Why choose a .25-06 Rem over a .270 Win?

[Picher]

I've looked hard at the .25-06 over the years and can see advantages over the .270 as a long-range varmint cartridge, shooting bullets lighter than 100 grains. However, I chose the .270 Win because, from what I understand, it has a bit better long-range ballistic performance, both external and terminal, with 130 grain bullets and heavier, for deer-sized and larger animals.

Handloaded, the .270 has a greater margin over the .25-06 because there are so many older .270 rifles around that factory ammo manufacturers deliberately load the .270 Win to lower pressures than newer cartridges using the same parent case.

I'm just curious as to what criteria most .25-06 owners feel was most important in choosing between the two cartridges: recoil, lighter bullet varmint performance, factory ammo performance, or what?

 

[taylorce1]

I'm not a good example of why a person gets a .25-06. My reasoning was because I didn't have one at the time. I had an action and a stock and wanted to build a rifle, and I wanted factory ammunition availability. I chose the .25-06 simply because I didn't own one yet. I had at the time I decided to build it a .270 Win, .30-06, 8mm-06, .338-06, and .35 Whelen so I wasn't looking to duplicate a cartridge I already shot. Plus my action had set triggers so I was looking for more of a target/varmint cartridge.

 

[PawPaw]

I'm just curious as to what criteria most .25-06 owners feel was most important in choosing between the two cartridges: recoil, lighter bullet varmint performance, factory ammo performance, or what?

I'm not going to disagree with any of your analysis. On paper, the .270 does all the things you say it does and on game its performance is a matter of record. It is hard to beat the .270 for the game fields. I use factory ammo in neither caliber, so the performance of factory ammo didn't enter into it my choice.

I like the .25-06, just because I like it. I like all the quarterbore cartridges, .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, .25-06, .25 WSSM and all the others. Really, sometimes it's just as simple as that. I like quarterbores. If I find my self standing near a used gun rack, I"ll ask the counter guy three questions: 1. Got any left-hand bolts? 2. Got any quarterbores? 3. Got any .44 levers? If the answer to those three questions is no, then we'll start exploring what he might have that is interesting.

 

[Logan9885]

I actually own both a 25-06 and 270. I owned the 270 and then bought the 25-06. I used the 270 for coyote hunting as well as deer hunting, with 130 noslers it took them all. The only issue I had was most of my coyote hunting was on farm land and I worried about richocet...bad speller....not so much houses and people but livestock. Thats when I got turned on to the 25-06. With 70 gr sierras when they hit they turn to dust. I usually compare the
25-06 to a 22-250, the 250 shoots with the 06 to about 300yds then the 06 shines. Plus I have the option of using the 06 for deer, in va we cant use a 22-250.

 

[Sarge]

I like the .25-06, just because I like it.

And that is reason enough. I've only shot a couple but thought it a fine open-country cartridge for yotes and medium game.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

If I were a deer hunter guy who liked heavy for caliber bullets, I'd like the 25-06 because heavy .277 bullets are unnecessarily heavy for deer IMHO. Effective, legendary, yes, but not needed.

Heavy for caliber .257 bullets are just about perfect for deer. Plus, there's the advantage of less recoil, which is ALWAYS an advantage whether you "mind" recoil or not.

But, I'm a light for caliber guy. I shoot 110gr Barnes TTSX in my 7-08 Encore handgun and can drive the same bullet to over 3,300 fps in a rifle. In 270Win, I could push the 85gr TTSX to the ragged edge of 4,000fps, maybe over. A 4,000 fps deer bullet is just... wow.

I don't know though. This is actually a question I've been pondering for quite awhile because I'll be getting a rifle barrel for my Encore as soon as they make my hunting areas rifle legal and these are 2 of the 3 (other being 7-08) that I'm considering.

