Author Topic: 25.06 90 grain Sierra bullets for deer? (Read 2418 times)

deerman12 · « **on:** June 06, 2005, 05:21:44 AM »

I was wondering if you guys have ever taken whitetails with this bullet? I was able to shoot some 1/2 inch groups this weekend and was wondering what kind of terminal performance they have whitetails. The whitetails here in Missouri can reach 200 pounds. Be graphic, I like those kind of details!

alsatian · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2005, 05:44:18 AM »

How about some more details? Is this the Sierra hollow point boat tail (HPBT) Game King 90 grain bullet you are referring to? I have heard good things about the .243/6 mm 85 grain HPBT Game King for antelope and deer and was hoping maybe the 90 grain HPBT Game King had similar results. This bullet has to shoot very flat in a .25-06, and it would be nice if it had good results on deer and antelope.

MT4XFore · « **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2005, 06:08:15 AM »

Deerman,
Personally, I've never been a fan of Sierra bullets for game, they shoot great on paper, but I have always had dismal luck when it came to killing game, especially in my high velocity shooters, which your 25-06 is. I think the perfect bullet for .25 cal. rifles may be the new Nosler 110 gr. Accubond.
And perhaps the Swift Scirroco if they ever bring it to market! For what it's worth, that's my .02 worth.

Good luck,
Jim

deerman12 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2005, 06:16:32 AM »

Yes, that is correct. It is the HPBT. I have been using hornady SST's for the most part and tried the Sierra for change. I really have not tried any Swift or Barnes because of the price.

flintlock · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2005, 08:20:21 AM »

deerman...I am one of those that has had good luck with the .243 85gr HPBT
for deer....I called Sierra and talked with Dave Brown...one of their technicians....He said the 90 gr HPBT didn't react on deer as the 85 gr .243 bullet did....Its a little "soft"...I asked about the 120 gr HPBT...he said that bullet was a little too "hard" for whitetails.....He suggested the 100 gr SBT for the 25-06 and deer....

btw....he said on the .257 Roberts and the .250-3000....the 90 gr HPBT did quite well on deer, because of their slower velocities....

Lawdog · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2005, 11:12:59 AM »

Quote from: MT4XFore

Deerman,
Personally, I've never been a fan of Sierra bullets for game, they shoot great on paper, but I have always had dismal luck when it came to killing game, especially in my high velocity shooters, which your 25-06 is.

Good luck,
Jim

Right on target. I too have never had good performance on game with Sierra bullets. Great for accuracy but there is more to taking an animal than accuracy. With the velocity the .25-06 has stick with bullets at least 110 gr. UNLESS you are using Barnes bullets. Then the 100 gr. TSX will penetrate as well as or even better than 115 gr. Nosler Partitions. With big deer stay away from a too light a bullet. Lawdog

DannoBoone · « **Reply #6 on:** June 06, 2005, 04:05:53 PM »

As a teenager, I once had to kill my own dog for killing fawns. The rifle I
had was a .25-06 which I had loaded with the Sierra 90gr HPBT. Used a
shoulder shot on the first round, and all it did was knock him down, and
had to finish him off with a second shot. That first shot lodged and STOPPED
in what should have been the entrance shoulder. Never again used them on
anything larger than prairie dogs.

In comparison, I once used Hornady 75gr HP's on a deer (forgot and left
my "deer load" at home, which was Hornady 100gr SP's). Made certain to
make a lung shot.........the deer went down within a few feet. The lung area
was relatively "empty" because most were "sucked" out of the exit hole
(sorry for the mental graphics..........not all bullets are equal).

deerman12 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 07, 2005, 05:12:57 AM »

Thanks you guys answered my question.

longwalker · « **Reply #8 on:** June 07, 2005, 08:44:34 AM »

I know you asked about Sierra bullets.

I use 100 grain Speer spbt. Great on whitetails, Antelope and Mule deer, I have used them on all three. Granted my shots may be longer than you encounter but killing game has not been a problem. The mule deer went about 30 yards up hill before going down. Bullet passed through chest cavity. lungs and heart smashed. Three antelope ranges from 50 yards to 365. Just drops them. I found on the long shot which was head on, the bullet did not pass through the neck. The white tail passed through chest cavity shot.

I use the 100 grain bullet as the load for this rifle. It is used on varmints and big game. It is my point and clik gun If I see it is mine.

