Got around to shooting the new 25-06 today

joelkdouglas

Handloader
Jun 5, 2011
1,310
3
Gents,

I should start by saying the wind here today is 22 gusting to 32. Nothing compared to Wyoming, but I was out shooting groups. Not ideal, but we all have limited time.

I finally got around to shooting the 25-06 loads based off your recommendations. She seems to prefer the 110 ABs with H4831. 51.0 grains = 0.75 inch, 4-shot group. 52.0 grains = 0.85 inch, 4-shot group. 53.0 grains = 0.82 inch, 4-shot group. She might shoot even better out of the wind, and hopefully tomorrow I'll be back out shooting with OAL changes also.

The 100 PTs didn't shoot too bad, with the smallest group being 0.85 inches with 52.5 grains of H4350. All bullets loaded 0.02 off the lands to start load development.

I haven't chrono'd any of the loads yet, but remingtonman_25-06 mentioned he gets 3100 fps out of the 110 AB/H4831 combo.

And another reason to avoid the H4350 load--I'm seriously low on H4350, and I need it for an elk hunt this fall for my 30-06! Hodgdon--get to work and make some more H4350!
 
The accuracy appears to be quite acceptable. I have no doubt that velocity is more than adequate for any game you encounter.
 
Nice job on the load work. I feel the 25-06 seems to be fairly easy to load for and isn't horribly picky. That being said IMR4350, H4350, and H4831SC all seem to be powders that consistently result in some good groups.

I sure like that 25-06. Maybe you should pack it as a backup on you elk hunt!! Nothing that a 100 gr. Partition or 110 gr. AccuBond can't handle!!

David
 
Sounds like you are well on your way to developing a good load for your 25-06.

JD338
 
Thanks all.

David, the 25-06 will be tagging along as a backup rifle for elk. Just in case…

Last night I loaded up some more 53.0 gr H4831 and groups of 0.02, 0.06, 0.10 off lands to see what I can find out. I'm guessing they'll all shoot fine. Seems like this 25-06 is less picky than my 30-06! I'll have more to report this evening.
 
Does anyone use Retumbo in the .25-06? On another forum I had a guy recommend Retumbo for the .25-06 with 110 to 115gr. Bullets.

Larry
 
I tried Retumbo and it wasn't as good as RL22 in my rifles. I wish they still made AA3100, it is the only other powder that was as accurate as RL22 in my rifles.
 
Range results from the 25-06 were about as good as yesterday. Best group was 0.72 inches, worst group about an inch. But the chrono, the chrono! They only chrono'd at 2975 avg, with 53.0 grains of H4831, 110 ABs.

The 2975 would actually be fine with me, but I'll add some more powder in successive range trips to see if I can't tighten the groups up any. QL thinks I can go up to 56 grains before I hit 3100 fps (the listed velocity of the max load in the Nosler manual).

All in all she seems to not be very picky. Good thing, I have my hands full with my 30-06 and 180s!
 
Wincheringen":1viuobbz said:
How did we ever kill critters without a chronograph?

Accuracy > Velocity.

Agreed! I would be perfectly content with 2975 fps.

But I also got a pretty big ES out of the velocities. QL says at 2975 she should be running about 53K PSI. Typically powders burn the most consistently at around 60K PSI, because that's how the powder makers design them. If I can keep the accuracy and bump the pressure a bit for more consistency, I'll do that. If accuracy falls apart, I'll come back down to 53.0 grains. Worth looking into anyways.

But I also recognize a month from now I could be saying, "my accuracy fell apart!"
 
Those groups you're getting with the 100gn bullet are sounding very good to me. According to the Lee manual IMR4350 delivers some slightly better velocity at a similar charge of 52-53gns & I found good tight groups with both propellants. Chrono'd the IMR4350 proved quicker with no significant difference in grouping.
Of course the deer won't know the difference anyway!

For interest, I field chrono'd my 110gn AB loads using 53gns IMR4831 at avg.: 3197fps ES 27fps
Nice progression & a pleasure to read your results from first tests. ATB ET
 
Mountain Goat":2p03aj2j said:
If you have some IMR7828ssc, give that a try. It was stellar in more than a few 25-06's I owned.

With 7828 SSC and 110 AB's, I can easily get 3100 fps and with Nosler 110 grain factory ammo I get 3145 fps. This is with some freebore in a .257 Roberts (Browning, 24 bbl).
 
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