughout.

I’ve had stellar results with Varget and 75 gr Vmax’s.

IMR 4831 gets the nod with 85gr Nosler Ballistic Tips.

Reloader 22 is my go to with either 100gr Nosler Partition’s or Barnes TSX’s.

What’s the twist and length of your barrel? Any regrets/how you would do it differently if you were to do it again?

[Triggerfish]

I use the info in the nosler manual and have found after working up loads for different guns the book is often very close to perfect on what they write. I’m using 120 gr partitions

[birdslayer]

Shooting the Berger 115 grain vld out of a Sako and am getting 1/2” groups at 100 meter range . Amazing accuracy and will see how it does at the longer ranges , just the 25 caliber bullets are hard to get .

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Tronneroi

I pushed the Nosler partitions up to 3.242, we'll see how those fare next go-around. The 90 gr HPBT is already 15 thou back from the lands at 3.100 so I don't want to mess with the length on that one. I'm going to step up that load in .2 gr increments to see if I can tighten it up a bit.

So how did working on the seating depth and then bumping the powder loads work out in terms of shrinking your group sizes?

[aardvaark]

Originally Posted by birdslayer

Shooting the Berger 115 grain vld out of a Sako and am getting 1/2” groups at 100 meter range . Amazing accuracy and will see how it does at the longer ranges , just the 25 caliber bullets are hard to get .

It’s true those Berger’s are fine shooting bullets. Among the best I’ve ever shot! But I will argue with them being a hunting round. To clarify, IF they hit bone when they enter a deer then they work as advertised. But bc a deer is thin skinned and the ribs are small and the space between them is far apart, the chances of hitting one on the way in is greatly reduced. If you’re using them on deer, I recommend shoulder shots only where they will open with the muscle mass.

Happened to me twice, once on a buck, broadside double lung, he ran over half a mile before he piled up, necropsy showed 4 pin holes in his lungs, and the bullet finally opened up when it hit a rib on its way out the far side.

Another time, in a zone where there were 3for1 mulie does, I had two does lined up perfectly broadside one behind the other. The Berger travelled thro both sides of the front doe and she carried on, never found her, didn’t even leave a blood trail and this was on snow. The bullet hit a rib on the far doe, caused massive destruction including cutting the large arteries above the heart and a piece of it thru the heart. She dropped where she stood.

So now I use Accubond and they work every time

[badbrass]

Great post as I have to find a load for these two! Both 25-06! One has to go!!!! Browning has a 26 in barrel, and the 700 has a 24in barrel.

[Deer Hunter]

That's going to be a hard choice badbrass!
I like a strong dose of 4350 (51+) and a 100 gr tsx seated to the bottom of the last cannelure.

[badbrass]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

That's going to be a hard choice badbrass!
I like a strong dose of 4350 (51+) and a 100 gr tsx seated to the bottom of the last cannelure.

Ya I know! Hard is right!

[badbrass]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

That's going to be a hard choice badbrass!
I like a strong dose of 4350 (51+) and a 100 gr tsx seated to the bottom of the last cannelure.

If the wind stays down? The next couple days! I might get out and try the Browning out and see what she does!

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by badbrass

If the wind stays down? The next couple days! I might get out and try the Browning out and see what she does!

To paraphrase a scene from a favorite movie of mine
" leave the Remington , take the Browning"
Cat

[catnthehat]

double tap!
Cat

[Deer Hunter]

Originally Posted by badbrass

If the wind stays down? The next couple days! I might get out and try the Browning out and see what she does!

I have never run a 25-06 through a 26" barrel. Should be good for a bunch more velocity. Those Brownings are supposed to be accurate too. Good luck!

Don't count that Remington out either. It looks like a mountain ss version but those had 22" barrels.