25 06 on deer

[JRS3]

I shoot 100 grain TSXs in my 25-06 and they are very accurate. The TSXs definitely cause less bloodshot meat but I find they don't drop deer near effectively as other expanding bullets. In most instances when hit in the lungs, they will run 50-150 yards. The blood trails are typically ok but it is worth noting for those hunting in brushy areas or where boundary lines might be an issue.

 

[19elkhunter51]

I also have been using a 25-06 for deer for over 30 years. Three years ago while hunting in Kansas, I shot four whitetail does (limit was five at that time). I shot three in the neck/head and the last one a slight quartering away shot. Shot went exactly where I wanted it but it took the offside front shoulder and turned it into a mess. Just cut it off and threw it away. I was shooting 117 grain Sierra Gameking bullets.
I will echo the words of others before me, shot placement is the key. I am going to try some Barnes bullets in this rifle as I have had superb results with Barnes bullets in 30 caliber and 338 caliber.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

I've used a 117gn Nosler Partition bullet in my 25-06 on deer for close to 50 years and have never experienced any problems with blood shot meat. In over 50 muley bucks and a few Whitetails, not one has had any bloodshot meat. I recovered many of the bullets from the ribs of the opposite side of the chest cavity from where I hit initially and they were mostly intact weight wise with a good consistent mushroom from the tip to the bullets centerpoint.

 

[skipglo]

I have shot deer and antelope with a 25-06 using 120 and 117 grain Sierras and have very little meat loss. I always shoot for the heart lung area. Does your brother shoot the shoulder?

Does your brother Shoot the Sh.......oh you said shoulder Red!

 

[DUCKMAN11]

120 coreloks at 3250 or 115vlds at 3400ish. Maybe our deer out here are different but a behind the shoulder shot does the trick in my standard 25-06. It sounds like you are getting a lot of "splash" from the bullet expanding to early. This can be caused by the bullet AND bullet placement. If the meat is mangled soak it in water and drain the blood off then grind it.

 

[284ackley]

my brother has hunted deer with his 25 06 for 30 years.it seams no matter what the bullet you loose abut 25 persent of a dee or more from blood shot meat. are any of you finding this to be true.the powder load is 52.0 grains of 4831 du pont and the 115 and 120 grain bullets.the 100 grain is enven worst in this reguard.

I shoot exclusively the Barnes 100 TTSX. Minimal meat loss and they drop in their tracks. Also try the TSX. Your rifle will like one over the other but just a bit. Also move to Re22 and around 54-56gr. You'll gain 2-300fps at same pressure.

 

[Raudy707]

My Dad started both my brothers and I with 87 grain Speer bullets out of our 25-06's when we were 12 year olds to keep the recoil low. We have a cult following in our household with father and 3 brothers all shooting 25-06's for everything from ground squirrels to elk. My Dad growing up in a poor household and my grandfather working through the Great Depression was a very strict conservationist from day one. Eat what you kill. Only fire one shot. Skin them to the ears and save every scrap of meat. Including all organs and tongue. We even ate brains back in those days. We poked little 25 cal holes in the lungs of those deer and never had much meat loss at all. A handful to the dogs. I remember around my senior year of high school my Dad told me great job after my 9th neck shot in a row. Hunting WAS actually how we got food. Over 100 deer and 10 elk killed with the 25-06's and I'd say we had 2% max loss of meat due to bloodshot. Shoot the slats and neck. Avoid shoulders. We all grew up to shoot Nosler 120 grain Partitions eventually and Hornady 117 Interlocks.

 

[Howard Van Horn]

I experienced the same problem with destroyed meat. 35 years ago, I slowed down my hunting 308 round and solved the problem.

 

[Fedwell]

I Still say, if you havent tried Hammer Bullets you are not getting the advantage of modern technology. 92 g Hammer Hunter through the lungs with 25-06 and that is it.



"Lets go Brandon"

 

[Mike Matteson]

What I was going to say…with the 25-06 shoot behind the shoulder we lose about 3 ribs—we shoot 115 Bergers they Are nasty—if your shoot in the shoulder 117 round nose are pretty good—but due to the velocity there is always blood shot meat.

