25-06.... Why?

[joshb]

My cousin wants a CUSTOM RIFLE built. Less recoil, good performance, ammo available everywhere. Well....these days anything is a problem, but let’s think positively.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

What does he shoot now?

 

[Djfergus]

One thing for sure, there's no lack of supporters of the 25-06. One of my best friends and shooting partners has a love affair with the 25-06. It's hard to argue with someone who's took countless game with any cartridge no matter what the cartridge is: 270 win, 308 win, or even the old 30-30 Winchester etc...

 

[DirtySteve]

6.5X47 Lapua.... Or the other 6.5....

 

[jdh47]

The 25-06 is a good cartridge. It's only drawback is good quality bullets. If that's what he wants he should have it.

 

[joshb]

What does he shoot now?

A Creedmoor. ........just kidding! I don’t know for sure. He has shoulder problems. He mentioned using an AR 10 for hogs.

 

[DumpHollow]

A 25-06 is a good candidate for for 280 Rem or 280 AI barrel.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Too bad he doesn’t load, your 6.5X47 Lapua is probably perfect for what he needs.

 

[joshb]

Too bad he doesn’t load, your 6.5X47 Lapua is probably perfect for what he needs.

I’ll build the gun and load for it. It’s the “If I get to Montana and forgot my ammo, what do I do?” question I have to deal with.

 

[69mach]

better question is why not a 25-06. came out in the late 60s. any 30-06 brass or 270win brass can easily be necked down so brass is never in short supply. it’s a great hunting round for anything smaller than elk. honestly the 243win 6xc or the like can’t be compared to the 25-06 ballistically as far as a hunting round. it’s not even close. essentially it’s comparing a 308 to a 30-06 as far as case capacity. the only short coming is bullet selection and in the last few years berger and ace have put out some very efficient bullets in 25 cal. my argument would be why the 6.5 creed. ?? a 260ai or plane old 260 rem would be a better hunting round imo. people read to much into advertisements. after all the good old 30-30 has killed more game than the 243win 6xc and creed cartridges put together, and by far.

 

[joshb]

The 25-06 is a good cartridge. It's only drawback is good quality bullets. If that's what he wants he should have it.

...and he might have it if I can’t find a suitable substitute.

 

[Gary in MD]

So now cartridges with less powder can magically shoot faster than a cartridge with more powder with an equal weigh Bullet. Saying a 243 can shoot a 117 grn bullet faster than a 25/06 is like saying a 7/08 can push a 168 grn bullet faster than a 30/06.

Why not load the 25/06 up to it’s full potential? You have 58 grns of powder at your disposal.

Spot on Jackie
Gary

 

[sdean]

It's a 25 caliber thing.
You wouldn't understand....

You got that right. I have a 25-284, 25-06, 25x47 and just in case I want to get over 4,000 fps a 25-26 Nosler. Load up a 85 gr. Barnes TTSX and dead is dead.

 

[john 800]

I have never owned a .25 of any sort, but I have looked at some load data and balistics and such. A 260 or 260 ai would be an option, Or a 250savage ai or 257 roberts ai. The 250 or 257 AI will get him close to 25-06 speeds with a bunch less powder AND he can do it with a short action if that is of any selling point to him, more efficient and has the ability to shoot factory ammo if he needs, or just if he wants.

 

[Tommie]

The guy wants a 25-06. Done deal. Why quibble over fractional differences in cartridge performance? Any potential misses or cripples aren’t going to be the gun’s (or cartridge’s) fault.

 

[ncageneral]

I've shot alot of deer with 25-06 rifles. Put a good square bullet ( one where the dia. = the SD ) and squeeze the trigger. With Qtr bore 120 bullets SD nearly equals the dia , they penetrate well over what you would expect. I've never shot an Elk , but meat is meat. With deer , I used to shoot them through both shoulders with 120 Speer SPBT's and never had one caught on the off side at all sorts of ranges. Its a good bullet for what I was using it for. If I had but one rifle to take and it were limited to 25-06, I'd scrounge up some Nosler Part.'s , Swift's, Nosler Accubond's or something along that line and have at it. Lungs are soft , hide is soft , Elk are tough apparently , keep shooting til they quit kicking. Good luck.

 

[DNorton]

6.5-06 for the win!

 

[abishai]

I hate to be the dick, if you want to hunt big game use a big gun.
If you were being put to death, would you want the it will probably work--ish
probably crawl around wounded for half a day in agony or the lights out scenario ?

 

[hoz53]

6.5-06 for the win!

ive been thinking about a 6.5-06 lately—. Only because i have a 6.5 barrel instead of a 25-
that said the ballistics between the 2 must be about the same but even now more bullets are made for the 6.5— if they are available these days well you know thats another story
Im working on the 257 Wby

 

[nakneker]

25-06 is a great cartridge, a bit antiquated but still a very capable cartridge. Its one of those rifles that just seems to electrocute deer and antelope sized game, and can be used on elk with proper shot selection. Quarter bores are getting more love lately, there are few more options for bullets too. Hopefully Randy over at Bib bullets gets some more jackets for his 110 grain offering, it’s wicked on deer and antelope. The 120 grain partition and 110 grain TSX do a good job too. If that what your cousins wants why not, recoil is easy peasey and it certainly out guns a 243 and the like.