Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 25-06 Performance on Elk & Moose?

I disagree with the logic. I used to use a .25-06 on deer and antelope and it was fine. A .30-06 would be an advantage on elk and moose because they are large, heavy boned animals. A .25-06 slug is smaller and not that much faster. If you have a .30-06 you are going backwards by rebarreling it to a .25-06.

The pics on this thread show a lot of deer and an elk calf.

I agree with NWO that a well placed shot with bullets that hold together from a .25-06 is better than a shot from a magnum caliber someone is afraid of.

Shot a 400+lb black bear with one running 117 gr Hornady RN. Did just fine. Not an elk but a black bear will bite back.

Well 3 more days and out for moose...hopefully I can report back on the performance or the 25-06 on a moose...

What bullet you going to use?

I had to go to the 100 grain TTSX in my 25-06 as it would not shoot partitions nearly as well.

Dink

Mine shoots the 115gr partition really well...

Some of my native friends from Alaska claim they kill the feared Big Bear with a 223 all the time.

When I explain that most lower 48 hunters shrivel in fear and mention large caliber magnums when the Big Bear is mentioned they just lauph and tell the story of the hunter who tried to kill a Big Bear that charged him with a 300 weatherby mag and got mauled to death because he shot the bear square in the chest.

A 223 loaded with a Barnes and a Brain shot would have ended that Bear in a hurry.

A 25/06 loaded properly would make brain mush out of the largest of Big Bears.

And it most certainly will easily take anything here in the lower 48




Shod

Just curious. How many charging bears have you brained?

One in Alaska a little over 20 years ago. Bear first come into my tent around 3 am as I left the door zipped open and I woke up stairing it right in the face. Bear payed me no mind and rooted around my tent and then headed out the door. I got up and went out the door with rifle in hand and fired a shot in the air to scare the Bear out of camp. When I did so the Bear Charged instead of running and the next shot was between the eyes at about 7 ft.

How about you?




Shod

I havent brained any because only idiots carry girl rifles and bank their lives on head shots.

Where do you shoot a charging Bear?


Shod

A Mod70 Super Grade .25-06 now your talkin...ScottyO.

Not extensive experience but I've used it with a 120gr Hornady HP on a big cow with the same results as anything bigger. One shot, quartering forward, in front of shoulder, exit back by the last couple ribs.

Also a spike with a .257 Roberts with a Nosler Partition. (120gr I think). Worked fine.

Neither were long range, but placment is most of the battle.

With the bullets available I think the .25-06 is fine.

Where I hunt sometimes dumping them and sacrificing some meat is better than following blood. So shooting the shoulder high is preferable. I do like using my .338WM though. I don't hesitate to shoot for fear of poor placement. It'll crush through bone, spine, stem to stern.

I hunt with a sharp stick way more than rifles.

My first rifle was a 25-06. Shot everything with it from fox to elk. Had nor problem with dropping an elk. None.

Friend had a 243 built for his wife last year. She had 2 tags. I know she dropped her bull with it, no problem. Can't remember if she got her cow.

I'm with the guy who stated, if you shoot it well, it's worlds better than a big rifle that you don't shoot as well.

So U recommend a high shoulder shot on a moose? I was going to go for a heart/lung shot and maxing my distance to 300yrds.

I wish you great success on your hunt. I would stay away from large bones especially on big bull moose.
My experience with the 25-06 back when I lived in Maine in the mid-80's and shooting a big Maine whitetail in the shoulder with a 115gr Nosler Partition. It killed the buck...but when I went looking for the bullet all I found where frag pieces throughout the lungs. Shot was approx 50 yards running quartering towards me. Sample of one! But I'd stay away from the big bones. I've also shot two moose, with stick & string, I know how much larger their bones are compared to a deer.

I think your thought of lung/heart area would be a better choice.

I've watched more tip over thanks to the 223 actually, and that was pre-Barnes/monos for it. 55 ball ammo works on bears too.

Then again, go check the Alaska section and the shot Mart had - which he took very successfully, with a 400 Whelen; not my cup of tea with the smaller bore rifles. (I wasn't all that thoroughly impressed with the way any of the 4 Partitions and A-frames worked on a bull moose I shot broadside with a 6.5x55 a number of years ago either.)

It was kind of interesting to see the the former AR infatuation which one fellow had, revert (again) to 300 mags for general use.

I've used a 2506 on four moose,several caribou, and a lot of deer just use a 110 gr. accubond or a 115 gr. partition and you will be all set.

Absolutely correct in heart/lung. Put the bullet through the lungs; stay away from shots which might be somewhat challenging for the bullet. Higher shots will more likely not leave much/any blood if you need to follow at all.

Thanks guys!

I have put 100 grain 25 cal partition threw couple feet of deer spine, destroyed both shoulder blades and spine between between them and exit, 'via 257 rob and a 25-06' To break that much bone on deer and still exit I have no hesitation for use on elk. Things could only get better with the heavier partitions in 25 cal rifles

I DO take my 25 cal rifles on elk hunts, no qualms. But like other rifle loons, I have other calibers to use also... I just have not found an elk to run a 25 cal bullet into yet.

Elk and moose are a little thicker on everything bone, hide, muscle. With 25 cal 100 gr partition, one may not get complete penetration, But I know without a doubt the shot will be precisely and leathally placed do to the easy shoot-ability of rifles chambered in that caliber.

Tanner summed it up best, shot placement first. The rest kinda falls into place.