The 7-08 can drive a 110gr 3,300+
The 270Win can drive the 85gr 4,000fps
The 25-06 can drive the 80gr 3,600+

As spectacular as a 4,000fps deer gun would be, I'd don't think it carries any real, real world advantage.... I already have everything for the 7-08 except a rifle barrel.... but something new would be fun....

See why people choose the 25-06?

 

[ndking1126]

If you are looking for one rifle to do everything, the .270 is definitely the choice between the two.

However, if you're like me, and as a kid your dad told you you needed a .30-06 because it can do anything you need it to , you might be interested in a .25-06 to hunt antelope an deer or smaller with. It has less recoil and shoots flatter. I don't own a .25-06 yet, but that's at the top of my list for my next purchase. In my opinion the .25-06 is the perfect deer round. The .30-06 is definitely more firepower than you need. My.30-06 will be used for elk and taking new shooters to the range... but only if they want to

And its just one more excu.. uh, reason to buy another rifle.

 

[Scorch]

Why choose a .25-06 Rem over a .270 Win?

Why have Coke instead of a Pepsi? Why have pizza instead of a burger? Because we like it!

Seriously, though, the 25-06 and 270 have so many points in common that they are really more alike than different. Small caliber rifle cartridge based on the 30-06 (technically .30-'03 in the case of the 270), firing heavy-for-caliber bullets at high velocity. Either one really has too much recoil to be a serious high-volume varminter, and really too small for anything bigger than elk, so they fit right into what most hunters here in the USA want to hunt; deer, with antelope and elk thrown in at either end.

 

[mdd]

I love my 25-06 for the exact reason stated: "it is a fine open country cartridge for coyotes and medium game." It bucks the wind well and is not a punishing cartridge for the trigger puller. Turns coyotes inside out and drops deer without a problem. What's not to like?

 

[old roper]

It's never bother me to have 2 of the same caliber and I own lots of different calibers for various reason.

I own 22cal,6mm,6.5,270,7mm,30cal and 35 cal rifles and I plan on adding a 204 Ruger.

If you notice no 25cal I just never got interested in them and it has nothing to do with this is better than that. got to like what you shoot.

 

[BigMikey76]

Don't have one yet, but I am getting ready to buy a .25-06 as my first rifle. My reasoning is that it will eventualy be one of two rifles. The .25-06 will be for deer and smaller, the other will be for deer and larger - probably a .30-06, but not sure yet. That way I have overlap in the middle, and I am good for anything from varmints to moose. If I were not planning to have 2 rifles in the long run, though, I would probably be getting a .270.
Also, getting the .25-06 first gives me a chance to work on good shooting habits without the heavier recoil messing me up and developing a flinch.

 

[warbirdlover]

Hornady Superperformance 270 Win .130 gr cranks out of the barrel at 3190 fps!! The "normal" factory load is 3060... There were never any military .270 Winchester rifles so the ammo is not loaded down.

 

[Picher]

I came to the .270 Win from two different directions. I first had a .30-06 and hunted both deer and varmints with it. Back in the 60's, we hunted varmints as practice for deer hunting/shooting. I hunted woodchucks and crows with the '06, but didn't get a deer with it after several years, so I sold it and bought a .22-250 Rem, and shot a deer with it that same fall. DUH!

After shooting numerous varmints and a few deer with the .22-250, I decided it wasn't a good deer cartridge, so bought another .30-06 and shot many deer with it, but wanted a bit flatter trajectory, due to the opportunity to shoot deer out to 450 yards from our ground blind. Meanwhile, my .22-250 was banned from my favorite turkey shoot because it won too many times.

They told me I needed something .25 caliber or larger, so I bought a .270 Win and loaded 90 grain HPs for target/turkey shoots and it worked well. Nosler 130 grain Ballistic Tips worked great for deer also. I gave my .30-06 to my son and concentrated on the .270 Win.

The .22-250 has since been converted to .243 Win and it's working great for the grand-kids deer hunting and for me to shoot coyotes. I'm very impressed with the cartridge!! Its very good in the wind, and it's almost always windy here.

