First of all I am very new to reloading. I shoot a Remington 700 sps 25-06. The factory shells I usually shoot are Hornady 117g sst, and I can shoot 1 inch groups with them. So when I got set up to reload I wanted to shoot a similar shell. Keep in my this was my first batch, so I went to the Hornady manual and started with the minimum powder charge 48.1gr of rl-22, wlr primer, hornady 117gr sst bullet, and new winchester brass. I kept the length the same as the factoey bullet, and crimped it. I went to the range and shot 3 inch groups 5 inches higher than the factory loads. Then I went home and made a new batch the same except I used 50.1gr of powder. Went to the range and shot another 3 inch group but they did not shoot as high. So I got home and loaded Barnes 115gr tsx 53gr rl-22, wlr, and did not crimp them. I have not shot them yet. I am trying to find someone to help me because I am very new to this, and I don't have any friends that reload. I don't know if I need to crimp the bullets, and I was hoping to get someone to tell me a load that worked for them. Thank you.

Adjust your sights/scope to the new load rather than trying to adjust the load to makie it shoot to the same point of impact.

Spend $100 on a "Chrony" chronograph.

NEVER let anyone else shoot over your chronograph.

this is how chronographs get BULLET HOLES in them.

Chronographs with bullet holes don't produce useful data.

You should never need to crimp for a bolt action rifle.

AD

I have loaded a lot of 25/06 over the years and settled on 100gr bullets running about 3100 to 3150 ft velocity..
i found that most of the time i needed full power loads to get the accuracy out of my rifles. I also use mag primers. my load using r22 was 53grs maybe work on up to that and see if the load tightens up.
I had better luck with accurate 2700 powder in the 25/06 and 100gr ballistic tips.
dave

You don't say what you are going to shoot with your .25-06. For Texas whitetail the 100 grain bullets are heavy enough. You do not need to copy a box of factory ammo nor do you need premium bullets. My 25-06 is more like a .270 with 120 grain bullets and it is more accurate with 100 grain bullets. Try the Sierra 100 grain flat base bullet with IMR 4350 and stop CRIMPING.
Seat your bullets out until they just engage the rifling assuming you still have a one caliber seating depth. Then work up your load per the manual.

If you can get 1" groups with factory stuff then you can also do that well with handloads.

My book shows a max load of 56 grains (RL-22) with a 117 bullet so I'd work up and watch for accuracy.

If that does not give you what you're looking for then try a different powder like H-4831 and work up again.

I wouldn't crimp but you may if you wish1

It's a trial and error thing and we all have to go through it.

The good news is that you know your rifle is up to it as you already have a proven load from the factory.

I don't crimp 25/06 loads either.

I use a chronograph to satisfy my curiosity as to how fast my bullets are going but don't use it in load workup; in my opinion, it's optional.

STOP CRIMPING. It is of no use. I have never had much use for a chrony with firearms just archery. Work up loads one tenth of a grain at a time.Thats all it takes to make a huge difference. You will burn up more powder this way but that may be what it takes with that particular rifle. Good luck.

I reload my winchester 70 25-06 with a max load of rl22 and 117 hornady interlocks. My 1st batch went .37

anyway using their manual try a max load and see what happens

whatever load gives you the best group, then adjust your scope

quote:

For Texas whitetail the 100 grain bullets are heavy enough.

Kinda depends on where in Texas you are hunting. Hill Country..ok. But as a guy who has lived in Texas all his life, took his first whitetail in '55 and has used the 25/06, 257Bob, and 257AI more than all other cartridges combined, I prefer 120's for Texas deer in many parts of the state.

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:

quote:

For Texas whitetail the 100 grain bullets are heavy enough.

Kinda depends on where in Texas you are hunting. Hill Country..ok. But as a guy who has lived in Texas all his life, took his first whitetail in '55 and has used the 25/06, 257Bob, and 257AI more than all other cartridges combined, I prefer 120's for Texas deer in many parts of the state.

Intersting. Why do you feel the 120 grainers are superior? Do they help with the wind? Me personally, I would go with a 100 grain Ballistic Tip or 110 grain Accubond for mule deer and whitetail here in Idaho.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve A:

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:

quote:

For Texas whitetail the 100 grain bullets are heavy enough.

Kinda depends on where in Texas you are hunting. Hill Country..ok. But as a guy who has lived in Texas all his life, took his first whitetail in '55 and has used the 25/06, 257Bob, and 257AI more than all other cartridges combined, I prefer 120's for Texas deer in many parts of the state.

Intersting. Why do you feel the 120 grainers are superior? Do they help with the wind? Me personally, I would go with a 100 grain Ballistic Tip or 110 grain Accubond for mule deer and whitetail here in Idaho.

