Sorry, meant 30.06.
.25-06 vs .270
- Thread starter dpaterson
- Start date
They'll both do the same thing.
.270 is a bit more powerful and there were lots of 2nd hand ones to choose from when I bought mine.
.270 is a bit more powerful and there were lots of 2nd hand ones to choose from when I bought mine.
If limited to one rifle, and not using a lot at a range, I'd go for the 270. (long sessions at the range with a 270 and you'd be wanting good dental insurance)
If two rifles, 25-06 and a 7mm/ 30 cal. 7x57 being the best of course, and would do all you need it to if you weren't limiting yourself to 'just' the 25-06 and 270
If two rifles, 25-06 and a 7mm/ 30 cal. 7x57 being the best of course, and would do all you need it to if you weren't limiting yourself to 'just' the 25-06 and 270
Given the OP choice, I would choose 270W. It is the smallest calibre sub .30 that is seen as suitable for all UK quarry. There are lots of them and therefore ammo and components are readily available. It can be loaded from 90-160gr, giving a wide range of shooting options - 90gr at 3600fps is a fantastic foxing round through to 150+gr at 2850 giving real punch and knockdown on boar. I shoot 270 on all UK deer - and perhaps odd to some prefer the heavier, slower bullet for roe and muntjac. I see it as a more all-round calibre than the 25-06 - but this may well be personal bias.
dpaterson, I think you've already got the ideal calibre for reds on the hill.
The .243 is a very very effective round for reds... I've gone back to it after 15 years using all manner of other short and long action calibres and I honestly don't know why I didn't stick with it... probably just curiosity to try out other stuff. But as soon as I started knocking over reds with the cheap and cheerful Howa .243 last year I felt it was going to become the go to rifle above all others.
I've done for 9 reds, about 2 dozen small to medium pigs and a gazzillion goats in the last 10 days, all with the .243. All the deer were taken in the 200-300m range. Its mild manners with the suppressor, superb 6mm accuracy, velocity and energy of the 90-100gr pills, whats not to like? You certainly won't gain a noticeable improvement with a .25-06, IMO, and whilst the .270 certainly packs more punch and like the .25-06 is a great calibre for medium game, its not going to make the deer any more dead. And I've never seen a .270 shooter out shoot a 6mm accuracy wise.
Its a fact that many (most) of the well known professional shooters in the old Forestry NZ days from the 60s through the 70s started with the .303s and 7x57s, then caught the .222 bug before becoming contract killers needing the tails to get paid, so they sold the .222s and all bought Sako Forester .243s which came to be regarded as the finest open country deer cartridge of the lot.
Red hind taken at 300m exactly, .243, two days ago. I'd love your Steyr .243 mate!
View attachment 85619
The .243 is a very very effective round for reds... I've gone back to it after 15 years using all manner of other short and long action calibres and I honestly don't know why I didn't stick with it... probably just curiosity to try out other stuff. But as soon as I started knocking over reds with the cheap and cheerful Howa .243 last year I felt it was going to become the go to rifle above all others.
I've done for 9 reds, about 2 dozen small to medium pigs and a gazzillion goats in the last 10 days, all with the .243. All the deer were taken in the 200-300m range. Its mild manners with the suppressor, superb 6mm accuracy, velocity and energy of the 90-100gr pills, whats not to like? You certainly won't gain a noticeable improvement with a .25-06, IMO, and whilst the .270 certainly packs more punch and like the .25-06 is a great calibre for medium game, its not going to make the deer any more dead. And I've never seen a .270 shooter out shoot a 6mm accuracy wise.
Its a fact that many (most) of the well known professional shooters in the old Forestry NZ days from the 60s through the 70s started with the .303s and 7x57s, then caught the .222 bug before becoming contract killers needing the tails to get paid, so they sold the .222s and all bought Sako Forester .243s which came to be regarded as the finest open country deer cartridge of the lot.
Red hind taken at 300m exactly, .243, two days ago. I'd love your Steyr .243 mate!
View attachment 85619
deerwarden
Well-Known Member
I started with a 243 and still have it and lots of 105gn round nose bullets, went on to a 7x57, and still have it as well, took a large kudo bull in S.A. with it. My goto rifle is a Sauer 202 in 270 win, it has been to Africa 4 times and never failed me on plainsgame there or reds on the hill here. If I had to keep only one rifle, it would be the 270 as the the ammo is readily available worldwide, and in the UK. deerwarden
Sierra Prohunter 100gr #1540
If the Prohunter strikes a shoulder blade (inbound or outbound) it is unlikely to exit at the ranges I shoot. If not, then a good open exit wound with copious blood will result, as in the photo above. This one made about 20m before expiring in a heap.
An inbound shoulder strike with the 6mm Prohunter on a fast load of 2209 (3000fps) delivers a mortal blow to a red deer, very fast killing.
Perfect. Exactly what I'm using in the 6mm Lapua. Great on Fallow, good to hear they work well on Reds too. I'm running them at just over 3100 fps.
243 fallow
Well-Known Member
I just happen to be looking at two reloading manuals and can confirm there is 8 different bullet weights for both calibres,obviously the 270 has the higher end bullet weights due to it being a larger calibre, I never did try 90 or 100grns in my 270 but was told by some well informed reloaders that the 90grns don't work to well,I would imagine there not a lot in it between a 120grn 2506 and a 130grn 270, I'll just wait for the copy and pasters to get to work, you know the 2506 is the best !!
big ears
Well-Known Member
If you want a good all rounder sub 30cal then a 6.5x55 is hard to beat. 120's for the smaller stuff and 140s for the bigger ones although I tend to just use 140s now. The 25-06 is a very capable cartridge and will do everything but on big stags may just be at it's limit. I would however give serious thought to its big brother the 30-06. The difference between a 270 and the 06 is negligible (although many claim differently) and it does give you the advantage of 165-180gr bullets should you go after boar or visit another continent. The 270 will do this but is the minimum calibre so is a bit like the 243 for deer in that respect. Depends what you do most. If it's small stuff with occasional reds then 25-06/6.5x55 if it's reds with a bit of roe etc then go bigger 270/30-06.
deeangeo
Well-Known Member
The .25-06 certainly takes care of big red stags, including in the rut. It's definitely not at it's limit and gives excellent confidence taking deer at extended range when the need arises.
Brilliant on reds & sika ensuring a powerful punch.
The 100gn Sierra Prohunter works well on hinds and the 110gn AB stops the stags easily. Also very versatile taking smaller deer using a heavy bullet.
There is no quarry in the UK that this cartridge cannot deal with.
The .25-06 with only slightly heavier recoil than a .243 packs far more punch with a 100gn bullet leaving the muzzle @ around 3300fps and the 110gn @ 3130fps and you easily see the effect of impact due to low recoil movement.
I've been using .25-06 for sixteen years and it's never failed. It's certainly flat shooting and hard hitting.
That's not to say a .270 or .30 cal. cannot do the job perfectly satisfactorily, or may even be desirable.
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big ears
Well-Known Member
Thanks deeangeo. My comment only comes from a guide who although ok about using a 25-06 he commented that with big stags at range they often ran a fair bit. I have a couple of friends who shoot 25-06 and love them. For me I'm a 6.5x55 man but am developing a love for the 30-06! All you say about the 25-06 is the same with the 6.5 with also the advantage of barrel life. 140gr at 2700fps sighted at 1.5" at 100m is 2" down at 200m, and carries the same energy out to 300m as a 165gr 30 cal. That's flat enough and hard hitting enough for me.
The Colonel
Active Member
Unless you use an SST like I did....Still we live and learn
[/QUOTE]
At least once you've used an SST you realise that it stands for "seriously shagged target" - I have never seen meat damage like it with anything else ! Its like a team of hoodie smurfs with razors blades climbed in the carcass and had a party !!
[/QUOTE]At least once you've used an SST you realise that it stands for "seriously shagged target" - I have never seen meat damage like it with anything else ! Its like a team of hoodie smurfs with razors blades climbed in the carcass and had a party !!
At least once you've used an SST you realise that it stands for "seriously shagged target" - I have never seen meat damage like it with anything else ! Its like a team of hoodie smurfs with razors blades climbed in the carcass and had a party !![/QUOTE]Unless you use an SST like I did....Still we live and learn
Fantastic for head shooting though. Like firing a hand grenade with brilliant accuracy.
Fantastic for head shooting though. Like firing a hand grenade with brilliant accuracy.[/QUOTE]
A bit further back and gralloch soup!
