25-06AI Fans

[Apache]

Developed a good load today before the rain sets in that I wanted to share:


270 Frontier (Hornady?) brass formed to 25-06AI.....has thicker necks so I can turn them to the proper clearance for my chamber.

80grn TTSX Barnes
58.0 grns of RL-17
Wolf LR Mag primers
COL 3.155

3960FPS form a 28" varmint contour barrel

1/2" and better groups in VERY windy conditions

slight primer flattening, no cratering, no case head expansion, no extractor marks.

Now for the CYAWP part:

*PLEASE NOTE:

These loads were developed for my personal rifle. They were safe in the rifle and/or rifles tested on the day they were shot. Neither the author nor anyone else represent that they are safe, and I will accept no liability if you blow yourself up. Furthermore, I resent the litigious nature of some members of our society who create the need to accompany all loading charts with this stupid notice. There. That being said, I feel better now.

;D

[outlawkyote]

Dang!!!
I havent done any experimenting with rel17 yet but I bet its about optimum for the smaller 257 bullets.

Why you playing with the big guns? You gettn ready for a buffalo hunt? Better move down here early, the pelts are prime in january.

[Apache]

;D

Would love to get there early!

So far, I'm really impressed with it....so much so I bought 13lbs of it. Mainly for the 6x47L though. VERY GOOD powder for that.

Getting ready for deer season here with modern rifle. Opens Saturday....

Saw those new bullets from Barnes and just knew I could drive them over 4k.....can easily do it but it would be slightly too hot with this brass...primer cratered and flattened with extractor marks @ 4050....gonna try 30-06 Lapua and see if it'll get it done.

Just something different. ;D

[Stu]

Yeah, i really like the rl17 also. Haven't used it in the 25-06 yet but i really like it in my 6.5x55 .

[outlawkyote]

Whats the BCs on those bullets?

[Apache]

IIRC it's .316........got rained out today, tryin to find a dry spot to hide in.

[tropicmaster]

Holy Cow! I ran the 115 Berger VLD through JBM @ 3800 and it has 15 MOA at 1k! That bullet has a bc of .523 G1 Dont know if you could get 3800 at 115, but man if you can what a beast that would be.

ETA- Did a little further playing and expanded the range scale. The 115 Berger carries sonic out to 1700 yds, and has the same MOA at 1600 as the .308 does at 1000 !

[outlawkyote]

The 2506AI will be about topped out at 3500fps -3600fps with that size bullet

The 257stw might get them up to 3800 though.

[Apache]

If it's like other Bergers, (hunting version) it will come apart at those speeds long before making it to 1K....Don't know if the target versions can take those kind of RPMs either.

FWIW....I've read somewhere that the Bergers run a truer estimate using the G7 factor in ballistics programs......would be even less than 15 MOA I think.

[BrentWin]

Nearly 4 grand with an 80 gr. bullet. I think I felt my loins tingle ;D

[BrentWin]

I loaded some up and went to the range Sat. The accuracy is definately there. I'll have to see what they do to deer next weekend.

[Apache]

Yep! Accuracy is pretty good with them. Let me know how they do if you get one before I do.

[okie2]

if you all are talking about 80 grain bergers at 3960fps and RL17
the 25-06AI will do 3920 with a 87 grain with 65.0 gr IMR 4831
i have been doing it for years

[Nitroused383]

Thanks for the info I have a pound of RL-17 that I have been wanting to try out with the 85gr noslers.
For reference I shoot the 115 VLDs out of my 25-06 AI @ 3425fps using IMR 4831 and bergers listed bc is way off.
I have shot 600, 700 and 1000 yards with a 200 yard 0 it takes 16.5 MOA to get to 1000 yards. The BC is around .65 G1 or .34 G7. 700 yards only takes 8.8 MOA. None of it really makes sense with the ballistic calculators because I am only getting 21-22" inches of drop @ 500 yards. I took it deer and elk hunting when my 300 RUM was getting an SIII put on. I didn't get to shoot anything with it this year though

[BrentWin]

Took a big corn fed Missouri doe this morning with this load, 400 yds., quartering to me. She was standing about 20yds from a straight down bluff that I definitely didn't want to have to drag her back up. I dialed up 3.5 MOA on the scope and lined up for a high shoulder shot. She dropped in her tracks, kicked a couple of times and that was it.

While field dressing, I was surprised to see how little damage was done to the doe's vitals. The bullet went thru the near side shoulder. It cut diagonally thru the lungs and exited between the last two ribs on the off side. The exit hole was about the size of my little finger. You could see the trail that the bullet took thru the lungs and frankly it wasn't very impressive. In the past, I have used NBT's and that same shot would have reduced the lungs to pulp. So I guess I am a little unsure about giving the bullet a ringing endorsement. Yes, the doe dropped in her tracks, but that was due to the shock the spinal cord from the high shoulder shot. I am not so sure about a typical broadside shot, where the bullet will strike nothing but a rib before entering the lungs.

