25-06 or 25-06AI

[keeki]

hi guys. ive been shooting a 25-06 for around 15yrs in several different guns, ive shot factory ammo and i also reload. been wanting to try something a little different but didnt know if it would be worth the effort and money. what are the real world advantages and or disadvantages of the 25-06 AI and the 25-06 rem?

[Blue Avenger]

You can push the AI a little faster and wear out the barrel faster.
The bullets look cooler,but man cause feed problems in some guns.
The brass grows slower and requires less trimming.
The dies cost more ( just paid $90- yesterday for mine)
You can shoot factory brass with very good accurssery in an AI chamber.
I myself have a higher case loss from neck and shoulder splits in this chambering them any other AI I have.

[ATLRoach]

How about 6.5-06, 280, or either AI version. Better bullet choices and with better BCs.

[outlawkyote]

2506AI rules, everything else drools...LOL

Still waiting for those Berger 25cal bullets Sinman...lol

The 2506AI will shoot those 100gr bullets to almost 3700fps and the 115gr bullets to almost 3500fps.
Use lots of slow burning magnum powders and you will be amazed 8)

[okie2]

In my 25-06 Ai I get 3920 FPS with 87 grain bullets

[Eric in NC]

6.5-06AI ;D

[sinman]

257stw thats all anyone ever needs

[Nitroused383]

2506AI rules, everything else drools...LOL

Still waiting for those Berger 25cal bullets Sinman...lol

The 2506AI will shoot those 100gr bullets to almost 3700fps and the 115gr bullets to almost 3500fps.
Use lots of slow burning magnum powders and you will be amazed 8)


Curious on what load you have best results for with the 115 Berger VLD's?

[outlawkyote]

I have not shot the 115VLDs, I use the nosler BT's. Im still waiting for the 125VLD though.
Both reloder 22 and rel 25 got me the same velocities of about 3450 fps but I cant find my records.I do remember;the best loads were the stiffest loads and I tried both magnum and standard primers (federal) with lil difference in results.

Im taking the new 2506AI to the range on sunday to wring out some 115gr noslers. I will put it on paper that day to see my results.

[Nitroused383]

What kind of brass life do you get shooting them 115 grainers around 3500 fps? My 1 in 10 twist shilen 25-06 ai barrel is 26" and I have loaded them pretty hot but not up to 3500 fps. I have hit 3400 with a full case of retumbo and 3350 with 63.5 grains of h1000. So far the IMR 7828 has been the most accurate but I have not tried pushing it, 59 grains and it kicks out almost 3380 fps. I have played with primers and seating depth quite a bit to get these Bergers to shoot great. Seating depth is real sensitive and I tried from .010" into the rifling all the way to .120" jump. Its amazing the difference primers make also, cci vs federal, mag vs non mag. If anyone is interested my best load so far with the 115 VLDS is .030" off the rifling and using CCI 250 primers.

[outlawkyote]

Ya'll keep screwing around with those goofy powders, Let me say it again. The best powder for the 2506 n 2506AI is reloder 22 reloder 22 reloder 22.. I aint had a 2506 or 2506AI yet that wouldnt get its highest velocities and best accuracy with that powder. If your shooting under 100gr bullets try something else but anything over 100gr's... Reloder 22 reloder 22 reloder 22.. It will grow hair on your chest and make your rifle amaze you. I dabble with reloder 25 once in a great while but wont even try any other breed of powder in my quarter bores. Dont ask me why your not getting my velocities.... I wouldnt know because I dont shoot those goofy powders in my quarter bores.

Reloder 22, reloder 22 reloder 22 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rooster 50]

Ya'll keep screwing around with those goofy powders, Let me say it again. The best powder for the 2506 n 2506AI is reloder 22 reloder 22 reloder 22.. I aint had a 2506 or 2506AI yet that wouldnt get its highest velocities and best accuracy with that powder. If your shooting under 100gr bullets try something else but anything over 100gr's... Reloder 22 reloder 22 reloder 22.. It will grow hair on your chest and make your rifle amaze you. I dabble with reloder 25 once in a great while but wont even try any other breed of powder in my quarter bores. Dont ask me why your not getting my velocities.... I wouldnt know because I dont shoot those goofy powders in my quarter bores.

Reloder 22, reloder 22 reloder 22 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Not trying to be a smarta$$ but what happens to your Zero when the temperature changes 25 or 30 degrees. I used a lot of RL22 in competition, and had very bad POI shifts as the temps rose. Finally went back to IMR 4350 and learned to live with less speed, and more reliability

[outlawkyote]

Ya'll keep screwing around with those goofy powders, Let me say it again. The best powder for the 2506 n 2506AI is reloder 22 reloder 22 reloder 22.. I aint had a 2506 or 2506AI yet that wouldnt get its highest velocities and best accuracy with that powder. If your shooting under 100gr bullets try something else but anything over 100gr's... Reloder 22 reloder 22 reloder 22.. It will grow hair on your chest and make your rifle amaze you. I dabble with reloder 25 once in a great while but wont even try any other breed of powder in my quarter bores. Dont ask me why your not getting my velocities.... I wouldnt know because I dont shoot those goofy powders in my quarter bores.