100 grain speer spbt
56 grians imr 4831

longwalker

buzztail · « **Reply #9 on:** June 07, 2005, 01:07:51 PM »

Quote from: Lawdog

With the velocity the .25-06 has stick with bullets at least 110 gr. UNLESS you are using Barnes bullets. Then the 100 gr. TSX will penetrate as well as or even better than 115 gr. Nosler Partitions.
Lawdog

I'd love to try some of those Barnes 100 gr. TSX bullets, but do not load as of yet, and don't plan to in the next several months as I just don't have the room. Does anyone know if they are available in loaded ammo anywhere?

goose7856 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 07, 2005, 01:42:49 PM »

Yes the Barnes TSX are available by Federal. They load the 100 grain in the Premium Vital Shock. They are the only maufactourer I know of that loads the Barnes Triple Shock.....

I do have a question though......Im about to get a 25-06, and im wondering if the TSX is strong enough to penetrate a deer's shoulder??

Most of the deer I shoot are does that weigh about 120 lbs, but i may go after a buck this year, and I wanted to know if a 100 grain pill could go through a 275 lb. deer?!

TIA

buzztail · « **Reply #11 on:** June 07, 2005, 02:07:41 PM »

Very good, I'll pick up a box tomorrow. I have been looking for a factory loaded round for my Weatherby Ultra Lightweight 25-06. So far the best I have found so far was the Winchester 85 gr ballistic silvertip. I have only fired ten rounds through the gun in the three years since I've had it (all ten in the last week) Five were the Fed Premium 100 gr. Nosler and the Win load. The lighter load producing the better target by a fair margin.
I should note that I did not attempt to shoot a five round group with this very lightweight gun. I fired a fouling round from a clean bore, and then another for good measure.
Thanks for the heads up :agree:

nomosendero · « **Reply #12 on:** June 07, 2005, 04:56:24 PM »

goose7856

Yes Sir the 100TSX will penetrate a buck's shoulder, & a good buck at that!
I use a 115TSX in my Sendero, only because it grouped much better in
that gun than the 100. I have shot Ar. Whitetails, Mule Deer & Antelope with this small caliber "Hammer Of Thor". I have yet to recover a bullet, no matter the angle or distance! Once I had a Whitetail Buck come under
my stand quartering toward me. With the quartering & downward angle, I
shot in in the point of his shoulder. The bullet busted his left shoulder, angled in a straight line down & back through a lung,liver, dia. guts, exited just in front of where the rear leg would normally be, but he was stepping forward with his right rear leg, so it busted his leg bone just below the ham & went deep into the ground! He expired right then. This
was at about 15 Yards with a muzzle vel. of 3,250. And yet they expand
well at moderately long range, (350-400 Yards).

My brother's Sendero groups the 100 Grain, so he uses it. Again, he has
yet to recover a bullet! Use the one that performs in your rifle, & up to
Mule Deer size, don't worry about penetration.

LAWDOG CAN CERTAINLY ADD TO THIS TSX DISCUSSION!!!

Concerning the original question in this post, the ballistic coefficient is too
low (.250 at 2,800FPS ) for the Sierra 90 Gr.HPBT.
For Deer size game, the 100TSX BC is .420 , the Nosler 100 Part. is .377,
100 Gr. Bal. Tip is .393
For Varmits the 85 Gr. BT is .331 & the 75 Gr. VMax is .290

goose7856 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 07, 2005, 06:59:11 PM »

Thanx thats really good to hear....

Where do you find the 115's?? Do you handload them, or buy facotry loads? Thanx in advance!!

Lawdog · « **Reply #14 on:** June 08, 2005, 10:13:57 AM »

Quote from: goose7856

Yes the Barnes TSX are available by Federal. They load the 100 grain in the Premium Vital Shock. They are the only maufactourer I know of that loads the Barnes Triple Shock.....

I do have a question though......Im about to get a 25-06, and im wondering if the TSX is strong enough to penetrate a deer's shoulder??

Most of the deer I shoot are does that weigh about 120 lbs, but i may go after a buck this year, and I wanted to know if a 100 grain pill could go through a 275 lb. deer?!

TIA

Out of the 17 bucks we took last year, 8 of them were shot with rifles of .257 caliber. Two of them were shot through the front shoulder(only shot presented) and both never moved a step after being hit. One was shot by my youngest daughter using her .25 Savage and the other was shot by my daughter in-law using her .25 WSSM. Both using the 100 gr. TSX bullet and neither bullet was recovered due to complete penetration. The smallest of these two Mule Deer bucks weighted 244 lbs. field dressed(shot with the .250 Savage) at a range of 218 yards. If you are the type of hunter that likes to collect recovered bullets from deer you have taken then your collection is going to be very small using TSX bullets. Lawdog

nomosendero · « **Reply #15 on:** June 08, 2005, 11:33:01 AM »

goose7856

I handload these, I am sorry that I did not mention that. I rarely buy
factory ammo. I have not heard of these being in factory ammo. I would
buy the 100 grain factory Fed. if you don't reload & see how they shoot.

