25-06 powder choice

[Wingnut00]

My sendero is just normal 10 twist

 

[Rogmay]

Sierra 117's with retumbo has been great for my daughter! She consistently shoots 1/2-3/4 moa with it!

 

[KMart]

What twist are you using or the 115gr Bergers? I am getting ready to build my first 25-06 on a older Tikka M658 with a Bartlein 10 twist?

Dan, I bought my 25-06 in 73 as a factory gun. It had a 10 twist and would shoot 100 grain bullets around 1/2 to 3/4. Tried to go to the 120's and grouped somewhat larger. 30 years later I rebarreled with a 9 twist Shilen and changed powders. I worked up loads with 120 Hornady HP and 115 Bergers with 7828SSC. I got slightly less than 1/2moa at 200 with both bullets shooting 3 shot groups. I think the 9 twist is the better option for heavy bullets.

 

[kyreloader]

I really like h-1000 and retumbo for 26" barrels with 115 bergers. I'm shooting 60gr of retumbo out of my sendero runnin just a touch over 3200 with the 115's.

Wingnut,

I shoot exactly the same load. 60g Retumbo with 115g Berger HVLDs with Fed 215M primers. I am right at 3200 fps through my 25" PacNor 3 groove barrel(10 twist) with 1/2 MOA accuracy. I killed a 8 point Kentucky whitetail 2 years ago at 612 yards with one shot. Very great load for this rifle. That is where I would start if I were to work with a new barrel.

 

[Wingnut00]

Wingnut,

I shoot exactly the same load. 60g Retumbo with 115g Berger HVLDs with Fed 215M primers. I am right at 3200 fps through my 25" PacNor 3 groove barrel(10 twist) with 1/2 MOA accuracy. I killed a 8 point Kentucky whitetail 2 years ago at 612 yards with one shot. Very great load for this rifle. That is where I would start if I were to work with a new barrel.

Yes sir. Retumbo for me has been awesome. Hits deer like a one ton ford. Accuracy for me has been incredible with my factory barrel. Probably be scary with a custom barrel.

 

[6xcshooter]

reloader 19

 

[timeout]

75 gr. Hornady VMAX 52 gr. IMR4064 23" barrel 3560fps MV
Work loads up slowly. This may be too hot in some rifles. Was below max in my rifle.

 

[joed49]

I used to use IMR4350 and IMR4831sc in my .25-06 but switched to RL17, RL19 and RL22 about 7 years ago. The RL powders give a little more velocity and better accuracy for me. RL22 works nice with the 115 gr or higher, RL17 and RL19 work great with 85 gr to 100 gr.

 

[AckleymanII]

You will hit 3200 with IMR 7828 and fed 215's in spades.

I shot a Shilen 12 twist,26", in 25/06. and the sierra flat base 117 stabilized at 3300 shooting groups in the .400's, Max load

100g Sierra flat base was 3600, neck sized the cases(Winchester)-groups were in the .285-.325 range, three shots, repeatable.

10 twist barrels will not get this kind of velocity.

 

[Bbear]

I have two 25-06's. One is an ADL from the first year of production. That rifle has just over 3200 rounds down the pipe. The second was a pawn-shop rescue that I had re-barreled. That one has just over 2000 rounds through it.
With the ADL I started with IMR4831 and 100 gr Speers. Never chronographed the load but it was deadly accurate - 5 shot groups in the .4-.5" range @ 100. Alas, both barrels are rather long in the tooth.
I tried RL-19 and got decent accuracy with the 110 AB's but the powder was real temp insensitive. The load I worked up in 40 degree weather locked the bolt at 100 degrees. I tried 7828, both I and H 4350 with no luck. Tried RL22 and had the same temp problem as I did with RL19. Finally, I tried 7977 and found a good load. Velocity is 3150 for the 110's with accuracy right at .4-.5 . Fairly temp stable with little change in grouping (moves to a .7-.8 group when it's in the 30's).
With both barrels I get CLTO of 3.4 and 3.35" so loading to 3.25" works on my rifles. ( I ran some of the 115's just for jollies and had similar luck with accuracy and velocity. CLTO on the 115's was 3.35 and 3.3)

 

[MagnumManiac]

Interesting, I get 3266fps with 115gr Partitions and RE25. 2 other powders work really well also with mag primers. They are H1000 and Retumbo, neither get velocity as high as RE25, but, they are accurate.
I no longer use or trust H4831sc, it gave me large velocity swings and pressure issues.

Cheers.

 

[Brians356]

Finally, I tried 7977 and found a good load. Velocity is 3150 for the 110's with accuracy right at .4-.5 . Fairly temp stable with little change in grouping (moves to a .7-.8 group when it's in the 30's).

With 7977 you also get the claimed copper fouling reduction, not a bad thing with 25-06 and lighter bullets. I'm using 4451 behind 130s in an old Ruger M77 "round-top" with a scary-looking bore, and copper fouling is practically nil now. (Running a set of Tubb Final Finish fire lapping bullets through it didn't hurt, either.)
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