25-06 as a hunting round

Fenix.NZ

Fenix.NZ

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i have nil experience with this round for hunting. im looking at it because i fired one on the weekend and enjoyed it . it will be used for deer, tahr and goats , some pigs alsp .. what is the max range you could expect to drop a large red stag .. just so i have a guage on what range i can shoot things at ?

also what is the trajectory like ? good and flat like a .270 ? or rainbow like a .308
 
I would say that its quite flat, like the .270 win. I'd have no problem shooting an animal like a stag or an elk out to 300-350 yds, much the same as the .270 or a 6.5x55. With the proper bullet of course.
 
Good round, I've had good sucess on deer, I've used 115grn-120grn bullets, heavier end for the 25-06 but still good muzzle velocities.

Lighter bullets 87grn work good on coyotes.

good all around smaller caliber round
 
I like the 25-06 alot and have owned a couple. None right now, that'll change soon though. Pretty versatile round. 75s at Mach speed for gophers, coyotes, etc. 100TSX or 110AB for everything else. Kinda like a 243 on steriods with that 100TSX. Or load up a good 120, like the Hornady 120 HP, and it's like a 270 w/ 130s.
 
.25-06 shoots a bit flatter than a .270.

and i hate to break this to you but there is not that much of a difference between a .270 and a .308 to make .270 'good and flat' and .308 'rainbow' :rolleyes:

you should go to one of the cartridge makers sites and check out their ballistics charts and compare.

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/

i posted a thread a while back asking what people hunt with their .25-06 and there was some great info in it, ill see if i can dig it up.
 
The .25-06 is a great little round if you want somthing just a bit different. I had one, but I didn't find it to kick much less than a .270. And to be fair, you mentioned red stag. I think a .270 might be a better choice for elk sized animals, but the .25-06 can certainly do it. Light bullets at ultra fast velocities will in theory make a fun varmint rifle. That is of course that your rifle will stabilize light bullets and it's accurate enough. I always liked the look of the 100 grain Ballistic tip as a deer bullet, though they tend to be fragile. If you just wan't somthing different, go for it. :)
 
If you're shooting the 115+ grain bullets, the 25-06 really shines and with little recoil.

It's like all other magnums (some consider it a magnum) there is a diminishing return with the extra powder and max loads can and do produce throat wear.

That being said, it seems to handle all 25 calibre bullet weights very well.

The heavy bullets will take moose and elk cleanly if you do your part and put the bullet in the apprpriate location.

The 250 savage and the 257 roberts, especially in older rifles, suffer from a slow twist and won't stabilise the heavier bullets. Some older 25-06 rifles also have slow twists, like the Remington mod 30S Express and the mod 721. All have 1-14 twists.

Make sure the rifle you purchase has at least a 1-10 twist rate if you're planning on shooting the heavier bullets.

bearhunter
 
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thanks for the info. twist rate was my next question. the deer hunting i have done has all been in under 300m .. i just want something that i can take a shot with at a longer distance if need be and not worrry about having to hit the beast for a second shot. i pride myself on my ability to shoot in the field, so i should be fine with shot placement
 
The .25/06 is probably the smallest round that should be considered for general hunting of game up to the size of moose. It has one of the flattest trajectories available, and provided the right bullet is chosen for the job, there is no reason why anyone should feel this round is unsuitable for big game.
 
as far as a suppressor, they dont make rounds quiet, they take the crack off it and give no real directional sound, if you miss, you usually get the chance of a follow up shot on a very confused looking beast.
they'll drop it down to about a .22magnum level, but with no sharp crack.
unless you load a specifically subsonic round.

12-15" overbarrell suppressor would do the job nicely
 
Since we aren't allowed suppressors in Canada, without special permits, I have little experience in the matter and will take your word for it. I was makeing an uneducated guess. Thx for the information.
 
My son shoots a Ruger 25-06 and I handload for it. He planted a 3x3 bull elk at around 400 yards and it clipped a rib entering and another exiting.The elk ran 30 yards and laid down.I load 120gr Hornady HP/Win case/54gr H-4831SC and Fed mag primer.Or Nosler 115 gr Partition /54gr Re-22/Fed mag primer/Win case...............Hard to fault.........antelope ,bear and lots of deer as far away as you can hit them within reason of course.......Harold
 
bearhunter - wasnt trying to be rude or put you in your place or anything like that.. just providing info because as you say, you guys dont get to enjoy suppressors

i dont usually like them on big game centerfires, rimfire and varmint centerfires ( .223 or .222 ) its great because you can drop 3 or 4 rabbits ( or goats ) before the rest know whats happening.
 
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