Hello everyone! I have been a guest to this forum for the past couple of months, and I have really enjoyed reading the topics. I decided to join because I believe that your forum is the best that I have seen.

I have a question that I would like everyone's opinion on. I just purchased a Browning BAR .25-06 which I am going to use to hunt whitetail deer with this season. Where I hunt, the shot distances can range from 25 yards to 300 plus yards. I am worried about bullet "blow-up" at close range if I have to take a shoulder shot, but I still want a bullet that will expand and kill well at longer ranges.

I have a lot of experience shooting deer with other calibers, but I have never hunted with a .25-06 before. I am trying to find a good factory load for deer. Although I do reload for other rifles, I prefer to use factory ammo in my BAR rifles.

I would like to know what experiences others have had with the 120 gr. Win. positive expanding point factory load in the .25-06. Also, if there are other factory loads that you feel are better than this load, give me input on those too. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Ole Miss Rebel

i have killed 2 deer with a 25'06 using win positive expansion and they are very explosive at close range.. it has been about 10 years ago but i shot a small doe at 25 yds and turned the frnot 1/2 into jello, there were bullet fragments inthe stomach after the bullet hut just behind the front leg.. i now use a 257 roberst at 2850 fps and use partations if i need to make a close shot

Ole Miss, I have never shot the Win load through my 25-06, so no opinion to give on that load. I have tried the Hornady Light Magnum loads with the Interlock bullet. I get very good accuracy, and 117 gr bullet at roughly 3100fps. I am going to try the Federal 100gr X-Bullet load to see how they perform this year. Federal also loads the 117gr Speer Hot Core and the 115gr Nosler Partition. I think any of these loads will hold together at 25-06 velocities at 25 yds.

Get a box of each, and see how they perform in your rifle.

Good luck with whatever load you decide upon!

I've got a long time hunting buddy who has used that load quite a bit on deer and some elk class stuff.
It has always worked. It was designed strickly for the .25-06, nothing else. Yes it opens fast and can break up some. If you are really worried about it, try the Federal Nosler Partition load.
I wouldn't worry about it. It often exits and I've never seen any indication of premature breakup causing shallow wounds. That is to be expected from a bullet designed for a specific round by a company with lots of experience making big game bullets. E

Ole Miss Rebel,

Go with what Eremicus has told you. Federal Nosler Partition 100 or 115 grain Nosler Partitions are very good loads. You can also go to Federal 100 grain Barnes X loads and they will not blow up your deer either. I have been shooting the .25-06 since before Remington adopted it and made it legal. One of the best deer cartridges made today. Lawdog

My dad and brother have used that load on Missouri whitetails for years and have had great results. I can't remember either of them losing a deer with that combination. They have taken both large and small, at the entire spectrum of ranges, and have experienced flawless performance. Plus, it is extremely accurate in their rifles. That bullet is superbly matched for the 25 and whitetails. I'm surprised they don't make it for other calibers. Try it and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

For what it's worth, I was talking to a gun dealer from central Kansas a few years ago about 25-06's. He told me that it was far and away his best selling caliber. He also said that everyone he knew all shot the same load for deer and elk, the Winchester 120 grain PEP.

Does anyone know if the 120 Win PEP is really the 120 Hornady HP?

The 100 grain bullet is most likely the best round for the .25-06, have used it over 40 years when it was known as the 25-06 niedner. Good Luck

Welcome to the forum!! That being said I will admit to never having shot a deer using the 120PEP however I have shot a truckload using Sierra 117 grain Spitzer BoatTail from a 25-06! In my experiences the deadliest combo I've ever seen on whitetails from close range to 300 yards! Never lost one! In fact never had one go more than 25 yards. I guess shot placement helps but it has been a super deadly combo!
Now if anyone out there has a box or two of Winchester 90 grain PEP bullets laying around they don't need, let me know!!! Talk about "devastating" a varmint!!!!!! GHD (Pastor at the church of GHD--25-06)

the winchester 120 gr hollow point is made by winchester not subcontracted..

Bought some of the same on recommendation of a buddy to try in my new Sako 25.06 and was amazed at how much it closed my groups.I load Hornady 120 hp with 43.2 grains of 4895 and get fine accuracy with that load.But the Winchester 120 pep blows it away for accuracy in my rifle.Maybe the Sako just likes that load.Still have not seen its terminal performance on game.I look forward to seeing how it performs.

Hey Ole Miss Rebel,

I live up here in Pennsylvania. I saw from your post that you're from Mississippi. If your woods are like ours - a long shot is 75 yards - then you might want to slow the 25-06 down a bit.

I've hit deer at 10 feet with an '06 and had blood shot meat from this head to his hind quarters. That 25-06 would do the same.

If you hand load, you could load your 25-06 down to 257 Roberts, which may be okay.

Just a thought.

Good Shooting,

Smoker*

I have had excellent results with the 115 partition and the 117 Sierra Gameking.
The Gamekings are very accurate and hold together surprisingly well. Both are excellent deer bullets. I have not had problems with excess bloodshot meat from either bullet.

I have never tried the Win. Pos. Exp. Pt. but it sounds like it would be a good one also.

I`ve killed a BUNCH of whitetails with the 25-06.the PEP load acounted for a bunch of that bunch.it will make a mess but wont let you down.it is on the slow side and isnt very sharp up front.the Federal load using the 117 Sierra BTSP clocks in at 3060 from my rifle and groups good.making it the load I would use if someone stole my reloading equipment.

I have shot the 100gn Hornady from a Browning A-Bolt at 3350fps. 3/4inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards. Taken 2 deer this year, one yearling at 200 yards through the neck (nearly decapitating it) and one hind on the run at 100 yards with a head shot (but was aiming for the neck so not flash shooting). Have used hornadys 117gns at 3150 fps - accurate and good performance. Hornady and 25-06 seem to like one another.

FYI, I have never used the 25-06 PEP, but have great luck with the 270 130 gr. PEP. Unless I hit a shoulder or other heavy bone, they always exit. When heavy bones are hit, however, they usually come apart. Nonetheless, the end resultis an instant kill.

I like 115 NBTs, and 120 gr. Sierra BTSP in my 25-06. I would like to try 85 NBTs for coyotes this winter.

[ 11-11-2003, 18:40: Message edited by: Dr. Lou ]

I'll be going on my first 25-06 hunt saturday morning, and I'll let you know how my rounds fare...

shooting hornady customs in 117gr BTSP at about 2800fps IIRC. thus far I've not been too pleased with their accuracy, but the rifle I've been using is not up to par, so who knows on that matter... I don't have the time to replace it with a better gun and sort it out, so I'm stuck with it until spring.