No.1 AB 25-06

WLew · 09-10-2009, 10:22 PM

Well guys I finally found the loads I'm looking for in this rifle. My deer load is gonna be 59 grains of 7828 behind a 100gr Barnes TSX. Gives 3390fps and 1 1/4" groups at 200 yards. My coyote load is 56 grains of 4350 behind a 87gr Hornady SP. Gives 3500fps and 1 3/4" groups at 200 yards. Not too bad for a new rifle with less than 75 rounds thru it. Those velocities are from a 24" barrel too. Got a trusty old 3x9x40 Leupold vari-x 1 on it. Wish I could post a pic but my camera's shot.

338RUM · 09-10-2009, 10:30 PM

what is the B.C. on those bullets? I use 87 grain bullets on deer and you would be surprised on how well they work, speed kills and those bullets will do fine. But if the 87 shoots flatter use them for deer and leave the 100 behind.

WLew · 09-10-2009, 10:48 PM

338 according to Best of the West's true Ballistic calculator there's actually only .1" difference in the drop or these two loads at 500 yards. I am gonna try to smoke a doe with the 87's but I'll mostly stay with the Barnes. As you see there's only 110fps difference and I LOVE the way they perform.

338RUM · 09-10-2009, 10:56 PM

Did you mean 1 inch difference? I guess it possible to be that small as the 87 looses the speed faster and the 100 holds out longer due to the higher B.C. If there is no difference in P.O.I. I would use the 87's for within 200 and anything past drop in a 100. The 87's in my 25-06 drop deer like lightning just stay away from the ball joint in the front shoulder! Do not listen to these people here saying the 87 leaves a shallow crater... That may be true on less powerful rounds but the 06 has enough arse to punch a texas heart shot on deer... enough of my rambling if you have any questions please ask!

WLew · 09-11-2009, 08:07 AM

Not 1 inch but 1/10th of 1 inch. The higher B.C. makes the difference. The reason I'll stay with the Barnes is that I TRY to break the shoulders! I'll probably shoot an old doe with the 87's if I get a chance just to try em but I know what the Barnes will do.

338RUM · 09-11-2009, 08:26 AM

oh ok, you are a fan of the anchor shot. I can not blame you there I like that shot myself, I just use a larger cal for those kind of shots, but have not had exp with the Barnes bullets please give a field report would love to know how they work. Is it a deep penetrating bullet cause I would not mind working up a load for them if they are really good bullets worth the extra money.

WLew · 09-11-2009, 09:17 AM

I haven't used the 25 cal Barnes on any critters yet, but me and my Dad have alot of experience with other calibers. We've used Barnes X bullets in 7mags., 270's, 243's, and 22-250's and love em. They penetrate VERRY deep and leave large wound channels. Three years ago Dad shot a 250lb mule deer buck from about 200yards with a 140 grain TSX from his 7mag. The buck was about to go over the edge of a canyon and the only shot he had was the "Texas heart shot". The bullet entered about 1 inch from the rectum and exited at the bottom edge of the throat patch, it was over 40" of penetration. When we field dressed him the whole top half of BOTH lungs was gone, pulverized.

TheBadger257 · 09-11-2009, 05:19 PM

my load is a 115 grain nosler ballistic tip with 53 grs of H4831 behind it going 3150 out of my new ruger hawkeye hears what i came to conclusion with the 87gr hornady they break apart well more like blow up on impact when you hit a gallon jug when you put a paper target there were jacket and lead everywere on the target so i was pretty bummed because i wanted a yote and deer load all in one so went to get diffrent gr bullets 115 gr nosler bt so I figger out the more powder i put in them the titer the group got and ended up a full grain over hodgdon max load with no pressure indications and a 5 shot group at 100 that a nickle could cover with a factory pos trigger so noticed when i shot this the jug that there was a hole instead it looking like it got hit with a grenade tried it on deer last year a big bodied buck a 30 yards heart shot was straight through and small entrance hole and baseball exit rolled it and never moved and a field doe 300 yards 120 lbs same story on to a slideing stop when all legs went out on her and my brother took one a doe in the eye a 60 yards so with the 115 grs nosler balistic tip has good expanction and wound channel and penitration and accuracy it you hit the leg socket or a shoulder with 87 grs you might me tracking for a while don't know about the 100 grs if you have the money then try but even the guys that i hunt with that use 243 use 100grs for deer what i found out about barnes is the there expecive and hard to keep the barrel from copper fouling just as good as berger and hornady and nosler in most cases found serria is more accurate than most and it close between berger and serria accuracy wise as you can see not partial to any brand so do some exparimenting and see you come up with.

