.25/06 and the hornady 120gr. HP for mule deer

[thelaw]

i've used this combo for years on texas whitetails, but my shots have never been over 200 yards. do you think the bullet will open up and perform well enough at 300-400 yards on mule deer when the velocity has dropped to around 2200-2400fps?

[beemanbeme]

I don't use a HP on any game animal.  Having said that, I think you'll find a mulie is quite a bit bigger than your Texas whitetails.  A bullet with a better hunting design might be in order. 

[aulrich]

If your talking about the sierra 120 it is a biggame bullet one of 2 that I know of (the seirra 58 bthp is one too).  I don't have experience with either bullet. But since it a heavy wieght for the caliber it should be OK, 25-06 is pretty common where I hunt. One other bullet to consider is the 100 grain Barnes Triple shock, higher velocity still really good penetration.

[nomosendero]

i've used this combo for years on texas whitetails, but my shots have never been over 200 yards. do you think the bullet will open up and perform well enough at 300-400 yards on mule deer when the velocity has dropped to around 2200-2400fps?

I do not use this bullet, I have an opinion on the question at 300-400 yards, but to not have all of the expansion data at said velocities & also not the actual experience at that yardage with that bullet, it would
resemble an armchair answer & I hate those.

I am in reference to your maximum yardage as the other is a given. You have the energy with this bullet @
400 yards with Maximum 25-06 velocity. But what you must know is the minimum/maximum velocity window
for this bullet & then determine the maximum yardage that you obtain decent expansion & see if it occurs
before you max. desired range. I feel the Expansion may be marginal, but without all of the data it is armchair.
The proper way to get this answer is to CONTACT HORNADY to obtain the expansion window.

There are better choices, choices that I KNOW from hard data combined with experience that without a doubt not only work but ARE NOT marginal for Big Mule Deer at said ranges.
115 TSX
115 Nos. Part.
120 Nos. Part.
115BST, tougher than the BT, but with comparable frontal expansion.
Yep, the energy, the vel. & the penetration with the proper loads for this maximum yardage.

 BTW, we provided alot of data on this & therefore it would be awaste of time & energy to type it in again.
Exact subject right here in detail:   www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,83913.0.html

Here is a great article, the data & combined with his experience on over 100 Whitetails/Mule Deer from point blank to 400 yards tells the real tale: BTW, he only recovered 2 bullets!!!   http://www.buckmasters.com/Buckmasters_Links/Classic_Buckmasters/articles/DeadlyDeer.html       

(made links active)

[TLARbb]

i've used this combo for years on texas whitetails, but my shots have never been over 200 yards. do you think the bullet will open up and perform well enough at 300-400 yards on mule deer when the velocity has dropped to around 2200-2400fps?

The 120 grain Hornady HP was designed specifically for the .25-06 and also specifically for big game.  If I am not badly mistaken, it has the "Interlock" ring that locks the core in the jacket like Hornady's other big game bullets.  This bullet should be fine for mule deer.  I would not hesitate to use it if I had the opportunity to go muley hunting with my .25-06.  Not enough for elk, but surely enough for mule deer.

EJ

[nomosendero]

i've used this combo for years on texas whitetails, but my shots have never been over 200 yards. do you think the bullet will open up and perform well enough at 300-400 yards on mule deer when the velocity has dropped to around 2200-2400fps?

The 120 grain Hornady HP was designed specifically for the .25-06 and also specifically for big game.  If I am not badly mistaken, it has the "Interlock" ring that locks the core in the jacket like Hornady's other big game bullets.  This bullet should be fine for mule deer.  I would not hesitate to use it if I had the opportunity to go muley hunting with my .25-06.  Not enough for elk, but surely enough for mule deer.

EJ

Enough to kill a Mule Deer, sure but looking at the original question in reference to how it will open at the longer yardage, I do not know anyone with real data at these ranges, do you? I still say contacting Hornady would not be a bad idea if these bullets must be used.

