.25/06 Remington
- Thread starter Rickib
- Start date
I've had two, and am putting a heavy barrel version together. One of the best deer and antelope cartridges around. - dan
I used to pour over the ballistic tables in the annual gun digest when I was a kid pre internet. Spent hours studying them and came to the conclusion that the 270 win is a better cartridge. I’ve owned pretty much everything common over the years but never a 25-06, old biases are hard to shake.
The 25-06 is far under rated in my experience. I have had a number of them over the years. My wife has one as her only hunting gun, and I have another. I have a lot of experience with the 257 wby also, which is similar.
We have taken elk deer antelope with the 25-06. Elk was between 250-300 and no issues. I took another elk with the 257 beyond 360 yards, again no issues. I started chasing some other calibers and had quite a learning experience. I would take a 25 over a 6.5 all day every day. They just plane work and are very effective. You won’t be disappointed if you try one.
We have taken elk deer antelope with the 25-06. Elk was between 250-300 and no issues. I took another elk with the 257 beyond 360 yards, again no issues. I started chasing some other calibers and had quite a learning experience. I would take a 25 over a 6.5 all day every day. They just plane work and are very effective. You won’t be disappointed if you try one.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
I had one built about 25 years ago by "Richard" Pietsch in Calgary. It's a great shooter but I haven't found a reason to use it out here in Nova Scotia. Would have been a great rifle when I lived in the NWT and Nunavut, but I did less hunting there than I had expected to do and I shot everything with my "beater" Stevens 200 30-06.
A friend of mine, professional guide in the NWT, refers to his 25-06 as his "big gun" for polar bears, vs his 257 Roberts that was his "little gun".
A friend of mine, professional guide in the NWT, refers to his 25-06 as his "big gun" for polar bears, vs his 257 Roberts that was his "little gun".
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fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
I used a 25-06 as my "one & only" hunting rifle for many years and it would take a very large truck to hold all the venison I harvested with it. Out of all those, I had one animal I recovered the next day.
the only bull elk I have harvested was with a 25-06 at 440 paces so they will "reach out and touch something" with authority.
the only bull elk I have harvested was with a 25-06 at 440 paces so they will "reach out and touch something" with authority.
I have had "a few" 25-06, 4 Remington 700s and one rebarreled custom.
I like the cartridge and it is easy to shoot well. I did have varying success with getting heavy (115-117) bullets to shoot well in a couple of them. All but one shot 100 grain bullets very well. A close range shot with a 100 BT is tough on meat though if placed with less than surgical precision!
If I built another one (entirely possible) I would go with a bit quicker twist than 1-10" to see if that would help with heavier bullets.
I like the cartridge and it is easy to shoot well. I did have varying success with getting heavy (115-117) bullets to shoot well in a couple of them. All but one shot 100 grain bullets very well. A close range shot with a 100 BT is tough on meat though if placed with less than surgical precision!
If I built another one (entirely possible) I would go with a bit quicker twist than 1-10" to see if that would help with heavier bullets.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I shoot a Sako AV .25-06 as my specialist pronghorn and mule deer rifle. Perfect for that application. It replaced a .257 Roberts that I used for many years for whitetails, black bear, mule deer, etc. Same thing as the excellent .257 and about 200 fps faster/flatter. The .25-06 has all the good attributes of the .257 Roberts without the quirks of short throat/long magazine found in some rifles. Handles 87-120 grain bullets very well. 3300 FPS with 100 gr. and 3000FPS with 120's make it Way more capable than a .243 on larger game or longer range. Recoil is mild. Muzzle blast is high, I wear ear plugs.
I like mine and I'm keeping it.
I like mine and I'm keeping it.
I flip flop between a dozen rifles, Sako, Tikka and Win 70… half in 25/06 and the other 6 in 270Win. The plan is(don't laugh) that when I shoot out a few barrels I will rebarrel to either one or the other calibre.
The .270’s are fantastic and in theory superior in many ways but there is something SPECIAL about hammering things with the quarter bore way the he!! out there.
My favourite 25/06 load is a 87g Speer TNT fueled by Varget. Even at 500 yards when you hit a coyote there is INSTANT visual and audio confirmation about the dirt nap.
My apologies to Jack O’Conner, I think I’m going with the 25/06. Cheers…
The .270’s are fantastic and in theory superior in many ways but there is something SPECIAL about hammering things with the quarter bore way the he!! out there.
My favourite 25/06 load is a 87g Speer TNT fueled by Varget. Even at 500 yards when you hit a coyote there is INSTANT visual and audio confirmation about the dirt nap.
My apologies to Jack O’Conner, I think I’m going with the 25/06. Cheers…
The biggest "quirk" with the 257 Roberts is when folks want to use it in a short action and find that longer bullets cannot be seated out. Many don't seem to find this to be a problem at all. I just had mine made up on a 700 long action was was easy able to make 3" OAL ammo with room to spare. Both the 25/06 and 257Roberts are very good cartridges overshadowed now by the CMs and PRSs.
A friend has a Remington 7600 chambered in in the 25-06. Rifle shoots better than it has any business doing and I've tried to buy it off him many times but he understandably doesn't want to part with it. I like it's mild recoil and flat shooting.
Between him and his grandfather who left it to him it's racked up a dozen very impressive whitetails, at least two mule deer, one woodland caribou and two moose not to mention a few black bears and freezers full of whitetail does and smaller bucks.
Someday I'll scratch my itch for one or perhaps the .257 Weatherby.
Between him and his grandfather who left it to him it's racked up a dozen very impressive whitetails, at least two mule deer, one woodland caribou and two moose not to mention a few black bears and freezers full of whitetail does and smaller bucks.
Someday I'll scratch my itch for one or perhaps the .257 Weatherby.
I have a terrible confession to make….i still want a 257 Roberts !!!!
In a previous post I mentioned I have a bushel basket full of 25/06 and 270Wins.
BUT!!!!! My life won’t be complete until I get my dearly departed friend’s Win70 Featherweight in 257 Roberts. I use to reload for him having tested a few loads but now the daughter that is handling the estate can’t seem to find it…and I know it’s got a hack in the rifling part way down the barrel but it still shot well. If I have to rebarrel it down the road it will get chambered again in 257 Roberts out of respect to old Victor. I think a 257 Roberts is a mild mannered and capable caliber and in a Winchester 70 featherweight a sweet little package. Sigh …..
In a previous post I mentioned I have a bushel basket full of 25/06 and 270Wins.
BUT!!!!! My life won’t be complete until I get my dearly departed friend’s Win70 Featherweight in 257 Roberts. I use to reload for him having tested a few loads but now the daughter that is handling the estate can’t seem to find it…and I know it’s got a hack in the rifling part way down the barrel but it still shot well. If I have to rebarrel it down the road it will get chambered again in 257 Roberts out of respect to old Victor. I think a 257 Roberts is a mild mannered and capable caliber and in a Winchester 70 featherweight a sweet little package. Sigh …..
