25-06.... Why?

[Bill Clifton]

Josh, slip the .308 Winchester into the conversation. It makes a bigger hole when it gets there.

Low recoil is his requirement why he mentioned the 243. Personally with that requirement I'd go 7-08 over a 308 any day. Flatter shooting and higher bc bullets in the same weight so delivering more energy down range.

 

[choprzrul]

I have a cousin here in Texas that wants me to build him a custom rifle. He has shoulder issues and wants a little less recoil for Elk, mule deer and hogs. His brother has a 25-06 and expounds endlessly about the virtues of the cartridge. I’ve been studying my books.
The 25-06 launches a 117 grain bullet at 3000 FPS. Woohoo! So can a .243, a 6xc, 6.5-55 ! My 6.5-47 launches a 123 at 2950.
Am I missing something? It seems to me there are some great modern cartridges that use a lot less powder in a short action, with the same performance.
Opinions wanted. I just don’t get it.
I’m thinking 243 as a suggestion. Maybe a 260 or 6.5-55.

6.5 Swede using 109gr Absolute Hammer at 3200fps gives you just over 1500 ft lbs at 300 yds and 1050 ft lbs at 500 yds. That is probably an entry level load. Push it hard and it might get to 34-3500 range...but that really isn't needed for the stated application IMHO

13.1 pounds of recoil in an 8.5 pound rifle. Add a brake to really make it tame.

I know he wanted a custom.....but a Winchester 1885 LoWall in 6.5 Swede is 7.5 pounds. Add a Leupold VX3HD 2.5-8x and go hunting....albiet with limited muzzle brake options for that hex barrel. I mighta just talked myself into a new hunting rifle

 

[Bill Clifton]

On the other hand why not have a dozen rifles made up for different kinds of hunting. Keep the 25-06 as an open country deer and antelope rifle with off season hunts for coyotes. Seems like that is the 25-06 niche anyway.

Really the 25-06 doesn't seem to have a particular niche from what I've seen. I sort of feel guilty leaving the cartridge behind to play with a multitude of others because as a youngster without the means of owning all sorts of rifles the 25-06 never failed me as an all around cartridge in one M77 Ruger.

I loaded 87 grain, 100 grain, and 117 bullets for groundhogs, coyote, and deer sized games. It did it all with equal enthusiasm.

 

[USrifleman]

I have a 25/06 in a Remington mountain rifle. I bought it for the simple reason it's not a super popular round where I live, the old 30/06 or nothing was more the reason I I bought it. It's been my go to Whitetail rifle for 20+ years and has never left me down. I like the 100 grain bullets, and I'd think you'd be hard pressed to get a 243 pushing the velocity of a 25/06, in fact, I don't think it can. I like my 243's too, I have a few of them that have served me well.

When it comes down to it, it's preference, they'll all do the job, it's more of what you want than what cartridge does the job.

When talking about the efficacy of a center fire rifle cartridge for medium/big game hunting, I think the most important consideration (other than long range accuracy) is foot pounds of energy.

 

[std7mag]

If lower recoil is the requirement then you top out at around 120gr of bullet going appropriately fast. It could be from any of a number of .25 or .26 caliber cartridges. That's as far as cartridge gets you. The rest is in proper application of a sturdy bullet.

I would pick the one that is most likely to have ammo available where you hunt. Creedmoor isn't on the list due to lack of 120gr factory loads. Unless .260 is unusually popular there, .25/06 is probably going to be it. That's the only one I've ever seen for sale in a gas station anyway.

I don't use factory ammo for any firearm that i own.
Reloading lets me pick & choose which components i want to use.
Hence i can load "premium" bullets in any of my obsolete cartridges.
And i'm not stuck hoping that the gas station in Kalamazoo, Washington has 250 Savage in stock.

 

[howl]

I don't use factory ammo for any firearm that i own.
Reloading lets me pick & choose which components i want to use.
Hence i can load "premium" bullets in any of my obsolete cartridges.
And i'm not stuck hoping that the gas station in Kalamazoo, Washington has 250 Savage in stock.

OP stated "ammo available everywhere." as a requirement.

Staying on topic, I feel like the short fat cartridges actually do offer something in being more pleasant to shoot. 6.5 PRC will use a 120gr and is 25-06-ish. Still have the issue of common availability. Maybe handload 120gr in a cartridge that will have ammo available even if it is going to be a heavier load? That adds the creedmoor, 7mm08 and likely others. I wouldn't go over 7mm and short action though.

25 WSSM fits to a tee, btw, and is excellent but super short actions hard to come by and ammo is boutique or handloaders. It does offer the AR-15 option for softer recoil, though. And brass is available.

Which is neat, but Browning sells a 25-06 BAR. This sort of thing is why so many people tote a 30-06. They're not the best at anything but you just can't get away from them. Which is ok because cartridge choice isn't that big a deal for hunting.

25-06 is literally hard to beat.

 

[CharlieNC]

Everybody should own a 308. Easy to load and shoot using the widest assortment of bullets available. A low recoiling 125gr ain't no slouch! Or 200gr for heavy work.

 

[AckleymanII]

I have shot the barrel out of several 25/06's, and felt the recoil was on par with a 270 with 130g bullets, Rem 700 sporter in both guns.

 

[DickE]

Look first at component availability.

