[David]

I agree with all the advice on this thread, any high quality premium bullet should be fine in the 150-180 range.  The most important aspect of hunting elk with a 308 win is knowing the limitations of the ammunition. Best advice keep shots broadside only and inside ~300 yards.  I dropped my elk this year with a 180 nosler accubond out of a 300 win mag at 100 yards. Full pass through smashing both shoulders, she dropped in her tracks. The need for this was, I was near private land and couldn't track her if she ran. Good luck, elk hunting is so much fun.

My starting pick would be nosler accubonds

[David]

You could try the Bell and Carlson T3 stock for about $280….some don't like it compared to Manners or McMillian but the stock is half the price or even less.  I didn't get the best results from this stock until I bedded the rifle.  Now the gun is truly half-MOA at 100, 200, and 300 yards.

For a really cheap route, just upgrade the recoil lug from MT and get a limbsaver pad and the plastic stock might work just fine for you.   

Welcome to the wonderful world of hunting and shooting T3 rifles. 

[David]

Not a T3 but my Rem 700 1-10 twist barrel loves RL 23 71g with the 200g ELD-X bullet in the sig brass with either a Fed 215 primer or a CCI 250 primer.  .75 inches at 100 yards.  Good luck.  This load may not work in your rifle nor will it be a safe load.  I did pluck it from the Hornady X book though. 

[David]

Another picture.

[David]

Here is some pictures of my T3 wearing a B&C stock.

[David]

More targets

[David]

Trying to post a photo of the targets.

[David]

How do they shoot? 

[David]

I got the idea from this site, thanks for all the helpful tips.

[David]

Thanks for all the tips!  I did not bed the rifle, I chose to use the torque method. I started at 40 inch pounds on the front screw and 30 in lb on the rear. I shot 3 rounds of 117 SST hornady with Federal brass and 48.5 of IMR 4350.  The groups showed quite a bit of change.  All 3 shot groups were pretty fast under 3 minutes with 15 minutes between strings. All shots at 100 yards indoors. I did remove a ton of material to ensure the gun is free floating. Thanks for all the help.

1) 45 front 45 rear 3 shot 1.3 inches at 100 yards indoors
2) 40 front 30 rear .718
3) 40 front 35 rear .928
4) 40 front 40 rear .343
5) 40 front 45 rear 1.123
6) 40 front 50 rear .818

[David]

Again thanks for the advice…yes I just have plastic. I will have to order some metal.

[David]

Thanks for the tip, I will use the advice and go up from the 45 inch lb front and rear. I will go to 45 front and 50 rear and repeat up to 60 to see if I see any changes.

[David]

Thanks for the thoughts. Less than 300 rounds.  I am going to try the torque specs again, I was at 45 front and 45 rear last time at the range. I am going to try 35 front and 20 rear and fire 3 rounds let cool, torque 5 more pounds on rear, and repeat until I see the groups change.

[David]

Rem 100gr Core Lokts
Hornady 117gr Interlokts
Federal 117gr SGK

All of these I have tried in the last month or so and had only marginal performance…(2inch groups at 100 yards)

After reading lots of posts on the 25-06 it seems like the T3 barrels like the 100gr bullet weights more.  Can anyone confirm this thought? 

[David]

Range time today did not go as expected.  The T3 25-06 with Rem 100grain and Hornady 117 ammo did not produce the desired MOA or better results.  The gun shot ok (2 inch) and better than it has in the last few outings but still not the 1/2 MOA it produced the first 100 rounds.  Next step will be to reload and see if fine tuning a load for this will work.  After that bedding the B&C stock.  The DNZ rings seem to be really strong.  The B&C stock looks and feels great not sure yet if it is really helping in the accuracy department.   

Does anyone have some suggestions on 25-06 loads that are good?  Maybe using Hornady 117 SST bullets.  Thanks for any help.