25-06.... Why?

[TTE]

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!!

The min caliber in East Africa has been .375 for at least 100 years.
If someone was shooting members of the Big 5 with a .22 .... I would say they are considerably less than an honorable sportsman.

 

[Wild Bill IV]

The min caliber in East Africa has been .375 for at least 100 years.
If someone was shooting members of the Big 5 with a .22 .... I would say they are considerably less than an honorable sportsman.

Keith was the top HONORED SPORTSMEN for many years and had lots of big game trophies. His name was well known, at the time. He helped develops big game cartridges! He wrote a book book, wrote articles in several sporting magazines and newspapers! And, books were written about Keith!!!

In fact, A Cabela's store in Idaho has a museum dedicated to Elmer Keith!!!

Keith did the 22rim hunts to prove a point to all hunters, that shot placement is the most critical factor in make a clean, humane kill on big game!!

 

[TTE]

Keith was the top HONORED SPORTSMEN for many years and had lots of big game trophies. His name was well known, at the time. He helped develops big game cartridges! He wrote a book book, wrote articles in several sporting magazines and newspapers! And, books were written about Keith!!!

In fact, A Cabela's store in Idaho has a museum dedicated to Elmer Keith!!!

Keith did the 22rim hunts to prove a point to all hunters, that shot placement is the most critical factor in make a clean, humane kill on big game!!

I still maintain, it is unethical to hunt the Big 5 with a rimfire.
Hell, I would have liked carrying around a rim fire rifle, rather than my 12 pound double through the bush all those years.
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You are who you are when the light is not shinning on you

 

[xswanted]

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.

It seems you are comparing the book data for a 25-06 with speeds you either have achieved or know the other cartridges can/will achieve.

So to be fair to the 25-06, it will go considerably faster than what is listed when loaded to like pressures if the other cases mentioned.

I used a 25-06 for pronghorns and ran 100 grain bullets much faster than listed, possibly even faster than I should have been, but as is said, the load was safe in my rifle and the brass was usable through a number reloads.

For all practical purposes if you ran an 8 twist 25-06 with a 24-26” barrel and some of the heavy 25s you’d have quite the setup for all the game listed.

 

[Carl S]

The 25-06 is probably not the most efficient cartridge to choose from.a light weight rifle is probably going to be a bit 'kicky'.in a varmint rifle with a suppressor there's very little recoil.its a great cartridge and will do alot more than some realise.flat shooting and hits hard.it will reach out far and does a very good job on deer at extended range.

 

[Wild Bill IV]

I still maintain, it is unethical to hunt the Big 5 with a rimfire.
Hell, I would have liked carrying around a rim fire rifle, rather than my 12 pound double through the bush all those years.
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You are who you are when the light is not shinning on you

For us seasonal amateurs I totally agree!! He was a professional like I 1st posted to you!! He was backed up by professional guides to protect him and to ensure the that the animals did not suffer!! That is the difference between you, me, and him!!! The game he was after was going to die, one way or the other!!! The 22 or the big safari guns!!!!

What I was getting at, a 25-06 can drop an elk very efficiently with good shot placement!! If you can't get that shot, and like you stated, you have to be ethical and pass on that shot and not try to use brute force to drop it with a 25cal bullet!!! It won't work!! Antelope and small deer, you can brute force them down with a 25-06!!!

I am a firm believer in one shot kills!!! There has been, and will only be one round in my rifle when I hunt!!! I am that confident in my skills and equipment!! I practice one shot kills though cool/cold barrel shooting and reloading!! And, I have never reached into my pocket and pulled another round out after shooting game!!! Ever!!! 16 big game (antelope and deer) one shot kills!!!

SHOT PLACEMENT IS THE MOST CRITICAL ASPECT OF HUNTER ETHICS!!!

 

[Wild Bill IV]

The 25-06 is probably not the most efficient cartridge to choose from.a light weight rifle is probably going to be a bit 'kicky'.in a varmint rifle with a suppressor there's very little recoil.its a great cartridge and will do alot more than some realise.flat shooting and hits hard.it will reach out far and does a very good job on deer at extended range.

You are so so right!! In a light weight sporter rifle, it sucks!! Shot 2 different light weights and they buck hard!!

But why worry about walking around and hunting?? A heavy target barrel in a 25-06 is great for taking game out to 600!!

I have a place were I walked in 1/4 mile and sit on a knob with a heavy tree cover lake cove to the South, limestone bluff and steep pasture 1/4 mile to the East, can see 2 miles to the North with a tributary creek with 1/4mile bank feeding the cove, and cornfields to the West!! I have seen dozens of deer harvested in that bottom!! We used 7-08 (24" varmint -target), 25-06 (26" AG Target), 308 (26" target), and 280 (26" HVY Sporter)!!

I love rolling coyotes with this11.5lb 25-06 that hardly has any recoil with SGK 120SPBT!! It was my custom build over 40 years ago!!

 

[Shoot Will]

Ouestion ? Reading these post on the 25-06, It seems the optimal barrel length is 26" with 24 "next, and I guess 22" being the shortest anyone seems to recommend. I understand you lose some velocity as you go shorter but the the question is why would savage create a whole new line (Axis 2 PRO) with 20 " barrel on the 25-06 ? Would it still be a decent choice for whitetail out to 300yards ? Can it still be accurate ? Seems like they are defeating the performance and purpose of the 25-06 ?

 

[sw282]

Ouestion ? Reading these post on the 25-06, It seems the optimal barrel length is 26" with 24 "next, and I guess 22" being the shortest anyone seems to recommend. I understand you lose some velocity as you go shorter but the the question is why would savage create a whole new line (Axis 2 PRO) with 20 " barrel on the 25-06 ? Would it still be a decent choice for whitetail out to 300yards ? Can it still be accurate ? Seems like they are defeating the performance and purpose of the 25-06 ?

Welcome to the Forum Will! My opinion: lt's the BEST shooting forum on the NET!!
l believe you would only lose perhaps a couple hundred FPS with a 20'' barrel in 25-06 caliber! With suppressors and brakes becoming more popular these days, l expect 20 inches will become the new NORMAL

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1079744363

Here's the gun Bill. Straight from GunBroken!!
Twas a nice GIFT

very nice

 

[Shoot Will]

Welcome to the Forum Will! My opinion: lt's the BEST shooting forum on the NET!!
l believe you would only lose perhaps a couple hundred FPS with a 20'' barrel in 25-06 caliber! With suppressors and brakes becoming more popular these days, l expect 20 inches will become the new NORMAL

Thanks !

 

[bobcat93]

The 25-06 is a cream puff of a cartridge i absolutely love it. Im with your bro with the bad shoulders..
That is one cartridge i miss shooting.
its classic and proven i would bet its the perfect cartridge for antelope
Deer size game 200-500yrd is perfect for the 25-06 its got plenty of gas to punch through them critters
I wouldnt even ackly it..keep it factory. Purist

 

[ISS]

My guess: Inertia. I am having a 25-284 done instead, to use a short action...