looking at getting a 25-06

shaun22/250

Well-Known Member
Hi looking for some advice really, Currently I have a .270 for deer and a 22-250 for foxing its also conditioned for Munty and CWD. The .270 is great for Fallow bucks and will be fine for Sika and Reds also the occasional wild boar. But to be honest its a bit harsh on Roe. Its not a problem and can live with it but I have an empty slot so was thinking of a variation for a 25-06 and the "good reason^ would be that the .270 is too harsh for roe. So please I don't want to get into discussions on the .270 and shot placement verses meat damage etc just some advice on an intermediate caliber. I used a 25-06 last weekend and found it nice to shoot so was thinking along those lines but my mate said why not 243? I don't home load but ammo cost isn't a great issue its not like I will chucking hundreds of rounds down a range. Any comments regarding good /bad points of this calibre will be gratefully received.
 
I am currently considering .243 or .25-06 to replcae .223 as fox rifle and back up to .308(main deer rifle)..............so...:popcorn:
 
It's a great calibre mate. Above 50 metres you're not going to have any problems at all regarding meat damage. It can be a little harsh below 50 metres so I neck shoot them when close if I can. However factory ammo is nearly twice the price of .243 and there are a lot more .243's for sale so you're probably going to save a few quid there as well. If I wanted a rifle for roe and smaller and I didn't home load then I would get the .243 every day. However, the 25-06 wins as a one stop shop and is more than capable of taking deer at long range too if required. It will also take everything minus wild boar with ease.
Hope that helps?
Baguio
 
Would a 25-06 117gr doing 3000fps not make more mess than a 150gr 270 round doing 2850?


if you dont homeload you are stuck with factory speeds which are brisk to say the least in 25-06
(90-100gr 25-06 is up round the 32-3300fps IIRC, that sounds really messy!)

I don't run my 270 130gr loads at factory speeds and you could go even smoother on the carcase damage by upping the weight past 150gr and staying around the

the 25-06 seems quite close to the 270 when your bullet range is 90-120gr and factory speeds of 3000-3300fps

.243 might be a better factory ammo gap fill between those two (100gr factory ammo does the job without mess as is at the limit of the cartridges velocity.

but its your rifle, if you like it and it serves a purpose get one
 
Have you considered the 6.5 x55 nice inbetween I got from my 308 ....6.5 ....22/250
​norma
 
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I use a 25-06 and for everything and love it.

I have shot roe deer from 20 yds out to just over 300 yds with it and it gets the job done very well. My rifle is due for a new barrel as it will now only shoots 100 grain NBT's which are mustard at long range but can do a lot of of damage on boiler house shots at close range. For any shot under 60 yds I now neck shoot when ever possible.

​Rick
 
Any experienced FEO would raise an eyebrow to any nonsense that a 25-06 is going to be less harsh on roe than a 270! Especially as you can get 270 ammunition with a 150 grain bullet at about 2,850fps.

I have a friend with a 25-06 and he thinks it the best thing since sliced bread even though he also has a 308 and a 243. Me? I can't see exactly what it does that the 270 WCF doesn't already do with bullets over 100 grains and with bullets of 100 grains or under what the 243 Winchester doesn't do.

If you like it get it. Personally to do less damage to roe I'd suggest maybe a 6.5 Swedish or maybe one of the classic calibres such as 7x57 or 8x57?

I think that BEWSHER is pretty much spot on with his comments too. In fact maybe better put that mine.
 
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I use a 25-06 and for everything and love it.

I have shot roe deer from 20 yds out to just over 300 yds with it and it gets the job done very well. My rifle is due for a new barrel as it will now only shoots 100 grain NBT's which are mustard at long range but can do a lot of of damage on boiler house shots at close range. For any shot under 60 yds I now neck shoot when ever possible.

