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

In .25 caliber, I have some different weight partitions and 100gr interlocks and recently I bought some 87 and some 100 grain hot cores. I plan on carrying a 25 this fall, maybe a second as a back-up. Choice is a 1 in 14” twist 250 99, a 700 Classic 257 or 25-06 ADL.
When SST’s came out, I shot a doe with the 25-06 which had a 4” entrance wound. I sold all my SST bullets cheap. They shot very accurately in my 6mm, 280, 7x57 & 25-06, actually some of the best groups in the 6mm and the 25-06. They looked great on paper and I bought quite a few boxes. I’m glad to read the positive stuff about them. If I shoot SST’s again, I’ll be sure to buy current production SST’s.
I’ve been looking for different .25 caliber bullets. Found the hot cores, but not much else out there right now that I could find. I’m hoping to find some .25 caliber options in the next 6 months including GK’s and TTSX’s.

Have used the 100gr Sierra Gameking, 90 gr Sierra HPBT, 100gr Barne TTSX and the 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip in the 25’s. At the 25-06 velocities it would be hard to beat the Ballistic Tip. They have be phenomenal in my .25-284.

GreggH

115 NBT and Partition work well for me at moderate velocities out of a 257 Roberts.

100 TTSX on top of 49.0g of Hunter @ 3114 from a 22" Montana, seated .120 off lands.

Keep the info coming gang. I’m soaking it all up. And thanks for your thoughtfulness.

I don't have an answer. But I've had great results on deer fro 25 years with the 100gr. Ballistic Tip , and 115gr. Partition.

The sst is way to fragile for close shots.

I have been using a .25-06 and a. 257 Roberts for a long time. I've had some great experiences and a couple duds. The most frangible were the least effective for me.

87-115 in the 25-06 never an issue
257 Ai loves 117gr Sierra boatails never had an issue opening up deer or dropping them

Not 25-06, but the bullet on the right below is a 95gr SST that my son used on a frontal shot on a deer with his .243 Win at very close range 4 years ago when he was 14. Impact velocity was about 3,000 fps. It went through about 2 feet of deer and ended up under the hide toward the rear.






About 50 minutes later, his younger brother shot this guy with a shorter-barreled .243 Win with Hornady Lite loads. 87gr SST impacting at about 2,400 fps and exited.

Both deer dropped in their tracks.



Entrance wound:

What muzzle velocity are the 117s running at?

When I had my 250 savage I shot a lot of 100gr ballistic tips, interlocks, and pro hunters. That all worked great!

I settled on the 110 gr. NAB out of my .257 Roberts 24" barrel at 3000 fps. Actually, I think that combo kills too well when it comes to Pronghorn. The exit holes are massive.

Guys, I think I’m going back to Hornady IL 117s or the GK 117s at moderate velocities. They should expand well without blowing up. I have a thing about behind-the-shoulder shots since they tend to do much less meat damage. Since shot placement in the woods is somewhat less than perfect for crazy old pharts I also want a bullet that will go through a shoulder and keep on trucking. That’s the kind of performance I’ve consistently had with Hornady IL 165s and expect with the 117s

Speer 120 is what I used in my 77V 25-06 on 20 something caribou over 3 years. Handloads.

Same result as yours. The OP SST results are surprising, considering my experience with 150 SST's in the 30 '06, on caribou, also mirroring your results.

I believe SST's are designed for expansion at longer ranges, lower velocities? I used Hornady Super Performance factory loads at about 3100. The GMX didn't produce as big holes under 300 yards, but were just as effective as the SST. About 8" difference in POI at 300 yards, the GMX going high and right.

Who needs premiums??? .

If I still had a .25-06, I'd likely use Speer 120's or something close to it in Corelokt or Interbond for handloads at closer ranges. Maybe even a mono.

I am a big fan of 100gr TSX/TTSX/NBT in my 25-06,25-06AI and 25-284.

They flat out work on deer and varmints.

I have good success with 100 grain Ballistic Tips and TTSX from my Browning 25/06. I typically load the Ballistic Tip but both have performed well up close (60 yds or so) as well as 150 yds plus. Most deer go down immediately and in a few cases they may run (if hit behind shoulder) 50 yds or less.

I have always like cup and core Nosler old style Solid Base and Hornady S.P.s in a variety of calibers
and weights.
I have recently been able to acquire 100 gr 25 cals in both, although both are no longer made.
I have yet to shoot game with them, but really looking forward to it.

I did shoot a whitetail with a 100 BT which performed better than the shooter did.

So, did you recover the other two deer? If so, what was the internal damage like?

How far did they run before they got out of sight?

Deer and how they react to shots can drive you crazy. I took two bucks last year both with perfect behind shoulder shots with completely different results.

First was with my 257rob using 100gr BT from 100yds..hit him right behind shoulder taking out both lungs and messed up off shoulder. The way he ran off i thought i missed which I was shocked at that distance. But he ran 40yds into thicket and piled up.

Second was with 280ai and 140BT at 425yds. Hit him perfect behind shoulder and he flipped ass over head and didn't move.

Unless you take out the CNS or break both shoulders, deer are usually going to run. I've taken both lungs out and even most of heart on shots and deer have run 50+ yes. People say deer are easy to kill but they have strong will to live and still amaze me sometimes how far they can run with solid hit.

Could that have been a139gr SST?