.25-06 vs 7mm .08? Which to buy?

Twisted Canuck

Twisted Canuck

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
124   0   0
Location
Alberta
Hi all, fairly new around here but I'm not shy.....I have a question, looking for all the strong opinions I can get around here!:D

I am looking at buying a new calibre for my gun safe, at first I was looking at a .25-06 and pretty much made up my mind on it. Then a sales guy at the local shop kinda got me looking at the 7mm .08, which he traded his .25-06 in for, and that he strongly swears by.....I was going to be using this as sort of a multi purpose gun. A varmint unit for myself, with a lighter gr. round, and a first deer rifle for my son/wife (if I can talk her into going out hunting with me). Obviously they are both smaller, so I'm looking for a decent stopper without too much kick on the operator end. And of course, something I can have fun shooting 'yotes with.

Blaze away, but please don't introduce other calibres into the conversation, as I confuse easily...and really, I want to stick with a readily available, tried and proven factory cartridge like these two, particularily as I don't reload my own (yet). Life is too busy with a business, five kids, one in hockey, three that are teenage girls, to reload right now. Its all I can do to brew my own wine:D..... As an aside, I kinda lean towards the shorter action .08 as opposed to the .06, but like the 'zippier' .06 round (3700 fps with a 75 gr round? is this real?).....thanks for all your input in advance.
 
I'd go with the 25-06.
IMHO the 7 oh 8 is a better deer caliber but the o6 is a better combo caliber.
Alot depends on the shooter however.
My wife wouldn't last too long shooting prairie dogs or doing long strings of paper punching at the range with a 7 oh 8.
She can shoot my dads 25-06 untill we run out of ammo for it though.
Hope this helps.
Eric
 
I also debated these two calibers. I finally settled on the 25/06. For the same reasons stated above. Kids/wife shooting, dual purpose (deer/coyotes), accessible ammunition, and I just felt the 7mm/08 overlapped my .308 too much. I also heard that a 25/06 could be used on larger game in a pinch.

Good luck, and only you can make the decision in the end.
 
The 25-06 shoots flatter,and makes a better varmint cartridge,and is just about the perfect deer cartridge.On the other hand,the 7mm-08 works better for larger game,like moose or elk.

My wife wouldn't last too long shooting prairie dogs or doing long strings of paper punching at the range with a 7 oh 8.
She can shoot my dads 25-06 untill we run out of ammo for it though.
Click to expand...

Apparently you haven't fired a 7mm-08 in the same rifle as your 25-06.In the same rifle,the recoil of the 7mm-08 will be no more than the 25-06.
 
jkc said:
I also debated these two calibers. I finally settled on the 25/06. For the same reasons stated above. Kids/wife shooting, dual purpose (deer/coyotes), accessible ammunition, and I just felt the 7mm/08 overlapped my .308 too much. I also heard that a 25/06 could be used on larger game in a pinch.

Good luck, and only you can make the decision in the end.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input everyone....jkc, the point you make above is kinda the one that has been my thought as well, the overlap. I currently do all my hunting with my trusty Remington 788 in .308 and wouldn't trade it. It will eat 150 gr, 165, or 180 equally well, very nice grouping. I tend to stick with my 180s though. It does seem that the 7 mm is a little 'close' to the .308 ballistically speaking, and the flatter .25-06 at higher velocity for varmints is a big draw...

Maybe I should just do the smart thing and get one of each. :)
 
If you are mainly looking at varminting, then the 25-06 gets the nod, especially if you don't hunt big game or you already own a big game rifle.

If this will be your primary big game hunting rig, then the salesman is correct and the 7-08 would probably be a better choice.

Now a Little Shot of Reality: using decent bullets for the task at hand you won't be able to tell the difference under 99% of circumstances. If you screw up a shot with a 25-06 it would have been just as screwed up with the 7-08.
 
More guns is always the best way to go IMO! :)

I've been weighing .243 and 7-08 for my next gun actually so I thought I would weigh in. The 25-06 was under consideration too for a while, but then I took it out of the equation because I just like the bigger bullets in 7mm overall. While I agree it is close to the 308, I have to point out that isn't a negative thing since the 308 is a great all arounder and so is the 7mm.
Personally I'm about 99% sold on the 7-08 for my next one. I tend to like short actions in general though, so I'm biased.
 
According to the tables, with a Hornady 117 gr BTSP, at 400 yrds you still have 2096 fps and 1141 pounds of energy. Assuming a minimal 1000 pounds for deer size animals, that is still a longer shot than most of us should be taking. Great for pronghorn too...if you carry it to 500 yards you still have 938 pounds which while marginal would still get the job done. Of course, this presupposes good shot placement. Tables are here:

http://www.shootingtimes.com/ballistics/25_06_remington.html
 
I have shot right through a good sized whitetail at 400 yards with the 110 gr accubond out of my 25-06,no bullet recovery on a broadside shot.Good enough for me.
 
I guess I'll need to start passing the cup for donations if I get both....OK boys, pony up!:D

I think I'm going to go ahead and get the .25-06, it fits in nicely between my .308 and the .17 hmr......too bad its not the shorter action, but I can live with that. Thanks for everyone's input.

TC
 
Consider a .257 Roberts, same diameter. It is available in a short action and it just on the heels of the .25-06. It is a great loading for beginning and recoil/blast sensitive shooters. It is no whimp though and many use it as a primary deer rifle.
 
Of those two
- Dual purpose varmint/deer - .25-06
- if I factored the varminting out of serious consideration, definately 7mm-08

(personally, if it was mainly deer and a bit of varmint, 25-06, but with more varmint than deer, .243 for sure)
 
Wild_Thing said:
Consider a .257 Roberts, same diameter. It is available in a short action and it just on the heels of the .25-06. It is a great loading for beginning and recoil/blast sensitive shooters. It is no whimp though and many use it as a primary deer rifle.
Click to expand...

the roberts does not fit into true short actions,so in most cases the 25-06 offers more in the same package. go with the 25.
 
Wild_Thing said:
Consider a .257 Roberts, same diameter. It is available in a short action and it just on the heels of the .25-06. It is a great loading for beginning and recoil/blast sensitive shooters. It is no whimp though and many use it as a primary deer rifle.
Click to expand...

You missed that part in my first post about how I confuse easily.....:D

Actaully, I did look at the Roberts at the time I was looking at the .25-06, and opted for the longer action for the zippier round at that time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom