Which is the better bullet ....

[fasteddie]

Which is the better bullet to use in reloading in 25-06 for deer hunting ? I am considering the Hornaday 120 gr HP and the Sierra 117 gr spitzer . Any thoughts on either of these two bullets ?

[Lawdwaz]

For what, deer hunting?

If it's a Sierra GameKing, nothing wrong with that.

Is the Hornady a hollow point?  I wouldn't use that,  might go with the Interlock or Interbond though.

[Karpteach]

I would go with the Hornady interlock. See what shoots better in your rifle.

[fasteddie]

I asked about the Hornaday 120 gr HP and the Sierra 117 gr spitzer because those are the two that I have reloaded some test rounds already and have many more for reloading . I thought possibly someone may have used one or both of them for deer .

I have taken deer with the 25-06 using Factory loaded Remington 120 gr Core Lokt's but between the Hornadays and the Sierras , I have at least 160 bullets that I can use .

[Lawdwaz]

If  the Sierra is a GameKing and shot well, use them.

[fasteddie]

If  the Sierra is a GameKing and shot well, use them.

It's a Game King ...... If the weather is fair tomorrow , i'll try them out . Thanks !

[Fantail]

Hold up just a sec to double check. I use some Sierra to reload, blitzking & gameking. They both have a v-tapered end. If I remember they offer a pro-hunter or spitzer round that is a more traditional flat end.

[fasteddie]

I have the Sierra 117 gr Spitzer Gamkings . I am posting a pic

[fasteddie]

I was getting ready to head over to the Gun Club but the flag is flying straight out and whipping pretty good . If I was shooting rounds that I had previously had known results with , it might be a good test but it wouldn't be a fair test for something that I hadn't shot before . I'll wait another day .

[Mr VJP]

That's  a BTSP (boat tail soft point) bullet.  Boat tail bullets are designed to have less drag and shoot flatter at longer range.  It will work fine for deer if it shoots well out of your rifle.

[woodsdweller]

i always had good luck with the 115 gr. nosler partition. great bullet!!

[bubba]

Ed,

For deer loads in the 25-06, I had less than stellar results with the 117 grain sierra gamekings with 50.5 grains fo IMR 4831.  They would blow apart on impact at the velocities of the 25.  I shot a doe at 160 yards through the boiler room.  It tore the opposite shoulder off.  I also shot a nice 6 point at 70 yards and he stood there like he was stung by a bee.  You could see blood pouring out of the wound and he just stood there until he fell over.  Granted both deer died on the spot, but the devastation to the meat turned me off to them.  I now use Nosler partitions 115 grain with 50.2 grains of IMR 4831.  They shoot very well out of my nephews Handi and my encore.  They do not fragment and do a fine job on deer.  They seem to have more shock on impact and do not tear apart.  They are more expensive.  The last box of 50 I bought were 30 bucks.  But I use them just for hunting, so a box of 50 will last me about 2 seasons. Just kidding.  I loaded all 50 and gave half to my nephew for this season.  25 will do me a long time for hunting expecially since i use y ML a lot of regular season.

[Santamour123]

I have went the route of trying different bullets. I went the route of premium bullets. I have finally went back to either plain speer hot cores or Hornady SP .  Not an issue on any game.

[FULLDRAWXX75]

It all boils down to which one your gun likes better...................................and what you are looking to achieve from the bullet.

FDXX75

[Robinson446]

try each of them out and see how  you like them. if you dont want to spend the money to find out you like one better then the other there is some cool programs you can type in your gun, your bullet, the grain, and it will show the drop in the bullet over a certain distance. my opinion is Hornaday. I love em.

[Larry]

hornady makes a interbond and a sst bullet in 25cal both should work

[erussell]

Light bullet flying fast, hitting something hard = explosion.  I sold my 25-06 after the 3rd deer I shot with it ended up with a fist size hole in it again. Good round for long range shots on small game, but in my opinion its a poor deer round. There are better performing bullets for medium size game like deer.

