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Best .25-06 Rem loads for whitetail deer

18 of 18 .25-06 Rem factory loads carry 1,000 ft·lb and expansion velocity for whitetail deer; the best reach 550 yd (Federal 120 gr Fusion). Ranked, with the drop chart for each.

LoadgrMax ethical ydMV fps500 yd ft·lbShoulder shot
Federal 120 gr Fusion1205502,9801,102yes
Hornady Precision Hunter 110 gr ELD-X1105003,1401,085yes
Winchester Deer Season XP 117 gr Extreme Point1175003,1001,038behind the shoulder only
Hornady Superformance 117 gr SST1174503,110894behind the shoulder only
Nosler Expansion Tip 100 gr E-Tip1004503,200969yes
Nosler Trophy Grade 100 gr Partition1004503,300962yes
Nosler 115 gr Ballistic Tip Hunting1154503,000951behind the shoulder only
Winchester 115 gr Ballistic Silvertip1154503,060985behind the shoulder only
Barnes VOR-TX 100 gr TTSX BT1004003,225860yes
Federal 117 gr Power-Shok JSP1174003,030875behind the shoulder only
Hornady American Whitetail 117 gr BTSP InterLock1174002,990809behind the shoulder only
Winchester 85 gr Ballistic Silvertip854003,470806behind the shoulder only
Federal 100 gr Barnes TSX1003503,210770yes
Remington 100 gr Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt1003503,230672behind the shoulder only
Remington 120 gr Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt1203502,990737behind the shoulder only
Winchester Super-X 120 gr Positive Expanding Point1203502,990689behind the shoulder only
Hornady Superformance 90 gr CX903003,350602yes
Winchester Super-X 90 gr Positive Expanding Point903003,440594behind the shoulder only

The 1,000 ft·lb deer figure traces to Townsend Whelen and is the one everyone repeats; Hawks puts the floor nearer 800. An 8–10″ heart/lung zone. Legal: CO: 1,000 ft·lb at 100 yd · SD: 1,000 ft·lb at muzzle. Floor used: 1,000 ft·lb at impact plus the bullet's published expansion velocity. Orange = a target or varmint bullet (construction, not energy); red = never carries the energy. Sources: www.outdoorlife.com, www.petersenshunting.com, chuckhawks.com.

All .25-06 Rem loads