In our rifles, if we don't get 1/2" groups we look for a different load. Most
people are not that picky & should not be.

Norseman112 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 08, 2005, 02:39:36 PM »

I took 2 deer last year with 120 gr speer sp. One droped right away and one ran 20 yrds before it droped.

buzztail · « **Reply #17 on:** June 08, 2005, 04:12:19 PM »

Quote from: Lawdog

Out of the 17 bucks we took last year, 8 of them were shot with rifles of .257 caliber. Two of them were shot through the front shoulder(only shot presented) and both never moved a step after being hit. One was shot by my youngest daughter using her .25 Savage and the other was shot by my daughter in-law using her .25 WSSM. Both using the 100 gr. TSX bullet and neither bullet was recovered due to complete penetration. The smallest of these two Mule Deer bucks weighted 244 lbs. field dressed(shot with the .250 Savage) at a range of 218 yards. If you are the type of hunter that likes to collect recovered bullets from deer you have taken then your collection is going to be very small using TSX bullets. Lawdog

Lawdog, do you think these would hold up well enough to neck shoot hogs? I usually like to break bones, but I have used head/neck shots in the past with smaller calibers (.223 in a TC). I would love to get some field time with this one as it weighs less than most of my hunting handguns :lol:

Lawdog · « **Reply #18 on:** June 09, 2005, 10:13:51 AM »

Quote from: buzztail

Quote from: Lawdog

Out of the 17 bucks we took last year, 8 of them were shot with rifles of .257 caliber. Two of them were shot through the front shoulder(only shot presented) and both never moved a step after being hit. One was shot by my youngest daughter using her .25 Savage and the other was shot by my daughter in-law using her .25 WSSM. Both using the 100 gr. TSX bullet and neither bullet was recovered due to complete penetration. The smallest of these two Mule Deer bucks weighted 244 lbs. field dressed(shot with the .250 Savage) at a range of 218 yards. If you are the type of hunter that likes to collect recovered bullets from deer you have taken then your collection is going to be very small using TSX bullets. Lawdog

Lawdog, do you think these would hold up well enough to neck shoot hogs? I usually like to break bones, but I have used head/neck shots in the past with smaller calibers (.223 in a TC). I would love to get some field time with this one as it weighs less than most of my hunting handguns :lol:

Never tried to shoot one thru the neck but we have used them on 6 Wild Boar(weight's from 207 to 311 lbs. dressed) that were chest shot and still haven't recovered a bullet yet. Lawdog

buzztail · « **Reply #19 on:** June 09, 2005, 10:55:09 AM »

sounds good. I just hope they shoot in this Weatherby

Lawdog · « **Reply #20 on:** June 09, 2005, 11:59:43 AM »

Quote from: buzztail

sounds good. I just hope they shoot in this Weatherby

I have had excellent accuracy with all my "Quarter Bores' using the 100 gr. TSX bullets. My .257 Weatherby Mark V puts them into groups that measure under MOA frrom the very first. Lawdog

buzztail · « **Reply #21 on:** June 09, 2005, 12:49:56 PM »

MOA is more than enough to expect from a bolt gun that is less than six pounds IMO :eek:

tcman · « **Reply #22 on:** June 10, 2005, 03:15:18 AM »

I have had GREAT results with the Sierra 100 grain bullet in 25-06 on everything from rabbits (head shots) to deer and elk. I have alway dropped them litteraly in their tracks and I have NEVER lost an animal with the sierra bullets.

With that being said, I have had such good luck with the more "solid" 100 grain bullet that I have shyed away from the 90 grain offering.

By the way, I have always also managed groups that were considerably under 1/2" at 100 yards with the 100 grain Sierra....

cal sibley · « **Reply #23 on:** June 27, 2005, 05:18:36 AM »

Possibly it's because bullets are better made today. I'm not sure, but it used to be I wouldn't use anything lighter than 100gr. in my 6mm Rem. or .243Win. Now I'm quite confident with the Nosler 90gr. Bal.Tip and the Hornady 95gr. SST. I don't prefer Bal.Tip for larger calibers than 6mm but they are okay in the ones we're discussing. The SST bullet has been quite a pleasant surprise. It's a hard hitting bullet, well made. Just one mans opinion. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal