25-06. how do you feel about it?

[RedneckFur]

My fathers rifle of choice has always been the 25-06, and its one of the few gun's he still handloads for. He's the only person i know that owns or hunts with a 25-06 too.

Is it a good caliber? I know the bullet is tiny and travels at near the speed of light (kidding) But it doesnt seem to have much of a following.

Because of its speed and stability, wouldnt it be a better precision round than a .308 or 30-06? It is ammo cost? I imagine its pretty expensive since nobody seems to shoot it.

 

[Venison_Jerkey32]

I hunt Texas whitetail with a 117 grain .25-06 bullet and I think it's about the best cartridge for the job.

 

[bswiv]

Got a Rem 700 in 25-06 that's 36 years old. Bought it with yard cutting money when I was 14. Actually mom drove me to the hardware store and bought it for me.

Shot I don't know how many deer and hogs with it over the years. Used to reload for it and when I was young shot it a lot just for fun. Even bught a few boxes of lead bullets that were made for the 25-20 and loaded them light just to mess around. Still have the mercury I used to remove the lead from that experement......didn't load them slow enough and it was a mess!!

It's still accurate after thousands of rounds. All I shoot is factory loads now. Have been using the Federal Premium with the 117 Sierra Game King for a long time and they work very well. I've got one riding around on the dash of the truck that went through both shulders of a 125 pound hog and stoped just under the skin. Haven't weighed it but I'd say 2/3 of it is still there. Usually, with our rather small Florida deer, it just goes right through.

All that said, and mind you I'm not selling it or replacing it as I can shoot it well and am secure in that it will do the job if I do my part, it's still not what I would buy today.

I'd still go with a .25 cal but something in a short action to reduce weight.

 

[Rembrandt]

25-06 is a wonderful caliber, have used it for Antelope and Mulies. Great for Prairie Dogs,...very mild recoil that's a pleasure to shoot all day long.

 

[Hello123]

Good caliber. It is very similar to the .270 in ballistics, and I feel the .270 is slightly more versatile. The .25-06 is a specialists tool and excels on deer and varmints. Have you considered a .257 Weatherby Magnum?

 

[rem33]

Excellent deer caliber to often over looked.
I reload so no clue on prices, but the more common a caliber good chance better prices can be found. Thats guessing go to midway or your local dealer and check ammo prices.

 

[Charshooter]

As a big game number, the 270 has quite am edge, just try some long-range shots with each, a 117-120 gr 25 cal VS a 130-140 gr 277 you will see that even though the 270 starts a little slower, it catches up and retains more energy. Just look it up in a ballistics manual, such as the one from Hornedy.

The 25-06 has the advantage of making an excellent heavy varmint round

 

[Jimro]

The 25-06 is a fine hunting round and can handle the heavier 25 caliber pills quite well. I wouldn't mind owning one someday... Maybe after I get that 6.5x55 Swede built on a 98 action...

Jimro

 

[RedneckFur]

Thanks for the info so far, guys!

Acuracy wise, is it comparable to the .308 and 30-06 at really long ranges... Say 500-1000 yards?

 

[rem33]

Say 500-1000 yards?

Thats farther that you should be trying to kill stuff for the most part.

Go out on a nice flat area and pace 5 or 6 hundred nice long paces and see just how far that really is. Set yourself up a target the size needed to make a good kill shot on a deer. Then go back and see if you can even hit it. Even 500 yards is over 1/4 of a mile long ways to shoot accurately

Not saying you can't do or that it hasn't been done just not usually a good idea.

 

[RedneckFur]

I understand what you mean. Personally, I'd never try to shoot a deer at that range. Its just too long. Besides, around here, its fairly brushy country. The only place I'd even find a shot like that would be on a pasture or field.

I was more concerend with balistics and such... wether it would accurately punch paper at those ranges. I've never done much shooting beyond 150 yards, myself, and I'd like to get a rifle that can be consistent to at least 500 yards. Something that i can practice with and learn better shooting techniques.

 

[rem33]

25-06 will do what your asking then just fine IMHO. I would have to go back and read again but probably any caliber listed above. If it will shoot for you at 100 Yards you can kill stuff at 300 just fine, if you can hold steady enough.

 

[Art Eatman]

"Way out there", the bullet will finally drop below the speed of sound. That transition can affect group size. Until that point, however, there's no reason for groups to be of larger MOA than anywhere closer to the bench.

My pet '06 shoots around 0.8 MOA at 100 yards. I moved to the 500-yard table and got 0.8 MOA--as I expected.

The .25-06 is a good cartridge, no doubt. For me, though, it's more cartridge than I've wanted for smaller stuff like coyotes and jackrabbits, and not quite enough for mule deer. Like anything, it's a function of what you intend to do...

Art

 

[Scorch]

For deer and antelope, the 25-06 is one of the finest cartridges available. Flat-shooting, good punch. However, it has too much muzzle blast for extended varminting, and not enough margin of error for elk IMHO. Not that it won't work for those, but it's just not the best choice.

 

[multistage]

I have a Model 70 Sporter LT 25-06, and I love it. And she loves me. The only trouble a guy will have with it is wind doping. Pretty light bullet to run in the Wyoming wind. Have been running 100 grain Ballistic Tips in it, but am switching to 115 grainers. We'll see if whe likes them. Quarter bores are like 4 wheel drives: once you get your first, you will always have one. I once shot a 5 inch group with it. At 500 yards. Still have the target. What a honey.

 

[el Divino]

the first rifle I own, and still own it, in 25-06 was a LH Sako Finnbear, it's a great cartrdge for mid-size game hunting and varmit shooting at long ranges, my son uses one for competition shooting that is built in a Mauser 98 small ring action with 26 in. Standard Varmit Shilen barrel and Timney featherweight trigger

 

[T-Mac]

A great gun. I used mine as an all around gun.
I killed many antelope, deer and 8 elk with my .25-06.
Use 120 Noslers on the bigger game .

 

[taylorce1]

I'm having a custom rifle built in .25-06 for my Pronghorn rifle. I'll use it for coyotes and varmints as well. I don't know why I chose this caliber for my rifle, it was just calling to me.

 

[atblis]

It's neat

If you plan on hunting varmints more than medium game, get a 25-06
If you plan on hunting medium game more than varmints, get a 270

I wouldn't call it a precision round, but it is very accurate.
Ammo prices really aren't that different than 270 or 30-06.