New Guy Needs .25-06 tips

[Bisley]

Hi Folks,

This is my first post, and this is my first Handi Rifle. It is an Ultra model in .25-06, and I'm hoping to pick up a few tips on how to get my group size down. I want this to be a 200 yard rifle, so I would like to get it to come in around 1.5 MOA, giving me a 3" group at 200 yards. I put some pretty decent glass on it, a Nikon Pro-Staff with BDC reticle.





My first outing with it was at 100 yards with factory loads, Federal Premium 117 grain Gamekings, and didn't impress me much. These are my last five shots after making the adjustment to bring it to zero. I sighted it in with long lapses between shots, and as you can see, the cold barrel shot was in there pretty good. But then I shot four more, pretty close together (no cooling period) and was all over the place, ending up with a 3" group



Since that range trip, I have been back once, to try some hand loads, and although I have my group down to about 2" with 100 grain Nosler ballistic tips, over 53 grains of H-4831, with a COL of 3.255, I'm still not very consistent and I still want to close that group up to about 1.5".

My next range trip, I will be testing some loads with 115 gran Nosler BT's, with both RL-22 and IMR 7828 powder. I'm using new Winchester brass and standard Winchester primers.

I have done the barrel float, using the O-Ring and set screw on the barrel stud, as found in the help section, and I am taking all my shots with the forearm resting on the barrel stud.

Any advice or suggestions on how to shrink my groups would be welcome.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

 ;)Bisley, so far I have had 3 .25-06's. None were handi rifles but 700's. My current one is a custom barreled job. I have had good success with 75,85,87,90, 100, and 115 grain bullets. Nosler, Horn. and Serria were all good in various rifles. But the one bullet that was very good in all was the old Serria 100 grain spitzer flat base. I just tried it with 3 different powders, IMR 4350, IMR 4831, and Re 22 and Rem 9 1/2 mag primers. Accuracy at one hundred hovered arount 1/2 to 5/8 with all three powders. Speed was between 3350 and 3400. IMR 4831 was the top performer, but only by a bit. Another lot could change that. I think I would start with IMR 4350. While some rifles liked Nosler BTBT's this one will only shoot the 115 grain well. It also likes 110 grain Accubonds. I like the 100 grain Serria for coyotes and antelope. But it is a little soft for big deer. Shot one very nice mulie with it several years ago. Part of the bullet exited, but not intact. I found the buck, but the blood trail was not much. This .25-06, along with a big .22 cal.,and a big .30 cal. are my best rifles for the hunting I do. good luck.

[quickdtoo]

Welcome Bisley! Read the Handi Basic 101, therein lie the secrets to getting the best accuracy from your H&R. My 25-06 Ultra shoots moa with two factory loads, 115gr Federal Nosler Partitions and 117gr Hornady BTSP, it's so accurate I've never felt the need to handload for it. 

Tim

[ihookem]

Honestly I don't think the 25-06 is the best for accuracy. I never had one but have always heard it is a finicky caliber. Magnum primers might help, that's a lot of powder coming out of a 25 cal. I would imagine very slow powders are best.

[myarmor]

Same here, welcome to GBO. The 25-06 H&R has proven to be amongst the most accurate offerings they have. Read the FAQs and do some searches and you will find what you need. Still , is their oil on the latch? You may need to carefully scrub the bore with Flitz or the like.... does WONDERS to an H&R barrel.





-Aaron

[coop2564]

I have had 3 25-06's and 1 257 roberts none liked the heavier loads of 115 and above but all shot the 100 gr loads well. Try the 110gr accubond or the 100 gr TSX both are very well made bullets. 

[LHitchcox]

A lot of .25-06s shoot better with 100 grain bullets than with 115-120. Try H4350 at about 51.5-52 grains with a Hornady 100 grain pill or a Nosler 100 BT. H4831 shoots very well too, but I don't remember the amount. I am pretty sure your 53 grain load is light compared to what I used. I have no idea where my old load notes have gotten, so I am going by memory on the H4831.

BTW, have you done any of the accuracy mods? They can be finicky regarding forearm pressure.

[Bisley]

BTW, have you done any of the accuracy mods? They can be finicky regarding forearm pressure.

