Browning X bolt 25-06 accuracy problems

[HNDLDR]

Thanks jjmp. I think I have some nosler 100 Gr Bal tips. Maybe it's time to try them. I do have some 4350 but it's probably 20 years old. Knowing my luck it would shoot great and a new batch would be totally different.

 

[jjmp]

your welcome I got my load right from noslers manual years ago when I was a young grasshopper.


do a search on remingtonman _25_06 here on this forum he's shot the living day lights out of his 25-06 and posted everything he's done.


your Luck is Fine just keep the Faith, imr 4350 shot great but years later when I tried rl-22, it out performed the imr, but hey that's how we learn.

when I started reloading there were no 800 call numbers like sierra, no AUSOME forums for info, it was all reading or trying to find a good reloader to learn from, same 2 powders worked like a charm with the 270 wcf.

took me years to try alliant reloader powders aka rl-22 , but they worked for me and proved them-selfs too me that's why I use them.

guess i'm slow to change , but young enough to keep learning,regards jjmp

 

[RT2506]

I have shot 25-06s for around 25 years and this is what I have learned. They shoot great with one of the 4350s or H4831 with 100 to 120 gr bullets. I DON'T CLEAN UNTIL ACCURACY DROPS OFF. I once decided to REALLY clean a tack driving Shilen SS barrel. I had to shoot 25 rounds after that just to get it back to grouping. Lesson learned. Some rifles just don't like boat tail bullets but will shoot lights out with flat base bullets. My current 25-06 is one of them. Rem 700 action Shilen SS #6 couture 26" long in an H&S precision full bed stock. 49 grs IMR or AA 4350, Rem case, CCI 250 primer, 117 Sierra Pro Hunter flat base bullet 20 thousands off the lands, 3000 fps and shoots bug holes and kills deer like lightening struck them.

I also have learned that some times you need to tighten up on the nut behind the butt plate to get your best accuracy.
Solid shooting rest and consistent holding equals better groups.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Try IMR 7828 SSC if you don't mind working up REALLY slowly while checking for pressure signs. I am using it in both my .25-06 AI and .30-06 AI with incredible results. But pressure signs can ramp-up quickly, so be VERY careful when getting anywhere near a warm load.

This is MY load, and will most likely be WAY too hot for most guns, because it's a VERY VERY warm load in my Ackley Improved .25-06..... 61gr of 7828 SSC behind a 115 VLD, estimated over 3300 fps in a 26" barrel.

 

[Semper Fi 10463]

grab a box 100 gr core lokts. had a 25 that did like yours. finally got it to shoot 100 grainers and 117 gr game kings well.

 

[HNDLDR]

Thanks for all the great ideas. I currently have a house full of six kids for the summer so it may be a while before I get to try any of them. I will definitely post an update when I make it back out again. This forum seemed to have the best wealth if knowledge out of any of the others I stumbled across on the web. Once again it proved very valuable.

 

[earlcurtis67]

like goring3006 I have also had trouble w hornady brass, after the second firing i began having trouble with neck tension on some, but not all cases. I would deffinatly try some different powder and bullet combos, imr 4350 w 85gn nos bt, and imr 4831w hor 117gn sst work best for mine. I'm not familiar with you're bullets, but rt2506 raises a good point about flat based bullets.... E

 

[HNDLDR]

All of my bullets were boat tails except the partitions and the Speer 87gr. The Speer shot well in resized 30-06 brass and RL 19. I no longer have nor can I find RL 19. The partitions haven't done anything too impressive yet.

 

[HNDLDR]

UPDATE...... For anyone who's still interested, I suspected neck tension in the lot of Hornady brass I was using was the cause of my accuracy problems. Due to lack of readily available 25-06 brass I sized and trimmed a box of Rem 270 cases and a box of Win 30-06 cases. I've loaded several different brands and weights of bullets with IMR 4831 and 7828ssc. This morning I made quick trip and tested the 115 gr Berger and the 100 gr Barnes TTSX. Out of four, four shot groups three came in under an inch. The group of the day ended up being Rem case 115 Berger over 4831. Three shots clover leafed into .291" the fourth opened things up to .75" (probably my fault).
Any of these loads I feel could be fine tuned to do better. I still have several other loads to test but things so far have improved significantly.

This is more what I expected from the Browning instead of the 1.5 to 2.0" groups I was getting. Thanks again for all of your help and suggestions.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Good to hear things are looking up. Most rifles WILL shoot, if someone takes the time to tinker and find a handload for them. Occasionally, some just will not shoot no matter what until you rebarrel it. Glad to see that you could get some good groups out of the X-Bolt.

 

[gohring3006]

When I first read your post my first thought was the brass.....

 

[HNDLDR]

Thanks again for sharing all of your thoughts and experiences. This was no ordinary rifle. It was a gift that my wife special ordered on her own after hearing my stories of my youth, hunting with the 25-06. It was basically going to be a shooter or else.

 

[Wyo7200]

I picked up an X-bolt 25-06 last summer and have been chasing groups with it ever since. I took a few months off of it so I could cool down... Then I found this thread. Pretty much experiencing the same thing. I'd have great .75 accuracy (w/110 gr R22 and IMR 4831, and 115 gr Btips w/4831) out to 300 yrds one day, then the next would go to 2-3 moa with the same load and conditions. Then, it would be back to sub moa. ... I'm starting to think that my rifle hates the heavier bullets. 100 grain BTIPs w/ R19 has been the most consistent for me- at least it has been under moa out to 300 yrds. Have yet to try it any further though.

For the 100 gr BTPS I've settled on 55.5gr R19 .020 off the lands with RP brass.

I've decided to try the 110gr again to finish the box and to fire form the remaining new Nosler brass, with higher doses of IMR 4831.

Thanks for sharing your experience HNDLDR

 

[jjmp]

great on you HNDLDR, I like sweeting endings, CONGRAT'S jjmp