Steve: I killed a bazillion Hill Country deer (read small) during the 80's and early 90's in the Texas Hill Country with a 257 Bob and 100gr bullets (mostly the 100gr B Tip) It worked like a champ. Then I started going after bigger bodied deer in south Texas and the BTip did not exit on broadside lung shots. The first few dropped on the spot, although the bullet usually failed ot exit. But then some started to run a few yards. A few yards in the south Texas thorn brush country with no blood trail can be pretty miserable.

I have found that 120 grain Hornady's and Speer Hot Cores have almost always exited, and given essentially the same reaults as 130gr bullets in 270's. I've been a happy camper ever since.

My 25-06s like RL 22 and 115 NPTs loaded a little on the warm side. Start low and work up.

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:

quote:

For Texas whitetail the 100 grain bullets are heavy enough.

Kinda depends on where in Texas you are hunting. Hill Country..ok. But as a guy who has lived in Texas all his life, took his first whitetail in '55 and has used the 25/06, 257Bob, and 257AI more than all other cartridges combined, I prefer 120's for Texas deer in many parts of the state.

I have killed 11 north Texas whitetails with the 100 grain Sierra at ranges from 80 yards to about 325. All hits except one head on exited.
None of the deer I shot were the Hill Country type. BTW I have lived in Texas all my life and have shot deer with at least 10 other cartridges. I have 2 brothers and have probably seen more than 100 deer shot between the 3 of us.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:

quote:

For Texas whitetail the 100 grain bullets are heavy enough.

Kinda depends on where in Texas you are hunting. Hill Country..ok. But as a guy who has lived in Texas all his life, took his first whitetail in '55 and has used the 25/06, 257Bob, and 257AI more than all other cartridges combined, I prefer 120's for Texas deer in many parts of the state.

I have killed 11 north Texas whitetails with the 100 grain Sierra at ranges from 80 yards to about 325. All hits except one head on exited.
None of the deer I shot were the Hill Country type. BTW I have lived in Texas all my life and have shot deer with at least 10 other cartridges. I have 2 brothers and have probably seen more than 100 deer shot between the 3 of us.

Glad they are working for you. Keep up the good work! Ain't it fun

i have always loaded the 117 spbt. with 51.0 grs. of IMR 4831..WLR primer..and shot about.75' groups .. this has always worked for me..And I do NOT crimp..

49.0 grains of IMR 4350, Sierra 117 grain Spitzer Boat tail OR 120 Hornady HP............25-06 that doesn't like that load is an anomaly!!(Should be running around 2900fps from a 24" barrel) Bump it up to 53.1 grains of H4831sc and the same bullets..........same story.(Gets you up to the 3000fps. category) No crimping required. Your rifle will like one of these!! And guess what? You aren't paying a premium for a plastic tipped bullet, and these come in 100 count boxes and BOTH do the same thing everytime on game...........KILL THEM!! GHD, pastor at the church of GOD'S chosen caliber, 25-06! Senior elder here is Mr. 260 Remington!

Anyone have a good load using 115 grain triple shocks for 25-06? I'm in California condor country and will have to load coppers. The only commercial load I found used 100 grain only and I want a little bit more.

Mitchell,

I've been shooting a Rem 700 Classic in .25-06 since '88. I've killed a bunch of whitetails and a dozen or so BIG mulies in Montana. All were one shot kills and only one ever made more than a few hops (and that was a itty-bitty whitetail). Most dropped in their tracks. I'm very careful about shot placement.

I use 100 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips and a real hot charge of IMR4831. I won't ever again list the charge weight on the net, but I will tell you it chronographs at 3,525 fps and puts three into less than .25 inch!

That is the only load I use in that rifle and I use it for everything from prairie dogs at extreme ranges to ground hogs and rockchucks to mulies. I love that rifle/load.

My 25/06 does not like the heavier bullets. It will digest any 100gr I want to feed it. I would never argue with those who want/need the 115 and 120's but I let my rifle tell me what it likes. every deer I have shot with 100gr Partitions has been a "bang-flop". Bal-Tips are very accurate however they seem to be quite frangible at 25/06 velocities. My suggestion is to try a variety of bullets and powders and let your rifle tell you what it likes best. RL22 shoots well in my rifle but it likes IMR4831 best.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

i must be the odd man here.
i use rl-19 and hornady 120's.
but i only shoot 300 yd league shoots with mine.
but the 1-1/4" groups with a stock rifle at 300 works well enough to take it hunting too.
i run these at 3,000 fps figure that is all i need.
lose the crimp and play with your seating depth.

Thanks for all the help guys. I took the rifle out today loaded with 56.1 grains of rl 22, and shot a 1.18" group. I am going to seat the bullets right off the lands and see what happens.