Reloading for Short Barrel .25-06 Rem.

[ElmerThud]

Anyone out there with a good load for a short (20.5") barrel with either .257 110gn AccuBond or 115gn Ballistic Tip?

It would be helpful if IMR4350 - H4350 - or Vit. N160 is involved, but if not I can get hold of other propellants.

I can start from scratch, but if someone has a load & gives the velocity I need from a short barrel, that would be a reasonable shortcut I may use.

I shoot all UK species including Red Stags with 100gn at present, but I'm looking for something that'll work somewhat better at around 300 yards. A bit more 300 yard energy needed & as flat as poss.

Please PM me with details if you have some, I have 30 years reloading behind me, so I can sort what may be appropriate. Cheers lads.

 

[FOTIS]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
Using the 4350 series of powders you might want to start at 47 grains or so and you "should" max out at about 51 grains with the 110 115 grainers.
You should realize about 2900 fps or so with your barrel. Again this is a rough guesstimate.

 

[Guy Miner]

H4350 has produced excellent results from my .25-06, and would be my first choice if I was trying to load for a short-barrel version of that rifle. Mine has a 24" barrel, like most of them.

Out of curiosity - why a 20" .25-06 rifle?

Please share some of your hunting photos if possible - I'd enjoy seeing where and what you hunt!

Regards, Guy

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

My 25-06 too features a 24" barrel though my grandfather's is a Charles Daly Mauser rifle with a 22" barrel. It has been my experience that short barrels do not always equate to a velocity handicap provided you load bullets which are heavy for caliber. Lighter bullets have always given me the loss of velocity proportionate to barrel length. This is magnified as you reduce caliber as well.

If 300 yards is the range you desire to shoot I would not hesitate to use either the 115 or 120 grain Partitions because as I have said, the heavy for caliber bullets will not lose as much velocity in barrel length. I get just shy of 3000 fps in my 24" tube with a standard Nosler #6 load of 49 grs of IMR-4350 and a 120 grain PT. In my grandfather's rifle with 2" less barrel he gets between 2950-2975, i.e. no appreciable difference. I expect you would clock around 2850-2900 fps with the same load. And your 300 yard velocity will still give great expansion and retain very decent energy.

The other option I would entertain with said carbine length barrel, if speed truly was that important is the 100 grain E-tip. Good luck and let us know how it goes. :mrgreen:

 

[ElmerThud]

Hi guys, thanks for your fast responses here. At present I'm waiting for the UK importers to get their fresh stock in from Nosler - they don't have what I want in stock here right now.
I have been using 100gn Ballistic Tip with fine success for the last few years, however, some of the longer range shots required on the open moorland do need a bit more retained terminal energy - I think!
I'm guessing a heavier weight bullet will provide what I'm after. The co-eff needs to be up there for a flatter flight too.
My rifle is a Blaser K95 Luxus, single shot. Has a hex. match grade barrel - mag-na-ported, really nice wood and has a Zeiss 8x56 scope. Very pretty & lightweight...
I've had it for eight years now & apart from zeroing very occasionally, it's only used for hunting.
If I can work out how to post images.. I'll do so.
Cheers.

 

[DrMike]

You have some fine stags pictured there. I concur that you would benefit from more terminal energy, and mass would likely provide what is lacking. Consequently, that is a handsome rifle. I haven't fired one of the Blasers, though I've handled a few. It obviously does a good job on red stag.

 

[ElmerThud]

Thanks DrMike. I don't often take 300 yard shots...usually it's unnecessary & I can work my way in closer to around 200 yards or so.
Just occasionally & usually when hind stalking (Lots more watching eyes with a bunch of Hinds) there may not be sufficient cover to get closer & the shot will be taken at longer range - & I don't want any 'Runners'.
I haven't had any up to now but I think a bit of experimenting will give me something to do during the summer months until Stags are in season again and the 'Midgies' have gone...around mid/late Sept.

 

[Guy Miner]

Terrific hunting photos - particularly the 10-point stag. Nice... What's the live weight on a mature stag like that?

And, you're right - that's a great looking rifle with some outstanding wood.

Thanks for posting those.

