Reloading Help 25-06

[Vince]

I have 100g Speer that he wants a load for next. Do you suggest going lighter than this? I'm cleaning the gun and going to put more rounds down range later on.

Try a varmint bullet.

I had a 25-06 that I couldn’t find a load for until I went with an 87 grain bullet. You might want to see if your rifle shows such a preference. Do a full load work up using a varmint bullet. Also use IMR 4350 or H4350.

You seem to be having an experience similar to mine and as much as I hate to say it wasting time and resources.

Vince

 

[RL338]

How can I tell what series it is?

Easiest is the series 2 has a 3 position safety.

 

[Ralt71]

Try a varmint bullet.

I had a 25-06 that I couldn’t find a load for until I went with an 87 grain bullet. You might want to see if your rifle shows such a preference. Do a full load work up using a varmint bullet. Also use IMR 4350 or H4350.

You seem to be having an experience similar to mine and as much as I hate to say it wasting time and resources.

Vince

Time a resources have been wasted for sure. I'm nearing the 100 round count which is by far the most rounds I've ever shot trying to get a load dialed in. I did switch to IMR4350 which was an improvement for sure. I can ask Neil is he wants to try a varmint bullet. I have 85 Speer 100g HPBT that he gave me to load up still. I'm switching to those today and hoping for better results.

 

[Ralt71]

Easiest is the series 2 has a 3 position safety.

I would say it's a 1 then. Only two position safety on it.

 

[RL338]

The reason I ask the series is the S2 hit the market in 2012. The rifle you have is older than that. If your FIL bought it a few years ago most likely it was used. Before burning up more loads I would scrub that barrel clean and get an affordable Teslong borescope and inspect the barrel and crown.

 

[JD338]

The reason I ask the series is the S2 hit the market in 2012. The rifle you have is older than that. If your FIL bought it a few years ago most likely it was used. Before burning up more loads I would scrub that barrel clean and get an affordable Teslong borescope and inspect the barrel and crown.

A deep clean is a good idea.
As a side note, I had a Remington M673 Guide rifle in 6.5 Rem Mag. I struggled with that rifle trying to find an accurate load. I kept at it and finally hit paydirt. IMR4831SC and the 130 gr AB went .5 MOA. Tried the 125 gr PT and got the same results.
The OP needs to try a few different powders to see what the rifle likes. I'd also try the 115 gr BT, it's a proven bullet in his rifle with Federal factory ammunition.
If still no luck, I'd check with Weatherby to see if they could rebarrel it.

JD338

 

[Ralt71]

The reason I ask the series is the S2 hit the market in 2012. The rifle you have is older than that. If your FIL bought it a few years ago most likely it was used. Before burning up more loads I would scrub that barrel clean and get an affordable Teslong borescope and inspect the barrel and crown.

Thanks, this is great advice.

He bought it new, and with my memory everything is a few years ago. I just shot him a text to see when he got it. I would guess he bought it new when the new gen came out because this one was probably on sale. That's his MO haha. I know it was before we had kids though.

However, any gun that I am doing work on for others or shooting/load development the very first thing I do is clean the heck out of the barrel. I do have a borescope and usually use it the first time I mess with a gun to ensure it's truly clean. A saying I live by... I can get it consistently clean, I can't get it consistently dirty.

 

[Ralt71]

A deep clean is a good idea.
As a side note, I had a Remington M673 Guide rifle in 6.5 Rem Mag. I struggled with that rifle trying to find an accurate load. I kept at it and finally hit paydirt. IMR4831SC and the 130 gr AB went .5 MOA. Tried the 125 gr PT and got the same results.
The OP needs to try a few different powders to see what the rifle likes. I'd also try the 115 gr BT, it's a proven bullet in his rifle with Federal factory ammunition.
If still no luck, I'd check with Weatherby to see if they could rebarrel it.

JD338

I told him last weekend to grab those bullets as well. A couple people have mentioned that and the reasoning behind it makes sense to me.

 

[Vince]

I hate working up loads and never struggled more than when trying to find a load for my 25-06.

I’ve usually been able to find a load on the first outing with good hunting accuracy using a common recommended powder. I select my bullet, powder, and load a bunch of three shot string with various powder charges. Playing with seating depth, primer brands, different powders is all mental self fornication to me and something I hate to do.

