new to the 25-06

[tiny68]

I recently got a Ruger M77 25-06 that has a 1:10 twist based on my cleaning rod. What is the highest ballistic coefficient bullet I can shoot in this twist? I am at 1000 ft elevation. I would love to try the new 135 LR Hybrids, but that doesn't look stable in a 1:10. New to the 25-06 reloading. It came with some 100 gr and 115 gr bullets. Thanks for any input, Tim

 

[mills braswell]

 

[tiny68]

Yes, I agree that it is much too slow of a twist for the new 135s. Just trying to find something better than the 100 gr Noslers I have.

 

[tiny68]

Wow looks like even the 115 VLDs are marginal with a 1:10. I may have to stick with the 100 Noslers. Not like I can find anything else on in the stores at this point anyway.

 

[Geoman15]

I have 5 2506s right now. Excellent cartridge. Thor’s hammer on deer.
You should be good up to 117, 120 standard bullets. As said, the berger 115 gr is borderline for 1 in 10 twist.
Some will shoot it, and some won’t.
My best was the Nosler 120 Solid Base from the good old days. Strong medicine for game.
Look at the Hornady SST. Shoots well for me. Sierra 117 BTHP is great too.
For target, you can try the Berger 115.
I am getting my parts and pieces for a 25 Creedmoor with 7.25 twist for the Blackjack and Berger 133 and 135. Gonna be my 500 to 600 yd F class rifle. 284 for 1000.
Hope this helps.
George

 

[tiny68]

I have 5 2506s right now. Excellent cartridge. Thor’s hammer on deer.
You should be good up to 117, 120 standard bullets. As said, the berger 115 gr is borderline for 1 in 10 twist.
Some will shoot it, and some won’t.
My best was the Nosler 120 Solid Base from the good old days. Strong medicine for game.
Look at the Hornady SST. Shoots well for me. Sierra 117 BTHP is great too.
For target, you can try the Berger 115.
I am getting my parts and pieces for a 25 Creedmoor with 7.25 twist for the Blackjack and Berger 133 and 135. Gonna be my 500 to 600 yd F class rifle. 284 for 1000.
Hope this helps.
George

Thanks for the tips... tim

 

[std7mag]

I have a Ruger 77 MKII in 257 Roberts (load to +P), and a rebarreled Steven's 200 in 250 Savage.
Both 1:10 twist barrels.
Both shoot everything from 75gr varmint bullets through the 120gr Sierra HPBT GameKing just fine.

The 115gr Berger VLD like it up close & personal to the lands in my rifles, making recoil noticably harsher than standard cup & core bullets.
Otherwise fly just fine to 600 yards.

 

[284winner]

I recently got a Ruger M77 25-06 that has a 1:10 twist based on my cleaning rod. What is the highest ballistic coefficient bullet I can shoot in this twist? I am at 1000 ft elevation. I would love to try the new 135 LR Hybrids, but that doesn't look stable in a 1:10. New to the 25-06 reloading. It came with some 100 gr and 115 gr bullets. Thanks for any input, Tim

If you can find the Speer 120 Spitzer boat tail sp, they have good numbers and I think they stabilize with a 10 twist barrel. Nothing close to the 133/135. The BC is .485 on that bullet vs .650 for the 135. Nosler 115 BTs also should work BC is .483.

 

[STOMP442]

115gr Berger is by far the best bullet going for the standard twist 25 cals. Absolutely deadly on anything you shoot with it. I run that bullet in a couple .250 Savages and the wifes .25-06 with nothing but excellent results in all of them.

 

[284winner]

115gr Berger is by far the best bullet going for the standard twist 25 cals. Absolutely deadly on anything you shoot with it. I run that bullet in a couple .250 Savages and the wifes .25-06 with nothing but excellent results in all of them.

I've heard alot of great experiences with the SP boat tails and also the Nosler Ballistic Tips as well. My info only come from theory on the .25 calibers. Once my build is complete, I'll know alot more about bullet performance on game with that caliber. I never would have considered the .25 until I saw the 131 Blackjacks available for it. My .243 or 6.5s were plenty of gun and didn't need a .25 caliber. Nothing in a 130 class bullet has the numbers or ballistics of the blackjack. In a 284 non-magnum case, that bullet is unmatched by the same case capacity in a 243/6.5 cartridge. Very impressive.

 

[2506]

I have been shooting the 25-06 over 30 years. Don't get much better for deer size game. I have probably killed a train car load of deer with them with all sorts of bullets. I did crop damage control for 15 years. It is hard to beat the 117 Sierra bullets. Either the Game King boat tail soft point, or Pro Hunter flat base soft point. The 100 gr Sierra comes in a close second. The 115 Nosler BT and 117 Hornady interlock or SST will do also. Problem is with any of these bullets is you start running out of energy past 600 yards for reliable expansion and on game performance for deer size game.

If you want to shoot game over 600 yards you need more gun and larger heaver bullets in my experience. Also if you do not practice a whole lot at long range understanding exactly the yardage and wind conditions don't attempt shots over 300 yards. You owe that to the game.

 

[STOMP442]

I've heard alot of great experiences with the SP boat tails and also the Nosler Ballistic Tips as well. My info only come from theory on the .25 calibers. Once my build is complete, I'll know alot more about bullet performance on game with that caliber. I never would have considered the .25 until I saw the 131 Blackjacks available for it. My .243 or 6.5s were plenty of gun and didn't need a .25 caliber. Nothing in a 130 class bullet has the numbers or ballistics of the blackjack. In a 284 non-magnum case, that bullet is unmatched by the same case capacity in a 243/6.5 cartridge. Very impressive.

