Long range for .25-06 Suggestions

[Stammster]

using 52 grs of IMR4350 the Ballistic Tip is great out to 300 yards One hole at 100 and clover leaf at 200 and 300,but after that the group opened up

That might explain why I'd only been scoring +/-30% hits on 3" groundhog heads at 600 yards with a variable 15 mph crosswind. I never shot paper greater than 300.

In full disclosure, I couldn't get the new 100gr ballistic tips pn 25100 to shoot nearly as well as the original 43005.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I just finished load development for my 25-06 with a 10 twist 26inch factory barrel. Previous responses are correct. Try the Berger 115 grain VLDs. My rifle makes bug holes with them at 3045fps. I load them with 50 grains of RL-23 over CCI200 primers. May be able to push them faster with a different powder/primer but I'm tickled to death with the accuracy.

I've been doing some load development in a 25-06 with 115 bergers. How far off of the lands did you end up?

 

[johnthemc]

100gr Nosler Ballistic tips. Start at 51gr IMR4350 and work up in 0.3 gr increments until you shoot sub 1/2 MOA groups. The Nosler book is very conservative, and I've run that powder up to 53.5 gr in Rem brass without issue - and still been below their published velocity at 51gr. My chamber is also right at SAAMI min, so case capacity is also on the low end.

You planning on long range hunting or just shooting?

The load above is my groundhog load, from a late 1980's M700 BDL with a 24" bull barrel. Bullet selection was not based on killing anything bigger than 20 lbs, although the 100 NBT is certainly capable. It's just to heavy of a gun to be lugging around to shoot deer.

I always had dreams of doing both.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I run a 257AI and if I was working with a 10 twist the 115 Berger is where I'd start.

 

[RussellJ]

That might explain why I'd only been scoring +/-30% hits on 3" groundhog heads at 600 yards with a variable 15 mph crosswind. I never shot paper greater than 300.

In full disclosure, I couldn't get the new 100gr ballistic tips pn 25100 to shoot nearly as well as the original 43005.

In the past I have shot many of Groundhogs at 500+ yards with my 24" Remington 700 Sendero with 100 grain Ballistic Tip Bullets. 50.0grns IMR4831 powder. It's a real sweet shooting 25-06.

 

[seattleman1969]

Glad to see my assumptions match others 500 is my self imposed limit with the .25-06, although I have only shot it that far on paper. 425 has been my real life limit with it, and it is accurate! Barnes 100 Gr TTSX factory load.

 

[JC in Calif]

I have a .25-06 and I would like to get into long range shooting. Also, this gun is new to me.
Would anyone offer any suggestions for type of bullets to try. I will be reloading for this gun. Thank you!

I shoot a .257AI. I have had good results using 115gr Berger VLD's. And RL25.

 

[RT2506]

I have used a few different 25-06s over the past 30+ years on white tail deer. I have taken deer in the 500ish yard range and YEP it starts to loose it's horse power beyond about 550 yards. BUT! Inside that range it don't get much better for in their tracks kills.
I have killed a few hundred deer with a 25-06 because I did crop damage control on a HUGE farm in NC for 15 years. My hunting buddy did a total of 25 years and both of us used the 25-06 Rem. a great deal and shot them with most makes and styles of bullets from 100 to 120 gr.
We both found that it is hard to beat the 117 Sierra, either the GK or the PH, for accuracy and drop them in their tracks results. We mainly used H4831 or one of the 4350s as propellant.

 

[Pro2A]

I have a .25-06 and I would like to get into long range shooting. Also, this gun is new to me.
Would anyone offer any suggestions for type of bullets to try. I will be reloading for this gun. Thank you!

Just getting into long range shooting, don't let the twist limitations deter you. Great way to learn about ballistics and wind basics. Once you reach the full limitations of your equipment, you can upgrade to better capabilities. Other members' suggestions are right on for your twist. Just get out there to shoot and learn. For quite a while, the shooter is the limiting factor.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I or between my sons and I, we have 4 25-06's We used MRP powder. I used 120 grs noslers (they don't build that any longer) in my 22" 721 Rem. It was good for an easy 500yds on deer, and antelope. Taken both at that range. I would look at 115grs or 117grs. bullets. In my estimation it's a little small for elk. You will find MRP info in the Norma Reloading Manual. If you are going to shot copper bullets, I would turn the twist up. If you are going to change out barrels I would look at 25-06AI chamber will kick it up in velocity some. The case can be made from 270's, and 30-06 cases, if needing or wanting to, to get brass to reload with.

 

[johnnyk]

I have a .25-06 and I would like to get into long range shooting. Also, this gun is new to me.
Would anyone offer any suggestions for type of bullets to try. I will be reloading for this gun. Thank you!

I owned a Sendero SF II in .25-06 but traded it in 2013. I used the 115gn Berger VLD(H)'s and 115gn Ballistic TIps. Both bullets and rifle were capable of turning in sub-1/2" MOA out to 700yds on paper. I never had the chance to shoot a deer that far with either but in the "normal" range of 100 to 400yds, they were "gravy". Not sure how far you could humanely kill an animal with the quarter bore but I personally would not push it past 700yds with the 10t barrels and 115gn (and below) bullets.
With a faster twist barrel and heavier bullets (130-150gn) it would be interesting to see what it could do out to 1000yds and may be beyond.
My last viable load (2011) was with the 115gn Berger, RL22 (53.0-55.0gn) and BR2's. In my rifle (CBTO: 2.7730") with 54.0gn I was getting 3104fps and .2975", 55.0gn was 3155fps and .626". A couple days after that I tried 55.5gn, did not chrono but got .487". All of these were 3-shot averages/groups shot over the Caldwell chrono which I no longer have.
Good luck and keep us up to date.

 

[Timeout]

I've been doing some load development in a 25-06 with 115 bergers. How far off of the lands did you end up?

I recommend for you to try this method: https://bergerbullets.com/vld-making-shoot/
I had a 25-06 heavy fluted aftermarket barrel that shot the 115 VLD Bergers very well at .010" from the lands. When I used the above recommended Berger method I quickly discovered that it shot even tighter (testing @ 300 yards) at .120" off the lands. I used H4831SC at that time. I now have a #3 contour barrel on it and am using RL-26 as my go to hunting load.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I recommend for you to try this method: https://bergerbullets.com/vld-making-shoot/
I had a 25-06 heavy fluted aftermarket barrel that shot the 115 VLD Bergers very well at .010" from the lands. When I used the above recommended Berger method I quickly discovered that it shot even tighter (testing @ 300 yards) at .120" off the lands. I used H4831SC at that time. I now have a #3 contour barrel on it and am using RL-26 as my go to hunting load.

I'm getting around 5/8" with 115 vlds .050 from lands. .090" was 3/4". Running h4350. .090 put me seated below the neck junction. I'm going to try rl25 & rl26 next.

 

[del2les]

As already stated, the Berger 115 works well for some, but I have seen a few factory 1/10" barrels that did not group well with them. Currently, I get very good groups and performance with Nosler 110AB with Retumbo @ 3,310fps in the 26" barrels. As for longer range varmint shooting, I've used the Nosler 85BT out past 1,000 yards on P-dogs and coyote.