I'm a newbie to the 25-06 and game.

I spent all summer killing paper & steel with 100 gr. SMK's. I'm looking for input on which 100 gr. game bullet will most reliably not blow up on close range shots on whitetail, yet reliably expand out to 500 or 600 yards if need be. I've been soured on Accu-Bonds by a bad experience with a 7-STW. So those are not an option. Ideally, I'd like to stay economical. But don't know how cup & core bullets will hold up on a 25 yard shot. Would be happy to hear all inputs.

Wrong damned room.

I re-posted correctly if a mod would like to reomove this post.

You are asking quite a lot from a bullet. I always had good success with 100 gn Nosler Ballistic Tips.

The 100gr Hornady SP, 100gr Nosler Part. or the Barnes TTSX all shoot well and hold together even at 257 Wby velocities. Practice with the Hornady and use either of the others on game if you don't trust the Hor. though Wby does in it's factory loads.

110 accubond or 100 gr BT's

You'll find the 90 grain Sierra HP to cause the demise of whitetails quite adequately.

of all the above, I'd second the Barnes TTSXs or the 100 grain partition and the 110 Accubond..if you rocket the 25/06 to its potential 3300 fps..

I use a 260 with 100 grain bullets.. with an MV of 3350 fps...

as much as I love them... ballistic tips up close will cause a boat load of blood shot meat.. I speak of experience on multiple deer, even out to 300 yds...

I have to recommend that you use the 100 grain Nosler Partition. It expands well, but holds together to usually penetrate completely.

I have shot a mess of wild hogs with a 25-06 and the 100 grain Partition, never a complaint of any kind. They just work!

I have shot hogs, deer, antelope, coyotes, etc. with the 100 grain Partition and it has to be my favorite 25 caliber bullet. Load it with H 4350 or IMR 4831 and I bet you find a load that works for you.

quote:

Originally posted by GUNNR:
The 100gr Hornady SP, 100gr Nosler Part. or the Barnes TTSX all shoot well and hold together even at 257 Wby velocities. Practice with the Hornady and use either of the others on game if you don't trust the Hor. though Wby does in it's factory loads.

+1 for the 100gr Hornady SP. I've used the 100gr HSP's in 257WBY and the 180gr HSP's in 300WBY and 30-06 for deer with great effect. I believe most of the complaints about that bullet are when the caliber is larger than 30 cal and when used on larger than deer sized game. I like them for deer.

100 grain Nosler Partition.
It is accurate, and a proven killer.
That's all I use for a hunting bullet, for Deer.

hornady 100 grainer is about perfect in the 25-06

Barnes TSX 100 grainers. I have shot deer at 25 yards with 130s out of a 300 WM (>3500 FPS) and they hold together. In a 25-06 They'll work fine at 400 too.

If you load your 25-06 to it's potential, I think you will find that you need a strong bullet for close shots. Although I am a Nosler believer, I DO NOT shoot BTs. Too frangible for anything but varmints in the 25. I want accuracy, penetration and love lead. Buy the tried and true Partition. I have one on my dresser that I recovered from a WT doe only b/c I shot her facing me head on. That little partition was under the hide in her ham!

Try any 100 gr partition with aroundish 52 of H4350 and everything seems to DRT!

If your set against the NAB, you probably will only be satisfied with a mono. The TTSX would be a good option.

Good Luck

Reloader

Barnes 100gn TTSX seated 50 thous off lands (to start) RL-22 powder, CCI-250 primer makes a nice little bone punch...Jerry

In the rifle I gave my daughter, I had worked up loads for the 100gr Nosler BT and PT, as well as the Barnes X. When shot in rotation one after the other they would all stay within a 1.5" group at 200yds. Separate them into groups of like bullets and they wold all hold under 1". I used IMR-4931 for all of these loads, basically just substituted the bullets with everything else being the same.

I shot a few deer and a couple of hogs with each and eventually went with the 115gr PT as I could get almost as much velocity but had better BC and more energy at longer ranges. For this load I found RL-22 to be the top performer lit off with Win-WLR primers.

Cases didn't seem to matter with this rifle only seating depth and powder. I found that by leaving the seating die set with an AOL of 3.250" on the 100gr BT load, then seating everything else with out messing with the depth produced awesome results.

That particular rifle was the absolute most accurate rifle I have ever had the please to have owned.

I have had good results with Sierra Game Kings in my 25-06 and 257 Roberts that I load for. I have recovered only one bullet in a 200 pound hog, it didn't comment on the effectiveness of the bullet.