 

[Beiruty]

In those days, you specify a rifle and caliber based on modern bullet and the shooting application
For ELR shooting, let us neck down that 50 BMC case
For LR target, High BC is supreme.
For PRS, low recoil, High BC bullet is the name of the game, and let us replace a barrel after 8-10 matches.
For LR Hunting and High BC, Heavy bullet weight, and thick jacket are required.
For Varmint, as before fast and furious bullet is cool.
For hog/deer, 308/243 all that is needed
For critters, 17 HMR let us bltiz

 

[simo hayha]

ammo everywhere
low recoil


.270 win

 

[Spoonbill]

There is a discussion on a local forum Im on about the 25 06. I've never owned one myself but, Im curious about how accurate one could build and load it to be.?? I know its not optimal but I someone wanted to take on a project like that, what would the outcome be?

 

[NETim]

This looks like a job for the old, antique, ancient and highly effective.... 7x57.

 

[rickt300]

Really the 25-06 doesn't seem to have a particular niche from what I've seen. I sort of feel guilty leaving the cartridge behind to play with a multitude of others because as a youngster without the means of owning all sorts of rifles the 25-06 never failed me as an all around cartridge in one M77 Ruger.

I loaded 87 grain, 100 grain, and 117 bullets for groundhogs, coyote, and deer sized games. It did it all with equal enthusiasm.

That is the "niche" I was talking about, being a premier varmint/ light game cartridge.

 

[rickt300]

I have shot the barrel out of several 25/06's, and felt the recoil was on par with a 270 with 130g bullets, Rem 700 sporter in both guns.

Same here and would chose the 270 over the 25-06 if I knew I was going to elk hunt regularly. As Elmer Keith once said "the 270 is a dam fine coyote cartridge".

 

[AckleymanII]

I killed a LOT of Jackrabbits and coyotes with a 270 shooting 90g Sierra HP with IMR 3031. We used to get the 700's used in a pawn shop for $200 and we hammered them hard, then traded them in for another. We walked up jack rabbits with a skeet pouch full of ammo on each hip.

 

[1K6BRA]

This thread started out why the 25-06. For me the reason was I wanted to get back to my roots before it’s too late in life. I remember as a young boy about nine or 10 back in 1969 reading in the outdoor life of the then new standardized wildcat 25-06 becoming available. Being 10 years old I thought in my mind it was the closest going to the hammer of Thor that a man could possibly hold in his hands. I did not understand ballistics at that age but just knew that something that shot that fast had to be good and the name sounded neat. My friend next-door his older brother bought a Remington 700 BDL in the early 1970s in 25-06. I remember going over to his house just to cradle that rifle and think of all the things that I just knew I could do with it. He is where I got the phrase “The 25-06 rolls deer like a shotgun rolls rabbits“ anyway I did buy a new Sako I think in 1992 and like a fool sold it I have no idea why. So a couple years ago I found a place that was selling newer model 70s in this caliber and it struck me then I needed to go back to my childhood dream and fulfill it. So glad I did, it came through not only looking great with a nice piece of wood but shoots super good for a factory rifle. The last couple of years using this rifle while sitting in my stand I reminisce about those long ago days and my friends brother who is now deceased that always used his till the end and now his son does. I guess I have come full circle like so many things in life we do. I might end up finishing my hunting career with this 25-06. But I do have a couple of other cartridges that are close to my heart also. I shot this Pennsylvania buck a couple of weeks ago with it. I can still hear Jeff say “I told you the 25-06 rolled deer like a shotgun rolls rabbits” he would probably also say you darn fool what took you so long?

 

[AckleymanII]

The 117g Sierra btsp is a fantastic deer killing bullet, worth building a rifle around if you are not shooting long range. R#25 with 215's will get them in the 3200+ area in Winchester brass in a 26".

 

[snert]

This thread started out why the 25-06. For me the reason was I wanted to get back to my roots before it’s too late in life. I remember as a young boy about nine or 10 back in 1969 reading in the outdoor life of the then new standardized wildcat 25-06 becoming available. Being 10 years old I thought in my mind it was the closest going to the hammer of Thor that a man could possibly hold in his hands. I did not understand ballistics at that age but just knew that something that shot that fast had to be good and the name sounded neat. My friend next-door his older brother bought a Remington 700 BDL in the early 1970s in 25-06. I remember going over to his house just to cradle that rifle and think of all the things that I just knew I could do with it. He is where I got the phrase “The 25-06 rolls deer like a shotgun rolls rabbits“ anyway I did buy a new Sako I think in 1992 and like a fool sold it I have no idea why. So a couple years ago I found a place that was selling newer model 70s in this caliber and it struck me then I needed to go back to my childhood dream and fulfill it. So glad I did, it came through not only looking great with a nice piece of wood but shoots super good for a factory rifle. The last couple of years using this rifle while sitting in my stand I reminisce about those long ago days and my friends brother who is now deceased that always used his till the end and now his son does. I guess I have come full circle like so many things in life we do. I might end up finishing my hunting career with this 25-06. But I do have a couple of other cartridges that are close to my heart also. I shot this Pennsylvania buck a couple of weeks ago with it. I can still hear Jeff say “I told you the 25-06 rolled deer like a shotgun rules rabbits” he would probably also say you darn fool what took you so long? View attachment 1299959

well done, well written

 

[Coonman300]

The 117g Sierra btsp is a fantastic deer killing bullet, worth building a rifle around if you are not shooting long range. R#25 with 215's will get them in the 3200+ area in Winchester brass in a 26".

AckleymanII- I’ve just started working on some loads for a 25-06…my first rifle in this caliber. I’ve read many on your posts on the 25-06 and respect your input. In your opinion, what is the maximum effective killing range on whitetails with the 117 Sierra?
Thanks!