Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .25-35 Win. with .257 | 85gr | Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint bullet and 15 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Alliant AR-Comp, Accurate 2015 and Alliant Reloder-10x.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
A valid access license is required to use the Personalized Load Calculator.
You can find more information in our FAQ: How can I use the Personalized Load Calculator?
Max Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 94% | 39,131 psi | 88% | 2605 fps | 96.9% |
| Accurate 2495ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,433 psi | 80% | 2602 fps | 96.2% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,376 psi | 84% | 2562 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,667 psi | 87% | 2680 fps | 99% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 88% | 37,507 psi | 85% | 2589 fps | 97.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,160 psi | 89% | 2562 fps | 98.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,386 psi | 71% | 1703 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,016 psi | 90% | 2598 fps | 98.9% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 84% | 37,666 psi | 85% | 2575 fps | 98.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,241 psi | 71% | 1742 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 88% | 38,493 psi | 87% | 2595 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,579 psi | 85% | 2530 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 90% | 38,479 psi | 87% | 2549 fps | 97.6% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 94% | 37,710 psi | 85% | 2543 fps | 96.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,202 psi | 84% | 2618 fps | 96.5% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | 24.6 gr | 90% | 34,476 psi | 78% | 2503 fps | 95.4% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 98% | 32,982 psi | 75% | 2543 fps | 95.3% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,273 psi | 80% | 2516 fps | 99.6% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | 23.8 gr | 86% | 28,224 psi | 64% | 2408 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | 22.1 gr | 82% | 31,140 psi | 70% | 2434 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,579 psi | 83% | 2507 fps | 97.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,148 psi | 52% | 1522 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,531 psi | 71% | 2402 fps | 96.6% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,286 psi | 75% | 2477 fps | 97.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,177 psi | 52% | 1562 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,376 psi | 82% | 2546 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,447 psi | 80% | 2487 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,097 psi | 73% | 2408 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,665 psi | 81% | 2497 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 96% | 33,185 psi | 75% | 2523 fps | 95% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 15 powders for .25-35 Win. loaded with the .257 | 85gr | Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint. Alliant AR-Comp delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,680 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,703 fps to 2,680 fps. Accurate 2495 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 15 of the 15 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (305 MPa), the top charges use 71–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 85.0 gr projectile in 0.257" calls for a 1:10.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2495, Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Alliant AR-Comp, Accurate 2015, Alliant Reloder-10x rank at the top here: for .25-35 Win. with the .257 | 85gr | Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.