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25-06.... Why?

Brians356 said:
@wildcatter,

If we're adding AIs to the mix, and you love the 250 Savage, I'll toss in my 250 Ackley Improved (and its modern twin reinvention, the 25 Creedmoor) as possibly the ultimate quarter-bore for efficiency and efficacy. That said, one can find 25-06 ammo on the remotest store shelf in the country, and as someone pointed out factory velocity data in no way represents the easy potential of the 25-06 in the hands of the handloader.
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Brian I've had both, if you consider the 25/06 easy to load for, you accept less than I. or you were very lucky! I have two close friends that loved their 25/06 till they shot and seen the results of the 257 Ackley. Easier to tune and more options, with the same outcome for velocity. They both now abandoned their 25/06.

The 250 Savage is one of the best in the Improved version. Just don't expect the same results as the Bob Improved, unless you want to limit yourself to fast powders, not efficient in the Bob, and 20" barrels. then we can close the gap drastically. In a 20" light deer rifle the 250 shines.

Make it a 24" light deer rifle and the Roberts AI really stretches it's advantage. Take 25/06 to even 26" and that gap just aint there!
 
wildcatter said:
Brian I've had both, if you consider the 25/06 easy to load for, you accept less than I. or you were very lucky!
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Of course you'll admit I never said it was "easy to load for" or even words to that effect. All I said was factory velocity data do not fairly represent the potential of the 25-06 (when cited to scoff at its velocity compared to more modern cartridges loaded to higher pressures.) Incidentally I've never owned a 25-06 myself, so I certainly never implied I'd had good luck fine-tuning one!

And to be fair, you'll concede the vast majority of hunters do not fret about the ease of fine-tuning to the kind of accuracy and low SDs we in this forum obsess about. For "the accurate shooter" there are better choices, but for someone wondering if their 25-06 is holding them back as a general-purpose N. American hunting cartridge, I say wonder no more.
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Brians356 said:
@wildcatter,

If we're adding AIs to the mix, and you love the 250 Savage, I'll toss in my 250 Ackley Improved (and its modern twin reinvention, the 25 Creedmoor) as possibly the ultimate quarter-bore for efficiency and efficacy. That said, one can find 25-06 ammo on the remotest store shelf in the country, and as someone pointed out factory velocity data in no way represents the easy potential of the 25-06 in the hands of the handloader.
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You can add them, but they won't do what the 06, or Roberts case is capable of. Limit it to faster powders and 20" barrels, and it might show well, but then that's not the point being made here.
 
I don't think I knew about the 257 Roberts when I had mine built, I think it was 1965, maybe 66. A room mate, was a guide, had a 25-06 built on a Mauser action, the rifle was bedded but the stock was rough, give you slivers rough. He took a couple dudes hunting and fishing for a reduced rate, but he could hunt, fish while guiding. They came home with 4 big deer, steelhead and chuker. I had to have a 25-06. I went to the gunsmith, the best I knew in the area. I bought a pre-war Mod-70 30-06. I had a stock, he re-barreled the gun, polished everything, jeweled the bolt, drilled the action for a scope, blued it and bedded the action. Total price $130. I am not a competitive shooter in any way, my description of accuracy is "minute of gopher". The rifle still shoots 75gr., 90gr and 120 gr, under an inch. Good bullets weren't so available back then. The best shooting rifle I've had was a Richard Franklin 6mm Rem Ackley Improved. It came with the recipe for accurate loads, they would shoot 0. 156". I lost my ability to go to eastern Mt. for prairie dogs so I sold it. I certainly have got a lot of enjoyment and memories out of that 25-06. Spring is just around the corner!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Shooter13 said:
Every single 25-06 I've shot (and I still own one) kicks like a mule! Tell him to try the 6.5 Creedmoor.
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I prefer the lighter bullets after losing forty pounds. I also use a 270 with 130 gr., that and the 120 gr. in the 25 are about the same. I think gun fit may have a lot to do with felt recoil. My friends Win Mod 88, 308 really kicked the day lights outa me, glad he got rid of it. The old 1903 Springfield also kick me pretty hard. But the were built for a smaller person. The M-14s in the army didn't bother me.
 
Kittitas George said:
I prefer the lighter bullets after losing forty pounds. I also use a 270 with 130 gr., that and the 120 gr. in the 25 are about the same. I think gun fit may have a lot to do with felt recoil. My friends Win Mod 88, 308 really kicked the day lights outa me, glad he got rid of it. The old 1903 Springfield also kick me pretty hard. But the were built for a smaller person. The M-14s in the army didn't bother me.
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Those autoloaders buffer recoil.