​Rick
do you know roughly how many round before the barrel started to go?
 
or a cheeky .250-3000 savage would be a good middle ground. not cheap or easy to build or load for, but undoubtedly 'special'. Of course, rather close to the Bob, but just a tad 'more' dare I say.
 
I have got a .25-06 and it's been good to use on everything from muntjac to red hinds. I have never used anything less than 115g bullets and never use ballistic tips (meat damage!) but with the right ammo it is kind enough on the meat and has plenty of knock down.

However I'm beginning to consider changing it for a 6.5x55, which I wouldn't see as too similar to a .308 (which I also use).

Although the .25-06 has been good to me I have never needed the flatter trajectory. The extra velocity doesn't necessarily give better accuracy (my .308 shoots better than the .25-06 and they are the same make and model of rifle). The bullet choice, availability and price is definitely a down side. Even on hinds some stalkers will grumble about .25-06's not being very good - I'm guessing that could be linked to the use of smaller ballistic tipped bullets? (I'm not saying they are right but I've heard it from more than one).

I hope this helps! I don't want to betray my faithful .25-06 but that is what I have experienced having used one for the last 12 years.
 
Hi mate, same as above .. the 25-06 is really quite similar to the .270 in many
respects . . I've shot a lot of roe with it and in my experience its not too forgiving
on the meat saving front .. lots of bruising and quite a bit of damage.
Hence i'm now shooting all my roe with a .222

How about down loading a nice stout 150 grain bullet in your .270?



Sorry just noticed you don't reload.
 
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This link will be no good for you then...
http://www.rmacleod.co.uk/ammo.htm

that link is no good to anyone as the .270 button doesn't work! :D

intrigued that so many people above compare the 25-06 and 270 as "too close/similar to the 308"

I cant see that myself
308 normally chucks anything from 150-200gr (less if you consider the 110gr options) at speeds between 2600-2800fps
25-06 and 270 normally shoot anything between 90gr and 120gr (150gr for 270) at speeds up to 3400fps

308 has up to 50+% more drop than either of the others at ranges out past 200yds
 
that link is no good to anyone as the .270 button doesn't work! :D intrigued that so many people above compare the 25-06 and 270 as "too close/similar to the 308" I cant see that myself 308 normally chucks anything from 150-200gr (less if you consider the 110gr options) at speeds between 2600-2800fps 25-06 and 270 normally shoot anything between 90gr and 120gr (150gr for 270) at speeds up to 3400fps 308 has up to 50+% more drop than either of the others at ranges out past 200yds


My comment on being too close to the .308 was in useage terms ie what you would use it for compared to cost,recoil etc,the 25-06 could perform genarally as well as .308 with exception of Boar and perhaps a long range Stag and such like,the OP and I are looking for a deer legal calibre(England) to replace 22/250 or .223(non deer legal) to act as a spare(?) and foxing calibre....thats why i feel .243 is the tool so far at least....
 
Well phoned my local RFD today and he only stocks winchester 115gn balistic silver tips and 100gn privi partizan soft points so a limited choice. So maybe leaning more now towards the .243. I dont intend to get rid of my 22-250 so between the 22-250, .243 and .270 I should have all the bases covered.
 
do you know roughly how many round before the barrel started to go?

At a rough tot up I've put just over 2000 rounds through it, although I said it won't shoot anything but 100 grain Nosler ballistic tips it does still shoot then quite well grouping 1.25" to 1.5" at 100 meters which is plenty good enough for deer and fox. My new pacnor 1 in 9 twist barrel has arrived from the States but I'm leaving it for another couple of hundred rounds before I get it done.

Rick
 
Here in the US the .25 06' is semi popular but over shadowed by the .30 06' and the .270. The .25 06 is an excellent caliber for thin skinned game like whitetail deer and antelope here in the US. The trajectory is excellent for shooting across corn or soybean fields 300 yards +. My brother-in-law hunts with the .25 06. I personally like the .308 for ammo availability and it's likeness to the .30 06 without the kick.
 
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