25-06,25br,or 257roberts

[Austin]

Im guna have a local smith build me a 25cal for deer and vermin.Witch is a better choice.No idea if ill have them improved or not.Just looking for thoughts.
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[M700]

Am a big fan of the .25-06 for 'yotes, rockchucks and mule deer. A comfortable, accurate load has a 100 gr SPBT Sierra at 3200 fps, while I bump up to a 100 gr Barnes TSX at 3340 fps for mule deer. It's impressive with either load. Accuracy is very good, recoil is minimal. Results are final.

Regards, Guy

 

[Austin]

Same will be for me.Mule deer,Coyots,and rock chucks here in oregon.I hear the 25-06 is best with magnum powders.Am i right or wrong.If so witch powder is best.

 

[bmx]

I've had most every .25 cal that has ever been made and my favorites are the .25-06 Ackley Improved, the standard .25-06 and the .257 Weatherby. All are chambered Hart or Lilja stainless barrels on custom Remington 700's.

Any of the .25-06's with the correct twist rate for bullet weight can be super accurate and super fast. I use a Lija 1/12 twist for 75, 87 and 90 grain bullets at approx 3,400 fps. My deer and antelope rifles have 1/10 twist Hart barrels and run up to 120 grain bullets at a max of 3,100 fps.

All of my current .25 calibers will hold 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch groups at 100 yards and will hold at least 1/2 MOA at long distances.

I have killed big elk at 247 yards and mule deer hit at over 400 yards drop like a rock.

I woukd suggest Hodgdon 4831 SC,short cut) powder and premimum bullets for best results on big game. The Sierra bullets in any weight work great.

Barrels can be used up quicker with a .25-06 but since I do all my own barrel and chamber work it doesn't affect me. A normal stainless steel barrel hunting rifle will last a lifetime and a stainless varmint rifle will proably need rebarreled after about 2,500 to 3,000 rounds.

 

[tightneck]

Maybe it's just me but why would you wan't to go with any 25 cal? Don't you like bullet selection? I know, I know, the 25's are fun and I've actually had a couple in the past. But if you simply opt for a bullet just .007 larger, you open a window to a whole other world of bullet options.

 

[Austin]

Maybe it's just me but why would you wan't to go with any 25 cal? Don't you like bullet selection? I know, I know, the 25's are fun and I've actually had a couple in the past. But if you simply opt for a bullet just .007 larger, you open a window to a whole other world of bullet options.

Ok tightneck.I see your point.I was thinking a 6.5-06 or 6.5/284 or a 25 cal.My dads friend has droped 5 consecutive elk at long range with a 25-06 so it naturaly made me want 1.If I dont like it I can redo the barrel to 6.5-06 or another 30-06.

 

[tightneck]

I don't want to sound like I'm bashig 25's, matter of fact, I've killed a slew of deer with a 25-06. It's an excellent deer cartridge, only issue is a lack of bullet selection. You can do it all with the available 25's out there today. I just like knowing that if a particular varmint or big game bullet that I was planning on doesn't pan out, Ive got a boatload of other options. I'm actually considering a 6.5X57 improved as the next hunting barrel. Pretty easy case forming and about the same performance of the 6.5/284, but with a much longer neck. Lot's of brass to choose from and a bunch of bullet options for varmints to elk...Just a thought.

 

[FryeGuy]

I think highly of the .257 roberts. Have one in a remington and love it. it was super accurate for a factory barrel, hope it lasts a long time. have you ever thought about a .250 savage ackley? it looks very interesting, super fast for a short cartridge! i don't think you would go wrong with a .25 cal., i plan on using mine this fall on elk, not too worried about it not doing the job.

 

[Austin]

Never thought of a 250 sav AI.Makes me think.Is brass a bugger to find or can I form it from 22-250 brass.

 

[MrK.]

My go to gun for deer, hogs, yotes is a Shilen barreled 25-06. I have not done much load research but have had no trouble getting close to 1/2 in 100 yd groups. I tried the Sierra 100gr Gamekings over IMR4350 at about 3320 fps. While every animal I shot with them died, I like my bullets to go out the other side. The Sierras were not doing that. I switched to 100gr Speer hot-cors and no have longer had that problem . I have done some preliminary work with 110gr Accubonds over a charge of Reloader22. Groups are looking good but at a lower velocity that I would like. If I can get them to group at full loads I may switch to them.

The Shilen barrel is a dream. I may shoot 20-30 rounds over a month or two between cleanings. A couple of swabs with some #9 and the bore is mirror bright.

700 action, High Tech specialties stock, Burris 3.5-10 x 50, factory trigger

 

[Preacher]

I like all the 25's too but my choice would be to build a 25/284 and start filling the freezer. No need of a big choice in bullets when you have just the right weights to do what ever needs done with a 25 caliber.......

 

[FryeGuy]

the 250 savage brass isn't a problem to get. i know winchester still makes it, i would think remington does as well since they just made it in the classic rifle a few years back i think. i would think think necking up the 22-250 would work, not real sure about neck thickness. i have talked to several people who have had a 250 AI and they said they were super accurate and fast. i have a shilen 25 cal barrel that i keep saying i am going to build one on, but haven't gotten around to it in the last 4 years.

 

[Austin]

Would you be interested in selling your barrel?If so whats your price?

 

[Flybuster]

I had dowling rebarrel my 2506 Rem. sendero, to the 2506 ackley imp.with a lilja 3groove 1-10. Throated for 87grain speer tnt, its a real shooter. Well under half inch, infact. Its got all the horsepower you need too, 87 grain cronoed@3600. Thats what I used on rockchucks. 100 grain matchkings are my longrange target practice bullets. Sierra Pro-hunters I used for mule deer, dropped him like a ton of bricks. So if you like your varmints to go splat, check this one out.

 

[Twud]

Been shooting a 257 Wby for the the last 20 years with 100 Gr Nosler Partitions at 3400 fps. It's taken everything from Elk to
African plains game. I have other rifles up to a 338 but I have so much confidence in this gun it's always the one I go for. Very lethal on groundhogs, and whitetails don't stand a chance out to 400 yds.
Mark

 

[AckleymanII]

Last year I worked on a Custom 25/06, Shilen 12 twist, 26", #5 contour on an NON trued 700, Mcmillen stock. NON turned neck chamber, but minimum spec.

The gunsmith insisted that I try particular loads, first time to the range:

New Winchester Brass
Fed 215
100g Sierra flat base
63.0g of R#25
Velocity=3650
shot tiny groups in the 3's; Neck sized the cases after firing

New Winchester Brass
Fed 215
117g Sierra Flat base
58.0g of R#25
Velocity of 3350
groups in the low .400's,max load for this rifle)

Don't even try these loads in anything but Winchester brass!

These guys shoot lots of cull deer on custom Deer ranch in Texas, and kill them from a long ways out. Three guys shoot these rifles by the same guy and all of them shoot the same loads.

While these loads were completely safe in this rifle, they may not be safe in your rifle, SO, Work up to these loads in your gun.

 

[StephenPerry]

Austin
You ask allot of what if questions. I am mainly a target shooter, paper and steel but I do hunt and your good question is a wash. Don't know what a 25 BR cartridge is but sounds like another technocrat cartridge somebody drew on a piece of paper. All the 25 cal cartridges mentioned will center-punch a stink-in deer just like a 30-30 will and varmints won't stand a chance if you any kind of shot. Buggy's on your back on that one. You need to find out what reamers your smith has because that is what he is going to recommend. This is a bad choice for me be cause I only have a .257 Roberts in a Ruger that I have a Timney trigger in, ok it's the best choice. Let it be said Let it be done.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR