25-06 vs 7-08

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Other than making the personal choice of a long/short action rifle, what do you like about one over the other? Action length doesn't come into play with a single-shot rifle, for example.....so why choose one over the other.
 
I love 25-06 and any 25 caliber really. I own a 7mm-08 and a 7mm rem mag, and a 25-06 (and a 25-06AI now thanks to EE here)....for some reason, after handloading and thousands of rounds fired out of all my guns over the years, I always reach for my 25-06....it's the most accurate rifle I own, it WILL knock down deer out at ranges far enough that other guys want magnums. I personally parked a 4x4 bull elk with mine this year with 115gr berger bullet at 440 yards - he made two steps, landed on his knees and was effectively deceased in about ten seconds from shot fired - we were DEER hunting - did not expect an elk to be there - had tag so I filled it - I do prefer bigger for elk but I had the "little" 25-06 because I was taking my kid hunting for his first deer, made do with what was on hand. I'm now rethinking my lust for magnums on elk due to that event.

I don't know if there's a reason to pick one over the other - I think, at least in my case, for whatever reason 25-06 is what "dings my bell".

Allow me to add also - with the recent reloading component shortages - I've ALWAYS been able to locate 25 caliber bullets - I can't say the same for my safe queen 7mm crowd. Even loaded ammo I can find anywhere....
 
I have killed deer with .308's, 7mm mags, 303 Brit, and .30-30. I have been around when lots of other guys shot them with .270's, 30-36's and other calibres.

This is entirely a personal observation, based on limited experience. I don't say it to take anything away from anyone else's favourite calibres.

But nothing...and I mean NOTHING - seems to kill deer better than the 25-06. I know exactly what Xring above is talking about - my 'go-to' hunting rig is a .25-06 exclusively and all the other rifles I own are mere back ups in case my .25 should break down or something.

I like the calibre for all the same reasons Xring does too - and the fact that reloading data is well established too. My deer load is an 85gr. molycoated Nosler ballistic tip on 58 grains of 4350. It gives me about 3500 FPS with no pressure signs. (That is a max load so if any of you fellers are going to use it, work up to it slowly).

I usually stay out of calibre debates because at the end of the day it is marksmanship that is far more important than calibre selection.
 
I also love the 25 cal. Ever since I was a kid always wanted the 257 Roberts, and the 25-06. Now at 44 years young (lol) I have the 257 Roberts, all I can say is it kills damn good. Never had a deer drop so fast. Next is going to be a 25-06 Rem.
 
Just picked up a no1 in 25-06 last night and am looking forward to using it. I am a firm beleiver in small bullets as they shed all of their energy very fast when they hit their target. Unlike bigger bullets that keep cruising on through.
 
No experience with the 25-06 yet, but I've just started playing with my new M7 SS in 7mm-08, nice cartridge to work with and a great little platform. Might be my coyote rifle this winter with 120gr BT's...:)
 
Glenfilthie said:
But nothing...and I mean NOTHING - seems to kill deer better than the 25-06. I know exactly what Xring above is talking about - my 'go-to' hunting rig is a .25-06 exclusively and all the other rifles I own are mere back ups in case my .25 should break down or something.
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Exactly how I should have worded it :p For whatever reason, any other caliber of gun, bigger or smaller (and I own .243 and .270 also), the deer seems to suffer, with my 25's - they fall within sight, often dead right where they stand. I TRY to grab other rifles when going deer hunting. but the 25's from my experience, are nearly "magical"...so much so for me that the almost bring a tear to the eye. I had a .257 weatherby (pre-ugly divorce) that was the first .25 I didn't much care for based purely on the fact that it kicked a bit more, and I THINK that's why it wasn't as accurate as my favorite old Ruger .25-06....all theory.

