Hunting construction
Soft-point, bonded, partitioned, and monolithic expanding bullets are designed differently. Their intended impact-velocity ranges and use cases come from the bullet or ammunition manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SPORTING & MATCH RIFLE
.25-06 Remington
A .25-caliber bottleneck rifle cartridge based on the .30-06 case family. Lighter varmint bullets and heavier hunting designs serve different purposes within the same chambering.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 3.010–3.250 in
76.454–82.550 mm - Case length · max
- 2.494 in
63.348 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.2575 in
6.541 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.473 in
12.014 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Sporting & match rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.2575 in / 6.541 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 8 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 90–120 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.25-06 Remington is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 25-06 Rem. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
The .25-06 is distinct from .257 Roberts and .257 Weatherby Magnum despite their shared nominal bullet diameter.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The .25-06 began as a wildcat commonly called the .25 Niedner. Gunsmith Adolph O. Niedner is associated with early rifles around 1920, using the .30-06 case family with a .25-caliber bullet. At first, the available propellants did not fully exploit the capacity of that large case, so the design offered less advantage over smaller .25-caliber cartridges than its dimensions suggested.
The arrival of slower-burning powders changed its prospects. The cartridge developed a following among hunters who wanted a fast .25-caliber rifle for open-country use, well before Remington adopted it in 1969. That nearly half-century interval between experimentation and standardization distinguishes its history from a cartridge designed and launched by one factory. Remington’s adoption supplied a standard commercial identity to an established design, whose reputation spans both varmint rifles and deer-and-antelope hunting.
Historical sources: Sierra: .25-06 Remington cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Match construction
Open-tip match and tipped match bullets prioritize consistency and aerodynamics. A match designation does not by itself mean the projectile was designed for hunting expansion.
Specialty offerings
Lead-free, reduced-recoil, and premium long-range products are separate load designs when offered. Compare the exact SKU, bullet weight, test barrel, and intended role rather than relying on a cartridge-wide average.
In the cited .25-06 Remington examples, bullet weights are 90, 100, 110, 117, 120 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
90 grains
3,350 fps
CX®
100 grains
3,210 fps
BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK
110 grains
3,140 fps
ELD-X®
Compare all 8 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady814464 | 90 gr 5.83 g | CX® | 3,350 fps 1,021 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗ |
| FederalP2506H | 100 gr 6.48 g | BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | 3,210 fps 978 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| FederalP2506TC1 | 100 gr 6.48 g | TROPHY COPPER | 3,210 fps 978 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Hornady8143 | 110 gr 7.13 g | ELD-X® | 3,140 fps 957 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗ |
| Federal2506BS | 117 gr 7.58 g | SP | 3,030 fps 924 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| Hornady8144 | 117 gr 7.58 g | InterLock® BTSP | 2,990 fps 911 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗ |
| Hornady81453 | 117 gr 7.58 g | SST® | 3,110 fps 948 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗ |
| FederalF2506FS1 | 120 gr 7.78 g | FUSION | 2,980 fps 908 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.25-06 Remington: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 90 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 3350; 100: 2980; 200: 2640; 300: 2324; 400: 2031; 500: 1761 |
| 100 gr Federal BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | Federal | 0: 3210; 100: 2916; 200: 2641; 300: 2382; 400: 2138; 500: 1908 |
| 110 gr Hornady ELD-X® | Hornady | 0: 3140; 100: 2929; 200: 2728; 300: 2536; 400: 2351; 500: 2175 |
| 117 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 3030; 100: 2767; 200: 2519; 300: 2283; 400: 2061; 500: 1851 |
| 120 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 2980; 100: 2778; 200: 2585; 300: 2399; 400: 2222; 500: 2052 |
| 100 gr Federal TROPHY COPPER | Federal | 0: 3210; 100: 2967; 200: 2737; 300: 2519; 400: 2311; 500: 2113 |
| 117 gr Hornady InterLock® BTSP | Hornady | 0: 2990; 100: 2749; 200: 2521; 300: 2304; 400: 2098; 500: 1902 |
| 117 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 3110; 100: 2862; 200: 2627; 300: 2405; 400: 2193; 500: 1992 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .25-06 Remington?
A .25-caliber bottleneck rifle cartridge based on the .30-06 case family. Lighter varmint bullets and heavier hunting designs serve different purposes within the same chambering.
What diameter does .25-06 Remington use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.2575 inches (6.541 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
The .25-06 is distinct from .257 Roberts and .257 Weatherby Magnum despite their shared nominal bullet diameter.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 90 ↗
- Sierra: .25-06 Remington cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.