25-06 AI?

[M7025-06]

Not sure if this belongs here or the Rifles section...feel free to move if need be.

The 'ol 25-06 is getting a new tube after November deer season and thinking about going to an 25-06 AI. I know a bunch of you guys run 280 AI's.
Anyone have any experience (or have any good load data) with a 25-06ai? Main use would be deer, hogs, and an occasional coyote.

Would a 280ai be a better option for performance gain over the parent cartridge? I'm thinking about going to this as well but I've got a truck load of components for the 25.



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[preacher]

For your use, and because you have components already, the 25-06AI makes more sense...to me. You certainly can't go wrong with the 280AI ( one of my faves I've used in Texas/Utah/WY with 150 and 160gr) but it really comes into its own for bigger and heavier animals, though hogs are the exception. Think of the 25-06AI as performing very similar to the 257 Weatherby and the 280AI similar to the 7mm mag. I've used both magnums (and the 257 Roberts AI) in Texas ( the 25-06 in Utah)and I preferred the 257 Weatherby with 115PT and 100TSX for that category of animals. Sure the 7mm Mag is great, but did no more than the 257 ( as would be the 25-06AI) You will have a much flatter trajectory and less recoil with certain hunting bullets in the 25-06 I believe. Not much, but enough to be fun to use. Zero it +1"@100 and go for it! All you need is a nice set of Redding Dies!

 

[M7025-06]

Thanks for the info preacher.

Can I use my 25-06 Lee collet neck die on fireformed 25-06 ai brass and just pick up a Redding body die?

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[SJB358]

Dano who posts on here has a 25-06 Ackley. It's very impressive accuracy wise and he gets excellent speed from it as well. If you've got the components I'd give it a whirl.

 

[preacher]

Theoretically you could, if there was enough "case body" room in the die to accommodate the wider shoulder diameter of the Ackley, but I'm not sure. It's a good idea to contact Dano or someone may chime in. Part of the fun loading Ackleys is puttering around with the combination of dies/components/loads, etc! I saw on a coyote hunting video a guide in WY ( who used the 25-06AI, not sure which bullet) kill a coyote that got "hung up" out around 500yds and he popped her like no bodies business!

 

[Creedmore]

After a couple of years arguing with my son's Mauser 98 in 25-06, I recently got it back from the gunsmith, sporting a new Shilen 26" 1:9 barrel in 25-06AI.

80 fireform loads down the tube with new brass and just started load development this morning. Going to start with 100 TTSXs and maybe 110ABs.

 

[M7025-06]

Creedmoor...That's the exact same barrel I'm looking at...gonna chop mine to 24".

Did you go with stainless or CM?

Keep us posted on how your 9-twist barrel handles the ABs because I'm leaning towards trying those if my backorder from Cabelas ever comes in otherwise I've got a whole pile of 100 gr ballistic tips that'll get a go first after the new tube is installed.



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[wbyfan1]

Anyone have any experience (or have any good load data) with a 25-06ai? Main use would be deer, hogs, and an occasional coyote.

M70,

May I suggest a a 6-06? I was in your exact same boat recently with a 25-06, but went with a fast twist 6-06 instead of a 25-06 AI. If all your after is deer, hogs and coyotes, a 6-06 would fit the bill perfectly. It'll be much less hassle than an 25-06 AI, and with 105 gr bullets, it'll smack the 25-06 AI around pretty good, especially if the winds blowing. Run the numbers on a 105 Berger Hybrid or VLD at 3300. It's an eye opener. Additionally, with a 6-06, you can save the hassle of fire forming(wastes time, powder and barrel life), and making brass will be as easy as running a piece of your existing 25-06 brass through a 6-06 FL Sizing die.

I've hunted one season with mine thus far and couldn't be happier with the results. I have netted 3 Hogs, a 9 point Whitetail and 2 Coyotes, all with the Berger 105 Hybrid. All have been DRT's. It's an amazing round and puts many bigger cartridges that burn more powder and shoot heavier bullets, to shame.

My gun utilizes a M700 Action and a 26 in, 8 twist Brux with a B&C Medalist stock.

 

[Creedmore]

Creedmoor...That's the exact same barrel I'm looking at...gonna chop mine to 24".

Did you go with stainless or CM?

Keep us posted on how your 9-twist barrel handles the ABs because I'm leaning towards trying those if my backorder from Cabelas ever comes in otherwise I've got a whole pile of 100 gr ballistic tips that'll get a go first after the new tube is installed.



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Will do. I went with the SS barrel. I've been through break-in and fire formed 80 rounds. Started development yesterday with 100gr TTSXs and she really like them with Hybrid 100v. But after discussion over on that thread I didn't realize it was temperature sensitive. I'm going to retest with H4350 and I have some IMR-4451 on order

 

[preacher]

I have used a lot of Shilen barrels, both CM & SS. I never had one that wouldn't shoot very, very well. WBY, I've played with the 240W in several rifles ( including a 27" Shilen), the 6/06 ( nice buck BTW!) would be about the same, but I never tried Bergers. A regular 25-06 with a slick berger would work....but it won't be an "Ackley"...ha

 

[M7025-06]

M70,

May I suggest a a 6-06? I was in your exact same boat recently with a 25-06, but went with a fast twist 6-06 instead of a 25-06 AI. If all your after is deer, hogs and coyotes, a 6-06 would fit the bill perfectly. It'll be much less hassle than an 25-06 AI, and with 105 gr bullets, it'll smack the 25-06 AI around pretty good, especially if the winds blowing. Run the numbers on a 105 Berger Hybrid or VLD at 3300. It's an eye opener. Additionally, with a 6-06, you can save the hassle of fire forming(wastes time, powder and barrel life), and making brass will be as easy as running a piece of your existing 25-06 brass through a 6-06 FL Sizing die.

I've hunted one season with mine thus far and couldn't be happier with the results. I have netted 3 Hogs, a 9 point Whitetail and 2 Coyotes, all with the Berger 105 Hybrid. All have been DRT's. It's an amazing round and puts many bigger cartridges that burn more powder and shoot heavier bullets, to shame.

My gun utilizes a M700 Action and a 26 in, 8 twist Brux with a B&C Medalist stock.

I never thought about a 6-06, I'll have to give it a closer look. Sharp looking rig by the way.
I'm assuming a powder in the 4350 to 4831 range is the ticket for this round?

Besides a 25-06ai & 280ai...i thought long & hard about a 6.5-06 where I could utilize the pile of 25-06 brass I have on hand.

Decisions decisions....

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[Dwh7271]

i thought long & hard about a 6.5-06 where I could utilize the pile of 25-06 brass I have on hand.

The 6.5-06 is a terrific round.
Pretty diverse selection of bullets in the 6.5s, great BCs, flat trajectory etc etc.
If you do one, get an 8 twist if you're going to shoot the 140s and such or any of the really high BC bullets. If you put enough speed behind it the 9 twist will work at any normal hunting range but I think the 8 gives you more flexibility. IIRC, some of the 264 mags were 9s and they shoot well.
You are correct on brass forming. Neck up a piece of 25-06 brass through the die and you're good to go. No trimming and such on that brass.

 

[wbyfan1]

I never thought about a 6-06, I'll have to give it a closer look. Sharp looking rig by the way.
I'm assuming a powder in the 4350 to 4831 range is the ticket for this round?



Decisions decisions....

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I've never tried 4350 or 4831. RL-25 is my "go to" powder with the 105's. Norma MRP and RL-22 are my second choices.