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I reloaded about 20 years ago and I have decided to get back into it. I'm loading rounds for a Ruger M77 25-06. I just got back into hunting this year also after 15 years off. I shot a Doe at about 80 yards a few weeks ago and hit her in the shoulder with a 100gr Remington factory load. Bled great for about 300 yards but then lost the trail and the deer. I started wondering if the 25 was enough gun. Last week shot a buck at 100yards and he dropped after 30 ft. I just ordered a full RCBS setup last night and I need to start buying components. My question is what Bullets should I load for White Tail for maximum knockdown power? I was using 100 gr factory loads because the 120's wouldn't group well. Sorry for the long post but I'm excited to be back hunting and reloading. | ||
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Welcome back, your 25-06 is plenty of gun for deer. Perhaps the shot to the shoulder is the problem with the bullet missing the vitals? The 25-06 is a great round and again very adequate for deer. However, I don't load this round and will yield to someone that does to get you on the right track..... | |||
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I'm not sure what 120s don't shoot good for you but IMO the best bullet for the .25-06 for deer is Hornady's 120 HP Also look to Nosler's 110 accubond and Hornady's 117 SST and Sierra's 90 grain HP BTW.....that deer that you lost probably wasn't hit as well as you thought.....I've never had a deer get away from a smack by a .25-06 no matter what bullet I was using.... /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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Thanks for the replies. The 120's that didn't group as well were Remington core-loct factory rounds and the 100gr were just much tighter. I'm looking forward to working up loads for next season. Thanks for the bullet suggestions and if you have suggestions for powders to start with that would help too. I'm starting from scratch again. | |||
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IMR-4831 isn't a bad powder to get you started.....as is the finer grained Win supreme 780 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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I load the Sierra 100 gr Pro-Hunter bullet and use Accurate XMR-4350 powder. | |||
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Thanks guys....making my shopping list right now. | |||
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The nosler e-tip 100 grain work really well in the 257 Weatherby. http://www.nosler.com/bullets/e-tip-lead-free.aspx | |||
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Do Boat Tails actually help accuracy any? | |||
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We touch on this every now and again. The 100 grain lead core bullet is great if you hit vital only but lacks sectional density to hold together through to much bone. The solid 100's make for awesome bullets for deer. The solid core construction will blast through bone and it can be cranked up to 3500 fps offering a flatter trajectory. Other bullets that work the same would be the Hornady GMX's and the Nosler E-tip. If you go back up in weight you will get better performance going back to a lead cored bullet because the 117 grain Barnes offers no more expansion or penetrating power and softens the trajectory. The 115 Nosler ballistic tip is devastating but is best when it doesn't hit to much bone. The 120 partition is a consistent performer too but I like the 100 grain solid cores the best. Captain Finlander | |||
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Tango2020I like the Nosler Accubond bullet for white-tail and hogs. It's as accurate as the Nosler Ballistic Tip, but not quite as frangible. Current go to load for the 25-06 is 110 gr. accubonds, 48 gr. RL-19, Fed 210M primers, 3.220 OAL. A real killer in my gun. IIRC velocity is +/- 2900 fps. measured at 10' from muzzle. Shot a white tail buck Monday eve. He was looking straight at me. Hit him just above the brisket. Recovered the bullet under the hide at the junction of the right ham and body cavity. He dropped at the shot. Shot a white tail with a high lung shot last year. Same bullet. Through and through lung shot. He ran 30 yds. and piled up. Works on porkers too. Best GWB | |||
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no /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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+1 No They make for better long range, 300+ yard, aerodynamics but show negligible affects inside normal hunting ranges. Captain Finlander | |||
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I bought my .25-06 in 1972. Started out with 100 grain bullets and killed everything fine. Over the years, I migrated to 115-120 grain bullets for no real reason. They killed stuff fine too. I noticed however that the 100 grain bullets my dad was shooting seemed to create quicker kills. May just be imagined, but it was enough to make me go back to 100 grain. I am using Hornady and dad is currently using Nosler Partitions. Both work! Your rifle will let you know what bullet it likes best. Any good bullet from 100 grain up will certainly work on Deer, Antelope, hogs - and know a woman that uses her .25 on Elk. | |||
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I use 100 grainers in the .257 Roberts.....nothing to complain about there! (Interlocks) They work just fine. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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Thanks for the replies...I think the doe I shot may have been quartering away slightly and the may explain my issue with her (lessoned learned). Thanks for the great info. | |||
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Try the Barnes 100 grain tipped TSX. Once you see the results, you won't go back to others. | |||
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Notto stir the pot but Core Lokts have a reputation for coming apart at higher velocities. Go with any of the aformentioned 110+ gr bullets and you should be in good shape. Sucks to lose one, better luck next time. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If the 270 won't do it the .338 will, if the 338 won't I can't afford the hunt! | |||
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Don't shoot a .25-06, but I have spent some time behind a .257 Weatherby. 115 gr. Barnes TSX is extremely accurate in that rifle, and so far (limited experience over the past couple of years) does fine on game. No reason to think that the 100 gr. TSX wouldn't also do well, if it happens to group better in your rifle. | |||
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I ordered some Honady 117 gr SST that I think I'll try but I'm also going to get a box of Barnes 115 gr TSX bullets. I've had a real hard time finding once fired 25-06 brass, always out of stock. I went into bass pro and they were even out of new 25-06 brass. I have a few I saved from factory loads to get me started but any suggestions were to look? | |||
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www.oncefiredbrass.net shows they have some for $15. Or Google it and a bunch of other places come up too. Bass Pro's prices aren't too bad, but they only stock two bags of brass per caliber, so they run out quick. | |||
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This is easy. you dont need maximum knockdown power to kill a whitetail. No fmj and no hollowpoints and your good to go. Personaly, I prefer plain jane lead core bullets "that group well" for all my deer hunting. That way I can afford to shoot more of them. One other thing, since you havent hunted for 15 yrs. If youve got a 22, get a brick and go shoot the whole thing.. I use 115 gn bt's in my 257 AI @ just over 3000 fs for deer and they are wickedly effective. And accurate. Welcome back to the great outdoors..  | |||
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Tango, how did the 120's group? Inside of 2 inches at 100 yards will kill deer just fine out to 200-250 yards. On a quartering shot try to aim for the offside shoulder. This will put the bullet through the vitals from most any angle. The only way to know if you can do a thing is to do it. | |||
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Thanks 44. I set up my new reloading equipment tonight and as soon as the 117 gr hornady bullets get here I'm going to work up a load on those. The factory 120s were tight enough to do the job but not as good as the 100s grouping. I started working on some 40 cal brass tonight. That will keep me busy till the 25 cal bullets get here. Felt good to be back at the bench again. | |||
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