25-06 Loads for New Hill Country Rifle

[Prairiedog]

Things I learned loading for my new 25-06 Harvester:
I've been reloading for the 243 Win and many others for 50 years and I think the 25-06 is the most finicky caliber I've loaded (maybe 325 WSM too). I have been working primarily on a deer load for upcoming Montana hunt. Bullets tried were Nosler 110 AccuBond, Barnes 100 TSX, (also the 115 TSX FB until I discovered it requires 1-9 twist), and Sierra 117 SBT. Powders tried were IMR 4831, H4831SC, RL-19 and RL-22. I also worked on varmit load using Sierra 75HP and 90HPBT using RL-19, Varget and W760. What I have seen so far is that in all combos I tried the max loads shoot by far the tighest groups, going from 2in plus to under an inch. Also seating depth is critical on Barnes and AccuBond. Haven't worked on depth of Sierras yet..runing out of time before hunt. Conclusion, for now, the 110 AccuBond is going to MT. 51gr H4831SC (Max in Nosler Manual at 3100FPS) Seated at .015 off lands shoots 5 shots in 0.60 at 100 yards and 1.25 at 200. Either less charge or seated at 0.50 opens group to 2 1/2 or more at 100. The Barnes shoot best with big jump, 0.10 or so. The best varmit load so far is Sierra 75HP with max load of W760 but still only around 1 in. Haven't concentrated on this due to priority.
In comparison my 243 and 270 Wins like tons of loads and generally shoot sub MOA.

 

[41 Mag]

Quite a few years ago when I started loading for my 25-06 I found like you it seemed to be very particular. Then on a whim I seated some to the book OAL length of 3.250" using the 100gr Nosler BT. I was amazed to find the groups went from about 2.5" on average to around a half inch, sometimes less if things were going good for me.

My standard load for the 100gr bullets used IMR-4831 except for the Sierra. After some frustration and talking to the tech at Sierra who suggested using IMR-4350 these also grouped like the Nosler. Then I switched to the 115gr Partition using RL-22. While working up the RL-22 load, I had forgotten to change the seating depth from the 100gr by accident, and all of a sudden the groups I was getting with them also shrunk into tiny clover leaf sizes.

Since then I use a dummy round when setting up for my hunting loads. I epoxied a 100gr BT into case seated to 3.250" base to tip. I can set the seater to that length using the dummy round and everything shoots tiny groups, no matter the brand or if it is a 100gr or a 110, 115, or 117gr.

Try setting things back off the lands and see if it helps out with yours. I know those measurements in the books are simply there as a "guide" but sometimes they do work wonders.

 

[joed]

I've owned a .25-06 for over 36 years, never found it to be finicky at all. It has it's likes and dislikes, mostly with primers.

As you found, accuracy comes at near max to max loads. My rifle will shoot under 1/2" all day long as long as I do my part. Whenever someone tells me they have accuracy problems with this cartridge I usually find that they are shooting starting loads.

You have all the right powders, I've used every one that you mentioned including RL17. Using RL17 and the 85 gr Nosler I've seen velocity of 3625 fps and under 1/2" groups. None of my other rifles have done that.

There's a reason the .25-06 has always been my favorite. And I have a few other cartridges in bolt action rifles.

 

[quartermaster]

41 Mag, interesting post. 35 years ago,when I started my reloading habit, book COAL is what I always used and did have some pretty good luck. As I progressed, i started my seating depths at .025 off the lands and worked closer first and if I didn't get the desired accuracy, I would work the other way. Most of the time seating closer has worked better for me, but there has been a rifle that occasionally I have really struggled with no matter what components or seating depths I tried.

I have to admit that it's been a long, long time since I've thought about starting with the manual listed length. I will give it a try in the future the next time I am baffled. It certainly is worth a shot.

A couple of years ago we talked about my 25-06 AI. I got that shooting very good.

Hope your and your shooting family are doing well. QM

Prairiedog, I have found that the 25-06 caliber in my experience can easily be loaded too hot without showing obvious signs of pressure. It is the only caliber that I have ever toasted a barrel in and I have done it twice. I am getting one rebarreled now. When I get it back, I am going to try a different powder besides IMR 4831. It has always worked excellant for me for accuracy and velocity,. Rebarreling is a bit pricey for a little bit of velocity gained. Good luck!

 

[41 Mag]

A couple of years ago we talked about my 25-06 AI. I got that shooting very good.

Hope your and your shooting family are doing well. QM

If I'm not mistaken didn't I pass along some data as well?

I had my AI out a month or so back just checking the zero with some FF loads. It's nice to have them shoot almost as well as the formed loads do, even if they aren't going quite as fast they still will put meat on the table from a goodly ways out.

Yep everyone is doin well right now anticipating hitting the woods in a couple of weeks. The oldest grandson, 12 now, already has his eye on "tha big one". He gave it a free pass last year when we had it dead to rights standing out in our back pasture about 80yds out. I told him as nice as he is now, he will be better next year, but if you take him now thats all he will ever be. He was good with that, plus we had a ball watching him run the does and younger bucks around for close to a good hour before a big ol hog came out and made the boys day. He made a nice 250'ish yard ear hole shot on it with the .270, all I could say was nice shootin, now the work starts.

