The 25-06 looks like a really great round. However I was looking at ballistics and at close range and it beats out the 6mm rem. and 243 WSSM. Past 300 yards though the 25-06 drops behind. Can a handloader really boost the factory ballistics of this round? What are some good powders etc. to be used in thise cartridge to maxamize velocity, accuracy etc. Thanks.

25-06 is an awsome round. I just got mine back from the gunsmith with a new Douglas Premium barrel installed I have great luck with H4831 and just about any bullet. My factory Remington barrel shot 100-120 grain bullets great. I found that all of my loads could exceed book velocities without pressure problems and will exceed all currently factory loaded ammo. My favorite load is the 120 Sierra HPBT over a heavy load of H4831 for 3100fps out of the 24 inch factory barrel. I got a 26" tube with the new barrel and can't wait to work up a load for it.

GLC,
I'm just starting to work on loads. How many grains do you consider to be a heavy load? Have you tried RL-19 or 22?

Bob257

John17 & Bob257,

Like GLC says, the .25-06 is great! It will eat the .243 and 6mm for breakfast. Consider it a non-belted .25 caliber magnum, that's really what it is.

Mine is a Ruger #1 with a 26" tube, so I can take advantage of the extra speed the 26" barrel gives me.

I use 100 grain Nosler BT's with 56.0 IMR4831. With this load it will shoot into 5/8" consistently. Mine seems to throw anything in 100 grain bullet well, the lighter bullets don't group as nicely. This is MAX LOAD and may even exceed some book maximums. It is awesome on groundhogs and lightening death to any deer size critter you will ever meet.

You will never regret a .25-06.

Mike

[ 02-24-2003, 23:29: Message edited by: Red Label ]

John17
The only reason the 25 lags behind over a greater distance than the 243/6mm is that they have a better B.C.
If you look at the vast array of bullets available for the 243, then compare with whats available with the 25 you will have your answer!
Alternatively you can go for custom bullets like LRB or GS custom bullets.
when all is equal with the B.C the 243/6mm isn't on the same pitch!!

Griff

Bob257- Have tried Reloader 19 but couldn't match or exceed the velocity of H4831. Have not tried Reloader 22. I have dabbled with H-1000 with good results although the case is quite full. My load with H4831 is about two grains over all of the book maximums but I have had zero pressure problems. Using a chronograph and increasing the charge in .2 grain increments, any more poweder than my best load resulted in no real velocity or accuracy gains so I believed I maxed out. Use caution and work up to your own maximum accordingly.

Like I say, I just got the rifle back with a new stainless Douglas barrel so I'll soon be working up a new load for this barrel with the 120HPBT and H4831.

The 25-06 kills deer like lightening hit them. All my shots have been good ones in the chest/heart/lung area. I have respect for the animal so I don't take shots that might be risky and will pass on a poor shot rather than hoping for luck.

With lighter bullets, the 25-06 will vaporize ground hogs wayyyyyy out there.

Have fun, load safe.

I had a Rem 700 25.06 with a 24" barrel. It shot sub-MOA after glass bedding. Alas, it's gone and I want another one. Only this time I want a 26" barrel. Can't seem to find a factory configuration in that barrel length except NEF and TC Encore. Savage has one in their Varmint Series but it's too heavy for lugging around deer hunting. Any suggestions? I'd rather not go custom right now.

Sendero stainless fluted.

John, you really CAN boost the ballistics of the .25/'06 considerably, to the point where it is treading right on the heels of the .257 Weatherby. I had a 24" barrelled Ruger No.1V in .25/'06, and using a certain lot of Norma N205, (no longer available, I'm afraid), it would break 3200 with a Sierra 117 grain PSPBT! However, with Norma MRP, which replaced N205, it would do almost as well. These were loads which were mild enough, pressure wise, to permit at least 10 reloadings of the same cases. Whether a .25/'06 drops behind some hot 6mm round at ranges beyond 300 yards or not will depend more on the ballistic characteristics of a particluar bullet than the muzzle velocity!!

A 25-06 can never begin to operate in the realm of the 257Wby,as it simply hasn't the capacity to muster that much muscle.

