.25 Cal (Quarter Bore) / Big Game Success - 25 Creed, 25-284, 25-06, 25 PRC, 25 SAUM

[B23]

I was originally thinking 25-284 but I have a couple hundred pieces of new ADG 6.5 SAUM brass that necked down to .257 shooting those 134 ELD-M's through a 22in pipe would probably make for a sweet little low recoiling short action fairly light-ish build and still have some pretty decent long legs to it. Hmmmm

 

[willfrye027]

The ELDs are hitting shelves. Was able to snag some for testing. Just in time for a fresh 25 creedmoor prefit

 

[Rooggvc]

Since I am slightly retarded. Could someone give me the readers digest version of what they are using to reload the 25 Creedmoor. Like down to the exact parts? I am intrigued, but I have never had to hodge podge dies / die parts for a cartridge.

 

[willfrye027]

Since I am slightly retarded. Could someone give me the readers digest version of what they are using to reload the 25 Creedmoor. Like down to the exact parts? I am intrigued, but I have never had to hodge podge dies / die parts for a cartridge.

Lapua 6cm brass necked up (plenty of options for brass including alpha or Peterson headstamp)
Small rifle magnum primer
H4350 or similar (n555 in my case)
Berger 135, 133, or new hornady
7 or 7.5 twist barrel
Redding type S 6.5 CM die with .281-.284 bushing
Forster 6.5cm die with no modifications

It’s pretty straightforward. 135gr Berger going 2920 in my 26” barrel which is giving plenty of brass life. Barrel life pretty close to 6.5 creedmoor. Can probably get similar performance if you hotrod a 6.5creedmoor with RL26

 

[Rooggvc]

Lapua 6cm brass necked up (plenty of options for brass including alpha or Peterson headstamp)
Small rifle magnum primer
H4350 or similar (n555 in my case)
Berger 135, 133, or new hornady
7 or 7.5 twist barrel
Redding type S 6.5 CM die with .281-.284 bushing
Forster 6.5cm die with no modifications

It’s pretty straightforward. 135gr Berger going 2920 in my 26” barrel which is giving plenty of brass life. Barrel life pretty close to 6.5 creedmoor. Can probably get similar performance if you hotrod a 6.5creedmoor with RL26

Is the Forester 6.5cm Die just your seating die?

 

[willfrye027]

Is the Forester 6.5cm Die just your seating die?

Yep. I use it for both 6.5 creedmoor and 25 creedmoor.

 

[Mountainrancher]

Just saw that midway USA has the new 134 eldm in stock for anyone that wants to try them.

 

[Ernie]

L-R: 110 Hornady ELD-X, 115 Nosler Ballistic Tip, 131 Blackjack, 133 Berger Elite Hunter, 134 Hornady ELD-M, and 135 Berger LR Hybrid. Hopefully will use the 134 ELD-M on antelope this year

 

[FLS]

Ernie,
Ive killed a ton of game with that Nosler. The BC isn’t great but it’s been a Hammer out of my 25-06‘s antelope, deer, and hogs. Switched to a 115 Berger a couple of years ago, just to try something different, and it’s been great, but if I could only have one to hunt with, I’d pick the 115 NBT.

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

Tikka 25-284
Berger 133 hybrid hunter
MV 3020, impact velocity ~2810


^entrance

^exit

^under shoulder. Absolute mess of lungs.

5.5ft boar black bear.
After the shot, bear looked immediately sick, staggered roughly 20-30yards and gave a death groan. Quick and clean kill (less than 30 seconds). Baseball sized exit. Backside shoulder had minimal bloodshot meat. Everything else was good.

 

[TxLite]

Tikka 25-284
Berger 133 hybrid hunter
MV 3020, impact velocity ~2810
View attachment 558387

^entrance
View attachment 558388
^exit
View attachment 558389
^under shoulder. Absolute mess of lungs.
View attachment 558390
5.5ft boar black bear.
After the shot, bear looked immediately sick, staggered roughly 20-30yards and gave a death groan. Quick and clean kill (less than 30 seconds). Baseball sized exit. Backside shoulder had minimal bloodshot meat. Everything else was good.

