Ruger No.1 25-06

[pwillie]

I have a new Ruger No. 1 in 25-06 and am thinkin about using it next season for deer hunting...I like Noslar Partition cartridges...my question,does anyone have experience with these type of cartridges for hunting? What weight and bullet?....I like speed, so please tell me...

 

[Geno]

Nosler Partition "projectiles" are fantastic. I used the 95 grain Partitian in my former M700V, 6mm Rem (.243 caliber). I believe that Nosler makes a 100 grain Partition for the .25-06 Rem (.257 caliber). I never tested the Partitian in my former .25-06 Rem (a Vanguard VGX).

Test some in a handload and let us know how it groups.

Geno

 

[Tentwing]

I have heard good things about the Noslers, but I have no personal experience with them. I do however have some experience with Barnes 100 gr TSX , and 117 grain Sierra Gamekings. Both are like the hammer of Thor on whitetails.

Tentwing

 

[CB900F]

Geno;

Depends on the range. The partition is a very old design & works well within it's limits. The front part of the bullet is built to open up rapidly & expansion stops when the partition is reached. Then, the intact rear half is meant to drive the tip through the animal. But, when you start getting into velocities that weren't available in the late 1940's, that doesn't always work so well.

This is anecdotal, but makes my point: in 2001 I shot an antelope at 470 yards with my .30-06 using a 150 grain partition that exited the muzzle at about 2860 fps. When I recovered from recoil & spotted the buck, he was rolled over & all four feet in the air, DRT. The bullet worked perfectly, but did not remain in the animal. The point being, it worked at an extended range. However, If I'd had your .25-06 & he was at 140 yards, I'd have been veeery careful about where I put that bullet.

900F

 

[TTundra]

I shoot Nosler Partitions almost exclusively out of my 300 win mags for hunting, granted much heavier than the weights you'll be shooting in your 25-06 (love the cartridge as well), 180 grainers.

I've taken Mulies at 300 yards recovering the bullet in the opposite shoulder and one at 270'ish yards that went clear through. have a great pic of it if I can find it. White tail anywear from 40 yards to just over 300 and rarely see them go more than 15-20 yards, many times a straight drop.

On some bullet recoveries it can be devastating. As long as I do my part I'm always happy with the harvest.

Heading to Limpopo this may for a plains game hunt and taking none other than those 180 partitions and have no doubt they'll work just well there. I do think I'll begin exploring the BT from Nosler next season just to compare performance.

 

[Geno]

CB900F:

For my 1987 deer hunt, I had my 6mm Rem , 95 grain Partition loaded to a MV of 3,371 FPS, and zeroed at 300 yards. When the deer entered the 6-18 Redfield Accu-Trac's ranging wires, I pulled the trigger.

The deer was running direct toward me. The projectile entered the front of the chest and the bone "shrapnel" literally, completely dislodged the heart. Upon gutting the deer, the heart literally rolled out onto the ground.

As we skinned it, we found the Partition was embedded between the muscle and skin, about an inch right of the "pooper". The projectile mushroomed well, peeled back, and the rear of the partition was fully intact. The frontal portion was gone.

Partitions penetrate extremely well, fully penetrating a whitetail deer lengthwise, at 300 yards. If you are taking a side-shot, know very well what is on the far side, because you almost certainly will hit it. I do have a photo...somewhere.

Geno

 

[Schutzen]

.25-06 bullet

I have never seen a .25-06 that did not shoot the 117 gr BTHP well. It is a deer killing machine.

 

[witchhunter]

I have used 115 grain Nosler Partitions in mine for 30 years. I like 4831 and I refuse to use anything else.

 

[eastbank]

i use the hornady 115 sst at 2700fps in my rem roberts and its a good deer killer and in the 25-06 it will even be better. eastbank.

 

[wgp]

Have not killed any game with my .25-06 but have hunted with only 165gr Partitions in my .30-06s for years. There are newer bullets but from what I read the Partition is still considered an industry standard for premium, deep penetration bullets. I will use the Nosler Ballistic Tip for a "practice" bullet, they're about half the cost of Partitions and in my rifles shoot the same.

 

[JimKirk]

I shoot the Nosler Accubonds 110 gr out my .25/06 ... the results have been very good ... 3200 fps and accurate ....

Been reloading the .25/06 since 1969 ....

