25-06 load for bench shooting?

[Bkmiller1969]

Am just a beginner at bench shooting. Am shooting my deer rifle, a 1970's Remington 700 in 25-06. Have started with hornady 117 gr btsp interlock using 48.4 gr imr 4350 to 2900 fps. Not counting first shot am keeping shots inside of 2 inches at 100 yds.

Have read many threads about how to accurize, but would like advice on if I am on right track or should I start over with different size or type of bullet and load.

 

[sage5907]

IMR 4831 has always been my powder of choice for the 25-06. I'm not sure why, but flat base bullets always seem to shoot more accurately in my 25-06's.

 

[NCsmitty]

Sierra makes a beautiful 100gr Matchking that could be a winner for you. Stick with a slow powder for best results. If u cannot get under an inch group with anything, then consider free floating your barrel, especially if your groups tend to string vertically.


NCsmitty

 

[witchhunter]

There is a lot to making a rifle shoot well. I would start with match bullets. Try several different weights until you find one your rifle likes. I like 4831 in 25/06 too. Make sure your bore is clean.

 

[Eb1]

Have you seen this video on benchrest shooting?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qatf5g7lzk

 

[joed]

I have a Remington 700 VS in .25-06 that I bought in 1978. I tried just about every bullet you could think of in it. The best it did new was between 1.5" to 2" at 100 yards. The problem is the wooden stock unless someone has free floated yours. Mine went from 2" to .5" after free floating the barrel and lightening the trigger.

Shouldn't matter what bullet you shoot, all should produce nice groups in that rifle.

Powders, anything near IMR4350 will work great. I've burned up a lot of this powder since 1978. Found IMR4350 to work as well as any other powder. If you want more velocity try RL17 or RL19 with bullets to 90 gr.

My rifle didn't do well with Hornady bullets. I had the best results with Sierra and Nosler bullets.

One other thing on accuracy for the .25-06 that no one mentioned. I've dealt with many .25-06 rifles and all seemed to give their best accuracy near the max load. Don't know why this is but I accept that.

 

[plodder]

My early 1970's vintage 700BDL 25.06 loves Combined Technologies 115 grain projectiles. Just over 1.0" groups off the bag are possible when my shaky supporting role cooperates. They are a bit spendy though.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Welcome to the forum...

I'm no expert but I know a little about this.

USUALLY
A short action is considered more accurate because it's a stiffer action so a .260 would be a better choice than a 25-06.

Match bullets are a better choice than hunting bullets and like said above, for under 600 yards a flat base bullets seems to be a better choice than a bevel based bullet. When sizing the cases neck sizing will aid in accuracy for competition ammo. Uniform neck thickness is also a plus for uniform neck tension. Unfortunately most match bullets today are made with a boat tail base because that's what most shooters think they need.

Even though not a flate base bullet I really like Sierra MatchKing bullets followed closely by Hornady match bullets.
https://www.sierrabullets.com/store/product.cfm/sn/1628/257-dia-100-gr-HPBT-MatchKing Hornady and Nosler don't make a 25 Cal (.257") bullet so the Sierra bullets are probably what you will find.

When loading ammo for the competition there are a lot of things you can do to the case to eke out a little more accuracy but one thing I feel you should do is use a "benchrest" primer because they have the best chance of being close in performance.

I can tell you one thing, even though you should go to the shoot shooting only 2" @ 200 yards won't get you in the door for a real benchrest match. most of those guys have all holes touching @ 200 yards. (so you have a little work to do!)

This is by no means everything you need to know about that game but it is the very start. I hope you have fun and please let us know how you are progressing.

 

[Eb1]

My .25-06 loves combined tech 115 grain, also.

 

[Match10]

Your load as stated is my exact "accuracy load" for my pre-1964 Winchester Md 70.

 

[Reloadron]

Have you seen this video on benchrest shooting?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qatf5g7lzk

Just your average everyday rifles.

Ron

 

[Bkmiller1969]

Loads of good advice. Will get to work implementing some of them and see if it is the bullet, the gun or me. I did just get in the mail a $100 Boyds floated replacement stock. Dropped right in so just have to get to the range and see if that helps.

 

[joed]

A short action is considered more accurate because it's a stiffer action so a .260 would be a better choice than a 25-06.

I've heard this over and over and have never said a thing. Maybe it's time. The problem I have with this statement is when the trigger is pulled the thrust pushes back on the bolt. Now, think where the bolt lugs are in the 700 action. I could buy into this if the rifle in question was a 788 which has the lugs on the back of the bolt and not the front.

 

[joed]

Loads of good advice. Will get to work implementing some of them and see if it is the bullet, the gun or me. I did just get in the mail a $100 Boyds floated replacement stock. Dropped right in so just have to get to the range and see if that helps.