[TLARbb]

nomosendero:

I agree that it would be good practice to contact Hornady regarding the bullet performance at the extended ranges discussed in this thread.

Regards to all,
EJ

[Guns4570]

I would put my money on the Nosler Accubond 110gr for the 25-06.  I have a TC Encore Pro Hunter that accompanied me to Wyoming for a mule deer and antelope hunt a month ago.  The mulie was taken at 225 yards and the antelope was taken at 415 laser ranged yards.  At 415 yards the Accubond entered behind the right ribcage angling forward towards the far left shoulder and totally blew out the opposing shoulder where I aimed.  It flew straight to the target, and just destroyed the liver, lungs and heart on its way thru the antelope.  I don't think you can find a better western long range bullet for a 25-06 than this bullet.  It performs great over a nice load of Reloader 22 out of that 28" barrel on my Encore.  YMMV.

[SuperstitionCoues]

The 120 gr. Hollow Point, along with the 117 gr. SBT and SST, are designed exactly for mule deer.  I use these and/or Sierra's 117 gr. SBT for mule deer and whitetail in Arizona.   I don't think you could use a better conventional bullet in your weapon. 

FYI- According to Sierra, who has a similar design, the hollow point isn't like a pistol hollow point, which provides a softer tip with more rapid expansion.  The hollow point in this round sort of makes the tip harder, and allows for further penetration and a more uniform opening of the projectile on tissue.

[kudzu]

I am at the present shootingthe 117 hot cores thru my 25-06 TC pro hunter. But after having great results with the accubond(140-270wsm and 200-300RUM) , I am thinking of tring the 110's.
If I stay under 300yrds the hot cores should be fine, but ya never know, huntin is like a box of chocs.
The hot cores in my TC PH is zero at 200, 1 1/2  high at 100 and 5'' low at 300, and shoots 7/16 c2c  three shot groups at 100.
I know, I know. Ya thinkin why change. I suppose I'm the only one that has left a good setup to try something differant..LOL

good luck, DM

[Guybo]

I would put my money on the Nosler Accubond 110gr for the 25-06.  I have a TC Encore Pro Hunter that accompanied me to Wyoming for a mule deer and antelope hunt a month ago.  The mulie was taken at 225 yards and the antelope was taken at 415 laser ranged yards.  At 415 yards the Accubond entered behind the right ribcage angling forward towards the far left shoulder and totally blew out the opposing shoulder where I aimed.  It flew straight to the target, and just destroyed the liver, lungs and heart on its way thru the antelope.  I don't think you can find a better western long range bullet for a 25-06 than this bullet.  It performs great over a nice load of Reloader 22 out of that 28" barrel on my Encore.  YMMV.

Ditto! Excellent choice. The 110gr accubond has become my favorite bullet in my 25.06 and absolutely kills deer like lighting. It's very accurate in my rifle and it's performance on deer has been excellent for me. I've shot six deer with this combination in the last two years, closest was 60yds and longest was 286yds and all but one fell in the scope when i squeezed trigger and the one that did run only went about 20yds and fell within sight. All shots have been pass thrus with no bullet recovery. It has also shown good accuracy in every rifle i've loaded them in. I also think that in the 25.06 that RL22 and the 110gr accubond are like biscuits and gravy....they were made for each other    .   

[T.R.]

This buck antelope was taken at very long range by my friend Rick with his 25-06.  We've hunted together for many years and this Ruger has produced many one shot kills including a couple big mulies that exceeded 275 lbs! 

Rick likes the 117 grain Sierra Pro Hunter bullet best of all.

TR

[jro45]

If you want to use the 120 Gr bullet use Speers Soft Point 120gr bullets or Noslers S.P. bullets. Those H.P. bullets are good for rodents not game.

[Two Bears]

It will do fine.

I took a Muley buck at about 200 -225 yards with a .257 Roberts using a 90 gr bullet and it mushroomed perfectly so I would suspect that the .25-06 would be a good choice on them.