Reloder 22, reloder 22 reloder 22 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Not trying to be a smarta$$ but what happens to your Zero when the temperature changes 25 or 30 degrees. I used a lot of RL22 in competition, and had very bad POI shifts as the temps rose. Finally went back to IMR 4350 and learned to live with less speed, and more reliability


My zero has always been on even from -20's of winter to the 90's of summer. At least it always has been, hope ya didnt jinx it for me...lol

[Nitroused383]

I have used a lot of RL-22 in several different guns. It shoots great but when it gets above 90 degrees my load really changes with RL-22 and not any other powders. I agree it works great I was just looking for an alternative that was not so temp sensitive. How do you know it is the best if you have not tried anything else? Have you tried any of the Hodgdon extreme powders, retumbo, h1000, h4831 sc to even compare? Maybe its all marketing bs but hodgdon claims the extreme line of powders to not be a temp sesnsitive as the others. From my findings RL-22 is pretty sensitive and even from lot to lot it cannot always be trusted.

[Rooster 50]

I was shooting in a competition where we were allowed to zero between 7 and 8 am. If you didn't get to shoot before 11 am you were scrwd. The temps were in the 50's at 8 am and in the low 90 by 11.

Believe me I have seen my 300yd zero change as much as 6 in. under those conditions

[outlawkyote]

I was shooting in a competition where we were allowed to zero between 7 and 8 am. If you didn't get to shoot before 11 am you were scrwd. The temps were in the 50's at 8 am and in the low 90 by 11.

Believe me I have seen my 300yd zero change as much as 6 in. under those conditions


Using a 2506AI in competition shoots? lol

Ive never had POI shift from rel 22. Its still the best powder in my fast twist 22-243's too.
I have had POI shifts when using Hodgden extream powders though ,(4831 sc H1000 and H4350) Rotumbo was fairly stable but its performance sucked (acuracy and velocity were sub typical) I havent used IMR powder in years, it never would shoot very good groups for me when I was using it. I dont have access to VV powders and would like to try some of them some day. Reloder 19 is just too fast for the 2506AI and heavy bullets.
My last trip to a PD town started the day in the mid 50's and midday temps at 99 then cooling back to the low 80's in the evening. Those 450yd PDs were just as easy to hit in the morning as they were at mid day with no scope adjustment throughout the day. I even had my ammo exposed to the sun on a couple occations and were hot when I loaded them into the chamber (I generally dont do that but I couldnt resist a couple shots at PDs and forgot my ammo bucket open) I loaded a couple shells into the hot chamber and then got stuck waiting for a couple minutes till the PD to resurfaced for a shot....Dead on accuracy every time!!
Ive never experienced POI change from Rel 22 and Ive had 13 factory 2506's and 7 custom 2506's/ 2506AI's. Ive tried a lot of different combinations until I stumbled onto rel22. Ive had no reason to try anything else since. Rel 22 gets it done.

A friend of mine is getting 3600fps with a 2506 (parent case) and 100gr bullets with 1/2" accuracy at 200yds. He shot his rifle over my chrono just to prove to me his chrono wasnt screwed up. His brass is just fine after 3 loadings too. I have not had that luck but it is do-able with the right combo.

[McKinneyMike]

You can push the AI a little faster and wear out the barrel faster.
The bullets look cooler,but man cause feed problems in some guns.
The brass grows slower and requires less trimming.
The dies cost more ( just paid $90- yesterday for mine)
You can shoot factory brass with very good accurssery in an AI chamber.
I myself have a higher case loss from neck and shoulder splits in this chambering them any other AI I have.


I was curious if your 25-06AI loads are close to max or not. The issue with neck and shoulders has me rethinking building on this cartridge now. On average how many reloads are you getting from your cases after fire forming with standard 25-06?

[Blue Avenger]

it was my new Winchester brass giving me problems. second or 3 firing was giving me separations. My swift was doing the same thin with brass bought around the same time. must have got some bad stuff.
I switched to Remington brass and have had no more problems with either gun..some of the o6 brass is on its fifth round now.

60gr IMR4831sc 85gr silver tip

[Apache]

That's a shame too. I've always had pretty good results with winny brass.

I now use Lapua when ever possible. Lapua makes 30-06 brass, which I neck down to 25-06. Outstanding case life. I have several cases with 7-8 FULL power loads on them and haven't even had to FL resize them yet. I do anneal after every 3 loads regardless though.

[BrentWin]

Apache,

Did you have to turn necks on the brass after necking it down that much?