• If you are being asked to change your password, and unsure how to do it, follow these instructions. Click here

25-06 AI

Never owned a 25-06 but a good friend of mine who is a taxidermist has used one along with his sons very successfully taking elk,mulies, and at one an Arkansas record black bear weighing 515lbs.
The cartridge shines with long barrels and warm loads. 200-250fps gain for me.
No trimming, excellent case life.
These new heavier bullets opened up a new world for the extra HP also.
I must confess 110 AB's and 115BTs are my favorite though.
 
Last edited:
I would take a 25-06AI with 131-133 bullets every time over a 257 WBY. But, if I had a 257 WBY with a 1:7 or 1:8 barrel. Hmmmm. I do have a regular 25-06 and a 257 WBY. Both however have 1:10 barrels. Sierra is supposed to be making some 131 gr bullets now that Blackjack has gone out of business. Have yet to see any of those Sierras.
 
I have no use for these since I don't have one.
Do you think anyone would be interested in trading for 300 win mag or 7rem mag brass?
 
Maybe a 257 Weatherby might interest you. Your choice 24 or 26 inch barrels. A bit more velocity, and good case life. Fine for Coyote / Whitetail and Mule Deer / Antelope at extended ranges. Worth your time to Google and check it out. IMHO
 
I have an xp-100 in 25-06 AI. I enjoy it and the ai helps in getting 3000fps out of the short barrel but out of a rifle the 25-06 ai is probably the least effective ai cartridge in terms of performance gain over the parent cartridge.
I cannot imagine why anyone would chamber an XP0100 in 25-06. Perhaps if it was intended as a varmit gun?
 
Maybe a 257 Weatherby might interest you. Your choice 24 or 26 inch barrels. A bit more velocity, and good case life. Fine for Coyote / Whitetail and Mule Deer / Antelope at extended ranges. Worth your time to Google and check it out. IMHO
This would make a fine barrel burner. That much powder behind such a small caliber bullet would normally burn out the lands after a few hundred rounds.
 
I shoot 280ai great cartridge.dead is dead
So many calibers etc and most will work for whatever. The 30-30 worked forever and still does....just depends on your "needs" and what you like....dead is dead within the cartridge range...
 
The AI cartridges are designed to be able to fire the parent cartridge. After fireforming, reloads can give near magnum performance in standard cases, especially with some of the new powders he never had access to. Cheap brass is usually available for them and lasts a long time. Seldom if ever needing trimming. They tend to be very accurate. The design is easy on throats for the performance they deliver. Many of these new cartridges are not designed with the reloader in mind. Ackley's are. They are one of the easiest ways to get into wildcatting, lots of fun in itself. As hard as brass is to get for the latest, greatest, etc, wildcatting is a more viable way to get the level of performance you desire with available components. Ackley's cartridges have better resale in a custom gun than most wildcats.
 
The 25 AI is a very good cartridge with that said I shot with a friend that had a .25-240 Wby mag... which means all he did was expand the neck of .240 Wby mag brass and he was in business. It shot like a house on fire for a .25 cal popper, so why go through all the AI prep? Just my 0.2 Cheers.
 
I have 2 25/06's. I am having a 25/280AI being built in 7-1 twist rate. I use a 25/06 for a deer rifle for years. Love the rifle. I feel that the 25/06AI is a step up and would be an easy rechambering on a any present 25/06. Clean up your lands at the same time. With bullet manufactors building heaver bullet now. It would be a step up and added velocity.
 
I have 2 25/06's. I am having a 25/280AI being built in 7-1 twist rate. I use a 25/06 for a deer rifle for years. Love the rifle. I feel that the 25/06AI is a step up and would be an easy rechambering on an any present 25/06. Clean up your lands at the same time. With bullet manufactors building heaver bullet now. It would be a step up and added velocity.
Good idea - but only if the subject barrel has the twist rate for the heavier bullets. I think we're on the leading edge of a significant migration to much faster twist rates. This will be a defining element of 'old' vs 'new' rifle technology for quite some time.
 
Top