Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting .257 Cal Bullets?

It was an interesting season. I carried an A Bolt II in 25-06 for the first time. Beautiful rifle. I decided to shoot Hornady 117 SSTs that came with it after reading up on them. On 3 boiler room shots right behind the shoulder the deer didn’t go down and no hair or blood to be found. Two deer twitched and ran, one went azz over tea kettle off the shoulder of the tram road never to be seen again. I checked the zero and it was right on. All 3 easy shots. I may be old and crazy but I can still shoot minute of deer. I’m trying to figure out what’s going on. Never had this with any cartridge or bullet. Id appreciate your thoughts.

How are we going to figure in the "old and crazy" variable?

That is the friggin’ challenge, how does it (it being old & crazy) change the ballistic coefficient and/or sectional bloody density?

Hard to say. I have only used the SST's in a 30-06, the 150 grain variety and had nothing but good results.

Guy at the range when I was checking zero said he’d had the same thing happen with the 25-06 and changed from 117s to 87s or 90s to cure the problem. Said the 117s penciled through without leaving any blood trail. I spent hours looking for those deer. I don’t have enough field experience with the 25 to decipher this. I’ve killed a small mountain of deer with everything from 6.5x55 up to 30-06.

Exit holes from my 30-06 were 2 inches across and maybe a bit bigger. I am running the 120 grain Speer SPBT in my 257 Roberts and it is a quick killer.

I use 100 grain partitions in my 257 Roberts. Have for 35 years. Never had to trail a single deer. My best buck with that rifle dressed at 240#. DRT. Love that little round that definitely punches above its weight.

I use the 100 TTSX Barnes in 257 Boberts, 115 ballistic tips in 25-06’s, 110 Accubonds in 257 Weatherby

I've had several Roberts, my bullet of choice for whitetail hunting is a Sierra Game King. I prefer 100 grain but my rifle also shoots 87 grainers well too.

Try anew bullet.

I like this load, got it from gunner500.

How often to you see a Roberts cranking along at near 25-06 speeds.

Brux barrel is on a LA 700, COAL a bit longer than the typical 2.8" SA.

This load works well on WT's and hogs. Gunner calls it a "little buzz saw" and he ain't wrong.

DF

Similar SST experience some years ago with a 140 gr. out of a 6.5-284.

IMO, too many good bullets out there for that. So, I don't use them any more.

Others say they work great.

DF

Hmm, I'd aim for bone, through both shoulders.

Or I'd use a lighter bullet (like I am 75gr X bullet) at warp speed. Last trotting buck I shot with it went 25 yrds and piled up.

I gave up on the 25-06 yrs ago look no further than a 270 for flat trajectory and blood trails

Not a 25-06 but I use a 100 grain partition in a 257 weatherby. Pretty much drt.

Use 120 rem corelokt in 25/06 with excellent result. Use 129 sst in 6.5 creedmoor,139 in 7mm08, and 180 in 300 win with no problems most just drop on a short run with a good blood trail.

I personally like 100 grain TSX or TTSX in .25 caliber. Every deer I’ve shot died right in it’s tracks. All inside 100 yards, and I swear my .257 Roberts frees their soul before they hit the ground.

this year i used a 103 gr. Hammer bullets in my 257 Weatherby mag. velocity 3680 FPS was a one shot bang flop on a buck that was weighed and dressed weight of 193 lbs at 125 yards ,blood all over on the ground too. one shot on a antelope buck at a measured 460 yards with my 257 Weatherby mag. same bullet 103 gr. Hammer bang flop too. this Ruger #1 shots 1/2 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards with these Hammer bullets. 100 gr. Nosler Partitions and 100 gr. Swift A-Frames do the same thing but don`t shoot as accurate groups they open up a little bit put still do the bang flop. next year i plan on shooting a Ruger #1 257 Roberts with 75 gr. Hammer bullets i wanna keep the speed up it kills better for me.

Uncle has been using the 117 SST from his 25-06 for going on 20 years. He is a lung shooter, never heard him complain.

A bud uses them and he likes them better than a Game king which I never thought he would say. He was always a GK fan until he shot the SST. Says they put deer down quick fast and in a hurry where the GK usually let em run 20-30 yards.

My thoughts on your issue is the deer were not hit properly.

I have not used the exact bullet in question, but from my experience with other SSTs I find it hard to believe there was a lack of expansion. The 95 grain 6mm, 165 grain .308" and 120*** grain 6.5mm have been really good deer bullets in my camp.




***Yes 120, not 129. The 120 was one Hornady made for 260 Remington factory ammunition that my nephew has used.