[bubba]

I certainky have to disagree with that. I shot a 190 pound buck at 40 yards last fall with my 25-06.  I was puhing a 115 grin nosler partition with 52 grains of Imr 4831.  I hit just behind the shoulder broadside and the exit was quarter sized.  The deer ran 30 yards down hill and piled. Lungs were mush.  I have seen much more damage from a 30-06 or 7 mag than I had.  it isnt about caliber as much as it is about bullet selection and shot placement.  Plus pushing a hornady xtp 44 cal at 1800 fps out of my muzzleloader does much more damage than my 25-06 ever did. 

[Pygmy]

I agree with Bubba on this...The 25-06 is an excellent deer round with proper bullets...

YES...Many 25 cal bullets are very rough on the eatin' meat, especially the 100 grain and lighter ones.. Even MORE so if you hit a shoulder or a ham.. However, the same applies to many .270 bullets in 100 to 130 grain, and many 7mm and .30 cal bullets, especially when driven at magnum velocities.. And as Bubba said, those damn sabot pistol bullets fired from muzzleloaders at velocities far beyond what they are designed for are literal BOMBS also..

If I were still using a 25-06, I'd use a stoutly constructed bullet such as a Barnes X or a Nosler partition or accubond or a  swift A-frame..

[Lawdwaz]

Light bullet flying fast, hitting something hard = explosion.  I sold my 25-06 after the 3rd deer I shot with it ended up with a fist size hole in it again. Good round for long range shots on small game, but in my opinion its a poor deer round. There are better performing bullets for medium size game like deer.

What did you replace it with?  And what ammo?

[eagle rider]

I load 25-06 with a 117 gr Hornady SST.  It liquifies lungs!!!!!!

[erussell]

Light bullet flying fast, hitting something hard = explosion.  I sold my 25-06 after the 3rd deer I shot with it ended up with a fist size hole in it again. Good round for long range shots on small game, but in my opinion its a poor deer round. There are better performing bullets for medium size game like deer.

What did you replace it with?  And what ammo?

I was using the only thing I could find at the time. I think it was 100 grain remingtons don't remember, it was 15 yrs ago. I see they make 117 grainers now and I think I have even seen 120's before also. I ended up picking up a 270 and shooting 140 grain nosler accubonds. I unfortunatly never got a chance to shoot anything with it and ended up selling that and picking up a T/C Triumph when I moved back to NY.

Just recently picked up another rifle in 30-06 that I havent shot yet either.

[eagle rider]

A lot of the tissue destruction has to do with bullet construction.  A bonded bullet will not expand as radically as a locked jacket will no matter what the velocity is.  The result is more controlled expansion with a less dramatic wound.  The effect on the game will be the same.  A higher ballistic coefficient with a higher sectional density will give you what you need when bridging a varmit caliber into deer hunting.  Check out the Nossler website.

[bubba]

Light bullet flying fast, hitting something hard = explosion.  I sold my 25-06 after the 3rd deer I shot with it ended up with a fist size hole in it again. Good round for long range shots on small game, but in my opinion its a poor deer round. There are better performing bullets for medium size game like deer.

What did you replace it with?  And what ammo?

I was using the only thing I could find at the time. I think it was 100 grain remingtons don't remember, it was 15 yrs ago. I see they make 117 grainers now and I think I have even seen 120's before also. I ended up picking up a 270 and shooting 140 grain nosler accubonds. I unfortunatly never got a chance to shoot anything with it and ended up selling that and picking up a T/C Triumph when I moved back to NY.

Just recently picked up another rifle in 30-06 that I havent shot yet either.

if you look closely at ballistics, a 120 grain bullet out of a 25-06 and a 130 grain bullet out of a 270 are so close that it is almost identical.  They are the exact case with one necked to 277 the other 257.  either one with the same bullet are going to do the same damage, an dbe just as deadly.  However the 270 is touted as the one of the greats.   

[eagle rider]

The 270 is a one of the greats.  Not to snub the 25-06 because it does a phenominal job, but whitetails are its upper limit in my opinion.  The 270 is a bit more versatile and was made famous probably because of 1950's and 60's writers like Jack O'Connor.  Bottom line a 117 - 120 grain 25-06 moving at 3000 fps into a whiteails boiler room is going to be just as deadly as a 130 grain 270 smacking into the same spot at 2900 FPS out of the muzzle.  The lighter bullets seems to make a lot more syrup of the lungs and heart than the 270 does.