Yea I used to seat mine out long as well, but since most of my rifles are used for hunting I found that some of the sharp plastic tipped high BC bullets would hang up in a little gap right between the bottom of the chamber and the mag well on some of my rifles. There was just enough gap that when I cycled them fast like when working on a quick follow up they would jam in that space and lock everything up till I could clear them. So I just got into a habit of setting them back so they had ample room to fit the magazines as well as clear that little spot no matter how fast I tried to cycle them. Usually this ends up somewhere close to some of those book numbers. I still work a bit on the seating depths but nowadays I will start off just fitting the mag well, and work deeper if needed.

Those loads that use the RL-22 in my standard chambered 25 usually easily average groups like this at 200yds, this one however is at 250. The low shot was a fouling round right after I cleaned it and intentionally aimed low.

The two together are with the 110gr Accubond over 56.5grs of RL-22, lit with the Win-WLR. I use that same seater, mentioned above, set with that 100gr BT to seat these. I don't even check the OAL on them since I know from all the other rounds shot they will go where they need to. The nice thing is the same powder charge shoots the same way with the 115gr Partition seated the same way as well. And it's good enough to plant one between the eyes of a yote at 350yds.

 

[quartermaster]

Yes, you did send me some data, which was very helpful. I did a lot of shooting to come up with an accurate load with velocity that suited me. I ended up shooting Berger 115 VLDs. I have been using more and more of them in rifles that I can get them to shoot in. They are devastating on game and extremely accurate in certain rifles. Finding the correct seating depth is the key.

I am compiling quite a few 25 cal bullets and need to weed some out. I have 2 25-06s and the Ackley. I have never tried the Accubonds even though I have had 3 boxes for a number of years now. How do they work on game for you? I know they are accurate, but have read a lot of pros and cons as far as expansion and penatration.

I try to stay away from big game rifles that have magazines, although I do have 3 of them, all Brownings, as I don't like the idea of being restricted by seating depth. This definately comes into play with the VLDs.

Would you mind if we borrowed Rick Perry to be our Gov. for a couple of years so we can get back on track here? Things in NY are rediculous and out of control.

 

[JimKirk]

I have been having pretty good luck using IMR 7828 at a maximum load under the Nosler Accubond 110 gr ... for deer hunting. As far as general shooting ... I've had good luck with the Sierra 117 gr, the Nosler 115 gr BT, 120 gr Speer, Hornady 120 HP and a few other ... powder I've shot IMR 4350, H4350, IMR 4831, H 4831, IMR 7828, Retumbo, RL17, RL19, RL22, RL25, H1000, W760,W780 ... so you could say that my .25/06 is not too picky about much ... I've killed many deer with most of the other general loads too...

 

[41 Mag]

I have never tried the Accubonds even though I have had 3 boxes for a number of years now. How do they work on game for you? I know they are accurate, but have read a lot of pros and cons as far as expansion and penatration.

Well I picked up two boxes of them when they first came out loaded up about 10 just to see how they shot. Well they did as is obvious from the target above.

My daughter hunted with them the most since I passed that rifle over to her. She has taken several deer and hogs with no issues. The hogs were all ear holed or between the eyes so no biggie there.

About two years ago, I used them on a couple of hogs in the 200'ish pound range and found neither of them even though I knocked them completely off their feet. Both were shot at 200 yards or less, and straight through the chest. I always aim straight up the front leg about 3" into real meat and with most other loads or rifles they might only go a few yards if that. At the time, I found nothing other than disturbed dirt where they were hit and hit the ground. Two days later we found one of them and never found the other. The hit on the one we did find was right where I wanted it to go and should by all rights have left it laying where it hit the ground.

Since then, the grandson and I loaded up the last box of them for him and his mom to use on whatever suits their fancy, but I also loaded up a box of the 115gr Partitions for them to use on the deer they hunt on our little piece of property. I used them for nearly 20 years on everything from head shot skunks at almost 300yds, to a mule deer in CO with no issues, just a bang flop so I know they work.

Personally I think they missed the boat with the 110gr and might should have gone with a 115 instead. That weight in a 25 cal anything is good. In the bigger cases you get plenty of velocity and in the smaller ones you get a medium heavy bullet that can still get some respective speed. But what do I know, I begged them hard the first year they came out and for several years after that, to bring out a 115gr Ballistic Tip, to which I was told again and again it wouldn't work in a standard 1-10 twist rifle. Go figure.....

 

[quartermaster]

Go figure is right. I would think that a 120 gr Partition wouldn't be any longer than a 115 BT would be. I never compared the lengths between Part and BTs. If a 10" twist will stabilize a 115 VLD, I would think it would also be good in the BTs. Maybe the bearing surface is less in the VLDs. Not sure. I'll have to check that out also.

Thanks for the info. I'll add the accubonds to my future FS list.

If my memory serves me correctly, didn't you order 130 gr for your AI? I know it had a faster twist than 1:10, but can't recall what it was.