Yes, I did the barrel float with the O-Ring and set screw. I have not done any of the barrel break-in stuff, other than running a clean patch through the first time, and then standard Hoppes #9 cleanup after each of my two range sessions. The barrel has now had 35 rounds fired through it.

I've got three more loads prepared for the next time I am able to get out, probably next weekend.

IMR-7828 / 54.0 gr. / 100 gr. Nosler BT / 3.255 COL (this is 10% below listed max for 110 gr. Sierra)

Reloader 22 / 58gr. / 100 gr. Nosler BT / 3.255 COL

Reloader 22 / 52gr. / 115 gr. Nosler BT / 3.255 COL

I'm sticking with the 3.225 COL because that is about the maximum length for .25-06 if I want to keep the entire neck gripping the bullet.

[cwlongshot]

WELCOME!!!  Nice loking handi you have there!!
  I agree with all posts so far.

I'll just again suggest you try reg spitzer bullets in the 100Gr weight. I also have found many of my guns really shoot best with the Nosler BT's.. but NOT ALL!!!  Some gun barrels just don't like the BT design. Do yourself a favor and try some different bullet designs and weights.

 I was lucky enough to have a good shooter out of the box with my 25/06. Mine likes 4831 powder and 100Gr Nosler BT's best. But also shoots well with 117RN Hornady's and 100 spitzer Sierras with the same powder.

Every guns barrel is its own identity and has its own likes and dislikes. You just need to do your due diligence to find out its "feelings".

CW

[Bisley]

I'll just again suggest you try reg spitzer bullets in the 100Gr weight. I also have found many of my guns really shoot best with the Nosler BT's.. but NOT ALL!!!  Some gun barrels just don't like the BT design. Do yourself a favor and try some different bullet designs and weights.

Yup. If I get through all of these Nosler BT loads I'm trying, and still no joy, I'll start the cycle over again with some different bullets.

2 MOA is not a disaster, but much less than I expect from this chambering. I'll be very disappointed if I can't get close to 1 MOA. Of course, I'm not ruling out a certain amount of operator error, either. The trigger is not too bad, but takes some getting used to. I'm hoping that more rounds through the barrel, more practice by me, and the right hand load will get me to where I want to be.

I actually bought this rifle to give to my oldest grandson, when he grows into it, but I intend to have a lot of fun with it, first. A gun handed down from a grandfather needs to have some history. 

[PawPaw]

Hi, guys.  First post on this forum.  I was looking for tips on the Handi-Rifle and found this thread on the .25-06.

I like the .25-06 and several guys at the hunting lease use it for Louisiana whitetails.  We've found that our rifles like Reloder 22 and bullets in the 100-117 grain range.  The .25-06 is one of the original "overbore" cartridges and loves slow-burning powder.  My Ruger will consistently put the 117 grain Sierra Gamekings into something like 3/4th inch at 100 yards.  My load is 50.0 grains of RL22 over the 117 Gameking with a WLR primer.  I've never seen any benefit of using magnum primers in this cartridge.  My load isn't maximum, but flies well.

One thing that some of the guys have noticed is that as they approach maximum loads the accuracy increases.  This caliber is very well suited for lots of things and is a joy to shoot.

Regards.

[harrys]

try some 100 gr ballistic tips backed up with 52-52.5 grns imr 4350 or some 75 gr vmax with aa3100 at 58.0 grns,all my 25-06's love these combos,and the 110 with the imr4350 at same grns

[shvlhead.45]

Well, I'll add my $0.02 to this and see if I can confuse you more.  My .25-06 Handi didn't like the oring trick, had to free float the barrel in front of the the forearm lug and then if came on in and started grouping as opposed to shooting a pattern.

I've only used two factory loads, Hornady custom 117 gr SST, it don't like it; the Federal Premium 117 grain Sierra Gamekings BTSP shoots to where it's held but will vertical string just a little as it gets hot.

See link above for instructions on floating the barrel.

You'll love that .25-06 when you getting it working!!!

[Tractorsaw1]

Only thing i can add is I would check poundage on the trigger.  One evenings work can do wonders on it.

[michaelt454]

Try the remington core lokt's as a component and also they are relatively inexpensive as loaded ammo at Wal-Mart.  They work well for me on all types of game and are accurate as well.  Michael T.