25/06 bullet selection.

[YoteSmoker]

Guy what is your reasoning from switching from barnes to berger? Longer range, bullet cost, just want to try a different bullet? Please explain.

[Guy M]

Just want to try something different. The Barnes TSX worked quite well, with penetration to spare. I was impressed with the Berger hunting video and also with the accuracy I've seen from those VLD bullets - so I thought I'd give 'em a try. A couple of friends have tried them, 210 grainers on elk from .30 cal magnums - with impressive results. So - Why not?

Regards, Guy

[vicv]

please humour me guys as i'm inexperienced with big game hunting with a rifle. here in ontario where i live it's all shotgun only for deer so anything i shoot with my .30 cal rifles is so small bullet selection does not matter. but the partitions and barnes tsx's are a premium controlled expansion bullet. i can understand choosing them for elk and moose and other such large creatures cause of all that mass they have to go through but because deer are quite small i'd think the rapid expansion bullets would cause more shock transmission and more cleanly kill the deer. wouldn't the premium bullets exit before they got a chance to transfer all that energy to the game animal? obviously they do work quite well, i was just wondering if someone could clarify this for me. thanks

[Ray P]

Guy M.............By all means give the 115 Bergers a try. The shoot flat and here on the east coast they take the wind out of a white tail. We've used the 150 grn in 30 cal bergers 3 shots and 3 deer!
My son's deer that's posted on this site was taken with a 150 Berger out my 300Win Mag! These shots were all under 100 yrds and the deer never ran, dropped right in ther tracks.
So I do belive they work! Tryem, work up a load that your rifle likes. they don't have to be pushed hard 3000 to 3150 is fine.
Real flate shooting and they have a good bc.
Later and hope this helps.
Ray P

[sum-rifle]

Few weeks back I bought a 2506 barrel for my encore. It will be strictly a whitetail gun. I don't know if I should use the new barns TSX or one of the new bullets from Nosler. I"ll be shooting 100gr. so I want to stay away from the original ballistic tip( had a bad experience with a 120grnr from a 7-08 one time).

Good chance if you would have been shooting a 140, 150 or 160 grain bullet in that 7mm-08 you would not have had that problem.

So because you used a Varmint bullet on a deer and it didn't work it is somehow the bullet's fault? OK!

To answer your question in a 25-06 I would choose a 100, 110, 115 or 120 grain bullet such as...
Nosler BallisticTip
Sierra GameKing
Nosler Partitian
Barnes Triple Shock

They should work just fine as long as you do your part.

[sixshooter]

All I ever read or heard was that partition bullets are the best for elk. I drew a tag in Leadore, Idaho in the mid '90's. I loaded some 175 gr. partitions and went to the range. Not near as accurate as I expected but ok consistent 2 inch groups.

Packed a camp up to where a big heard with 2 bulls always pushing each other were. My son was a young teenager and could voice bugle really remarkably. Won a lot of contests. Several well known bugle manufacurers said he was remarkable etc. We set up and called the evening of opening day after following them all over from sunup until late afternoon. Immediate response. The smaller of the 2 big bulls apeard at 75 yards. I had to shoot standing because of the slight roll of the hill. At the shot he just stood there looking around. I thought i missed so I really bore down and shot again. Same reaction. The third shot he started to stroll up out of the little valley. Now I could sit to shoot. I concluded my gun must be off so I changed point of aim. Three more shots with little apparent effect. I was a basket case. My son said you are hitting him shoot his neck. I did and he finally fell. One more neck shot and he was down for good.

As we skinned him I payed close attention because I was sure the first 6 shots must have missed. I had two 1 inch groups of 3 shots about 5 inches apart. I had hit right where I ment to. The partions had gone clear thru. They made a 7mm entrance wound and a 7mm exit hole. Several started in ribs and several ended in ribs but no expansion was apparent. One neck shot broke bone, the other did not.

I had killed elk with a 25-06 using hornady 100 grains with good results. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I worked up a load with hornady 139 gr. boattail bullets and it has accounted for a number of one shot kills since then from my sons and I on similar full grown bulls.

If you want ther rest of those 7mm partitions I'll send them to you if you pay the freight. Both my sons saw the results and none of us want them. In fairness it might have been the particular box I bought but I will not shoot them again so I will never no. I still read that they are the best. Mayby so but not for me.

Best of luck

[Guy M]

Sixshooter - quite a deal. I shot a nice size bull at about 180 yards with my 7mm Rem mag, using a handloaded 175 gr Nosler Partition at about 2900 fps mv. He took a few walking steps, like four or five, and fell over, dead as a doornail. The bullet penetrated completely, so I have no recovered bullet to share with everyone, but I couldn't have asked for better terminal performance. They grouped pretty well too - not as good as the Sierra 175 Gameking, but pretty well.

Regards, Guy

[sixshooter]

I hear you. I also hear all kinds of other people with real good results. I really like all the bullet manufaturers and hope they all stay in business. I thought about my last letter and decided that if I were Nosler then I would be pissed of at the old sixshooter.

I really wasnt trying to bash Nosler. They are a good company that has a lot of good products. I probably should have contacted them and said hay whats the deal.

The real deal for me is that apparently lots of people have had real good results with partitions and I have not. Elk are a premium deal for me and big elk are a real trophy. I have shot 12 elk with 4 being big bulls. I may never get another shot but if I do my gun will be loaded with a Hornady unless a lot changes. Given the current political climate a lot could change quickly. I have used other nosler bullets with good results on targets and deer with success. Mayby they have fixed whaterver was wrong with my partitons but I will most likely not find out, I hope they have.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about that whole episode was that I shot two very distinct groups where I was aiming from a standing position that were better than I shot off a bench. I still dont know how I did that because I was a total wreck when the elk finally expired.