Help - 25 06 Weatherby, 25 06 Tika or 6.5 Creedmoor Bergara

[Scratch1]

Looking for some help in understanding value, accuracy and intangibles in the 3 rifles. I do a fair amount of deer hunting, and a small amount of hog and varmint hunting. Thanks!

 

[MQ1]

With a 25-06 Tika you will be well suited for any deer or hog, and you'll be able to buy ammo at nearly any decently supplied hunting store, if not WalMart. 25-06 is also hell on varmints, and if you handload, reduced loads to replicate a .223 are not out of the question.

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

Scratch,

I can't help you anymore than what I've already posted, I'm to cheap to buy Weatherby brass or loaded ammo, and I don't have any personal experience with the Creedmore. Unless you are looking to have something different, I don't think either of the other rounds will kill deer , pigs, or varmints any deader than a 25-06 😎 ... but then again, I'm biased and have been shooting and reloading for a number of 25-06's over the years.

MQ1

 

[Scratch1]

The only reason I would look at the Weatherby Vangard is the longer barrel. Someone somewhere in my travels told me that a 25 06 needs at least a 24 inch barrel. The Bergara timber 6.5 creedmoor was more or a question because there seems to be little information on the rifle. I had one in my hands and it had an extremely smooth action, good to hold, and the craftsmanship looked excellent. I'm looking to buy a go-to rifle and thought the options were reasonable.

 

[2506]

I would pick the Weatherby vangard because it has a 24" barrel. The 25-06 needs at least 24" and I really like 26". I have used the 25-06 for about 20 years and have killed 200+ deer with it and I can tell you that it is one heck of a deer killer. 117 Sierra Pro Hunter running 3000 to 3100 fps is BANG FLOP about 99% of the time. 87 Sierra SP running 3400 - 3500 fps vaporizes a groundhog.

 

[Trapper243]

Scratch,

I can't help you anymore than what I've already posted, I'm to cheap to buy Weatherby brass or loaded ammo, and I don't have any personal experience with the Creedmore. Unless you are looking to have something different, I don't think either of the other rounds will kill deer , pigs, or varmints any deader than a 25-06 😎 ... but then again, I'm biased and have been shooting and reloading for a number of 25-06's over the years.

MQ1

Same could be said in reverse. The 6.5 also has the advantage if you ever needed a heavier bullet, has a better selection of target bullets and it is on a short action. I think you have some lighter bullet options in the .25 that might suit you better for varmints, especially if you reload. If you don't the Creedmoor probably has the edge as factory loaded Amax rounds are not that expensive and work well on varmints. For deer both will kill just fine, and I don't think it matters much on hogs. If you ever plan on Elk hunting with that rife I would go 6.5. You can get both the .25-06 and 6.5 Creedmoor in the Vanguard.

 

[MQ1]

Trapper,

I don't see selection of target bullets as being much of an advantge in a rifle with the purpose of hunting, however I do feel selection of factory hunting rounds as an advantage. I know there are lots of great options available for the 25-06, are their similar options for the Creedmore? For a reloader, there is a very healthy selection of .25 caliber hunting and varmint bullets.

I'd ask the elk I killed if the 120 Nosler Partition wasn't big enough, but he died without taking as much as a step...too bad he was still 3 miles from camp 😃. I was hurting from some old injuries, and cobbled together my 25-06 as a light-weight, do everything rifle. Yes, it is a long action Remington 700, but it weighs just over 7 lbs with a scope...maybe not optimal for elk, but worked for me.

MQ1

 

[wyoming .260]

I have owned .25-06s with 22 and 26" barrels, and also dealt with some .260s in various barrel lengths from 20 -30". If you like the Bergara you will not be disappointed in the performance on game, If your hunting includes Ghogs the .25-06 with the lighter bullets blows them up with authority. I would go with a Tikka in any of the calibers available in that range you seek, but I have never held a Bergara.
Any of them will kill elk on down

 

[Changeling]

As a couple people have already said, the 25-06 is at it's best with a 26 inch barrel (are longer). I'm fairly sure the Tikka rifles all have short barrels witch seems to be he trend for all the major rifle manufacturers these days.
That's why I build the rifles I want. Pick yourself up a used REM 25-06 (plenty of them around). If accuracy is not what you want (and speed), get it barrelled to 26" with quality barrel. You will be very happy 8).

 

[AckleymanII]

Creed has some great factory ammo, 123 and 140g A max...awesome is all I can say.