I think the 120 in a 25 is more like a 140 in 270 (I shoot both). I run a 100-gr Ballistic Tip in my 250 AI, a great antelope and deer bullet. Any coyote that strays into view is in trouble, too, way out there.

A friend in Idaho has a bad shoulder and now loads a 95-gr TSX in 270 Win @3000 fps. It kills like a bolt of lightning but is very easy on his shoulder, and his wife shoots it too.
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Total agree with the post above this one!! How ever, the 120 grainers in the 25-06 will knock a deer over dead, unlike a 243 that drops the deer dead in its tracks. I prefer to knock them over in the event I might pull the shot a little, or it moves just before sear disengagement or during bullet travel at long range!!! And the 120 grainers in the 25-06 kicks less than 100s in a 243!!! In fact, the 6mm REM kicks less than the 243!! There is something magical about the recoil of those long cases!!!

My custom 25-06 (03A3 Springfield action, 26" air gauge Palma taper bbl, Deluxe FAGEN XXX Walnut Thumbhole stock with Rose wood forearm and white accent lines) is a coyotes worst nightmare!! And deer out to 600 are TAGGED one shot kills!!

For the injured shoulder of the friend in the OP, you can not go wrong with the 25-06!! Just make sure it is a heavy weight rifle!!! 6mm REM would be ideal if you can find the ammo and the rifle!!!
 
Wild Bill IV said:
6mm REM kicks less than the 243!! There is something magical about the recoil of those long cases!!! ... 6mm REM would be ideal if you can find the ammo and the rifle!!!
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I also love the 6mm Rem. Mine's a '67 700 Varmint Special, the very first year for that model. Heavy 24-in barrel, fleu-de-lis impressed "checkering", glossy finish. I found it in a pawn shop before they all had Internet and knew what everything is worth, so I stole it. It's in mint condition, but I had it glass bedded and floated. A joy to shoot and load for, running 70-gr TNTs it could be the ultimate rock chuck slayer. Superformance pushes them 3800 fps.
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Keep that gun!! I'm kicking myself for trading in my 700BDLVS!! I bought a NIB 700 BDL Varmint Special in 7-08 in 1982 for $275! Very Accurate!! I removed the 2 point barrel contact on the ebony forearm, epoxy bedded mixed with lab grade fine iron filings, and free floated the barrel myself! It had the missing line, fleu de lis checkering!!

The rifle I traded it in on is a NIB 700 VLS 26" 22-250!! The laminated stock is gorgeous and the satin finish on the steel is even and non reflective!! The date coding on the barrel was a year newer than the 1st release year of that model!! It was an ad gun, show gun, or a prototype factory run rifle!! And, it too has the missing line checkering which is rare for that model!!! The shop owner was floored when he opened the box! It also has the E prefix serial number which is used for Police Specials!! Working that bolt is so smooth and has hardly any play!!! That rifle got the epoxy bedding and free floated barrel treatment too. Pdogs are history out to 400, 500 on calm days, with 55gr pills!!!
 
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sw282 said:
l was gifted a factory original 'as new' Rem 40X in 25-06 recently. l am loving the gun with it producing a 3shot group of .586'' using R-P factory 100gr psp ammo @3280fps...
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No way!!! Is it the Rangemaster with 27-1/2" barrel? If memory serves me right, the Rangemaster was the only 40x model offered in 25-06!!! I wanted one of those rifles, but couldn't afford being in college at the time.
 
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What a Case. A billion available and can be chambered in just about everything. I have a 6.5/06. It is a great shooter. Mauser action, Douglass barreled. 3000 FPS + with 140 gr pills. The industry keeps trying to reinvent the wheel with the 6.5 PRC, Creedmore, and others. I have a friend with an 8mm/06. And let’s not forget the venerable 35 Whelen. From .22 to .375, the 06 case can do it all.
 
joshb said:
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.
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I didn't read all the pages .... IMO a 25 '06 is not the best Elk cartridge. Diameter with some speed count with an Elk cartridge
 
TTE said:
I didn't read all the pages .... IMO a 25 '06 is not the best Elk cartridge. Diameter with some speed count with an Elk cartridge
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Shot placement, distance, and a tough bullet will drop elk!! Elmer Keith proved this using 22 rim fire in dropping some of the largest, and most dangerous African Plains Animals!! Elephants, hippos, buffalo, and other large game!! He was also backed up by several well know professional guides in the plains!! They only had to back up a few times!! But all those animals sustained fatal 22cal wounds within seconds!!
 
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