Fall 'lope Load

[VikingsGuy]

Below is a pic of the 25-06Rem hand load I developed for this fall (3 rounds @ 100 yds). Shot with Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 - 24" barrel this morning. 3,225 fps. 100 grain .257" TTSX-BT bullets. Hodgdon H4350 powder (52.0 grains). Nosler 25-06 brass. CCI-250 large rifle primers. Seating depth loaded .050" off the lands per Barnes. Probably as good as it gets (or at least as good as I can shoot it) so this is essentially done, but I haven't tweaked seating depth so will mess around with that a little - just 'cuz I can.

 

[6mm Remington]

That should work very well for you. The 25-06 is a great cartridge and certainly works very well on antelope!

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

Impressive shooting, I just started playing the h4350 hopefully I can have some similar results

 

[Bigjay73]

Sweet. I'd add to this but I have a December tag, which is in the winter.

 

[std7mag]

With groups like that, why mess with seating depth?
I'd try it at 300 yards. Otherwise i'd be done with that load.

 

[VikingsGuy]

With groups like that, why mess with seating depth?
I'd try it at 300 yards. Otherwise i'd be done with that load.

Only reason I am going to fiddle with seating depth is because this is my first handload development cycle/process and I want to work through all the primary variables -but I know it will be for the learning process, not expectation or need of improvement.

After that I will take the final load and zero and test at 200 yds (my home range only goes to 200). Sometime before fall, I will drive to a range an hour further and shoot at 300 and 400.

 

[mtmuley]

With groups like that, why mess with seating depth?
I'd try it at 300 yards. Otherwise i'd be done with that load.

Yep. I'd stretch it before wasting more effort. Or, shoot a few more groups like that at 100 first.
mtmuley

 

[VikingsGuy]

Yep. I'd stretch it before wasting more effort. Or, shoot a few more groups like that at 100 first.
mtmuley

200yds up next (range limitation at home club). Will be moving to a few 5 shot groups to confirm. I see the important practical value in practice at 300 or 350 (especially away from the bench), and plan to do some later in the summer, but would expect a round that was great 100 and great at 200 to still be good at 300. Other than wind and my skill level, not sure what 300 yds would prove over 200 yds as it relates solely to load dev. But then I again, I am still learning.

 

[Focus]

I'd load a bunch identical to what you have here and shoot from field positions. Wouldn't waste any more time from a sandbagged rest. And dry-fire a lot.

 

[JohnCushman]

I'd say the load was good. You're shooting sub MOA. Shooting at distances you'd actually shoot an animal in a hunting situation is important to see what the load does that far. It might be great at 100, but be wild as hell out at 300. A lot of factors could come into play with that...barrel length and twist, your own mechanics and form, position you're shooting from, etc. Shooting at 100 is really a chip shot and a starting point to load development, just like starting out at 10 yards to set basic windage and elevation on a bow to be close at 20 if that's your top pin.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I agree with comments that good at 100 on a calm day off the bench doesn't mean a dead animal at 300 on a windy day. But, that aside, I am pretty happy with how my first hand loading project is progressing. As for continual tweaking - if this was my fifth load development project I would stop and extend the range, but since it is my first I want to play around with seating depth a little and see what happens.

 

[BuzzH]

As for continual tweaking - if this was my fifth load development project I would stop and extend the range, but since it is my first I want to play around with seating depth a little and see what happens.

It becomes a whole lot less "fun" when you have to start "tweaking" shit to get something to shoot...trust me.

I save the tweaking for those times...

My 2 cents.

 

[VikingsGuy]

It becomes a whole lot less "fun" when you have to start "tweaking" shit to get something to shoot...trust me.

I save the tweaking for those times...

My 2 cents.

True enough - in many areas learning is more fun than doing - but for now I am still having fun learning.