My dies are on the way and I'm ready to load. This is my mule deer tool and they are big up here. I am planning to load noslers, barnes X, and tpophy bonded.

If anyone has some good recipes for those let me know.

This might become a longer thread, I know there are many .25-06 fans running amok on this board! My hunting partner and I-- both fanatical 25-06 fans of many years-- have settled on loads using the 100gr NBT. My partner's gun likes 54gr of IMR 4831 and a CCI Magnum primer. I've found in the several 25-06 rifles (Rem, Ruger 77, #!, MK II) Using the 100NBT shot best behind IMR 4831 and RL-22. The most accurate load of all used 64gr of H-870, though I'm not sure it chronyed the best. Also I tend to load with magnum primers, they seem to ignite these slower powders just a bit more consistently for me.

As for the big mule deer, that's what we hunt with these guns with these loads. Over the years we've shot some real hogs! (a few 300+ lb mulies) And it works just fine. We also tend to shoot alot of P. Dogs with this load too. I've never shot a deer with them, but no doubt the 100gr Partition would do equally well.

[ 12-27-2002, 18:36: Message edited by: waldog ]

Yeah, you will probably get plenty of responses on this topic.

I have a couple of favorite loads for my 25-06 and quite frankly can't decide which is best. They both have worked quite well on mule deer, antelope, wild hogs, and coyotes.

When shooting the 100 grain Nosler Partition, I load them over 54 grains of IMR 4831 and use a Federal 210 primer. This load gives about 3400 fps in my rifle and is deadly on game.

When shooting the 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip I use 54.5 grains of IMR 7828 and the Federal 215M primer. This load gives about 3150 fps in my rifle. For whatever reason, it seems to give more dramatic "drop them on the spot" kills on game than the 115 grain Partitions.

I am quite fortunate in that my rifle shoots them to virtually the same point of impact. I freely switch back and forth. (The rifle is a custom built Rem 700 with a Lilja barrel and a Bell and Carlson stock.)

Good Luck

This was my first season hunting with my 25/06 and I shot two mulies with her. One was small but the other was 300lbs. I used two different factory loads, Fed prem. with 117gr sierra game kings and win 115gr silver tips. I shot the big one with the game kings at 175 yards and he dropped on the spot. That was great but there was no exit wound. When I recovered the bullet it was torn up pretty good and when I cleaned it off for a better look the remaing lead fell out. This is not what I want in a bullet.
I seen bigger deer this year than my 300 pounder so I want to be better loaded for penatration. It seems that alot of people on this forum like 100gr. loads for the 25/06 on deer but I'm willing to lose a little velocity for more stopping power. 115 and 120's are where I'm focusing on.
Also, your allowed to shoot imature bull moose (2 points or less) in the area I live in. You may go years before you get a chance at one and I would only attempt a head shot with my 25.

boilerroom,

With the 100gr ballistic tip, sometimes I get full penetration, sometimes not. Rarely is there a dramatic exit wound however, and more often than not it's usually an exit hole the size of the bullet. The few NBT's we have recovered, were classic mushrooms with the jacket firmly bonded to the core. Last animal I shot with this load was a ~275lb whitetail of unusual size at 80yds. It was a hard quartering away shot and the bullet entered at the second to last rib. The animal spun and dropped before I could chamber another round! Anyway, this was one of those bullets I wish I had taken the time to find as there was no exit wound. Even so, there was deep, violent damage. I was taken aback by this experience. Inspite of my overwhelming confidence in this cartridge, I knew I might be pushing the envelope of what could be expected from this bullet, at close range, high velocity, and shot angle. Again, I don't see why a 100gr Partition wouldn't do the same thing. I've often been tempted to dabble with the 115gr NBT like RFlowers. I think that could be a winner also.

FWIW

I can't argue with that waldog. Sounds like the 100gr ballistic tip works better than the 117 gameking on big deer. I use to load them for my 7mag and they were leathal. Same with the hornady interlocs.
I think barnes x might be overkill also.

