25-06 for a deer rifle?

evster

evster

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Hi,

If I were to have a strictly deer and target rifle, would the 25-06 be a good choice? What is the effective target range? And what is the effective range on a deer? I am still contemplating what calibre I want to go with :rolleyes: .

Opinions??

Thanks!
Evan
 
My setup is a 98 fn action , custom home built stock, and a Gaillard 26 in Mag sporter barrel, in 25-06 , its a shooter for sure. I would say you have made a great choice, their are other , new and old, but I like this cal. The setup I have would be deer getter out to 500 meters, my max. And tgt out to how ever far you can :D . I put a 2.5 x 10 by 40 mm B&L low Turret job on mine for instant access to elevation adjustment and those 300-500 meter shots.
I always make every effort to close any distance on game:cool:
 
I can't speak for a 25/06, but I have shot a couple of deer with a fast 257 Roberts with very good results. The couple hundred fps that a 25/06 would offer over the Roberts would make it that much better. Good bullets at that velocity are key to the equation.

I realize that in S. Ont. there is a caliber restriction for under .277", which makes the .270Win or WSM also a very good choice esp if you want to load heavier bullets for moose.



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Yeah i was also thinking of 270 as my other choice. But I dont think i will hunt anything else very often and i have lots of connections for a bigger calibre so I have been kind of leaning towards a small one to show my buddies that smaller calibres can do the trick as well.
 
One of the few downsides of a 25/06 to a 270Win would be less availability of ammo.

You can get 270Win EVERYWHERE!




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My dad shot his first moose with a .25-06. He used factory Winchester ammo: 120gr. PEP. One shot is all it took.

It is a very good choice for deer.

However, if you are also interested in target shooting, why not a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55? The recoil is mild and the round in known for its accuracy. And .264" bullets generally buck the wind better than the .257" bullets.

Of course the .260 Rem would also fall into this category.
 
This year was my first with a 25-06.Took five deer with it with five shots from 30yrds to 180yrs.I think I am hooked (for now).

Not many places carry ammo for 25-06 so I have invested in dies to load my own.I will search the gun shows for some factory stuff.Can usually pick ammo up there for $15 a box or so.
 
I agree with the other guys that a 25-06 is a great deer rifle and will kill far beyond the distances that the average hunter should shoot. To me it seems more suited for open country than for shorter woods ranges.
 
I've shot target competitions and hunted for over 40 years, and your question has been asked many times.

What type of target shooting are you thinking about?
Competiton or fun?

I always recommend the .308 Winchester because of it versatility over most other calibers.
Cat
 
Sounds like I am interested in a good one. I am going to reload (start with a friends gear then get my own) and it will be more a hunting rifle than a target rifle. Thanks for all the input!

Evan
 
evster said:
Sounds like I am interested in a good one. I am going to reload (start with a friends gear then get my own) and it will be more a hunting rifle than a target rifle. Thanks for all the input!

Evan
Click to expand...
If you are getting into reloading and plan to plinkk with it every now and then, your 25/06 is a very good chhoice, BTW!:dancingbanana:

Very quick deer round, and I havee a few friends who have absolutely
no pprobblem with shooting meeses and elk with them!
According to Hornady, Gail Hornady designed their 120 grain HP 25 cal. bullet for the 25/06 and elk hunting!:dancingbanana: :dancingbanana:
Cat
 
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And a nice looking bullet .394 BC 120 gr HP Thanks for letting us know :cool:
2560_rif_bul_25-120_HP_IL.jpg
 
25-06 is perfectly suitable, and is capable of much greater ranges than the average (or even above-average) is.

For my money though, I'd go with a 260. I just prefer the feel of a short action as opposed to a long one
 
I think I may be buying a rifle soon and I cannot make up my mind. I like the sounds of the 25-06 for deer and target, but I also like the 308 for bullet selection. And I like the larger calibres in case I hunt something bigger. What will the 25-06 give me that these larger calibres (270, 7mm-08, 308) wont?
 
The 270 and the 25/06 use the same parent case (30'06) ,
But the 260 and the 7/08 are based on the 308 case, so you are going to shoot a tad flatter.
That being said, for 90% of your deer hunting the trajectory won't matter.
The last two will be more enjoyable to and a bit cheaper to shoot over the course of an afternoon of partice, and I like the .264 bullet selection better than the .25 caliber.

The 308 sized rifles are a bit lighter because of smaller profiles , etc.

Your choice, all are good!:D
Cat
 
The .308 is very versatile and without a doubt the most versatile short action round available. Some people feel kind of ho hum about it just as they would the tried and true .30-06
 
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