Anybody tried the 257 95gr ELD-VT in 25 SST?

Reloading Tips
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Looks like this bullet is right on the edge of shedding the jacket from the calculations, it has anybody actually tried it in 25 SST, PRC,etc…? 24” 7.5T throated for 131-135 gr

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Hi ABC1000,

From the research I’ve done, your concern lines up pretty closely with what other shooters have reported. When you run thinner-jacket .25-cal bullets hard in cartridges like .25 SST or .25 PRC, especially out of a 24” barrel with a 7.5 twist, the rotational speed can get high enough that some bullets start living right on the edge.

I’ve seen posts where people say:

  • They’ve had occasional jacket failures or random flyers once velocity climbs, even though pressure looked fine

  • Backing the load down a bit or running a slower twist helped

  • Bullets designed for high RPM / magnum use tend to hold together better than lighter-jacket designs

So while I haven’t personally tried that exact combo, the math you’re seeing seems to match real-world reports. A lot of folks recommend approaching it carefully, watching for unexplained accuracy loss, and being ready to either cap velocity or switch to a more robust bullet if needed.

Here are a few links you can check out:

Jacket & RPM / spin-related:

25 PRC / 1:7.5 twist & bullet experience:

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I shoot a 7.25 twist 25CM and a 7.5 twist 25-06 AI. I have not shot this specific bullet but have shot about everything else on the market. If you desire using that bullet I would not hesitate to buy a box and try them out. You might be able to blow the jackets off them at this fast twist rate but I doubt that you will. You can work your velocity up until that happens, if at all. The ELDs are excellent and highly accurate hunting bullets. I find that they are not as precise for competitive target shooting as other options like the Berger and Sierra bullet. Also, over the years, my preferences for 25 caliber bullets goes like this:

75g: 100 yard precision, running varmints like coyotes and foxes to 400 yds or prairie dogs out to 600 yards. You can separate jackets between 3750 fps and 3950 fps in fast twist… test your rifle

I’ve never experienced jacket separation in any of the following:
90g: running antelope, foxes and coyotes out to 400 yards and standing out to 600 yards-too light for deer, may splatter on the shoulder bone of a Boone and Crocket mule deer.
100g: deer to 400 yards and antelope out to 500 yards…speed used for running game and 250 yd hydraulic shock
115g: prairie dogs to 1000 yards and deer to 700 yards
131g-135g: 600-1000 yard F-Class and 1 mile targets, elk to 700 yds, deer to 1200 yds, prairie dogs to 1500 yds

Your cartridge is an accurate, fast and shocking hunting cartridge. It generates too much barrel heat mirage and wears barrels out too fast when used in competition like PRS and F-Class though, even at velocities of the 25CM. Enjoy it and experiment with long range precision. It is FUN!

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