My vote - buy one gun chambered in each cartridge, same rifle model if possible (obviously one would be short action and other long) - shoot them both - one would likely quickly stand out for you as a clear winner, even at the gun range.
 
i would take the 25-06 but only in a 24" barrel. it is a super cartridge and i have taken two moose with it but i don't recomend it as a moose cartridge, both required multiple hits. as a deer cartridge, its as good as anything out there. this cartridge is a magnum without the name and requires the extra barrel length most times. it is at its best with the 100 grain bullet for both deer and coyotes. choose a premium 100g bullet and you won't be sorry. don't expect huge penetration on the larger animals but in its natural environment it is excellent.
 
snoopycda said:
i would take the 25-06 but only in a 24" barrel. it is a super cartridge and i have taken two moose with it but i don't recomend it as a moose cartridge, both required multiple hits. as a deer cartridge, its as good as anything out there. this cartridge is a magnum without the name and requires the extra barrel length most times. it is at its best with the 100 grain bullet for both deer and coyotes. choose a premium 100g bullet and you won't be sorry. don't expect huge penetration on the larger animals but in its natural environment it is excellent.
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I gotta ask why, on the 24 inch tube, as I always figured the 25 worked best with slow powder, which intern would complement the long 26 inch , I got a gaillard 26 inch mag sporter profile on my gun.
 
Both calibres will kill equally well...place your shot and it dies.

I've never owned a .25-06 but I do own 2 - 7mm-08's one in a TC Prohunter, the other a Remington 700...my choice and reason would be for flexability in choice of bullet type and weight. As a hand loader I like the ability to choose a bullet for a given task...and from what I can tell with the .284 bullets I have more to choose from...

Otherwise either calibre will do fine...we shot 2 moose with our 7mm-08's last year, 1 at 7 yds the other at 167 yds using handloaded 139 grain Hornady Interbonds over Varget and Federal Match Primers.

Just my thoughts...
 
Sask Hunter said:
Both calibres will kill equally well...place your shot and it dies.

I've never owned a .25-06 but I do own 2 - 7mm-08's one in a TC Prohunter, the other a Remington 700...my choice and reason would be for flexability in choice of bullet type and weight. As a hand loader I like the ability to choose a bullet for a given task...and from what I can tell with the .284 bullets I have more to choose from...

Otherwise either calibre will do fine...we shot 2 moose with our 7mm-08's last year, 1 at 7 yds the other at 167 yds using handloaded 139 grain Hornady Interbonds over Varget and Federal Match Primers.
Just my thoughts...
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Holly smokes, nearly the same load as my daughter's. Excepting for the primers, hers used Federal 210 primers, otherwise identical. She shot her deer at 384 yds, same bullets. That 7-08 is just a great caliber.
 
I have shot whitetail with a 25-06 Sako for 26 years now. This past November I took my 55th deer with this gun...a nice fat eater forker. I have to say nothing parks a deer like a 25-06. They never go far and that characteristic "WHOCK" of a solid hit means I better roll up my sleaves! I once shot a buck at 440 yards with a 120 grain Hornady hollow point. The buck walked in a little semi circle for a couple seconds and dropped dead like he was struck by lightening...never knew what hit him. I'll shoot a quarter bore 06 for the rest of my life.
 
shot both quite a bit, if I had to have one it would be the 25-06. Both are deer guns, the 7-08 is capable on larger stuff but so is the 25-06 with good bullets. I'd shoot 80 or 100gr TTSX in the 25-06 or 110gr Accubonds and be a happy hunter. However the 260 Remington is superior to both cartridges so I wont be giving the 6.5's up any time soon :)
 
7mm-08

gitrdun said:
Holly smokes, nearly the same load as my daughter's. Excepting for the primers, hers used Federal 210 primers, otherwise identical. She shot her deer at 384 yds, same bullets. That 7-08 is just a great caliber.
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Out of my Prohunters 28 inch barrel my chosen load 139 gr interbond/varget and Federal Match chroni's at 3045 ft/s at the muzzle and shoots dimes out to 300 yds, the Rem 700 shoots the same load out of its 24 inch barrel at 2925 ft/s...both a flat shooting and hit like a Mac truck and very recoil friendly.

I went through the magnumitus, we all know shot placement kills not calibre and you could choose a .25, .277, .284 or a 6.5 and have a light recoil laser calibre that would allow anyone on the planet to place their shot because of the easy recoil levels but I love my .284. The problem is I love my .50 muzzle loader more so the 7mm-08 Rem sits in the safe except for those special days...:sniper:
 
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