I have always been a fan of the quarter bores even though there are better options ballistically out there on either side of it . The 25s have always just performed so well terminally while being mild on recoil it makes it hard to not love them. My wife has killed a couple of deer with hers at some pretty incredible ranges for the .25-06, and the Berger 115 has proven very effective every time.

 

[Rem06]

I recently got a Ruger M77 25-06 that has a 1:10 twist based on my cleaning rod. What is the highest ballistic coefficient bullet I can shoot in this twist? I am at 1000 ft elevation. I would love to try the new 135 LR Hybrids, but that doesn't look stable in a 1:10. New to the 25-06 reloading. It came with some 100 gr and 115 gr bullets. Thanks for any input, Tim

I had 2 25-06 factory rifles (rem700 classic and Browning A-bolt) both 10tw and my best GH match shooting was 100SMK and many deer and live GH fell to 87 sierra GK followed as a sacred pill 100NBT.

I would stick between 85 and 100gr as that high BC wont gain you much in factory. BC really starts to play in past 400yds and I would rebarrel for past 500yds. Then worry about BC

i would head straight for 100NBT for deer and best over all slammer to 400plus,,,

as 100SMK on deer....I personally would take the 87SGK next especially in Varmints are in the mix and a 85NBT as well

 

[Rem06]

Yes, I agree that it is much too slow of a twist for the new 135s. Just trying to find something better than the 100 gr Noslers I have.

Good luck there for hunting, Match try 100SMK

 

[Beruisis]

I had that very same rifle for many years & it was my only rifle while in college. Had real good luck with 120 grn offerings from Nosler. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

 

[SweaterDood]

I agree with most everything above, except for the stated minimum of 7.5tw by Berger for 25-06. I would actually say that should be the maximum twist you consider. I would argue that with the velocities of a 25-06, properly chambered for 100gr and above, twist should be between 1:8-1:7.5.

The combustion chamber is more than capable of getting the 130-135gr class of bullets to 3250fps. 1:8tw will get you to 292,500RPM at that velocity, where 1:7.5tw will put you at 312,000RPM. For comparison a 25 CM running at 2950 with a 1:7.25tw will be at 292,966RPM. Nearly identical stabilization to the 25-06 pushing 3200+ FPS. Blackjack also recommends 1:7.75 for 25-06 and 257 Wby.

I have a 25-06 AI with a 1:7tw Shilen Select Match barrel that I cannot use to its potential because bullets disintegrate on muzzle exit. I have to keep off the gas pedal and hold it to ~3050. Should have gone with at least 1:7.5tw, but the barrel was available and I had to have it. Not that 3050fps won’t get it done, but I hate driving a race car under the speed limit...

 

[Murray Brook]

I've had 3 rifles chambered in the 25/06 since the mid 80's. In two of them IMR 4831 and the 117 Sierra SBT shot really great. In my third one I had a custom heavy 27" barrel installed with a 1/9 twist. I wanted to take full advantage of the 115 gr Berger. Turns out the best bullet in this barrel is the 100 Sierra MK over a charge of Norma MRP. Great round, deadly on game and very accurate. JMO

 

[tiny68]

I agree with most everything above, except for the stated minimum of 7.5tw by Berger for 25-06. I would actually say that should be the maximum twist you consider. I would argue that with the velocities of a 25-06, properly chambered for 100gr and above, twist should be between 1:8-1:7.5.

The combustion chamber is more than capable of getting the 130-135gr class of bullets to 3250fps. 1:8tw will get you to 292,500RPM at that velocity, where 1:7.5tw will put you at 312,000RPM. For comparison a 25 CM running at 2950 with a 1:7.25tw will be at 292,966RPM. Nearly identical stabilization to the 25-06 pushing 3200+ FPS. Blackjack also recommends 1:7.75 for 25-06 and 257 Wby.

I have a 25-06 AI with a 1:7tw Shilen Select Match barrel that I cannot use to its potential because bullets disintegrate on muzzle exit. I have to keep off the gas pedal and hold it to ~3050. Should have gone with at least 1:7.5tw, but the barrel was available and I had to have it. Not that 3050fps won’t get it done, but I hate driving a race car under the speed limit...

I am 25 cal bullet illiterate. Are there any solid bullets that will allow you to take advantage of the case capacity for the 25-06 AI? I am not sure how much the caliber effects the over spinning? I have a 22-250AI PacNor 1:8 twist which I hammer the 69 SMK with. Never have seen a bullet come apart. I spin them at 315k rpm plus. Same is true for 6 Rem AI 1:8 twist. I like the 95 Berger VLDs and using my RWS brass I can run them up to 3400 fps which is 306k rpm. I too would be disappoint if I couldn't mash the gas pedal. I built my 6 AI to run the 105/107s at 3200-3300. Then I found out that bullet didn't like it (in my gun). Back it down to 3100-3150 fps and it shines.... but so much room to go faster.... Tim

 

[ncageneral]

I've been shooting various rifles in 25-06 since '83. The best bullet I've found has been Speers 120 SPBT, they have as good of a BC as the 115 Bergers, and perform well on deer. Give them a try , I dont think you'll be disappointed for targets or game. A good stiff dose of RL 25 gets 3000fps in my rifle.

 

[tiny68]

Went back and looked at exactly what bullets came with the rifle. I have a box of Hornady 75 gr Spire Point HP, a box Hornady 85 gr Spire Point HP, a box of Nosler 100 gr solid base partition bullets (old box), and an unopened box of the Speer 120 gr SPBT (I missed these previously). It looks like the previous owner used this for varmints mainly. He mentioned it was his favorite coyote gun. Everything he had loaded for it was 70 gr or 75 gr bullets. Kind of excited about playing with a new caliber for a change.... Glad it came a few boxes of bullets. I have plenty of powder and primers but don't have any other quarter bore bullets. Tim