So I got a 25-06 in a trade...

Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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...and I'm not sure what to do with it. :confused:





It's a Browning A-Bolt from the late 80's or early 90's. I don't have it in hand yet. The pics are from the guy I traded with. Now I've been told by numerous people that with proper shot placement, and premium bullets, a .243 can be used effectively on moose sized game. But others say ".264 is the smallest you should go." So, in your opinion, would a .257 with 120 grain premium bullets ( that is, if they shoot worth a damn out of the rifle) be suitable for game up to and including moose? I know a few guys who swear by the .257 Bob for everything up to/including moose and have been using them for the last 40 years. In theory, the 25-06 should work just fine. I just want to know the opinions of my fellow CGNers. For the record, I do have rifles more suitable for moose hunting so this will not be my only option when getting ready for a hunt. Just like to hear what you guys think. :cheers:
 
My first Moose, and now five in the family were shot with a 243. Moose are not particularly tough, a big body with a need for lots of oxygen. My experience is that punch them through the lungs and they dont go far. The 25-06 is a wonderful deer rifle, and like a 243 has a lot of limitations in taking on a Moose. The vast majority of Moose i have taken were at close range and either of those calibers would have done fine. For a teen or small framed person a 25-06 would be a recoil shy solution of a Moose rifle.Problem is that it is impossible to guarantee a short range near broadside shot. At any range beyond say 150 yards and for raking shots neither would be ideal, and could lead to a wounded animal escaping or a unethical death.

If you have access to a more powerful caliber that shoots a larger projectile, that would be better. Further if you are in the North, there are four legged hunters that might argue with you on ownership of the Moose. For them a 25-06 would again not be ideal.
 
A friend of mine has killed seven with a .25/06 and 100 grain Nosler Partitions, all one shot kills. But again he is an excellent marksman, not excitable and knows when to pass up a shot.
 
My son dropped a bull elk at 400 yards with a Hornady 120gr HP and it took out a rib entering and another exiting. It really shines with 115-120gr Partitions............Harold
 
I hunted with a 25.06 for about 20 years. For muleys and whitetails it simply does not get any better. Love this caliber! More one shot, DRT kills with this caliber than any other. Most of them with Federal Premium 117 gr. Sierra GameKings. Also excellent are the Fusion 120s.

IMHO, if you stick to premium bonded (Fusion is very good!) or monolithic bullets of 115 to 120 gr and you are a crack shot at bullet placement, the 25.06 will get it done. That said, it would not be my first choice for moose. Thing is, you don't get it done on the first round and wound one of these big heavy critters, is this caliber the one you want to be carrying for salvaging a situation gone awry???

Second consideration is, what else might you run into in typical moose country? Or, as the case may be, elk country. When I moved back to BC, here in the Kootenays, from eastern Alberta, I quickly came to realize that, having heard many tales of encounters, some of them with very bad results including death, my 25.06 was not the gun I wanted to be facing down a griz packing attitude. More and more of these encounters are the result of these bears considering a rifle shot as a dinner bell of sorts. Then there's the real possibility of stumbling onto a kill, or a bear on a gut pile left over from a kill. Couple years ago this happened not far from Cranbrook, and the hunter emptied his clip on a charging grizzly that finally hit the dirt pretty close to where he was standing. Doesn't happen often...but when it does, it can get seriously sketchy real fast! Friend of mine used to guide here, and he's had it happen three times. Another friend had griz come in within minutes of bringing down a mountain goat, resulting in a stand off at 30 yards for about 5 minutes until they finally scared the bear off with shots fired in his general direction. (Same fellow bugled a cougar to within about 30 yards one morning.) I also talked to fellow who was on a search and rescue team that went in to collect the remains of two hunters who were killed when tending to a downed elk...pretty grim stuff, to put it mildly.

FWIW.
 
Love the 25/06. Would I use it for moose. Personally No. Can it be done. Yes. I'm very confident it will bring down moose if bullet placement is in the heart or lungs. If it was my only rifle and my only moose hunt it would do but as a dedicated moose rifle I'd step up.
Many moose fall to the 270 and 3030. The 25/06 nips on the heels of the 270 and shoots a lot faster and flatter then the 3030

Know your limits and hunt within them
 
With 120gr Partitions it will do anything a .270 will do with 130gr Partitions....which in laymen's terms is just about everything.

