Buy 270 brass for 25-06

It is impossible to find new 25-06 brass so I started to experiment with 30-06 and 270 brass. 30-06 is the parent cartridge for both cases. Using my 25-06 bushing die I was able to neck both sizes down to 25 cal with no problem. The issue is that after sizing the necks are too long for the 25-06 chamber so all that I need to do is to trim them back to SAAMI length. I found that if I adjust the neck bushing down almost as far as it will go and still have it loose the necks are sized down almost to the neck shoulder junction with no 'donut' visible.
They produce extremely accurate ammo using Berger 115g VLDs.
I'm posting this because I've read several posts on here about the need to turn the necks to get them to fit because the brass will be too thick. I've not had that issue. I buy Starline 270 brass and it works perfectly.

Midway has it; Hornady, Norma and Nolser available.

What? 25-06 brass? Figures. Anyway I now have 400 cases of the sized down 270 brass for my 25-06.

Norma in stock here.

Nosler in stock here.

Idgunner said:

It is impossible to find new 25-06 brass so I started to experiment with 30-06 and 270 brass. 30-06 is the parent cartridge for both cases. Using my 25-06 bushing die I was able to neck both sizes down to 25 cal with no problem. The issue is that after sizing the necks are too long for the 25-06 chamber so all that I need to do is to trim them back to SAAMI length. I found that if I adjust the neck bushing down almost as far as it will go and still have it loose the necks are sized down almost to the neck shoulder junction with no 'donut' visible.
They produce extremely accurate ammo using Berger 115g VLDs.
I'm posting this because I've read several posts on here about the need to turn the necks to get them to fit because the brass will be too thick. I've not had that issue. I buy Starline 270 brass and it works perfectly.

Click to expand...

I ran into the same issue little over a year ago. There was no 25-06 brass in the country so I did the same with sig Sauer 30-06 brass. By the way sig Sauer brass is really nice stuff as far as not having any cosmetic issues. My problem I found was is that I was being proactive and annealed first. Ran through my standard 25-06 full length rcbs resizer and folded a neck shoulder junction like an accordion. I actually ran the neck in a 7mm die for my first step then the 25-06 die then trimmed and worked perfectly. As has been stated now there are multi flavors of 25-06 brass.

Doughnuts WILL form in the necked down brass. Learn to deal with this issue, how to detect doughnuts and how to remove them.

Detection: on a fired case, push a bullet down inside the case past the shoulder neck junction. The bullet will stop solid on a doughnut.

Fix: K&M makes a fantastic carbide mandrel with a cutter on it

If the rifle is throated out where the shank of the bullet does not go past the shoulder/neck junction, you will never worry about a doughnut, but this is not always practical.

The very toughest brass that handles upper end pressures with ease is made by three sources:

RWS-
Lapua 30/06
30/06 Military Match brass, and I hope you can find this brass unfired, it should be cherished

Winchester blue bag brass is darn good brass!

If the necks are too thick after necking down, there is a solution that can deter doughnuts, and this is to turn the necks at the parent case dia. I neck turn the '06 brass at 30 caliber, then neck down.

North 40 Outfitters in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho had 25-06 brass a couple days ago when I was in there.

Idgunner said:

It is impossible to find new 25-06 brass so I started to experiment with 30-06 and 270 brass. 30-06 is the parent cartridge for both cases. Using my 25-06 bushing die I was able to neck both sizes down to 25 cal with no problem. The issue is that after sizing the necks are too long for the 25-06 chamber so all that I need to do is to trim them back to SAAMI length. I found that if I adjust the neck bushing down almost as far as it will go and still have it loose the necks are sized down almost to the neck shoulder junction with no 'donut' visible.
They produce extremely accurate ammo using Berger 115g VLDs.
I'm posting this because I've read several posts on here about the need to turn the necks to get them to fit because the brass will be too thick. I've not had that issue. I buy Starline 270 brass and it works perfectly.

Click to expand...

Here is what https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/673 is showing available now.

I'm a total 2506 supporter fanatic for the last 40 years…
I have preferred necked down 270 brass over correct headstamped stuff…easy to acquire…which is good because 2506 has proven to be its most accurate near the max end of the load spectrum and this can be hard on brass…being an overbore cartridge it's not the best choice for extended shooting sessions.
270Win lost it's sexy long ago but it is common so brass can be less expensive and often discounted because it sat on the shelf longer than the latest greatest being touted .

Idgunner said:

It is impossible to find new 25-06 brass so I started to experiment with 30-06 and 270 brass. 30-06 is the parent cartridge for both cases. Using my 25-06 bushing die I was able to neck both sizes down to 25 cal with no problem. The issue is that after sizing the necks are too long for the 25-06 chamber so all that I need to do is to trim them back to SAAMI length. I found that if I adjust the neck bushing down almost as far as it will go and still have it loose the necks are sized down almost to the neck shoulder junction with no 'donut' visible.
They produce extremely accurate ammo using Berger 115g VLDs.
I'm posting this because I've read several posts on here about the need to turn the necks to get them to fit because the brass will be too thick. I've not had that issue. I buy Starline 270 brass and it works perfectly.

Click to expand...

I had a similar experience many years ago trying to find 243 brass for my son's new rifle. I ended up necking down 308 brass and trimming to length. It also worked without having to turn the necks. The ammo produced was as, if not more accurate than factory 243 brass.

Just placed an order with Midsouth Shooters Supply that included 100 pieces of Hornady 25-06 brass that I will be using in a 6.5-06AI barrel that I have coming. I realize Hornady isn't the best brass, but I plan to abuse it, so cheap was the priority.

Ravens Rock Precision has lots of Norma primed over run brass. Not the cheapest but good brass. Got 25-06 brass from them few months ago.

You can change 30/06, 270, and it looks like 280 rem all can be resized to 25/06. I have 3 different 25/05 rifle persently and load for. My boy's also have 25/06's. Great deer and antelope rifle and several others animals.
You might have to recut the necks for thickness. You will need to cut for case length. Once sized and fireformed the case, I would go to necking sizing die or only bump the shoulder a .001" to .002" to cut down on case growth. WATCH YOUR CASE GROWTH! I used the 06, 270 and the 25/06 case as head stamped to know which rifle that case went too. That way the different round didn't get mixed up. Lube well to size down. Rotorate case sizing cycle. Go slow in sizing the neck down. I would anneal the case to start with and afterward. Then size again. If unfire cases I would size then anneal and size again.
You can purchase the 25/06 cases, but you probable pick up 270 or 30/06 case at the range for free. Depending how you reload, there is work in getting the case set up. If you are just easly reloading and not doing much in case prep, you are done. If getting into reloading with more detail, then their's other steps that can be applied. You can step up and get Peterson or Lapua cases, and size them down. Those cases will be closer to being all the same. That will help your ES, ED for better preformance.
It kind of boils down to how much work you want to do, and what your pocket book can afford. The Rabbit Hole.

So 25-06 and 30-06 are same length of 2.494" max length and 270win and 280Rem are same length of 2.540" max. Would be less trimming if used 30-06 cases to form 25-06? Necks may be thicker though. Not buying Nosler brass. PRVI is thin in my experience but works, same with H. I have lots of 30-06 hanging around.