25-06 target – varmint loads

[308Loader]

Hello again everyone, looking to develop a good target and varmint load for my 25-06rem. Rifle is a Thompson center single shot breach loader, heavy barrel. I’ve been working with IMR 4350 and am not getting the groups that I think this rifle can do. Some how last fall I loaded a batch of 50 that did -1” at 100 yrds with imr 4350 @ 47.4 gr, cci br2 primers and 100gr sp bullets (or so my notes say). For what ever reason I cant reproduce the same results. Thinking of trying some imr 4064 or imr 4895, just because I have lots of it on hand. Hodgdon website shows data for all 3, and Nosler book shows data for 4064 and 4350, Hornady book shows 4350 only. Anyone have good results with 4895 or 4064 in 25-06 rem? Again this load is intended for paper, woodchucks, prairie dogs, coyotes and such out to 200 yrds. Is 4064 or 4895 too fast of a burn for this cartage? Should I keep messing with the 4350? Should I use lighter bullets with 4895-4064? …

As always thanks for the input

[308Loader]

Additional note, I am working with PPU once fired (new to me), Winchester 0-1 fired (new bag of 50 shot 25, culled 1 for scratches and 1 shoulder split) and Hornady frontier thrice or more fired brass (has tiny guppy belly after 3rd loading). I have completely reset my dies and measured every thing, ready to start over. Is it a good idea to stick with the 4350 or try something new?

[cw308]

I'm a benchrest shooter 308 cal., 308 or 25-06 working up a load is the same. Starting out with a clean unfouled barrel is first. Knowing your chamber, not over sizing your brass, finding out if your rifle likes the bullet to jump or jam. IMR 4350 is the listed go to powder for your rifle. Is your rifle scoped? Mid range on the powder scale, most of the time is the most accurate. F/L size to .001 headspace, shooting a total of 30 rounds seating with a .020 jump 5 rounds each with .005 less jump, until touching the lands, then a .005 jam. Your rifle scoped should be getting1/2" groups at 100 yards. Once you find what gives you the tightest group, then load powder .5 grains up and down to fine tune. How is the trigger?

[flashhole]

How do you measure .005 grains?

[flashhole]

I have good success with 87 grain bullets and H4831 powder.

[rg1]

My 24" heavy barrel shoots 87 gr. Hornady's with IMR 4831 very well. Lot's of 25-06 shooters like 90 gr. Nosler BT's for varmints. Most 100 gr. bullets for 25-06 are not varmint bullets. I use all RP brass and RP 9 1/2 primers. I've always read that 25-06 barrels are finicky with some preferring heavy bullets and some do well with light bullets. Mine seems to shoot all 25-06 weights very well. I like the 87 gr. Hornady's because they shoot well and are not premium expensive bullets. They do fine on coyote's too.

[308Loader]

Trigger is lightest of the all rifles I own, Id guess 2-3 lbs. I don't have a gauge for trigger pull yet.

[308Loader]

H4831 also comes up often when talking about 25-06 loads. worth trying?

[cw308]

flashhole
How do you measure .005 grains, very slowly. My mistake, corrected. Too many zero's, meant .5 Sorry.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

Trolling for a recipe?

Want to step up your 25-06 into a super fast flat shooter with 100 gr what evers that blows smoke around the 243 and give the weatherby 257 mag some real high speed competition. 57.3 IMR 4831 will get you there if you got the courage too pull the trigger.. Mid range powders give you just that. Mid range ballistics. 4064 & 4895 are mid range powders preferred by those hand-loading the 300 savage 308 winchester and smaller cartridges using short throw bolts. 57.3 4831 on the other hand is a high velocity sweet spot load in my 25-06. A loading which will pick the petals of a 4 leaf clover one at a time all day long at 100 yards. Or ~~keep loading those mid range powder and get those mediocre velocity's so many 25-06 reloaders come to rely on.

[brasscollector]

For the 75 and 85/87 grainers I've found IMR 4350 works nicely in both my 25-06s. For the heavier bullets in the 115-120 range I have found IMR 4831 to get the velocity and accuracy I'm after. I too am using the PPU brass but I neck-turned it .