Regards, Guy

 

[ElmerThud]

Cheers, thanks for that Guy.

 

[ElmerThud]

That's a 'Woodland' stag, so will be heavier than one on open hills.. I guess the 10 pointer was around 230lbs dressed out (Gralloched, Head & legs off).
A hill stag would probably be lighter in weight 30 or so lbs.
Cheers.

 

[FOTIS]

Nice pictures. Thank you for sharing.

 

[1Shot]

My standard load for my 25-06 which has a 26" barrel is 49 grs IMR 4350, Remington case, CCI 250 mag primer, 117 gr Sierra Pro Hunter (flat base) bullet which clocks 3000 fps average. I have used all sorts of bullets on white tail deer and the top three are the Sierra 117, Nosler 115 ballistic tip and the 115 Nosler Partition. The Partition is the hardest one to get to shoot really accurate for me and the least accurate of the three but accurate enough to easy take game at 300 yards and is the bullet I would use for larger 250 lb and over game where deeper penetration is needed. The 117 Sierra really does a number on the average 130 to 180 pound WT deer out to a touch over 500 yards for me. BANG FLOP 99% of the time but so did the 115 ballistic tip. The Sierra cost 1/2 what the ballistic tips do though.

 

[ElmerThud]

For the last ten years, I've been using both Sierra 100 gn Prohunter & Nosler 100gn Ballistic Tip as follows:
IMR4350 x 52.4gns - Nosler 25100
IMR 4350 & H4350 x 53gns - Sierra 1620 (Both these shoot to same POI @ 100 yards)
Rem. 9 1/2 or CCI 200 Primer - (no difference to POI)

COAL on the above is 3.374" +/-.002" & the Comparator measurement is 2.871" +/- .002"
This is very specific to my rifle.

The Nosler velocity runs at a pretty consistent 3353fps/2496ft.lbs. at the muzzle.
The Sierra velocity runs consistently at 3310fps/2432ft.lbs. at the muzzle.

If I can hold the rifle steady the zero group at 100 yards will be 1.25" high & 1/4" MOA & 1/2" MOA max.
The above are fine loads, working very well on everything I shoot...however, when the shot requirement extends to 300 yards possibly + more, as it's hard to estimate correctly beyond 250 yards, I'm probably expecting too much from the 100gn bullet.
I'm not too keen on the Partition bullet, don't know why! - but think the 110 AccuBond or the 115 Bal.Tip. could give me what I want. Depends on how they will shoot in my rifle & what load I can generate for each. The Sierra 1640 117gn (Good bullet) will not fly as flat as the Nosler.

 

[SJB358]

Very nice pictures and excellent stags. Looks like a blast. Seems like your 25-06 is working really well. Excellent rifle as well. Very nice! Scotty

 

[257 Ackley]

Very nice pictures and excellent stags. Looks like a blast. Seems like your 25-06 is working really well. Excellent rifle as well. Very nice! Scotty

That one is a little different than your experience with the CDL Scott :lol: . You should show him some pics of the Blasers you have been shooting! The K-95 is the rifle that could make me sell several rifles and really appreciate a good one.

 

[SJB358]

Those Blasers are really nice. I see a Lapua or something along those lines in my future. Very sweet shooting rifles. Scotty

 

[ElmerThud]

.257 Ackley - I sent a PM reply J, but not sure if it went?
Pls let me know. Cheers, G

 

[ElmerThud]

Absolutely no sign of Nosler bullets arriving with the UK importers & no info as to when they may arrive. Typical UK style. No sense of urgency!! That's pretty much the summer opportunity down the pan for testing before going out on the stags in 3 weeks time.
Bullets ordered 14th May & should have been approx 4 weeks. Hey ho.......next year then!!
Cheers, G.

 

[DrMike]

That is a bummer. Sorry to hear about the lack of concern on the part of the British bureaucracy. I guess it isn't so terribly different from some of the irritants faced with Canada Customs at times.

 

[ElmerThud]

I really do get cheesed off with the situation here at times..it's all down to how much cash the importeres want to tie up in stock.
Well, HELLO.......if you don't have the stock, no one can spend their cash buying it!!! :twisted: