I've been loading for a friend's M77 25-06 for 25 years. The first load I settled on was A3100 and 100 gr. Nosler Ballistic tips. It's taken an embarrassing number of deer, virtually all with pass-through shots. My friend is very patient, nearly always waits for a broadside.

Now we need a multi-purpose round, one that will have a decent chance on elk. I posted recently about bullet selection and received several helpful comments. I'm going to try the Barnes TSX, at least a little. Barnes warns that these need a 9 twist, and Ruger says the M77 is 10. I haven't measured it.

As to powder, I've perused 8 manuals. IMR is the fastest listed, VV N170 the slowest. I'm inclined to start with IMR4831 because it is right in the middle of the burn rate chart for the preferred powders. Plus, I've got a lot of it. Any comments.

Note: One manual reports that A3100 gives pressures at 60,000 and above, while all of the other powders give about 50,000. I was getting 3430 fps with A3100 and 100 grain bullets, and that was with less than a max load. At max, the primers were falling out. Actually only one fell out and I backed off immediately. (Lest you think me an idiot.)

Comments appreciated.
Brice

PS. I've been handloading since 1959. My first equipment was a Pak-Tool, manufactured and sold by Bill English, a fine Seattle gunsmith who had a shop in the Frederick and Nelson (Marshall Fields) department store. It was appropriately located behind the toy section on the sixth floor. Macy's now occupies the building. No, they don't have a gun shop.

I used to drop in at the Eddie Bauer store in Seattle on Saturdays. In those days they outfitted Everest expeditions and had fine English doubles on the shelves. That company went toilettesville, too.

Out of one of my two Remington 700's, I've had great luck w/ the IMR4831 @ 120's. I took two elk with this load. I'm planning on trying the TTSX's in the morning with a load of varget. I'll let you know how it works out.

The load I used on the 120's (speer BTSP) was 52 gr. Never chrony'd it so I have no idea how fast it was going. It has consistently dropped deer out to 400 and the two elk out to 100.

I have only loaded for one .25-06, and the heaviest Barnes was 115gr XLC's. They shot well using H4831 & H4831sc and worked like nobody's business on deer. I started with them thinking they'd be great for the very thing you have in mind. Since then I've not shot at an elk with that rifle.
Prior to I used Hornady 120gr HP's, and since 115gr & 120gr Nosler Partitions. I am now using RL22 with this rifle and am quite pleased.
Don't be afraid of the Hornady 120gr HP, it's a dang good bullet.

Brice, since you have had such good luck with the 100 grain Ballistic Tips, I would be tempted to try the 115 grain version.

I have shot a number of coyotes, deer, antelope, and wild hogs with the 115 grain Ballistic Tip with good success. Maybe for elk the 115 grain Partition would be a better choice, but if your buddy takes broadside shots, I doubt you could tell the difference.

As to powders, if I were stuck with one powder for the 25-06 it would be IMR 4831 for sure. However, I have had best luck with heavy bullets using IMR 7828.

For bullets from 75 to 100 grains I load IMR 4831 and use a Fed 210 primer. For bullets heavier than 100 grains I use IMR 7828 and a Fed 215M primer.

If you are looking for optimum velocities within sustainable pressure limits, then powders slower than IMR 4831 are advisable with 115-120 grain bullets in the .25-06. I use IMR-7828 with 115 Noslers. Other possibilities would be RL-22 and RL-25, as well as Hodgdon Retumbo.

If you are hunting in certain areas of California then unfortunately you have little choice other than to use monometal bullets. Otherwise, you are able to rely on the effectiveness of lead core bullets and the efficaciousness provided by their denser material.

Thanks to all for the well-informed and helpful comments. If the 115 TSX's won't stabilize, I'll likely go to the Partitions. (Got a lot of those on hand.)

A few years ago I took my younger son to Africa. I wanted him to use my RSI 7 x 57, but it had a bit more recoil than he was comfy with. I gave him my M700 243 loaded with Partitions. He had all one-shot kills. I was impressed.

I will provide a report after testing, probably 2-3 weeks.
Brice

I use 49.0gr of IMR 4350 with 120 Partations & get around 3,000 fps with a 24" barrel.I have been as high as 51.0 gr of IMR4350 but get better accuracy @ 49.0gr. I am about to start load development with another 25'06 I bought last year. I plan to start with 110 Acubonds with. IMR4350 & IMR 4831.

i use 51 grs. IMR 4831 with 117s & 120s great groups

Thanks for the added advice, guys. Comments in the various manuals seem to favor 4350 and 4831. I'm not sure if there would be much difference between the H and IMR variety of each. Any experience out there? My guess is that the differences would be slight, and it would be very difficult to generalize from one rifle to another.

I'm probably partial to IMR because the very first load I did was perhaps the most popular of all time: 30-06, 56.0/IMR 4350, 180 gr. bullet (Hornaday), CCI primer.
Brice

Tried two different 115 gr TTSX loads today, one was with Varget the other with IMR 4350. Both loaded by a friend for me to try out. The Varget load didn't do so hot, 1.6" @ 100 yards. I pulled the bullets on rest of that selection. The IMR 4350 load was the better of the two. One 3-shot group from a cold barrel went .85" and one of .95". I figure to play with the COAL a bit and see if I can't dial that in a little better.
I also tried out some 100 gr Ballistic tip w/ 49gr of Ramshot Magnum. Best group on this was .45"! 'Worst' group was .65" - both 3 shot groups from cold barrel.
Looks like I'll be looking for some Ramshot!

Very nice results, Bbear. I would like to know the twist rate. Please tell me the rifle model. I can look it up. Barnes says, right on the box, that a 9 twist is needed/recommended for the 115 TSX. However, virtually all US made 25-06's are 10 twist.
Brice

My best results with 120 grain bullets in the 25-06 were with RL-22. I got about 100 fps increase over H-4831 and the same accuracy.

Both are Rem. 700 actions and barrels

Heavier bullets in mine perform best on IMR-7828.