[Coyote Hunter]

My own preference is not to use HP's for anything but varmints, and at .25-06 velocities I prefer solidly constructed bullets -- bonded or TSX's.

Texas whatetails are considerably smaller than a typical mulie.  Don't have a .25-06 but the bullets of choice for my .257 Roberts +P loads are the 115g TSX and the 120g A-Frame.  I don't worry about them coming apart even at close range.

[kudzu]

Guns4570 and Guybo, can you post some load data for the 110 AB and RL22. MV also if you have that.

Thanks, DM

[car hauler]

This buck antelope was taken at very long range by my friend Rick with his 25-06.  We've hunted together for many years and this Ruger has produced many one shot kills including a couple big mulies that exceeded 275 lbs! 

Rick likes the 117 grain Sierra Pro Hunter bullet best of all.

TR

Very Long Range. What would that be?

[nomosendero]

I am not T.R., but he made a very wise choice by mentioning the bullet preference of his friend,(the subject of this thread) & not mentioning the yardage. If he says it was at very long range, that's good enough for me. Anyone who has been on this forum very long knows that if you mention a long range kill, no matter how good the equipment or the shooter is, the long range police will come out in force & squeel like a pig stuck under a fence! To discuss a shot over 400 yards here will give you plenty of grief.

[thelaw]

well, my 120gr. HP performed great. folded up a wyoming muley and 2 montana antelope all at 300+yards. the deer and 1 antelope dropped in their tracks, while one antelope went about 20 yards. the bullet performed great.  complete pass thru with 1/2 dollar size exits.

[nomosendero]

well, my 120gr. HP performed great. folded up a wyoming muley and 2 montana antelope all at 300+yards. the deer and 1 antelope dropped in their tracks, while one antelope went about 20 yards. the bullet performed great.  complete pass thru with 1/2 dollar size exits.

Congrats on a great hunt. I am glad the bullet worked, the proof in in the pudding!!!

[Coyote Hunter]

well, my 120gr. HP performed great. folded up a wyoming muley and 2 montana antelope all at 300+yards. the deer and 1 antelope dropped in their tracks, while one antelope went about 20 yards. the bullet performed great.  complete pass thru with 1/2 dollar size exits.

I suspect you were fortunate to be taking long shots as the bullet would have slowed down considerably before impact.  Results at 50 yards might have been rather disappointing.  Assuming a 3000fps muzzle velocity, at 300 yards the bullet is down to 2340fps, well within the range where most any hunting bullet should work.

Congrats on the results, though, and good shooting!

[SuperstitionCoues]

well, my 120gr. HP performed great. folded up a wyoming muley and 2 montana antelope all at 300+yards. the deer and 1 antelope dropped in their tracks, while one antelope went about 20 yards. the bullet performed great.  complete pass thru with 1/2 dollar size exits.

I suspect you were fortunate to be taking long shots as the bullet would have slowed down considerably before impact.  Results at 50 yards might have been rather disappointing.  Assuming a 3000fps muzzle velocity, at 300 yards the bullet is down to 2340fps, well within the range where most any hunting bullet should work.

Congrats on the results, though, and good shooting!

I don't care what caliber you use...ANY shot at 3000fps 50> yards from the muzzle will create problems and a lot of meat damage.  Think about the physics of it.  This isn't endemic of just the .25-06 or this bullet, but any bullet and any caliber. 

[crash87]

    400 yds is what I would consider the outer most range for the 25/06. I use a .257 AI for my quarter bore fix. With a 1:9 twist specifically for the "heavier" 120 gr bullets. Hornady lists there "Muzzle Velocity Range" for the 120gr H.P. interlock at 2400-3200 fps. (7th Edition Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading) So I would load em up and start dropping those Muleys at no more than 400yds. It is perfectly capable as I'm sure you are. I wouldn't have posted on this question had I not known personly a Wyoming guide you has used this same combination for years for his own hunting. Crash87