.25-06 117 SST vs 115 VLD

[ianpadron]

Getting the new member of the Kimber collection ready for the fall and looking for some insight on these two bullets.

The SST has a lower BC but I can scoop HSM's new SST load for 30 bucks a box, with the same velocity of the Hornady Superformance stuff...vs. the tried and true 115 VLD that guys seem to really like at 45 bucks a box.

Thoughts or experiences? Will be used on anything with horns/antlers in the West.

 

[Adbarnes01]

Killed alot of deer in GA with 25-06 and a 117 sst's. Ran across a deal on 500 115 vlds last year and have worked up a load with them. They shoot lights out but no experience on game yet

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Both are tried and true, and I think you'd be splitting hairs performance-wise. If I was using either of them, I'd probably go with SST simply on cost. My .25-06 Tikka shot the 117 "American Whitetail" very well.

 

[t_carlson]

I'd buy a box of each and see what shoots.

 

[Butcher8]

I had good luck with around 54 grains of H4831 and the 115 Berger. I have not shot a deer with one, but I'm thinking they should work fine.

The loads I tried liked seating pretty far back from the lands, something like 0.12 inches. I never tried them right up against the lands though.

 

[ianpadron]

Killed alot of deer in GA with 25-06 and a 117 sst's. Ran across a deal on 500 115 vlds last year and have worked up a load with them. They shoot lights out but no experience on game yet

Keep me looped in on how the VLDs do in the field please

 

[ianpadron]

I'd buy a box of each and see what shoots.

Never a bad idea

 

[Unclecroc]

Keep me looped in on how the VLDs do in the field please

These fellas are local to me and Walt has a few videos on their YouTube of him shooting deer with the 115 vld in a 25-06.

 

[flatelk]

IMO, I prefer to stick with the 117 Sierra. Best all round bullet for the 25-06 that I have used.

 

[cusecat04]

also like the 117 prohunter but see that as discontinued....
will need to find something new to load and then get a stack of them

 

[ianpadron]

IMO, I prefer to stick with the 117 Sierra. Best all round bullet for the 25-06 that I have used.

I've heard/read that multiple times now, can't seem to find them in stock easily

 

[flatelk]

I've heard/read that multiple times now, can't seem to find them in stock easily

Be hopeful, someone here on the forum might want to part with theirs.

 

[menhaden_man]

I’ve stacked maybe a dozen mule deer and antelope with the 117 SST. It’s a hammer from a 25-06. Never tried the VLDs.

 

[FLS]

Long time 25-06 shooter. I’ve been shooting the Berger 115 for the past few years. I shot 5 whitetails from 125 to 410 yards last year with the Berger. Only one went more than a step or two after being hit and the damage is impressive. Year before was the same plus a pronghorn. Same results. I get 3090 out of a 24” Bartlein 1-10 twist with 58 grains of H1000 in Norma brass.
Prior to the Berger, a 115 Nosler Ballistic Tip was my bullet of choice. We had long seasons liberal limits, and lots of depredation tags. In ran the body count up, way up shooting deer 8 months out of the year with the quarter bore.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

When i still had my .25-06 I was in search of the 120 Fusions, but as far as I know they're unavailable as component bullets. That's a great bullet in most calibers.

When my 25-284 is done, I will primarily shoot the heavy 133-135 Bergers and ELDMs. I'm excited to get it dialed this summer/fall.

 

[ianpadron]

Long time 25-06 shooter. I’ve been shooting the Berger 115 for the past few years. I shot 5 whitetails from 125 to 410 yards last year with the Berger. Only one went more than a step or two after being hit and the damage is impressive. Year before was the same plus a pronghorn. Same results. I get 3090 out of a 24” Bartlein 1-10 twist with 58 grains of H1000 in Norma brass.
Prior to the Berger, a 115 Nosler Ballistic Tip was my bullet of choice. We had long seasons liberal limits, and lots of depredation tags. In ran the body count up, way up shooting deer 8 months out of the year with the quarter bore.

Appreciate this kind of info, thank you.

How did the VLDs do on the sub 200 yard shots? .25-06 velocity puts me right on the edge of where I got some pretty messy kills with 140 grain bergers going really fast out of my 270 WSM

 

[ianpadron]

When i still had my .25-06 I was in search of the 120 Fusions, but as far as I know they're unavailable as component bullets. That's a great bullet in most calibers.

When my 25-284 is done, I will primarily shoot the heavy 133-135 Bergers and ELDMs. I'm excited to get it dialed this summer/fall.

The fusions were never on my radar as I always thought they were "cheap", but recently I've come to the conclusion that I need to try them. I've read a bunch of posts where guys call them the most underrated bullet ever made, very accurate and consistent terminal performance. That's a helluva claim and worth checking out! A tipped version for the .25-06 would likely get my full attention...

 

[FLS]

Appreciate this kind of info, thank you.

How did the VLDs do on the sub 200 yard shots? .25-06 velocity puts me right on the edge of where I got some pretty messy kills with 140 grain bergers going really fast out of my 270 WSM

Depends on what you hit going in. No worse than a Nosler or Sierra.

 

[FLS]

These fellas are local to me and Walt has a few videos on their YouTube of him shooting deer with the 115 vld in a 25-06.

That has been my experience as well.