25-06

[Ak_Red]

I have been reading the posts here and I noticed several people mention the 25-06. I am happy to see it, as I have one myself. Mine is a Weatherby Vanguard. Not the most expensive rifle out there, or even pretty anymore, but it is the sweetest shooting rifle I have.

I am curious what loads anyone out there may have developed that work particularly well. I know what works for one, may or may not work for another, but it is a starting point for me. I just picked up a set of 25-06 dies. I have Speer, Hornady, and Sierra loading manuals, but I figure the more information I have the better I will do. Thanks

David

[Rocky Raab]

Welcome to HuntChat, AK-Red.

I don't personally have a .25-06, but Evan03 is a regular poster and a genuine 25-06 lover who reloads. I'm sure he'll chime in soon!

Even though Evan is a good guy who would never intentionally lead you astray, please be sure to doublecheck ANY load info you find on the web with a reliable manual. Typos DO happen, memory stumbles and "things" happen at the keyboard.

[Catfish]

David,
I have a .257 AI which is about the same thing as the .25-06. I use the 87 gn. Serria bullets at 3,500 fps. for varmints. I`ve never hunted deer with it, but did loan it to a friend for antlope and he fired 1 shot with the 117 gn. Serria bullet and put down an antlope at abt 450 yrds. I know you can go by 1 shot, but it looks like the 117 Serrias work well on deer size game. I`m pretty sure the 87`s are to expolsive for deer.

[Ken14]

I have been shooting the .25 since '96..and in my Sendero I have found that Nosler 100gr ballistic tips and IMR 4831 work real well...also the Hornady 100gr sp have done well too. I have also shot good groups with H4831SC ...My rifle seems to favor bullets of 100gr and less. Hope that helps.

[Evan03]

though i cant remember any loads off the top of my head ill tell you where i got my load info to start from heck i may have stopped there im not positive.

the nosler manual. i found very good acuracy at noslers most acurate load. if memory serves me right i dont think it was theyre hottest load.

anyhow

ive loaded 75 hornady vmaxes, 85 nolser balistic tipps, 100nolser balistic tipps and 100 nolser partitions.

ill tell you right off the bat i found no acuracy in the 100 partitions, id much rather shoot facotry 100gr core locktsd than these. and i tried a few loads with them.

way back when in my quest for speed i tried alot of loads with the 75vmaxes. i shot some loads that i probly shouldnt have tried. i did find acuracy there and will load them again once i get some time.

then 85gr nolser balistic tipps. these bullets were flying better than the vmaxes but i had gotten past my velocity crazed phase. i think i was pushing imr 4831 reg primers and win cases.

but i found my most acurate load with 100gr nolser balistic tipps this bullet has become the number one bullet i reload in my 2506. the load is movn pretty good acurate plenty acurate for long range rock chucks and coyotes. and i confidently pack the load deer hunting. lately ive been playing with amsller calibers and couldnt tell you the load. it may be noslers most acurate load.

so far ive found that nosler most acurate load works very well in more than one rifle and also works when useing bullets other than noslers. id sujest to bump nosler load down 1 full grain when swapping bullets then work back up to it in half grain stepps.

i actualy lean on remingtons 100gr core lockt load quite abit when im not in the mood to reload., ive found this ammo to be plenty acurate and works on all kinds of game if not all game id ever want to sqeeze a round off with while packn the 25. guess that in itself says something about my reloading habbits.

good luck and keep us posted.

Evan

ps

this info is subject to change as ive changed quite alot in my wants and needs when reloading. its now all about acuracy and i load alot looking for it. i cant tell you how many difrent powder combos, primers and bullets ive pushed down range just to find a very acurate load.

but i did load for the 2506 enough to know that the 100gr bts are right where im gona pick up

[Ak_Red]

Thanks for the info. It gives me a place to start. I am more about accuracy than speed (I am sure speed will come up eventually!). The shooting I do now is at targets, until I can get back to Alaska. Though a friend is dogging me to come out for deer this year.

In your trials, have you run across light loads? I am looking for something my 12 yr old can punch paper with, that won't hurt his shoulder. He shoots a .22 now, and does well with it. I want to start moving him up.

Again thanks. I appreciate the info.

David

[Evan03]

ill see what i can find for light loads and 100gr bullets.

[Evan03]

whoa momma

found a few light loads.

30grs of sr 4759 100gr bullet bout 2660 fps. remington case and fed 210 primer

32grs of sr 4759 87gr bullet 2935fps.

i havent ever heard of these powders or heard anything about them but the loads are slow and should produce mild mild mild recoil.

heres the link where i got that info

http://www.imrpowder.com/data/rifle/25-06rem.php




im kinda curious about the 87gr bullets at 2900 fps now that ive kinda looked into it.

i looked on the imr website first because i wanted to see what they had for slow loads useing 4831, but all the loads listed with the 4831 are at or near max so the powder must not lend it self to light loads in the caliber very well

[Cal Sibley]

Hello Evan03,

Do your find you .25-06 is difficult for load development? The reason I'm asking is I have a new Remington 700BDL that's giving me fits. Most of my loads are going about 1.3" (5 at 100yds.) I spent an extra $250. getting the action glass bedded, the barrel floated and the trigger lightened. Usually that does the trick for me, but not this time. I've had finicky rifles before and don't know if this is one or if something could be wrong. I've tried about a dozen or more bullet/powder combinations in this .25-06. If you could toss something useful my way I'd appreciate it. Thanks and best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[Rocky Raab]

Evan, you are correct - 4831 should NOT be used for reduced loads, period.

There have been documented cases of severe overpressure using reduced charges of 4831 (specifically the Hodgdon variety, but IMR is suspect, too).

I looked into this once with a 7 RemMag, and darn near wrecked the rifle - which belonged to somebody else! You DEFINITELY can create a severe overpressure with reduced charges of H4831.

SR 4759 powder was specifically created for reduced loads in rifles. So it's a great choice. But it's not easy to find or always available.

Another powder created for that purpose (and superbly done) is Accurate Arms 5744. In the 25-06, the AA manual calls for a 100-gr lead bullet (gas checked) with 22.0 of 5744 for 2000 fps and only 24K pressure. I'm pretty sure it'd be OK to substitute a jacketed bullet with pressure that low, but no guarantee.

[Evan03]

Cal Sibley


i consider my 2506 to be far from touchy. when loading i always look to the nosler manual. this manual hasnt led me wrong guess i should say the info in the manual. i dont actualy own a nosler manual.

for 100gr bullets nosler says imr4831 is the most acurate powder. for 85s they say rel19 and i usualy load about 5 loads starting with theyre most acurate load if that load isnt at max. if the load is well below max i load from the most acurate load and up.

my loads are touching the lands. i dont realy like to be touching but i dont want to move them. these loads are very tight in the ruger mag box almost to tight at times. ive got to stack the 4 shells just right.

out of the last 3 loads i tried. 49.5 50.5 and 52 of 4831 none went over 1.5" one load may have been right at 1.5 but the other two were very close. 52 seemd to be the more acurate and chose to load a bunch of loads of it. this load shot 3/4 or so maybe less.. actrualy ill call it an inch never did measure any so i better not be spitn out small group numbers.

i have never loaded for remington but it sure seems that you should be able to get inside an ich.

Evan

ohhhhhhhh also i can see know advantage or dissadvantage to useing mag primers over lr primers.