No Mule deer here in West Tn but 49 gr, 4350 gives 3100 with a 115 BT hugh entrance hole and and small exit with lots of damge in between --they have given good pentatration

I shot Hornadys 100gr BT and 117 BT for Mule deer,Elk and Antelope when I lived in Montana.They performed great,the 1 100 gr and the 1 117 gr I recovered were perfect little mushrooms that stopped at the cannalur.Most of the time the went through and left a quarter size exit hole.The wound channels were impressive inside the chest cavity.

Any of you ever shoot your deer at close range (say, 25 to 50 yards) with these loads? How did the bullets hold up? Any of them hit bone?

I use the 25-06 in 100 grain for PA whitetail, so everything I say is in that context. The results on a large northern whitetail or muley (up to 300 lbs.) may be different. I have not been able to get the ballistic tips to shoot well enough in this rifle to satisfy me (only around MOA-and am not entirely satisfied with b-tips on deer), so I use the 100 gr. sierra SPBT (little less explosive than the b-tip) and the Hornady SP (fairly stout construction for factory weatherby loads). I wanted one bullet weight for both groundhogs and deer. The primary load is the sierra, as I want a BT for shots on hogs beyond 400 yards. I have a 26" barrel and can get over 3450 fps with 58 gr. of RL22 (max load)and still shoot .5 MOA or less.

I was worried that the sierra might come apart prematurely on a close shot and so the first year I used the Hornady. I was watching a big field but had a doe come right up behind my stand in the woods. I shot right into the point of the shoulder at 25 yards and the bullet traveled through the shoulder and vitals and back into the guts (did not find bullet and got sick of looking in the guts and it gave sufficient penetration anyway). The doe was pole-axed of course and never even wiggled. I would suppose from this (limited)experience that the Hornady would be stout enough for almost any shot on deer. This bullet was used by my friend at 3800 fps in a 257 Weatherby for a number of deer and always gave sufficient penetration and impressive kills, even at close range. For this reason I would endorse this bullet for most usages in a 25-06.

This year my brother borrowed the rifle and shot three doe with it using the sierras. They were at 150, 180, and 250 yards. At 150 and 250 the bullets exited doing tremendous damage. At 180 he broke the off-side shoulder and recovered a perfect mushroom under the hide, again after having wreaked havoc to the vitals.

I would feel quite confident that you would be pleased with the Hornady on most any shot (they are designed for velocities up to 3600 fps according to the Hornady manual) and even happy with the sierra on most shots. If you use this rifle for stand hunting and can place your shots, the 100 gr. is the way to go (even with conventional bullets) for flat trajectory and quick kills. If you plan to still hunt as well (where you get quick raking shots), then you should either use a 100 gr. premium bullet or a heavier conventional bullet for the insurance of sufficient penetration from hard angles.

My rifle weighs 11 lbs (Savage LR rifle with weighted stock) and is intended only for longrange stand hunting. I have no problem taking the close shot from a stand with 100 gr. bullets as I still can select the bullet angle, but I would use a 100 gr. premium bullet if I were still hunting the woods; but then again, if I were doing that, I would carry the 7mm-08 instead.

I've shot Whitetails at about 50 yds facing me.I neck shot them with 100 gr. Hornady's.The bullet took out 2 vertebrae,leaving a 1.5" exit hole.The necks were not bloodshot.

I like IMR4831 and a 90 grain X bullet. It chronos out at over 3400. This is a great load. And very accurate sub inch groups. The smallest being 3/8" It will knock a whitetail down. My last one had a 3" exit wound. No bullet recovered. (Now my gun doesn't like the 115 X) I know I have stirred up now with the X but I have had success with them. I like light than normal bullets.

For regular loads I have has success with 117 gr Hornady spire point for practic enad accuracy.

Hcliff

[ 01-02-2003, 23:14: Message edited by: Hcliff ]

Hcliff, I plan on trying out some Barnes X bullets in my 7 mag this year,and also a 240 wby mag I am having built. The point you make about being able to reduce bullet size, say from 150gr in a 7 mag ti 140 grain is a key benefit if you can make it shot accurate in your rifle, gives you better velosity, which means flatter shooting. Nice point.

