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.

 

[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]

 

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. 

[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

[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