25.06 Muled Deer load

[Ashman]

First off, Hello from Michigan.

This fall will be a first for my son and I going to Montana for mule deer. I am planning on using my 25.06 and would like some opinions on loads. Rifle is a Browning Medallion A-bolt w/B.O.S.S.

I use 100 gr. for Michigan whitetails, but am guessing I need to go bigger for mulies.

Anybody have any suggestions and what works for them?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JD338]

Ashman

Welcome to the forum.
Your current load should work fine on mule deer. You could use a 100 gr PT and be just fine, Other bullets such as the 110 gr AB or 115 gr BT or PT will also work well.

JD338

 

[6mm Remington]

I agree with JD338. The 100 gr. bullets you load will work fine. The 25-06 is a great deer cartridge. I personally tend to lean towards the 110 gr. AccuBond or 120 gr. Partition myself. Any of these will work for you. I would shoot the one your rifle shoots the best. Good luck and have fun!

 

[DrMike]

I'll be loading 100 grain PT for my 257 Roberts (unless I can lay my hands on 110 grain ABs) for mule deer in northern British Columbia. It will be more than adequate. You'll be generating more velocity, so I would have no hesitation whatsoever for mule deer with that load.

Good to have you on board at the forum.

 

[257 Ackley]

Ashman -
Welcome to the forum; you will find some very knowledgable people to help with loads and hunting tips on this site.

The 25-06 is a great cartridge for hunting mule deer in Montana. The 110 grain AccuBond will make a fantastic bullet for hunting out there. You will have a bullet that can take deer out to 4-500 yards very well. Good luck, what part of Montana will you be hunting?

 

[Ashman]

Thanks for the responses.

We will be hunting in the Fort Peck area. Couple of high school buddies have been going there for about 5 years and invited us to tag along. Should be helpful having someone to show us newbies the ropes so to speak.

I have a good supply of 100 gr.BT, some 120 Partition and I just picked up a 100 of 110 AccuBond at Cabelas which is what I figured to use....but wanted to ask a informed opinion before heading out blindly.

My Nosler manual must have been printed before the AccuBonds came out, so does anyone have any info on number of grains and type of powder? Just was throwing a uninformed guess out there of 56 grains of 4350?

 

[nitis]

if you can get it try retumbo

 

[257 Ackley]

I use 51.5 grains of RL19 with the 110AB and it shoots 1 inch groups at 200 yards all day long. Those go over my chrony right at 3200 fps set up 10 yards from the muzzle. Nosler manual #6 shows a starting load of IMR 4350 as 45.5 grains and a max of 49.5. The low load should work as a starting point for any of the 4350's out there.

Not sure how much room the Browning has in the magazine for cartridge OAL, but that will effect your accuracy as well. Good luck

 

[Ashman]

Thanks....guess the first thing I better get is the Newer Nosler book.

 

[YoteSmoker]

The ballistic tip and AccuBond both use the same load data, granted the bullets are of the same weight.

 

[DrMike]

In lieu of the guide, try this web site: http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=15&b=25cal&s=208.

 

[JD338]

Ashman

You can use the 115 gr load data for the 110 gr AB. RG #6 has 110 gr AB load data in it.
IMR 4350 Start is 45.5 grs, mid load is 47.5 grs and MAX is 49.5 grs.

JD338

 

[Ashman]

In lieu of the guide, try this web site: http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=15&b=25cal&s=208.

Wow! Excellent info, thanks!

 

[corbin9191]

I live here in Montana and the hunting is awesome! The load that I used this year in my 25-06 is 117 grain sierra gameking and 60 grains of H Retumbo and a CCI BR2 primer. This was shooting three shots into .347 inches at 100 yards. The velocity was 3113 out of a 23 inch barrel. Very deadly. Shot my mule deer right through both lungs and the heart. He took about 10 steps then just folded up.

 

[FOTIS]

I have a Ruger #1 in 25-06. 110 Accobond with 57 gr RL25. Shoots under 1/2" and 3250 fps.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Guy Miner]

Five mule deer over the past five years, all with my .25-06 Rem 700. Ranges from 30 - 400 yards. Used a 100 gr bullet @ 3340 fps loaded over H4350 for a couple of them and a 115 gr bullet @ nearly 3200 fps loaded over Retumbo for the others.

Both the 100 & 115's did well. I use a 300 yard zero. It shoots flat enough that I could hold on hair for the 400 yard mulie.

The high shoulder shot is my preferred shot placement. Always penetrates the shoulder blade, usually disrupts the spine enough for an instant drop. Penetrates the opposite side shoulder blade as well, although the bullet may stop when it hits the off-side hide, already expanded.

I think you're going to enjoy your mulie hunt! Lots of fun, sometimes a fair bit of strenuous high-country hiking.

Regards, Guy

 

[bob_dobalina]

i bought 2 boxes of nosler Partition 120s at cabelas while i could to make the switch from 100gr to 120gr (for mule deer and just in case of running into an elk) and now i'm wondering if I should have stayed with 100gr. doesn't the new nosler book only have a 120gr load for retumbo?

 

[DrMike]

bob_dobalina,

The Nosler Reloading Guide No. 6 lists ten loads for the 120 grain Partition Spitzer. It is a good bullet and there are a number of fine loads available. Powders listed in addition to Retumbo include MagPro, IMR4831, IMR 4350, A3100, IMR7828, N165, RL19, IMR4320 and IMR4064. Retumbo is the accuracy load. You will be just fine with the 120 grain Partition.

 

[1Shot]

I don't know about the loading book but their web-site has load data for the 110 AccuBond with retumbo that is smoken.

 

[Guy Miner]

I haven't tried those 120 Partitions, but I'd imagine they will do great on mule deer, and be adequate for elk. Partitions have never let me down.