I just purchased my first .25 cal. rifle, a 250 ackley improved. Now i have a question, i am looking for an answer from experienced hunters with the .25 cal. Sectional density for the 100 gr. is approximatly .216-.217, for a 110 gr. it is aprox .238, and a 120 around .258-.260, i cant find anything on the 1117 gr. so i will guess it around .249 or .250. I do like speed and should be able to get around 3100 fps with a 100 gr, 2700-2800 fps from a 117gr, and around 2700 fps with a 120 gr.

Am i better off with a heavy bullet with a higher sectional density, or will a 100 gr. with higher velosity work just fine. What do you .25 cal. white tail deer hunters use and how do they work. In comparison on paperwork this cartridge is slightly over a 257 roberts, just under a 257 ack. imp. and just under a 25-06

thanks in advance

Rino

I've found 100 gr. bullets to work fine for deer. I've used the 100 gr. in both a .25-06 and .257 WBY. I load either Barnes TSX or swift a-frames. Partitions also work good, but didn't group as well in either of my guns.

Don't use the ballistic tips. They were way too explosive and ruined a lot of meat.

I've used the 100 grain Partition in my .25/06 with excellent results, in performance AND accuracy, it doesn't like Ballistic Tips much, go figure. My cousin, using factory Remington 100 gr. Core-Lokts, has killed truckloads of deer with them, too. Deer really aren't all that tough, 100 grainers are plenty, most of the time(even on those corn-fed Missouri deer).

My .257 Wby likes the 115 grain and 120 grain Nosler Partition and will puch them at 3450 to 3500 fps with pinpoint accuracy. For paper it likes the 110 grain Berger and 115 grain Nosler Ballistic tip. Good shooting.

All i shoot in my 25-06 is 100grn Barnes TSX and 101gr Groove bullets. Both are very accurate and I can run them at 3450. haven't killed anything with the barnes, but knocked a nice 10pt buck @355yds and numerous texas hogs with the groove. On the hogs, all were shoulder shots with an exit on everyone of them. Plenty of penetration for the little rifle and a 100grn bullet

Steve

Depending on your speed and shot preferance, several bullets will work well. My contender has a ssk 250 savage barrel, and at 2650fps and the 85gr nosler BT, it will do a great job on lung/heart shots. I would not shoot this load at anything but a broadside shot. The 85gr barns X now droped by barns, was a great bullet for the 250. In my 250 improved, I like the nosler 100gr partition. This is a great bullet. In my 257 robberts, I shoot the 115gr nosler BT, and in the 25-06 I also shoot the 115 nosler BT. I hunt my own land, and I have never shot at a deer that was moveing, not a single time. I will wait for the shot that I want. I also have hunted deer with sseveral larger than 25cal, and still hunt this way. If I was hunting where I had to take come what may shots, then I would shoot the 100gr barns X and never look back. That is if yoiu can get it to shoot. If not, then the nosler partition, or A-frame would get the nod. I like to shoot a lot, so my shooting does not include a lot of expensive bullets.

I would let the gun tell you what size bullet it likes, and then go from there. My last two Elk fell to a 257 wby using 120 GrandSlams. Both dropped in their tracks. I bought the gun to shoot varmints at 4000 FPS, but the gun liked the bigger bullets better.
Good Shooting

Well, I am probably not going to help you much here, but here goes.

In the 25 caliber rifles as long as you stay with a 100 grain or heavier bullet that is well constructed, I do not think you will tell much difference.

I own a 25-06 and for a long time I preferred the heavier bullets. I shot a lot of game with 115 grain Nosler Partitions, 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips, 117 grain Sierra's, 120 grain Sierra's, you get the picture. I could not have been happier. I thought of it as a slightly undersized 270 Winchester, I was shooting only slightly lighter bullets than the guys using 130's in the 270's.

Then my dad started shooting the 100 grain Nosler Partition in both, his 25-06 and his .257 Weatherby. Man, everything he shot went down in a heap. Deer, antelope, coyotes, wild hogs, you name it.

I finally had to give up and try some and I am afraid I am hooked. In my 25-06 I can shoot the 100 grain Nosler about 3400 fps so the trajectory is pretty damned flat. I have shot several antelope, lots of coyotes and more wild hogs than you will believe. It puts them on the ground right now!

I shot a wild hog last month at about 100 yards as it came to water right at dusk. It dropped like it had been hit by lightning.

I killed a coyote a couple months back that we had lasered at 522 yards. This thing shoots flat as heck!

We are going to New Mexico for an antelope hunt pretty quick now and I never even hesitated. I am taking my 25-06 loaded with 100 grain Nosler Partitions. Heck, they worked on the last one I shot in Wyoming.

Anyway, there are LOTS of good 25 caliber bullets. Even though I shoot the 100 grain Nosler Partition most of the time now, I think the 117 grain Sierra is a much overlooked bullet. And for whatever reason, I have better luck in dropping wild hogs in their tracks with the 115 Ballistic Tip than I do with the Partition.

go to www.groovebullets.com Get the 101 groovie!

Hey guy, that for all the input, still cant decide between the 100's and the 117's, i may have to try them both. Whelen 35, i also shoot alot so i dont buy the the prem. bullets either, but i do buy Noz. BT.


thanks for the responces

Rino