25-06 experience

[br1111]

I picked up a used ruger m77 mark 2 heavy sporter in 25-06 1:10" twist. The gun is in awesome shape except the bluing on the muzzle and a portion of the stock has some dings ( it was a truck gun from a farmer). Unkown amount of shots but with factory ammo it wad shooting 1" at 100 yards. Since i have never owned a 25-06, what are your thoughts on it for a deer and close range elk gun? Any powders i should try first? Thanks.

a 25/06 will do a great job on elk with a good constructed bullet like a partition or accubond or even a barnes tsx. the 10 twist will work great on 100 to 120 grain bullets and it is made to order for whitetails. bullet placement should always be number 1 even if your shooting a win mag. if you have a 26 inch barrel rl22 is my powder of choice.

 

[STOMP442]

The .25-06 is just awesome. It kills much better than people give it credit for. I have found them to be very easy to tune with a variety of powders. H4350, H4831 and H1000 have all given me outstanding results. My wife has pretty much laid claim to my .25-06 and she is absolutely deadly with it. She has killed deer out to 824 yards with the 115gr Berger and they have never taken a step. The .25-06 is going Elk hunting as well just as soon as she can get drawn.

 

[Mtstalker]

This is not my go too elk caliber. I have never had a 26-06 so i was just wondering. Sounds like it will be a good rifle.

 

[JRS]

A nice bull dropped at 385 yards by Scenarshooter in Montana. Quarter bore shooting the 120 grain Partition.

 

[ebb]

Ive killed a bunch of deer some hogs and a few Lopes with mine. I agree with Lone Hunter I liked the 115 grn nosler BTs. I loaded my last batch with H4831, but for years I loaded Accurate 3100. 3100 is a better powder in my rifle, but has been discontinued by Accurate. It was made for them in the Czech republic and is available again from Grafs. I wouldn't use it for elk, but I guess some of you do. When I hunted elk I used a 338 win mag, but the outfitter I hunted with killed 2 or 3 every year for his own use with a 30-30.

 

[joed49]

Tough to beat a .25-06. Bought mine new in 1978 and finally wore the factory barrel out in 2004. I'd say I got about 1100 rounds out of it before noticing fliers. I used mine in Ohio for shooting groundhogs using 85/90 gr bullets. It went bear hunting with me in Canada, and I used it for deer hunting when I moved to FL.

In 2006 I had a new Krieger barrel put on and had the action worked on. I don't use it much anymore because of the closeness of buildings, people and farm animals where I live. As it sits right now it has 25 rounds through the new barrel. I wouldn't part with this rifle for anything. I'm retired now and will probably start shooting it more as I can travel.

The cartridge is a good one, spent 38 years loading and shooting it. It likes to be loaded near max. Back off 10% and bullets drop to Roberts velocity and accuracy suffers. Look at loading data and you'll find most accurate loads occur right about max.

I hope you enjoy this cartridge as much as I do.

 

[Barlow]

I read that Joyce Hornady designed their 120 gr HP for the 25-06, 257AI, and 257 Weatherby (and similar cartridges) for use on Elk. I load for my cousins 25-06 and that is the bullet he prefers. I would not hesitate to shoot any Elk with the before mentioned cartridges and this bullet. Of course other brands would work equally as well. A friend of mine and his two boys just returned from Montana deer hunt. The 13 year old shot a dandy buck at 317 yards off of some shooting sticks I made. Rifle was a Tikka 25-06, 100 gr Hornady IL, one shot. The 16 year old got a nice buck with a Tikka 270 Win, and his Dad got one at 25 yards with his new Kimber Hunter, a 280AI. All that load work up for a 25 yard shot. Oh well that's huntin. Barlow

 

[AckleymanII]

100g Speer Bt with a close max load of R#19, win case, win primer, adjust OAL to what the barrel likes, you will be right at 3350 fps, and shooting tiny groups, switch out to a 100g Partition if you are so inclined, they shot 1/2" in my last 700.

115g Partitions with a max load of R#25 and a fed 215 will shoot in the 1/2" area with many rifles, 3200 fps.

Bed the rifle, freefloat the mag box, freefloat the barrel...put on a rifle basix trigger, only tighten the center screw finger nail tight, call it done.

 

[Kermit in Va.]

117 gr. Hornadys works pretty good too.


Kermit

 

[Barlow]

117 gr. Hornadys works pretty good too.


Kermit

I've got a load worked up with them in my 257AI. Hope to kill a buck with them in the next week or so. Barlow

 

[cjames]

I had that exact same rifle. I bought it new in 1999. I did float the barrel and put a Timney trigger on it. Sold it to a buddy who still has it. It shot really good with IMR 4350 and 4831. Sometimes I would get a 1/2” 3 shot group but mostly 3/4 on average. Neither one of us has tried any other powders in it. I shot Nosler Ballistic Tips and he shoots “Accubombs” as he calls em.

 

[Mtstalker]

I did free float the barrel and the mag box "floats". Im going to bed it once im done hunting.

 

[MQ1]

I’ve enjoyed playing with the 25-06 since the early 1990’s.

I originally had a single shot Savage 112...I don’t remember the exact load, but I shot a bunch of groundhogs in Northwest Ohio bean fields with IMR 4350 and the 85gr Nosler Ballistic tip. I should have never sold that rifle.

