It's a very much under-rated cartridge Bob. I've shot 25-06 for around 30years & always loaded my own ammunition. I've never had any complaints about Norma brass & use it all the time... however I live in UK & it's always been pretty easy to get here. (Or it has been easy to get) I haven't...
I can't imagine the reloading manual's tests would have used anything other than virgin brass & the brass would be at SAAMI/CIP dimensions.
That's very different to the results you'd achieve with correctly sized brass to your specific rifle(s).
MV/ME would be very different & they'd use lab...
Seems clear Norma (Plus other) 25-06 brass is in short supply in the USA - here in UK Norma is available & I use it exclusively. It's good brass & treated right with your case prep, it lasts ages, firing after firing.
A big deal is not to oversize the brass. resize to 'Fired case headspace'...
I've read & have a copy of 'The Man Eaters of Tsavo' by Colonel Patterson & of course it's more detailed than the movie.
I've been to Africa (Many countries there) a lot of times man & boy... In both movies, the scenic views are much like those of when I first went in 1959.
The game reserves...
You have to remember published data is from testing under laboratory conditions. When you chrono, you're effectively 'Field testing' the results are never going to be the same as those produced under lab conditions. Also, the lab barrel is definitely not your barrel.
My .243 Steyr Mannlicher...
I've used 110gn AB's in my 25-06 for 20 years now & taken big red stags & smaller roe deer - never once have I recovered a bullet & only had one big stag run & lost. My error I guess, I'd hit it high lung area.
My friends & I found it weeks later. It had run around 300 yards through thick pine...
Hmmm ... Dunno about this CL - personally I think unlikely.
A way to ensure your F/L resized case neck is as concentric as possible to the case body is to set your die like this:
Set your F/L resizing die in the press. Loosen the de-cap rod/expander, drive a lubed case fully into the die...
My 'Pennyworth' of thought.
Frankly I don't think the Lee Collet die is the way to go.
Far better to measure the 'Fired Case' headspace from your rifle & set your F/L resizing die to that dimension, bumping the case should back a max of .003" when F/L resizing.
Good luck anyway
Used the Nosler 95gn BT for years on Roe & Red deer in Scotland... bullet placement is important especially on the large Red deer... but have brought down stags in the rut. Using Viht. N160 I never had problems but upgraded in 2003 to .25-06.
I found heavier bullets than 95gn in my .243 didn't...
Ha yes... .264 - I have 3 of them.1 Steyr Mannlicher Swede 6.5x55 and 2 Mannlicher Schoenauer's - one is a 'Takedown' the other a Stutzen... both original cartridge 6.5x54MSch.
I just love the slick bolt on the Mannlicher's and the fabulous & so cool rotary magazine on the MSch rifles. It's...
I found all the Nosler bullets I use like a long jump to the rifling. I never found one Nosler bullet performing satisfactorily seated close to the lands.
With a decent jump - awesome!
Hmm that's fast! I've never come across a 25-06 with a 1-7.5 twist.
FWIW I think at 1-7.5 twist will definitely work much better with the heavier bullet, so cannot comment on whether the barrel will stabilise a 110gn bullet.
It's a case of 'Suck it & see' but maybe someone else on here has first...
A fast twist usually stabilises heavier bullets pretty well, but what's your fast twist?
My .25-06 is 1-10.. & I use the 110gn Nosler AB, - they work perfectly in my rifle.
I used to use IMR4831, but now it's unavailable in UK, so I moved to Viht. N560
My understanding is annealing nickel cases isn't possible... but hey, I'm not a matalurgist!
That said, I used nickel cases for a long time & provided headspace is set correctly when you F/L resize, the cases can last a very long time.
It depends also on how hot you load before primer pockets...
Norma is excellent. Remington/Peters has been pretty good. PPU the worst I've encountered.
Life expectancy depends very much on diligent case prep. regime.
If book guide to trim is 1.902" I'd say MAX cartridge length should be 1.912".
As the mark only appears once on each case (unless I can't see properly)
it's possible? the marks are from striking the action while ejecting the case (It's a theory) rather than from the rifling..
In any event...