 

[Geno]

pwillie:

Dog-gone-you!

You have me wanting a new .25-06 Rem, and I've always liked the Ruger No. 1. Don't you know better than to lead me astray?! Only problem is, my kid is in 3rd year pre-med. Daddy ain't buyin' no more guns til after med school. :banghead: So let's see, 5 years, times 365 days equals 1,825 days wait-period. Well, at least I can live vicariously through your rifle. So, make with some vicarious photos.

Geno

 

[GooseGestapo]

Your best bet is the Sierra 120gr GameKing. Load it over H4831SC.
It performs above its weight! I've used it (bullet) to great effect in my .25's as well as friend in .25/06. (I also have a .257wby and .257Roberts).

Noslers are great, but not needed for deer. Elk, yes! Moose, bears, but deer go down quicker with a faster expanding bullet. You'll shoot 2x more Sierra's and hence will shoot better.
Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement!

 

[sage5907]

I agree with the Goose about the Sierra gameking. The deer go down quicker with a fast expanding bullet. I am not a Nosler partition fan for deer hunting. The 117 grain Sierra gameking is a really good bullet and you can shoot more rounds cheaper and do just as well with the Sierra. I was a fan of IMR 4831 but now I am using 48 grains of Reloader 17.

 

[joed]

Lower Alabama? I lived in Pensacola and hunted deer there. You aren't talking huge deer, they can be taken with a good 100 gr to 120 gr bullet.

While I lived there I used Sierra 117 gr GK for my hunting with my .25-06. Never felt the need for a Partition when deer hunting.

 

[mshootnit]

#1's are hit and miss for accuracy. Hopefully you got a shooter.

 

[TwoEyedJack]

I've only personally used Partitions in heavier calibers. I have only recovered one, from a bison, that went through about 3' of the animal and stopped under the skin on the far side. It was a 250 gr. .338, and mushroomed beautifully. I have never recovered a bullet from an elk; they go all the way through.

If I were to hunt big game with a .25 cal, the Partition would probably be my first choice.

I have a Ruger #1V in .223. It is very accurate, but only with its own brass, sized in a Lee Collet neck sizer. I also free floated the fore end. It is very picky. Anything but H335 and 50 gr. Vmax and accuracy goes to heck. If yours has the rib instead of the scope mounting blocks, you can expect your point of impact to change as the barrel heats up. The rib has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the barrel. This is not a real problem on a big game single shot. You just have to be patient and not let the barrel heat up when trying to shoot groups or sight it in.

 

[Hookeye]

I had a B model, that did not exhibit signs of wander when heated up.
It was not free floated either, was an older model (used when I got it in '78).
Fantastic shooter...........for years, until the throat eroded.

The rib mass, design and attachment system, that all then touching the bbl, and also the front of the receiver............think those issues probably overshadow any
TCE difference.....since both made of steel.

My #1.....put warm shots with the cold start. Hot was in the same area, but group size opened.
This rig if you let it cool between shots was sub .5 MOA. Not cooling, it was at or under an inch. If I flubbed a shot, the 2nd usually got the chuck.
3 shots from a #1........rare thing. Think I did blast 3 chucks in rapid succession one day, 150 yards. Herd was running after the first shot (total was 8 in that general area- didn't see but 3 of them).

My dad's even older (1st style) in .22-250 is decent in that regard as well, also a B model, but it never shot as good as my .243 did. My old rig impressed quite a few locals. Being a lefty, he was thrilled to get a #1..........but his never did impress me. Still has it, .75" to 1" rig.

Sad mine wore out. I didn't have the $ at the time, still going to college, to have it rebarrelled. In hindsight I should have thrown it in the closet and kept it until I did.

Nice wood and a lot of dead chucks with it.

I have however seen several last of the redpad #1's that were nightmares for their owners. Some found the magic load, some did the stock work to help........some gave up and ditched 'em.

Pretty much a coin toss on what you're gonna get.

So pretty it might be tolerable to lose a couple before a win.

I just got an RSI...........haven't even shot it yet. Might be my kid's deer rifle, will be happy if it does 1.5" @ 100.

If not, yup........rebarrel.

Have heard that the newer models seem to be less temperamental.

Also heard that the action can be timed to help with accuracy. Bud has an A in .243 that he says is a one hole rig.
IIRC the rifle builder charged 300 for that job.