Vince

 

[Ralt71]

I hate working up loads and never struggled more than when trying to find a load for my 25-06.

I’ve usually been able to find a load on the first outing with good hunting accuracy using a common recommended powder. I select my bullet, powder, and load a bunch of three shot string with various powder charges. Playing with seating depth, primer brands, different powders is all mental self fornication to me and something I hate to do.

Vince

I enjoy the process in all honesty. I typically can be dialed with less than 20 rounds. I look for tight group, typically I'm after half MOA, i like my SD below 10 and prefer my ES below 20. It's normally not a big deal to get there. If one gives me fits I may redo my OCW or extend my seat test and it takes 25-30 rounds all in.. but this one.. nope... this gun just isn't my friend haha.

 

[AFG270]

I hate working up loads and never struggled more than when trying to find a load for my 25-06.

I’ve usually been able to find a load on the first outing with good hunting accuracy using a common recommended powder. I select my bullet, powder, and load a bunch of three shot string with various powder charges. Playing with seating depth, primer brands, different powders is all mental self fornication to me and something I hate to do.

Vince

Oh, come on buddy! Where is your "joy" of reloading ?

 

[Vince]

Oh, come on buddy! Where is your "joy" of reloading ?

The joy is in having an accurate load.
The process is a chore.

Vince

 

[GregoryB.]

I must have been lucky. I have a Ruger #1V in 25-06 and the first load I shot was about 3/4 inch. Never went any farther in my load development.

 

[JD338]

The joy is in having an accurate load.
The process is a chore.

Vince

Vince,
I got lucky on my load development for the 375 H&H Mag 250 gr SGK which only took 5 shots! The POI was darn near perfect and certainly worked out well.

375 H&H Mag 250 gr SMK

When I started the 375 H&H Mag adventure, I wanted to try the Sierra 250 gr Game King bullet but they were unavailable. Fotis mentioned to me he was about to use this bullet a couple weeks ago so I got a couple boxes. I loaded up 4 rounds with CFE223, a load that I had used with the 250 gr TTSX...

forum.nosler.com

JD338

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Rifles are like people. They have different likes and dislikes.

 

[AFG270]

The joy is in having an accurate load.
The process is a chore.

Vince

I really enjoy reloading, as of right now I'm reloading for 8 different rifles. Many of those I have several different loads using different bullets. I'm also retired, so that makes a big difference!

 

[Vince]

I really enjoy reloading, as of right now I'm reloading for 8 different rifles. Many of those I have several different loads using different bullets. I'm also retired, so that makes a big difference!

I’m retarded so it’s like the same thing.

J/K but I have four days off every week so I have lots of free time. I don’t enjoy reloading.

Vince

 

[SeanMTactical]

I skimmed a few posts so I may have missed it, but at this point of frustration, I check the gun. Barrel free floated, all scope mounting hardware, to include bases are torqued (I blue locktite too), action screws are torqued (I also blue locktite them). If you have a bore scope, I check for a carbon build up at the end of the chamber before the throat, carbon build up in the and immediately after the throat, and excessive copper at the muzzle end and dings in the crown. Lastly, I check to make sure the scope is holding true and not moving from recoil. Sadly, I've see this last one on occasion with cheap scopes.

 

[Ralt71]

I skimmed a few posts so I may have missed it, but at this point of frustration, I check the gun. Barrel free floated, all scope mounting hardware, to include bases are torqued (I blue locktite too), action screws are torqued (I also blue locktite them). If you have a bore scope, I check for a carbon build up at the end of the chamber before the throat, carbon build up in the and immediately after the throat, and excessive copper at the muzzle end and dings in the crown. Lastly, I check to make sure the scope is holding true and not moving from recoil. Sadly, I've see this last one on occasion with cheap scopes.

I did those things well before posting. We think alike haha. I too use blue loctite on all those critical fasteners.

I am always suspect of assembled components that I didn't assemble and I am double suspect of the ones I did do haha. I had my wife tap and move the scope while I looked down it to see if it was floating on me. I also had her adjust the scope while I looked down it, then tap it to see if anything moved.

Don't forget, it shot factory ammo extremely well and consistently. I still had to rule out mechanical failures in my mind though.

I finally got it to shoot right at 1 moa thanks to deep seating suggestions from JD. While this would not have been good enough for me, it was good enough for that gun and I gave it back yo Neil, FIL, and told him what it was shooting.