Barrel length?

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

Barrel length?

21". H1000 lapua brass.

 

[TxLite]

21". H1000 lapua brass.

Awesome. I think this is the direction I’m going when I replace the barrel on my 7-08. Between the 25-284 and the 25 prc for the 133eh and 134 eldm

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

Awesome. I think this is the direction I’m going when I replace the barrel on my 7-08. Between the 25-284 and the 25 prc for the 133eh and 134 eldm

I'm quite happy with my 25-284. I need to back off a bit on powder charge. Never had pressure issues initially but I'm getting a few rounds that are showing pressure here and there. My guess is that my mv will be around 2980-3000ish after I back it down.

 

[cbuck516]

Last year I was grateful to bring home my first Pronghorn with a factory 22" 25-06 1:10" twist using the Badlands BD2 95gr. at 3550fps. 200 yard heart shot put down this Pronghorn rapidly after a 50 yard sprint. Entrance was bore size and exit was a 1" hole with a 0.5" hole next to it. I didn't find any petals while processing, but did find the aluminum tip.

Nephew took a whitetail with that same load at like 30 yards. That was a blood trail a blind man could follow.

I have re-barelled that rifle to a 26" 25-06AI 1:7" twist and shooting the Badlands SBD2 110gr. at 3428fps with ~1/2MOA accuracy at 100 yards. I will take that rifle out west with me on my Archery elk trip so that I can test it at longer distances and in that environment. Who knows, I may end up using that for my cow elk tag (assuming I don't fill that tag with my bow) or bull elk tag. I am certainly tempted as the environmental ballistics for that load are pretty encouraging with 2528fps and 1561ft.# @ 700 yards.

 

[Jrkotz]

@cbuck516 what kind of jump did you find the badlands to shoot well? Thanks! Great report

 

[cbuck516]

@cbuck516 what kind of jump did you find the badlands to shoot well? Thanks! Great report

Across all the cartridges I use Badlands bullets in, I have found a sweet spot somewhere between 0.020"-0.040" away from jam. This particular load is 0.035" behind jam at 3.353" COAL.

 

[Jrkotz]

Across all the cartridges I use Badlands bullets in, I have found a sweet spot somewhere between 0.020"-0.040" away from jam. This particular load is 0.035" behind jam at 3.353" COAL.

That's interesting. The two rifles I have loaded for with the badlands needed 60-70 thou jump to group well. This is my first year hunting with them, I'm looking forward to seeing first hand results

 

[willfrye027]

That's interesting. The two rifles I have loaded for with the badlands needed 60-70 thou jump to group well. This is my first year hunting with them, I'm looking forward to seeing first hand results

I killed a handful of animals with the 110gr SBD II from a 1:7 25-06. MV was around 3200. They killed similar to a Barnes for me. One actually tumbled in a pig after hitting some bone and was quite devastating. Otherwise in thin-skinned game they killed, but slowly. I will say the BC was good for a mono and they were accurate and BC was accurate to around 1000 yards. Personally I like the terminal performance from hammers a little better and I just limit my effective range. If legal, nothing beats lead..

 

[Jrkotz]

I killed a handful of animals with the 110gr SBD II from a 1:7 25-06. MV was around 3200. They killed similar to a Barnes for me. One actually tumbled in a pig after hitting some bone and was quite devastating. Otherwise in thin-skinned game they killed, but slowly. I will say the BC was good for a mono and they were accurate and BC was accurate to around 1000 yards. Personally I like the terminal performance from hammers a little better and I just limit my effective range. If legal, nothing beats lead..

Good to have that info. I've been very impressed with hammers, but was drawn to the higher BC. I have some of the new tipped hammers to try as well. Maybe a good compromise