I just bought the Barnes #3 and they suggest reducing bullet wieghts not just for faster velocities but for better expansion.
I am going to try the coated 100gr.X in my 25/06. In their loads they are claiming between 100 and 200 fps faster with the coated 100 and the regular X.
The fastest speed they list out of a 24" barrel is 3424 fps. using IMR4831.
Thats flat!!

A question was asked about close range & Nosler BT -- I have shot a normal Tn. whitetail doe at about 45 -50 yards broadside --no problems all the way through -- I have also shot two others at about 80 yards one was broadside and the other was looking at me again all the way through-- load 49 gr. of 4350 115bt mv is about 3100 no problems-- btw these 115 gr. BTs

Boilerroom

I did not get as great of results with the 100 x coated. The 90gr worked better in my gun. When loasding the coated bullet sometime I would get some of it to shave of when seating the bullet. I don't know why. This has puzzled me. My dies must be too tight for the coating. It doesn't shave other bullets.

Another load I pulled out was 115 grain partition with 53.0 gr of Reloader 22 with Win mag primer.

The standard charge for the 90 gr X is 54.0 IMR 4831. My notes show that I modified for the powder lots by a little bit too. My note showed that it left a blood trail 1 1/2 ft wide this past year with the deer I harvested.

Hcliff

[ 01-08-2003, 22:45: Message edited by: Hcliff ]

Hcliff.
Barnes#3 has a tip on loading the coated you may not have tried.
They suggest using a Lyman neck chamfering tool that has a much gentler angle on the case mouth which helps prevent scraping of the coat to a great degree.

I have taken mule deer, whitetails (mostly), and antelope, with the 25-06. It is the rifle I grab most when deer hunting. I have found that my rifles (have two 25-06's) like IMR-4350, Sierra 100 gr flat base spitzers, CCI-200 primers, in a remington case. Sub MOA, and with 54 grains of propellent, 3300fps. Hcliff, I have tried to get the X bullets to shoot, coated, and noncoated. I did as the Barnes manual stated, and started seating .050 off of the lands, and accuracy was terrible. Went to .040, and really did not get much better. Ran out of time, and used the old stand by above. Just wanted to try the Barnes bullets, and I might be missing something. I usually load .005-.010 off the lands and found I get good accuracy. Barnes does not recommend seating close to the lands. Just wondered what you do? Butcher

When I was getting ready to start loading for my 25.06,I called nosler and they recommended the 100 gr BT,"all of us use them for mulies".54 grs of IMR 4831,Federal primer.That said I wish Swift would hurry up with the 257 Scirocco!
Jeff

Butcher

Sorry had a computer problem and was off line a while. I have some figures at home if I can find them on the OAL. I will check tonight and post it up. For some reason the Barnes need to be back from the lands the exception to the rule.

Boilerroom
I like the tip about the coated bullet. I will try that. Thanks.

Hcliff

I have used most of the conventional bullet styles in 100 and 120 gr weights to take deer and most have given fair to good performance but I recently switched to 100 gr partitions and have been very impressed.

The entrance hole has been consistently bigger than the exit hole showing quick easy expansion but the bullet has always given full penetration.

Here is a bounch of info I dug out. All wer done

90 gr X BT OAL 3.147. 54.0 IMR4831 I could not find out how far off the land but I start at the recommended from Barnes. The most accurate was the 3332 fps velocity. 3 shots 3/8"
(With 54.5 grain IMR 4831 3340fps is what Barnes says in their #2 manual)

This bullet was loaded HOT to over 3400. It was a different powder lot and a hot day (That's is why we start at below max when starting loads) but very accurate also.

115 X bullet 51.0 IMR 4831 3149fps
115 Ballistic Tip 52.0 IMR4831 3163fps
117 Hornady Boat tail 52.0 IMR 4831 3130fps
This was my comparasion test with same charge

100gr XCoated 54.0 IMR4831 3240fps 1 1/4" 3 shot
55.0 IMR4831 3333fps 9/16" 3 shot

Here is some infofrom shooting into wet news print.

