25.06

[t_barb]

I have read a lot of positive reviews on this site about the 25.06 caliber and the versatility.. I also talked to some friends that have experience with it and more positive thoughts...

So I pick up a rifle today and intend to use it this upcoming deer season ( they opened up rifle in Livingston county, so that presents a new opportunity)...

That said, just wondering what cartridge people like in 25.06 for deer? I do not reload, so limited to commercially available ammo..

Your thoughts are appreciated!

[SahanasTaxi]

Get the HSM (hunting Shack) ammo. I have two 25-06 and they shoot the HSM 115 berger vld's at 3/4" group @ 100yds. Devastating on whitetails!

[PREDATE]

Devastating on whitetails!

And black bears!

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[chiefbkt]

I shoot the Winchester supreme ballistic silver tips in 115 grains out of my 25-06.  Every deer I've shot with them have dropped in sight.  

[Hock3y24]

My older model 70 loves the hornaday superformance, Sst bullets I think there 117 grain.

[fasteddie]

I don't care for Remington but their Core-Lokts do the work . Problem with the 25-06 is ...... the ammo is more expensive than say a 270 , etc ..

 

[bubba]

115 grain nosler partition 52.3 grains of IMR 4831.  Killed the biggest buck of my life 9 point 203 pounds. He ran 20 yards after a lung shot.  This pretty much mimics the federal fusion I believe.  But I make my own.

[Grizz1219]

Federal Fusion 120 gr... LOVE that gun and round... Deer don't take a step... (If hit right I have to add)  Wife used it in Africa with great results too..

 

[thphm]

Check what the twist rate of the barrel is and that will tell you what weight bullet you can use.

[t_barb]

Thanks for all the input guys.. Got a a few good choices to try out and see what the gun likes best... Really excited to put some rounds thru it next weekend at camp!

[Sparke2]

    just found this , cool nice to see the input  on the round .

 

[spltlim]

Love the 25/06, one sweet round.  One thing to keep in mind with bullet selection is shot distance.  Keep in mind the 25/06 is a fast flat shooting round with muzzle velocity of upwards 3000 fps, so if your shots are going to be inside say 150yds you need to make sure your using a stout bullet design like,  Nosler Partition, Nosler accubond, Barns TTSX or TSX, Berger VLD.  At closer ranges the bullet is traveling so fast that there is a good chance the bullet will break up upon impact.

 

Granted with a projectile travelling that fast at close distance and good shot placement,  the vital organs will be turned into jello and the deer will more then likely not take another step even it the bullet breaks up on impact.  With a less then Ideal shot dont expect to see much of a blood trail if the bullet breaks up

 

I hand load for my 25-06 most accurate bullet for me is 100 grain Sierra Pro Hunter, however this is not the most ideal bullet for the area I mostly hunt.  The buck I killed last year was shot right at 100yds and the pro hunter broke apart upon impact, all i was able to recover was very small bullet fragments inside the chest cavity,  now all of his vital organs were turned into soup and he didnt budge an inch, but a less then ideal hit and it would of been a very difficult tracking job.

 

So I have now developed a great load with both Nosler Partition and Nosler Accubonds,  As these bullets will hold up much better at the closer ranges, I did have to sacrifice a little bit of accuracy for performance, but I am most confident with these bullets  

[Sparke2]

Thanks for the info splitlm , when I shoot the 115gr to 120gr my groups get a little spread out , still trying to dial it in with a round for deer size game , she has no prob droping deer with 95gr tho. now that we are a rifle zone I have to put in the bench time .

[Mr VJP]

Sounds like the twist rate in your barrel is a little too slow for the heavy bullets.  Have you ever checked it to see what it is?

 

[thphm]

The twist rat is how many inches it takes to make one complete revulation of a ( lets say a cleaning rod wit a patch for that caliber) Put the cleaning rod with a patch on it into the BBL.,put a mark on the top of the rod lengthwise and one a few inches back around the dia. of the rod now slowly push the rod to the end of the bbl. and move it until the line of the top of the rod winds up on top again put a mark on the dia. of the rod and pull it out and measure the distance between the two marks on the dia. of the rod.Lets say it moved 10 inches to make one complete turn. You now have a 1 in 10 twist BBL. Now look up and see what weight bullets work for that twist rate for your caliber.There is usualy a few weights that will work , But you have to find out what your BBL.iikes the best 

[Sparke2]

Great info on the round. I'm going to look that up lurk . don't get me wrong the gun even with the said weight bullet it  is still shooting 1.25'' groups with a couple inside of each other.  

[eagle rider]

Regret selling mine last year.  Great round.