You're almost there, I can almost guarantee the free floated stock will shrink the group size. If that doesn't do it try another trigger.

The rifle that I wrote about further up was purchased new in 1978. It has the stock that came on it from Remington and the original trigger. I free floated the stock and adjusted the trigger. The only other modification is a new Krieger barrel to replace the original that wore out a few years ago. This rifle will shoot 3 shot groups all day long with the bullets touching shooting 85 gr Nosler bullets. With the original barrel groups size was about .5".

I would think you rifle is capable of at least .5" groups.

 

[Bkmiller1969]

Joed, when you say you adjusted the trigger did you replace it with an adjustable trigger? My trigger doesn't appear to have the 3 adjustment ports I have read about on other strings.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I've heard this over and over and have never said a thing. Maybe it's time. The problem I have with this statement is when the trigger is pulled the thrust pushes back on the bolt. Now, think where the bolt lugs are in the 700 action. I could buy into this if the rifle in question was a 788 which has the lugs on the back of the bolt and not the front.

joed,
I didn't say I agree with the short action being more accurate, I was telling him what is thought in the shooting circles. I shoot 200 yards with a few friends and the rifle I use is a surplus Model of 1917 in 30-06. In theory it does sound right but I like what I like! lol

 

[joed]

Joed, when you say you adjusted the trigger did you replace it with an adjustable trigger? My trigger doesn't appear to have the 3 adjustment ports I have read about on other strings.

I adjusted the stock Remington trigger. The trigger is actually one of the original Remington triggers that they say have problems. I would prefer it to break a little sooner than it does but I just never get around to replacing it.

 

[joed]

joed,
I didn't say I agree with the short action being more accurate, I was telling him what is thought in the shooting circles. I shoot 200 yards with a few friends and the rifle I use is a surplus Model of 1917 in 30-06. In theory it does sound right but I like what I like! lol

I meant no offense to your comment but I keep seeing it over and over by various people, anytime someone talks about a long action. One guy swore that he was an engineer and could prove the action will flex. Couldn't prove it by any long action rifle that I own, especially my .25-06.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I meant no offense to your comment but I keep seeing it over and over by various people, anytime someone talks about a long action. One guy swore that he was an engineer and could prove the action will flex. Couldn't prove it by any long action rifle that I own, especially my .25-06.

No offense taken at all, I like my 30-06! LOL

And I'm sure the action does flex but if everything is in line I'm not sure that will degrade the accuracy...

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Just as an observation, my 25/06's seem sensitive to COL. Try playing with your COL and how far the bullet is off the leade. You might pick up a lot of accuracy there.

 

[Bkmiller1969]

Bullet measures 3.218 to lands. Hornady 117 gr COL is stated at 3.160. Any suggestions as to whether to start low and work up or start at the top and move down. What increments?

 

[Peter M. Eick]

"what i did" (you know those stories go...)

I worked up to a medium to the book load. I used sierra's manual and did the load to the book. Once I was comfortable that it was not over pressure, I started just shoving the bullet out more and I watched the accuracy tighten right up. I don't have my notes in front of me, but I remember I went a long ways. I should really look it up because I want to say it was like 2/10's of an inch before I started seeing a decrease in accuracy and pressure signs started to build. I believe I as jamming the bullet right into the lands of my Sendero.

Another approach (probably wiser) would be to set the col to either the box mag max length and chamber a round and see if the bullet has marks from hitting the lands or is too long and won't feed. Adjust till you have a workable solution and then start at the minimum load and work up a bit till a middle range load. Then modify the length (probably shorten it) up to say 50 thousands off the lands. Look for the best accuracy. Then load up a bit more and repeat but don't vary the col more than say +/- 20 thousand. Keep working the problem until you find the best spot.

Finally there is the tried and try Audette Ladder test where you basically set the COL and then shoot one target with increasing charge weights from lowest to highest in .2 grn increments. Mark each bullet hit on a spotter sheet and then look for areas where multiple bullets hit in one spot. Pick the middle charge weight and then start piddling with COL a bit.

Do a search on these techniques. I tend to do the first one but all have their merits.

So the bottom line is you have to just fiddle with it.

 

[joed]

I quit seating into the lands a long time ago. If I'm dealing with light bullets I pay more attention to how much of the base in inside the case.

When it comes to the longer ones I generally stay .050 off the lands.

 

[Bkmiller1969]

Floating barrel did the trick. Getting tighter groups now I'm going to start tweaking loads.

I did notice that in some of my 5 shot groups I'm pretty tight except every now and then I have a wild shot, many times way outside of the other 4 shots. Any thoughts on why I get a "flier" from time to time?

 

[flashhole]

I never had any luck with Hornady match bullets. I started weighing them and found them to be very inconsistent. Also the length varied quite a bit more than I expected. Switched to Sierra and never looked back.