338RUM · 09-11-2009, 05:54 PM

I really like the 87's but like you said Badger they do blow up, I have shot 10 deer with the 87's the closest was 35 yards and the farthest was about 200 yards but the results were the same, pin hole in and jelly heart and lungs no exit wound and the deer just fell over no moving or twitching. Think of your water jug as a piece of concrete, do you expect your 87 to penetrate concrete? It is worth a try I promise it will drop a deer stone dead. One of the deer I dropped was a Texas heart shot with the same effect... The only downfall I see to these bullets is past 300 yards they do drop quickly, but that is about the limit of my deer hunting anyway...

WLew · 09-14-2009, 04:45 PM

I'm not loyal to any particular brand either. I just buy several different brands and weights and try em. I will say tho that I do shoot and believe in "premium" bullets, such as Accubonds, Partitions, and X bullets. I've shot deer with all of these and all are very good bullets. I've had trouble with Ballistic tips breaking up and not penetrating very well, and as stated earlier I shoot em thru the shoulders so I can't have that. Now all I use Ballistic tips for is varmints and practice. 338, how fast are you pushing your 87's?

Palladin8 · 09-14-2009, 05:32 PM

I have used the Barnes XLC 100gr bullet in my 25-06 on an antelope. was between 200 - 250yds and was a complete pass through broadside shot. It dropped dead right there. I haven't been lucky enough to draw a tag for the past several years here in NV so I haven't been able to try out the new TSX or TTSX on game.
I have also used the 100gr Sierra Gameking with good results on deer and used one on a cow elk.

09-10-2009, 10:22 PM	#1
WLew Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: North Arkansas Posts: 194	No.1 AB 25-06 Well guys I finally found the loads I'm looking for in this rifle. My deer load is gonna be 59 grains of 7828 behind a 100gr Barnes TSX. Gives 3390fps and 1 1/4" groups at 200 yards. My coyote load is 56 grains of 4350 behind a 87gr Hornady SP. Gives 3500fps and 1 3/4" groups at 200 yards. Not too bad for a new rifle with less than 75 rounds thru it. Those velocities are from a 24" barrel too. Got a trusty old 3x9x40 Leupold vari-x 1 on it. Wish I could post a pic but my camera's shot. __________________ NRA Life Member

09-10-2009, 10:30 PM	#2
338RUM Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Lonaconing, MD Posts: 1,025	what is the B.C. on those bullets? I use 87 grain bullets on deer and you would be surprised on how well they work, speed kills and those bullets will do fine. But if the 87 shoots flatter use them for deer and leave the 100 behind. __________________ diaper fetishist, gay ,neo Nazi ,slaves give me hope for the versatility of the human race. -Billy

09-10-2009, 10:48 PM	#3
WLew Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: North Arkansas Posts: 194	338 according to Best of the West's true Ballistic calculator there's actually only .1" difference in the drop or these two loads at 500 yards. I am gonna try to smoke a doe with the 87's but I'll mostly stay with the Barnes. As you see there's only 110fps difference and I LOVE the way they perform. __________________ NRA Life Member

09-10-2009, 10:56 PM	#4
338RUM Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Lonaconing, MD Posts: 1,025	Did you mean 1 inch difference? I guess it possible to be that small as the 87 looses the speed faster and the 100 holds out longer due to the higher B.C. If there is no difference in P.O.I. I would use the 87's for within 200 and anything past drop in a 100. The 87's in my 25-06 drop deer like lightning just stay away from the ball joint in the front shoulder! Do not listen to these people here saying the 87 leaves a shallow crater... That may be true on less powerful rounds but the 06 has enough arse to punch a texas heart shot on deer... enough of my rambling if you have any questions please ask! __________________ diaper fetishist, gay ,neo Nazi ,slaves give me hope for the versatility of the human race. -Billy

09-11-2009, 08:07 AM	#5
WLew Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: North Arkansas Posts: 194	Not 1 inch but 1/10th of 1 inch. The higher B.C. makes the difference. The reason I'll stay with the Barnes is that I TRY to break the shoulders! I'll probably shoot an old doe with the 87's if I get a chance just to try em but I know what the Barnes will do. __________________ NRA Life Member