If I'd had the opportunity to have a .25-06 in the sixties, I may have stuck with it, but alas, it was a wildcat and would have required lots of investment in a custom rifle, loading equipment, etc. I didn't have the money to do so. The .270 may have been better for me, but my buddy had a loading press and was set up for .30-06, so that was my choice.

Having a .223 Rem, a couple of .243 Wins, and a .270 Win more than fills my range, varmint and deer needs. Each have their own strengths with little overlap, so it's a good blend. Of the three, the .223 Rem bolt gun is really fun at the range and will do a good job on varmints relatively close to the house. I don't miss the .22-250 at all.

My original choice of 30-06 reminds me of Teddy Roosevelt's instruction to troops at San Juan, "Do what you can with what you have, where you are." Also the old saying, "Use it up; wear it out; make it do, or do without."

 

[homesick]

I bought my 1st one while I was in the Air Force in Minot ND cuz it was new and different then every ones 243s, 06s and 270s. It also had a 24" barrel which I always thought the 270 needed. Any way as I started to shoot this 1/4" bore I was very impressed it shot every thing from 100 gr to 117 gr really well.
Once I used it on deer I became a life long fan of the 25. I have never lost an animal from P dogs to elk (even though I think it's to light for elk it did a good job on the one I did shoot with it).
IMO the 25 is very much like th 270 but where I find it a big advantage is over the 243s which back in those days was the go to caliber for the light weight deer rifle. The 25 to me was a much better choice. Hope I don't upset to many people with that.

As a foot note the 7mm-08 is also an excellent caliber not to knock the 270 as J O Connor would not like that but if you just compare ballastics it's a heck of a caliber.

 

[GONIF]

Just to muddy the waters . I sold my 2506 in favor of a 260 Remington ,if you hand load the 260 is a jack of all trades.

 

[hooligan1]

I really want one, but haven't made the deal for one. I think they are a cool cartridge and good for both deerand coyotes for sure, man one of these days I'll pick me one up and debate this "in house" if you know what I mean.

 

[603Country]

I don't think that the differences between the rounds are significant. I shoot the 270 (but more the 260 lately), but the 25-06 is a favorite of several of my friends. The 270 shoots a 130 grain bullet at 3000 fps and the 25-06 shoots a 120 grain bullet at 3000 fps. Downrange performance on deer isn't likely to be noticeably different. Buy the one that you want the most.

 

[BigMikey76]

I don't think that the differences between the rounds are significant

The difference is that one is performing at that level at its heaviest bullet weight, and the other is at its lowest (assuming you are using factory loads). The 25-06 reaches down from there to be a reasonable varmint caliber, and the .270 reaches up for bigger critters.
Choose the one that stretches in the direction you want to go.

 

[jhnrckr]

I suppose the 25-06 has lighter bullet loadings and less recoil. I am certain guys buy them just because it is different and works well. Currently I am enamored by the 7mm rem mag for no good reason but when I am old and weak i will probably change my tune

 

[bamaranger]

which

I think Mikey is on the right track. The 25-06 stops at about where the .270 begins, at least on critters bigger than deer. I may never get the chance, but I would not hesitate to venture west with my Wally World Rem 700/.270 and assail an elk. (likely with a 140 FailSafe, which I have a supply of, just in case!) I would think twice about doing same with a 25-06. and any bullet.

Since I only hunt deer, I could get by easily with a 25-06, but hope springs eternal for chance at bigger critters.

Peetza's got a point too. I run my .270 with 110 grain, light for caliber, light for deer by most folks stds, but it breaks 3000 fps (all those zeros!) easily (likely 3300 ) and is string flat to as far as I need to shoot at a deer. I cannot do same (3000 fps) from a 22" factory bbl and my rifle with 130's.

I do not see either the 25-06 or the .270 as a purposed heavy varminter. For that a .243 would be as heavy as I would ever go.