 

[Trapper243]

Trapper,

I don't see selection of target bullets as being much of an advantge in a rifle with the purpose of hunting, however I do feel selection of factory hunting rounds as an advantage. I know there are lots of great options available for the 25-06, are their similar options for the Creedmore? For a reloader, there is a very healthy selection of .25 caliber hunting and varmint bullets.

I agree to a point, but a lot of those target bullets such as the A-Max are deadly on Varmints. I also believe there is a decent selection of hunting type bullets loaded for the Creedmoor and big game, including a selection from Nosler and copper rounds from Hornady. The cartridge is also more efficient using less powder for the performance. Hard to beat it in many ways. I would also give it the edge on elk due to heavier bullets. I think the 120s are just not as forgiving. Having said that, the last 7 or 8 elk my partner and I have taken were all with 130 Accubonds out of 270s, and I don't ever remember loosing a bear or deer to my old 25-06. I did manage to kill the barrel sooner than expected. My Creedmoor is more of a heavy Coyote rig. It is such a practical cartridge. I would bet the barrel life is better also.

 

[CharlieNC]

I've read the Bergara is a semicustom made with top name components, but never saw one. Better bullet selection for the 6.5.

 

[RW]

I would pick the Weatherby vangard because it has a 24" barrel. The 25-06 needs at least 24" and I really like 26". I have used the 25-06 for about 20 years and have killed 200+ deer with it and I can tell you that it is one heck of a deer killer. 117 Sierra Pro Hunter running 3000 to 3100 fps is BANG FLOP about 99% of the time. 87 Sierra SP running 3400 - 3500 fps vaporizes a groundhog.

Wow that is 10 deer a year to add up to 200+ deer over 20 years! I have used the 25-06 to kill a lot of wild hogs and deer and did so with the 87 grain bullets, the butcher that I used to take my pigs to said that I had to quit using my 300 win mag and my friend laughed and said I was using a 25-06 RW

 

[86alaskan]

owning a tikka t3 lite in 25-06, I can say it's a great rifle. mine has been sub moa since day 1, with many days that are better. currently hurling a 115 berger for deer and working on an 87gr sierra for coyotes and wolves here in AK. Can't go wrong with the tikka, they are very good rifles.

 

[MQ1]

I've read the Bergara is a semicustom made with top name components, but never saw one. Better bullet selection for the 6.5.

Not better hunting bullet selection...just begin by comparing Sierra's offerings and I think that you'll find .257 selections in hunting bullets are better...then compare loaded hunting ammo options that are available...

MQ1

 

[Scratch1]

Thanks for the responses! After reading your thoughts and looking at more information, I am going to go 25 06 (already am equipped for elk and moose so I don't need a bigger bullet). I now am looking at the Weatherby Vanguard, Tikka Forest or Remington 700 CDL. I would have already purchased the Remington if the 700 CDL SF came in a 25 06. Any final thoughts are appreciated.

 

[MQ1]

As a couple people have already said, the 25-06 is at it's best with a 26 inch barrel (are longer)...Pick yourself up a used REM 25-06 (plenty of them around). If accuracy is not what you want (and speed), get it barrelled to 26" with quality barrel. You will be very happy 8).

Changeling's suggestion is a good one if you have the time and patience to build the exact rifle you want...so many stock options and tweaks you can do to a Remington 700 it is hard to argue. That being said, I've not heard too many complain about the Tikka's accuracy, and if you want a slick action, it has it.

Let us know what you decide!

MQ1

 

[stacy]

Better bullet selection for the 6.5.

+1 I HAVE 25-06 ACKELY NOT A HUGE SELECTION OF BULLETS

 

[2506]

Wow that is 10 deer a year to add up to 200+ deer over 20 years! I have used the 25-06 to kill a lot of wild hogs and deer and did so with the 87 grain bullets, the butcher that I used to take my pigs to said that I had to quit using my 300 win mag and my friend laughed and said I was using a 25-06 RW

I and my buddy did control crop damage work for 20 years on a big farm in NC and we had to killed 100 deer a year. I averaged killing around 35 a year because I was only there for three weeks each year. We used a bunch of different calibers and many different bullets in experimentation on what works well and does not. All the meat was eaten by somebody also.

 

[Larryh128]

25-06 is in my mind a great caliber. Don't overlook the Barnes TTSX bullets. You can drop 10-15 grs in weight, gain velocity & not sacrifice penetration. I had a Sako 25-06 that my #1 son now uses, and in his words "I love this rifle, I would never sell it". That pretty much sums up how a lot of people think about the 25-06. When it 1st came out they shot everything from gophers to grizzly with it. The Weatherby is made by Howa and it is a good action.