25-06 vs 6.5x55
- Thread starter 4ron
- Start date
I love my 25-06 to death, but for long range shooting, I'd choose the caliber that was renowned for long , wind bucking bullet design (which is the 6.5)
My best friend owns a 25-06 (where I got the idea to get one) and I have witnessed him taking a caribou at 700 yards with it .......in the barrens WAY further up north, (browning a-bolt) using a 100 gr moly coated X bullet from barnes, but in my opinion, that is not the norm. He is by far the best rifleman I have ever personally met, and my own comfort zone is 300 or less.
You'll be asking the bullets to do something they aren't quite designed to do, which is go long, buck the wind. I , in the past, owned a 6.5 swede, and although I did like it when punching paper at 300, I ended up trading it, because I don't do serious paper punching, and I had an offer that I couldn't refuse. Plus you can go heavy with 160's and load data exists for 180 gr bullets in 6.5 (although I've never seen any for sale, but maybe they exist from "Boutique" bullet makers. I haven't seen bullets over 120 grains in the 25 cal offerings. So, its purely academic that you "Need the Swede" if you are gonna punch paper at long range.
For what you want, I'd go with a 6.5 swede or even one of the newer 6.5's , like the creedmore, or 260 rem, as the velocity isn't as important as the accuracy for your venture.
My best friend owns a 25-06 (where I got the idea to get one) and I have witnessed him taking a caribou at 700 yards with it .......in the barrens WAY further up north, (browning a-bolt) using a 100 gr moly coated X bullet from barnes, but in my opinion, that is not the norm. He is by far the best rifleman I have ever personally met, and my own comfort zone is 300 or less.
You'll be asking the bullets to do something they aren't quite designed to do, which is go long, buck the wind. I , in the past, owned a 6.5 swede, and although I did like it when punching paper at 300, I ended up trading it, because I don't do serious paper punching, and I had an offer that I couldn't refuse. Plus you can go heavy with 160's and load data exists for 180 gr bullets in 6.5 (although I've never seen any for sale, but maybe they exist from "Boutique" bullet makers. I haven't seen bullets over 120 grains in the 25 cal offerings. So, its purely academic that you "Need the Swede" if you are gonna punch paper at long range.
For what you want, I'd go with a 6.5 swede or even one of the newer 6.5's , like the creedmore, or 260 rem, as the velocity isn't as important as the accuracy for your venture.
I have always enjoyed the 25-06 (since the mid 80's). I woul look into building a long range rig in .257, but the availability of high B.C. Bullets doesnt exsist. :-(
For that reason alone, i would side with the 6.5.
When you shoot long range, you expend allot of componentry!
That leaves a person searching far more often for hard to get supplies.
A shooter might as well stick to whats available, unless you like shooting the "less than mainstream" calibers.
Just another option in the wonderful world of shooting we enjoy!
Have fun you gunnutz! And straight shoot'in!
For that reason alone, i would side with the 6.5.
When you shoot long range, you expend allot of componentry!
That leaves a person searching far more often for hard to get supplies.
A shooter might as well stick to whats available, unless you like shooting the "less than mainstream" calibers.
Just another option in the wonderful world of shooting we enjoy!
Have fun you gunnutz! And straight shoot'in!
Chinbullco
Regular
- Location
- NW Alberta
4ron
25-06 is limited by its standard barrel twist rate. Factory barrels max out at one in ten inch twist. Custom barrel makers can take care of that problem and when a long 25 caliber is launched from fast twist barrel it is every bit as effective as the 243, 264, 284, 308 and 338 long range bullets.
The 115 gr VLD / ULD bullets carry out to 1000 quite easily. Biggest complaint I have with 25-06 cartridges is case stretch with repeated firings. The Ackley Improved version eliminates case trimming.
25-06 is limited by its standard barrel twist rate. Factory barrels max out at one in ten inch twist. Custom barrel makers can take care of that problem and when a long 25 caliber is launched from fast twist barrel it is every bit as effective as the 243, 264, 284, 308 and 338 long range bullets.
The 115 gr VLD / ULD bullets carry out to 1000 quite easily. Biggest complaint I have with 25-06 cartridges is case stretch with repeated firings. The Ackley Improved version eliminates case trimming.
Think about 6.5-'06 it's sort of the best of both. Or it's ballistic twin, the 6.5-.284, which I note Frontier Firearms has one left in stock.
http://www.frontierfirearms.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17_51_98&products_id=3551
http://www.frontierfirearms.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17_51_98&products_id=3551