I am not trying to start an argument with the TXS guys and this is just one deer. I guess that I am not ready to write them off, but I am concerned that they may be a little to heavily constructed for whitetails

[Apache]

I had a similar experience with the 85grn TSX in .243.

DRT....... thru the neck.....spine wasn't hit. 350 yrd shot, very little meat damage. 6mmSAUM.

Shot a small doe 2 years ago with a 70grn TSX .224 thru the ribs.....ran maybe 50yrds and piled up. Nice blood trail and very little meat damage also. 22-6mmAI.

Still haven't gotten a shot with the 80grn TTSX .257 on a deer yet....but they are VERY accurate out of my 25-06AI. But, so far so good.

BTW........Congrats!!!

[BrentWin]

My great niece killed a doe during the youth season with 60 gr TSX's loaded in 223. They did great. The lungs were a pulp. Like you, I have gotten great accuracy out of the 257 80gr. Hopefully I will get another doe or two to try them out on this season.

[Apache]

Hope you do too, let me know how the autopsy goes! ;D

[BrentWin]

Killed another doe with this load Sat. morning. She was standing broadside at 150 yds. I went out with the idea of shooting one thru the ribs and lungs to check exppansion when less bone is encountered. I guess my mind went into auto pilot when I looked thru the scope, because I shot her with my normal shoulder shot. (The older I get, the less I like to blood track and drag deer back up hills). The bullet blew thru both shoulder blades and and disconnected all of the plumbing to her heart and lungs. She dropped her in her tracks. Once again, I could just stick my little finger in the exit hole.

I'm now very confident that this bullet will definately do the job when heavy bone is encountered. I still don't know what it will do with the classic, double lung, behind the shoulder shot.

It has got me thinking that this might accually be a fur friendly load for coyotes. If such a thing is possible with a 25-06 AI. The only thing that keeps me from testing this theory is the fact that my AI wieghs in at around 12 lb. and my cut down barrel 223 weighs 6-1/2.

Apache, maybe you or Outlawkyote can try them out on the coyotes.

[Apache]

LOL!!!

Thx for the report!

I know the feeling when it comes to "auto pilot" shooting!

As far as coyotes go.....I think Thad has already settled on his loads, and I'm not interested in keeping pelts (not worth anything here) so when I get to start shooting them, I'm going for maximum carnage.

Hoping to start yote hunting around here right after Christmas. Maybe put one down with it just to see how it works! If I do, I'll post the results.

[wilpenny]

with all this in mind and ive owned 4 2506s ill say this is intresting infor but what will a 25x 7mag do?? any one know?? i do think the 25x264 is the same or within .05 of the other im looking at super high vol and short barrel life i guess

[Apache]

with all this in mind and ive owned 4 2506s ill say this is intresting infor but what will a 25x 7mag do?? any one know?? i do think the 25x264 is the same or within .05 of the other im looking at super high vol and short barrel life i guess

It would be the equivalent of the 257 Weatherby....without the radius shoulders. Case capacity is nearly the same, 257 Weatherby's also have a long throat to help with pressures.

[BrentWin]

with all this in mind and ive owned 4 2506s ill say this is intresting infor but what will a 25x 7mag do?? any one know?? i do think the 25x264 is the same or within .05 of the other im looking at super high vol and short barrel life i guess

In looking at the data for 25/300 Win Mag on Reloader's Nest, I don't see much gain over what we are getting with the 25-06 AI and they're burning 12 gr. more powder to get it.

[handirifle]

What twist rate does the 25-06AI use? Brent, I wonder what a heavier TSX would do. I'd write Barnes about what you've seen and see what they have to say, or suggest. email@barnesbullets.com You MIGHT be operating outside the design parameters for this bullet, and there is apossiblilty it is losing it's petals and basically becoming a solid, thus the small exit hole.

That's my guess, and that's why I'd try a heavier bullet. There is a tipped TSX in 100gr that would most likely kill anything in the lower 48, fired from that rifle.

[BrentWin]

Just about every quarter bore is 1-10 twist. I may try some heavier TTSX's, just to see what they do. I am a little reluctant to use the 100 gr. because I already have a 100 gr. load that I like alot (100 gr. NBT w/ RL22).

As I said earlier, I can't say anything bad about how they have performed so far. I just have a little uncertainty about how they will act on a lung shot. I just need to do more testing next year. One thing is for sure this load is fast and accurate.