09-11-2009, 08:26 AM	#6
338RUM Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Lonaconing, MD Posts: 1,025	oh ok, you are a fan of the anchor shot. I can not blame you there I like that shot myself, I just use a larger cal for those kind of shots, but have not had exp with the Barnes bullets please give a field report would love to know how they work. Is it a deep penetrating bullet cause I would not mind working up a load for them if they are really good bullets worth the extra money. __________________ diaper fetishist, gay ,neo Nazi ,slaves give me hope for the versatility of the human race. -Billy

09-11-2009, 09:17 AM	#7
WLew Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: North Arkansas Posts: 194	I haven't used the 25 cal Barnes on any critters yet, but me and my Dad have alot of experience with other calibers. We've used Barnes X bullets in 7mags., 270's, 243's, and 22-250's and love em. They penetrate VERRY deep and leave large wound channels. Three years ago Dad shot a 250lb mule deer buck from about 200yards with a 140 grain TSX from his 7mag. The buck was about to go over the edge of a canyon and the only shot he had was the "Texas heart shot". The bullet entered about 1 inch from the rectum and exited at the bottom edge of the throat patch, it was over 40" of penetration. When we field dressed him the whole top half of BOTH lungs was gone, pulverized. __________________ NRA Life Member

09-11-2009, 05:19 PM	#8
TheBadger257 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: On the grassy knoll Posts: 105	my load is a 115 grain nosler ballistic tip with 53 grs of H4831 behind it going 3150 out of my new ruger hawkeye hears what i came to conclusion with the 87gr hornady they break apart well more like blow up on impact when you hit a gallon jug when you put a paper target there were jacket and lead everywere on the target so i was pretty bummed because i wanted a yote and deer load all in one so went to get diffrent gr bullets 115 gr nosler bt so I figger out the more powder i put in them the titer the group got and ended up a full grain over hodgdon max load with no pressure indications and a 5 shot group at 100 that a nickle could cover with a factory pos trigger so noticed when i shot this the jug that there was a hole instead it looking like it got hit with a grenade tried it on deer last year a big bodied buck a 30 yards heart shot was straight through and small entrance hole and baseball exit rolled it and never moved and a field doe 300 yards 120 lbs same story on to a slideing stop when all legs went out on her and my brother took one a doe in the eye a 60 yards so with the 115 grs nosler balistic tip has good expanction and wound channel and penitration and accuracy it you hit the leg socket or a shoulder with 87 grs you might me tracking for a while don't know about the 100 grs if you have the money then try but even the guys that i hunt with that use 243 use 100grs for deer what i found out about barnes is the there expecive and hard to keep the barrel from copper fouling just as good as berger and hornady and nosler in most cases found serria is more accurate than most and it close between berger and serria accuracy wise as you can see not partial to any brand so do some exparimenting and see you come up with.

09-11-2009, 05:54 PM	#9
338RUM Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Lonaconing, MD Posts: 1,025	I really like the 87's but like you said Badger they do blow up, I have shot 10 deer with the 87's the closest was 35 yards and the farthest was about 200 yards but the results were the same, pin hole in and jelly heart and lungs no exit wound and the deer just fell over no moving or twitching. Think of your water jug as a piece of concrete, do you expect your 87 to penetrate concrete? It is worth a try I promise it will drop a deer stone dead. One of the deer I dropped was a Texas heart shot with the same effect... The only downfall I see to these bullets is past 300 yards they do drop quickly, but that is about the limit of my deer hunting anyway... __________________ diaper fetishist, gay ,neo Nazi ,slaves give me hope for the versatility of the human race. -Billy

09-14-2009, 04:45 PM	#10
WLew Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: North Arkansas Posts: 194	I'm not loyal to any particular brand either. I just buy several different brands and weights and try em. I will say tho that I do shoot and believe in "premium" bullets, such as Accubonds, Partitions, and X bullets. I've shot deer with all of these and all are very good bullets. I've had trouble with Ballistic tips breaking up and not penetrating very well, and as stated earlier I shoot em thru the shoulders so I can't have that. Now all I use Ballistic tips for is varmints and practice. 338, how fast are you pushing your 87's? __________________ NRA Life Member

09-14-2009, 05:32 PM	#11
Palladin8 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 2,451	I have used the Barnes XLC 100gr bullet in my 25-06 on an antelope. was between 200 - 250yds and was a complete pass through broadside shot. It dropped dead right there. I haven't been lucky enough to draw a tag for the past several years here in NV so I haven't been able to try out the new TSX or TTSX on game. I have also used the 100gr Sierra Gameking with good results on deer and used one on a cow elk.