Replaced it with a repeater, stainless steel version and had fun experimenting and learning how to reload...realized the merits of a Lee Collet die for my groundhog pursuits...I had some success with surplus 4895...great speed with the lighter Hornady bullets, but always went back to the 85 Ballistic tip and IMR 4350 for accuracy. Until I built a custom 243 AI, the heavy Savage 25-06’s were my choice for long distance groundhogs...the biggest limiting factor for long distance shots was heat, humidity and mirage.

When I moved out west, I had a light weight 25-06 built, and after much testing, settled on H4831 and 115 Nosler partitians and 100gr Barnes TSX. The rifle weights about 7.5 lbs, is easy to carry...and unbelievably accurate.

With the 115 Nosler I’ve shot a couple deer and elk, with none taking another step after good shot placement. However, I will admit that I prefer bowhunting, and my shots were between 100 and 150 yards and well placed. When I’m hunting, I get close enough for success with the tool I’m using.

When I shot the elk, I waited until I had a nice broadside shot, and hit him through the top of the heart...not a trophy monster, but a good sized animal to eat. The elk literally did not take another step, but looked in my direction for a couple seconds before tipping over. The bullet did a complete pass through, and I have not doubt that the nearness of the shot and the placement resulted in the quick kill. The elk was also unaware of my presence and was relaxed when shot.

I think if you are thoughtful about bullet choice and a careful and concientous hunter....there is little you cannot kill with a 25-06 in North America, but you have to be aware of the limitations of the round to be successful and ethical.

Enjoy your new rifle,

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

Thank you for the input. I was wanting to try the berger 115 vld but the box says 1:9 twist and mines a 1:10. I was concered that i have no idea how many shots have been through it, but it does shoot ok with factory. I will try it out. Thanks again.

I could never get the 115 Berger VLDs to shoot accurately in any of my rifles...YMMV.

MQ1

 

[STOMP442]

I worked this load up a couple months ago. Plain jane Savage 111 and Hornaday brass. Three shot group at 100 yards 3153 fps. I love a .25-06!

 

[nakneker]

The first 25-06 I ever saw was a family friend's at deer camp. When he shot his buck with Remington Corelokts I remember seeing the front shoulders and was impressed. The bullet penetrated both shoulders blades and the blood shot pretty much made the meat on both front shoulders dog meat. The friend sold it because of the damage it caused and I went out and bought one. 37 years later it's still one of my favorite big game rounds, my wife uses one and has 6 bulls to her credit, all six were clean one shot kills. Its a great caliber, even if the quarter bores get treated like a red headed step child.

 

[KMart]

I got my 25-06 in 1973. A Mod 70 push feed Winchester. The 10 twist barrel always shot the 100 grain bullets well, but seemed to have trouble getting the same accuracy with the 120 grain bullets. Around 2000, I had the barrel replaced with a 9 twist Shilen and that really made the heavier bullets shoot well.
I used 4831 surplus powder for a long time because I had so much of it. When I ran out, I tried this and that and settled on IMR 7828 SSC with the 115 Berger. That combo would group 1/2 inch at 200 yards for 3 shots.
I killed a 200 pound Aoudad with it at about 75 yards. Shot him through the shoulder. He squatted, set on his butt and fell over. It is nice to be able to drive the Jeep up to the animal and not have to drag them out of the brush.

 

[Mtstalker]

I picked up some dies and 120gr nosler partitions the other day. While i was at Cabelas they had leupold vx2 4-12x40's for $249 so i got one for the 25-06. So far i have h1000,h4831sc,h4350 and Imr 4350. Figured i would start with imr4350. The guy i picked it up from figured out he had just shy of 400 rounds through it so i should be good for a long time.

 

[730waters]

I have owned and shot a 25-06 for about 30 years. It has taken unknown numbers of whitetail, sika deer and antelope. I have killed them with 85 & 100 gr bullets. I wouldn't take a shot on an elk unless it was the perfect shot and I would want the heaviest Barnes or Partition bullets to even consider the shot. I have shot many prairie dogs and ground hogs with lighter bullets. I also shoot the 6.5 x 284, 260 rem, 6.5 x55, 6.5-06 and 264 win mag. I would consider the 6.5's the lightest of the calibers that I would hunt elk with, but with any caliber, you have marksman and shooters with different levels of training and abilities. Shot placement and an ethical kill is what we should all stride for on deciding what caliber to use.

 

[Bbear]

I currently have two - one is a first year production Rem 700 ADL. I've re-stocked it in a Fajen maple stock and bedded the action. By my count it is up to 3200 or so rounds. This one never did like the 120 grain stuff regardless of brand or powder I used. Yet, it would put 5 100 grainers in a dime at 100 yards. I used this for my first two elk. Both taken with 120 gr partitions. They didn't group real well but where we were hunting shots weren't going to be over 100 yards. Both elk dropped where shot.
The second one I bought after I have the first one to my Dad. It was a pawn shop rescue. I picked it up for $150 and had a friend put a really nice Fajen walnut stock on it. With this rifle, the 120's drove nails. Round count of what I have put down the tube is around 1500. Took my longest kill with this rifle - 657 yards on a whitetail doe. Took a very nice 4x3 Mule deer at 427 with this rifle, driving a 120 gr Speer in the front right shoulder and having it exit out the back left ham. Deer walked 10 yards and dropped.
Both are now shooting the 110 AB pushed by 7977 powder. Both are zipping along around 3150 fps and keeping 5 inside a nickel at 100.
They may not be perfect but the caliber is about as perfect as you can find for ranges on whitetail and mule deer out to 400 yards if you do your part.