The 25-06AI will close the gap,yet still fall short. I have them all and the 257Wby stands comfortably alone in performance..............

the 25-06ai will smoke the 257 wby just put more powder behind it. if you want more power build a 257 stw or 6.53 scramjet.

When I start guessing,I'll grant you the courtesy of stipulating it as such.

I guess you'd not extend that courtesy to others?

The 25-06Ackley is no 257Wby. Been there,done that,end of sermon............

I should have said, the .25/'06 can be handloaded to tread closely on the heels of the .257 Weatherby IN FACTORY LOADS. Of course, it can never EQUAL the .257 WM., because of the difference in case capacities....

My prior Post was directed towards "scramjet",not you. My apologies,if that is what you had thought..................

The .25-06 with a 24" barrel can easily push a 115-117 gr pill to 3100 fps. With an sd of .249, and bc of most spitzers in the .4-.45 range, this is entirely adequate for any deer-sized game animal out to about 400 yards. With an extremely flat trajectory and enough punch at these ranges for deer sized critters, it leaves little to be desired as a long range deer cartridge.

There is really nothing the 6mms can do that the little '06 can't, but there are certain situations where the '06 is clearly superior. Just as the .243 Win and 6mm Rem made the .257 Roberts obsolete, the same could be argued in regards to the .25-06 with those cartridges.

For the heavier bullets, RE 22, 4831, and 7828 are good choices. For lighter bullets, 4350, H414, and RE 19 get the nod.

The 25-06 is the undisputed king of the dual purpose rifle. ( Whitetail & Coyote ) With the Webby running a close second. You can not go wrong with either one.

I have to agree with Big Stick on this one. The 25-06 is good. But it will never be a .257WBY. I also have both 25-06 AI and the .257WBY and the 25-06 is always at least 200fps. slower.

The .25-06 is probably one of the more useful ctg's made. Flat shooting, lots of bullets, from 75 gr up to 120's with some very good premiums at the heavy end. Lots of good factory loads, with good availability. Light recoil and generally good accuracy.

In my mind its the perfect antelope or open country deer gun. It NO .257 WBY though. Neither is the AI version.

.257 Wby is a great round though too. Especially now with Federal doing brass and ammo, a lot cheaper to shoot.

Unless I'm missing something, with all other factors such as barrel length, chambers to spec,etc....... doesn't the round with the larger case capacity ALWAYS win out in the velocity department???

FN in MT

Frank, you are correct in your assumption. However, it also excells in using more powder to gain very little velocity increase, quicker throat erosion and accuracy degradation, more trips to the gunsmith to have the barrel set-back and rechambered, rebarrel more often. Of the 25's available, the most efficient(IMHO)in all the above catagories is the 257 Roberts Ackley Improved. Better fps/powder ratio,longer case life, longer barrel life, highly accurate and will do an excellent job on everything from "pasture poodles" to the big mulies. In the hands of a good marksman who will place his shots where they belong at reasonable ranges, Elk would be in serious, deep "do-do" also. But that is just my opinion for what its worth.

Ol' John

I would say look into the .257 Roberts AI too. My stepfather and his brother both have one. I am so impressed by it, both the accuracy of the one I get to shoot, and the ballistics it achieves that I have a small ring 98 set aside specifically for the purpose of building mine (when the custom gun fund gets replenished after I get the .458 out of the shop :-) )

Red

I just finished building one on a 700 action, Shilen #4 contour 26", Borden Rimrock stock, Sako extractor,and tefloncoated action and barrel. Got it broke in and tested some 85 grain BT ahead of 55 grains of ReLoader 19. They clocked in @ 3655fps and the load is still mild! However they also shoot in the .3's@100 and .8 @200 so I think it might be a load to look at. The gun also shot a .110 using 75 grain VMax ahead of 58 grains of H4831sc but I didn't chronograph that one. For some other powder choices, try IMR4350 with Sierra 117 grain bullets as a hunting load and if you can find it or have some, IMR7828 will yield good velocities and accuracy in a lot of 25-06's. The single greatest caliber to be out there to date! GHD

GHD,

Could you post some pics of your 25? That sounds like a really nice set-up!