90 Xbullet
In 8" of paper it had a 1" hole with 3 1/2" of disruption (spelling?).
16" still slmost 1" hole with 1 1/2" disruption
17" found petal
19" 1/2" hole 3/4" disruption
21" found bullet 3 pedals missing

115 Ballistic Tip

8" paper 2" hole 4" disruption
bullet A stopped under 14" and I found jacket no core
Bullet B stopped 12" found jacket with a little core

117 Hornady boattail

8" in paper 1 1/2" hole 3" disruption
11" in paper 1/2" hole 1" disruption
17" found bullet

Hcliff

Great work!
This is why I am testing prem. bullets to begin with. Wieght retension = penatration.
At what range did you hit the wet newspaper?

50 yards. That way I would get the highest imoact velocity. This is a fun way to test stuff. Time consuming and a bit messy, but fun.

I couldn't find the results of the Core Lokt but the 90 X had a bigger and deeper wound channel than a 30/06 Remington Core Lokt
(something to guage as a standard). That was neat.

I am going to do this test in the spring or summer again.

Hcliff

[ 01-17-2003, 00:21: Message edited by: Hcliff ]

I finnaly seen some lit on the Hornady Interbond. At this point the smallest will be 270. I hope they come out with a 25 soon after. I wonder how that would do on your tests.
What model rifle are running these tests on with your 25? How long is the barrel?

I have run these test out of a 24" Weatherby Lightwieght Synthetic. I have intrest in some of the new bullets and will do the test again. It is -6 degrees here today in Green Bay so I won't be doing it for a while. Some of the new bullet are not in our caliber which sticnks. I have contacted Nosler about the failsafe in 25 cal. If more inquirys are heard it is a possiblity

Hcliff

26 inch Shilen BBl Rem 700 action.117 Hornady BTSP in Win Brass with the Fed 210 Gold Match Primer and 60 grs RL25 shoots 3135 fps and tiny groups.
I use to shoot 100 gr Balistic Tips with 56 IMR 4831 for 3390 fps and had exelent results.But the 117 shoots just about as flat and will kill no matter the shot angle,where the 100 will not perform as well unless you wait on the proper shot.

No one has mentioned the Speer 120 gr. Grand Slam. 55 gr. IMR 7828 in R-P case sparked by CCI BR-2 primer. 3.185" OAL I get 2900 fps from my 24" barrel Colt-Sauer. Good penetration, holds together well even at 40 yards...my closest shot on PA white-tailed doe. It did a fantastic job on a maple sapling that 'jumped' in between the bullet and another doe this December. Oh well, can't get 'em all.

I use a K & M Services chamfering tool. It has a 60 degree cut instead of the normal 45 degree. Works well for coated and non-coated bullets alike and especially flatbase bullets. They sliiiide in soo smoooth and don't scrape off any of the moly I plate on my bullets.

Last I looked, the Barnes website had 85 X flat base on special. They've been replaced with the 90 boattail. I like flat base bullets and the price was right! 59 gr. XMR 3100 in R-P case sparked by CCI 250 mag primer seated the recommended .050" from rifling gives 3400 fps and 3 inch groups at 300 yards. It might go a little faster if it wasn't so cold...15 degrees. I know that's not like -6 in the land of the cheeseheads, but still plenty cold in the land of the cheesesteakheads. I haven't had the chance to harvest anything with it yet, but it's being groomed as my light rifle for smaller plains game in Namibia next year.

Not exactly on topic but I used to shoot 100 gr. Remington bulk Core-lokts from Midway USA for groundhogs and deer years ago. Killed all the deer everytime, and turned most of the groundhogs into the much talked-about "red mist." It truly was a sight to behold. 25-06 is a super caliber. I'm proud to own one.
And a pox on the bastard who stole my last one! It's not so much that the rifle couldn't be replaced, but I spent a lot of time and resources over the years getting it to shoot those tiny groups with all bullet weights that build confidence. I just loathe thieves. Sorry for the rant.