Look at Nosler Accubond in 115gr or ballistic tip. I used for years 120gr SPBT Nosler(no longer built). Partition 100gr I used only one's on a deer. It blood shot the entire one side of the deer. Otherwise the 120gr were great from short yards to long yards out to 500yds or so. Deer and Antelope. Went hunting larger game and change up to 308 NM or 338WM presently.
Now I use Nosler Accubond 165grs in my 308 NM, and 200grs in my 338WM. Velocities between 3200 & 3300fps. They preformed great for me.

 

[JustMe2]

my brother has hunted deer with his 25 06 for 30 years.it seams no matter what the bullet you loose abut 25 persent of a dee or more from blood shot meat. are any of you finding this to be true.the powder load is 52.0 grains of 4831 du pont and the 115 and 120 grain bullets.the 100 grain is enven worst in this reguard.

Tell him to stop aiming at the shoulder. Doubt he will change after 30 years of doing the same thing though, LOL. Any bullet will work at the short PA hunting distances. If deer is moving, aim for the ribs and if deer is standing, take a neck shot at those close distances if he's a good enough shot. Is he a good shot? I have a couple of hunting buddies that can't hit the broadside of a barn and don't really care to try and improve. Is your brother one of those types? Maybe that's why he aims at the shoulder because he can't shoot for shxx. If that's true, you're wasting your time trying to change him.

 

[Raudy707]

my brother has hunted deer with his 25 06 for 30 years.it seams no matter what the bullet you loose abut 25 persent of a dee or more from blood shot meat. are any of you finding this to be true.the powder load is 52.0 grains of 4831 du pont and the 115 and 120 grain bullets.the 100 grain is enven worst in this reguard.

I wanted to add this is the same load we use in all our rifles. 51.5 grains of IMR 4831 and 52.0 to 53.0 of H4831. 117 grain Interlocks and 120 Partition's. I think the issue is probably close range high velocity impacts and shot placement. Might want to slow them down to 257 Robert's speeds or switch to a 30-30. I would definitely be using my lever action in the shots were under 200 yds. Below is a picture of my Dad. He shot this buck at 100 yards with his 25-06 tight to the shoulder. No bloodshot. Sailed right through and through. Dead on impact.

 

[Chad Erickson]

Way overkill. The 30-30 harvested more good meat than any other round. Twice, using a 30-30 I've shot a mule deer buck in the tail bone as it ran away from me and only wasted a chunk of meat about the size of my fist each time. But of course, the 30-30 is a very inferior round. The 30-30 flat nose 150 grain bullet had a mussel velocity of 2350' per sec., only 947 ft. pounds at 200 yds, a rise of 3.2" at 100 yds when sighted at 200 yds and typically the rifles that shot that round were horribly inaccurate.

What you need is 30-30 velocities with low trajectory, long range capability, and an inherently accurate round in one of the new high precision rifles. Enter the 6.5 Grendel (.264") with a 123 grain bullet in an AR15 with 2350' per sec mussel velocity, 1200 ft lbs at 200 yds, a rise of only 1.75" at 100 yds when sighted at 200 yards, and sub MOA accuracy.

In comparison, a 25-06 117 grain bullet has a mussel velocity of 3030', 1648 ft lbs at 200 yds and a rise of 1.5" at one hundred yards when sighted at 200 yds.

At 200 yards the Grendel has 127% of the energy of the 30-30. At 200 yards the Grendel as about the same energy as the 30-30 at 100 yrds. At 200 yrds the 25-06 has 174% if the 30-30 energy, way overkill for a little ole whitetail deer that has the size and life tenacity of a dog. The whole story is told when you put the 25-06 round next to the 6.5 Grendel round.

Most of us shooters still live in a dinosaur age, packing obsolete weapons when much better modern rounds are available, and the worst offenders are ignorant salesmen behind gun counters.

 

[KS2506]

Have always tried to shoot any game behind the shoulder for lung shot. Started using Sierra bullets in 117 gr. on deer, and 75's, 87's and 90's on varmints. Later went to 100's on everything, Sierras or Nosler BT's. Never lost a deer or antelope. in over 55 years of hunting with a 25-06. Never lost very much meat, just some around the exit hole.