Moose...my father shot his first moose with a .25-06 and factory Winchester "Positive Expanding Point" bullets. Killed the moose real dead.
 
Another yes vote from me. The 120 partition penetrates much better than I could have imagined. It's also a dandy deer and black bear cartridge. I have many moments of regret for selling off my two 25's :(
 
sir_springer said:
I hunted with a 25.06 for about 20 years. For muleys and whitetails it simply does not get any better. Love this caliber! More one shot, DRT kills with this caliber than any other. Most of them with Federal Premium 117 gr. Sierra GameKings. Also excellent are the Fusion 120s.

IMHO, if you stick to premium bonded (Fusion is very good!) or monolithic bullets of 115 to 120 gr and you are a crack shot at bullet placement, the 25.06 will get it done. That said, it would not be my first choice for moose. Thing is, you don't get it done on the first round and wound one of these big heavy critters, is this caliber the one you want to be carrying for salvaging a situation gone awry???

Second consideration is, what else might you run into in typical moose country? Or, as the case may be, elk country. When I moved back to BC, here in the Kootenays, from eastern Alberta, I quickly came to realize that, having heard many tales of encounters, some of them with very bad results including death, my 25.06 was not the gun I wanted to be facing down a griz packing attitude. More and more of these encounters are the result of these bears considering a rifle shot as a dinner bell of sorts. Then there's the real possibility of stumbling onto a kill, or a bear on a gut pile left over from a kill. Couple years ago this happened not far from Cranbrook, and the hunter emptied his clip on a charging grizzly that finally hit the dirt pretty close to where he was standing. Doesn't happen often...but when it does, it can get seriously sketchy real fast! Friend of mine used to guide here, and he's had it happen three times. Another friend had griz come in within minutes of bringing down a mountain goat, resulting in a stand off at 30 yards for about 5 minutes until they finally scared the bear off with shots fired in his general direction. (Same fellow bugled a cougar to within about 30 yards one morning.) I also talked to fellow who was on a search and rescue team that went in to collect the remains of two hunters who were killed when tending to a downed elk...pretty grim stuff, to put it mildly.

FWIW.
Click to expand...

That's a convincing enough story for me to want to carry something with some more punch in grizzly country!
 
Moose are very easy to kill. I know people who have used a 243 for moose but only take neck shots. I also know a few people who use a 25-06 for moose. I have shot one moose using a 25-06. a 110 gr accubond works good along with most tougher 120 grain bullets like hornady 117 gr bt, sierra 117 bt. or 120 grain partition. I haven't tried a 100 grain barnes on a moose, but It would offer plenty of penetration for a heart or lung shot
 
I should have been a little more clear I guess. There is very little chance I would use this rifle/cartridge set up in grizzly country as I'm in north eastern Ontario. We do have some big blackies but that's about it. I'm thinking of using this as a "Tree stand" sort of rifle when I might be encountering shots up to 300 yards. Thanks for the feedback guys. I received the rifle today and it looks very nice. :cheers:
 
25-06 is an awesome caliber.... I regret selling mine..... I sold it to fund a marlin in same caliber only to find it was sold and buddy didnt update his ad....

It is light for moose imop... but totally worth having.... like a 257 bob... you need one.... lol
 
In the meat hunting days, I mean the depression years, when families shot big game year around, a 250/3000 Savage was one of the calibres used. One fellow I later knew fed a large family throughout those years, with all the moose shot with his 250/3000 Savage.
 
H4831 said:
In the meat hunting days, I mean the depression years, when families shot big game year around, a 250/3000 Savage was one of the calibres used. One fellow I later knew fed a large family throughout those years, with all the moose shot with his 250/3000 Savage.
Click to expand...

This doesn't surprise me at all Bruce. Was it you who posted up the pictures of the lady who used to use a Savage 99 on grizzly's pretty much exclusively? I can't remember if it was you or Johnn who posted those. Also, can't remember if it was a 2500/3000 or a .22 Savage Hi-Power. The smaller cartridges sure can do quite a lot if a guy can shoot straight.

Thanks for the replies guys. I dated the rifle in question and it's an A-Bolt Composite Stalker from 1988. Feels nice in my hands. Rather light weight and in pretty good shape. I'm happy with the deal. Now I've got to find a scope and ammo for it. The scope should be easy. The ammo, well that might be a little trickier. :)
 
With correct shot placement the 26/06 is a good caliber. I prefer a larger caliber but everyone has there own preference.
 
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