[Mike / Tx]

After close to 30yrs loading for one, my main two powders are IMR-4831 and IMR-4350 for top velocity and accuracy with 100gr bullets.

[FrankenMauser]

The powders you're using should not be a problem. But, if you're looking for better performance...



Rebarrel to a real cartridge, and you'll be good to go.
I suggest .270 Win.

[HiBC]

First,I have a 257 AI,not a 25-06.And,while I have never owned a TC break action rifle,I believe they have their own set of rules.

Powder: When I used 100 gr Sierra boat tail hunting bullets,I got excellent results with IMR 4350. Great choice!!

When I went to 115 gr Nosler BT's,I switched to H-4831 SC.Another great match.

As far as experimenting with 4895/4064...I won't say it can't be done,but its the wrong direction. The 25-06 is a big boiler room with a little hole to let the pressure out.Faster powders will tend to suddenly spike pressures under those conditions.Save that powder for 308/30-06,even some heavy bullet ,223 loads.

I use the 115 Ballistic tip for everything.It flies well,handles wind better past 300 yds.I only need one sight in,one trajectory in my head.
Berger makes a 115 VLD,IIRC.

As I said,I have no experience with the break action TC.I have seen TC pistols shoot very well.

But you are not dealing with a bolt rifle in a rigid,one piece,free floated stock.

I suspect the bench and bag techniques,etc are different.
I do not pretend to have the answers,but I'll leave you with the questions.

Your separate forend attached to the bbl will demand some repeatable technique from you.

I also suggest using the paper clip test frequently to monitor "stretch ring" case thinning.

And I would not suggest pursuing "on the edge" hotrod loads.

[98 220 swift]

I have had most excellent results( accuracy and velocity) using 4064 with 75 gr vmax. But my rifle has a 1-12" twist barrel. What twist does yours have?

[308Loader]

TC break action rifle,I believe they have their own set of rules.

I suspect the bench and bag techniques, etc are different.

Can anyone elaborate on this? I would suspect HIBC may have something here.

I also suggest using the paper clip test frequently to monitor "stretch ring" case thinning.

Some of cases are showing a little guppy belly at that stretch point after only a few firings. Is this due to the breach loading action?

1-10 twist I believe

Thanks for the input.

[HiBC]

As I said,I have very little experience with the T/C break action,but my impression was,they are a bit springy.
In any case,some of the loading manuals describe "stretch ring" and the paper clip test.

Then brass stretches back near the case head,it seems to localize near all of the stretch ahead of the web.This results in significant thinning of the brass.

You don't see it much on the outside,maybe just a shiny ring around the brass.
So,straighten out a paper clip.Then put a tight 90 deg bend about 1/8 in or so from the end,so it looks like a short legged allen wrench.

Put it all the way down inside your case,then drag that bent tip as a probe up the inside of the case wall...as much as 1/2 in.

You are feeling for a groove,almost like a shallow o-ring groove.

You will know it when you find one.That is a case about to separate.

Once you find one,hack saw it lengthwise and take a look.Its an eye opener.

Now,I understand a Contender 14 is a different gun entirely.A buddy had one in 7-30 waters.At the time,7-30 Waters reloading brass was Federal,VERY expensive,and hard to find.

We set the dies to headspace on the shoulder,not the rim.Loads were reasonable.He only got about 4 loads before they were scrap.

I showed him forming 30-30 brass.

I know someone with your rifle in .338 Win mag.He gets stretch rings,too.

I do not know enough to say much more,other than be aware,monitor the brass,and I suggest not pushing for max loads.

[flashhole]

The inspection method described above works really well but instead of a paper clip I use a small skewer. I can feel more with the pointed end and the loop at the top makes it easy to handle.

[saudst]

Here is my accuracy/varmint load. Rem. brass, partial F/L size, trim, federal #215 primers, 59grns. IMR4831, 75grn. Hornady V-max sated .010" off the rifling. Work up from 54grns. 1/2" groups in my gun.