Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What is a 25-06 good for? Which one to buy?

I was recently given several boxes of ammo and dies for a 25-06. My first inclination was to give them to my son in law but then I thought that this is a perfect excuse to buy a rifle. I own a couple of 243's and a very accurate 7mm Rem Mag but nothing in between so this would fill a gap. One of these days I want to hunt antelope, deer and coyotes here are good targets but the 243 probably coves that. Do I need a 25-06?

In my budget there is a Howa and a TC Venture on gunbroker right now and I have a lonely 3-9x40 Conquest in the closet - any good advice appreciated.

You've come to the wrong place if you're looking for a genuinely practical reason. I think everyone here will agree the best reason to get another rifle is

a)it's there

That's reason enough.

Thanks Dale,

I realize that this isn't the PETA forum and I'm not looking to be talked out of a new rifle but I do need a little push. The 25-06 is something I looked at a few years ago before I owned dies and ammo. It looks like the 308 of quarter bores, practical and efficient not terribly exciting. Ive only shot one and it was pleasant and accurate but I didn't want to run out and buy one.

It would be nice to hear that they are fantastic underrated guns and that it would be foolish to keep going through life wiithout owning one.

Nothing you can do with a 25-06 that the 243 does just as well if not better.

A .25-06 has traditionally been one of the best choices for a dual-purpose rifle (light varminting to deer).

Longer reach than your .243, less recoil than your 7mm RM. A decade ago I was at a gunshow where I sold a shot-out Savage 110e .22-50 and was leaving to go to Sportsman's Warehouse to buy a .25-06 when I literally bumped into a guy with a .257 Roberts for sale. Bought the .257 Roberts for a great price and it has been my favorite rifle ever since and lots of p-dogs and coyotes have met their maker because of it. Daughters love to shoot it and two have taken their first big game animals (antelope) with it - as has a nephew. Have taken some antelope with it myself.

A few years back I met a man and his 13-14 year-old daughter while elk hunting. She had taken a very nice bull elk and mulie buck with a .25-06 and 117g bullets, both one-shot affairs.

If I didn't have the .257 Roberts I would have a .25-06 and, like you, I already have a .243 and a 7mm RM.

Don't let anyone talk you out of the 25-06 because you already have a 243. Is there some overlap? Sure, but where the 25-06 out classes the 243 is when it comes to shooting heavy bullets at higher velocities. Before anyone gets their panties in a wad, I'm talking hunting bullets, i.e-120 Partition, 115 TSX, etc.(not target bullets from an 8 twist 243!) On the other end, the 06 will sling a 75 or 80gr bullet at close to 3700 fps, which is an absolute hammer on varmits. Fact is, at practical hunting ranges under 400 yards, the 06 will put more energy on the target than a 243. Also, if you don't handload the 25-06 has an even greater advantage.

All that being said, if you buy the 25-06 and don't like it, you can always have it re-barreled to a 6-06 with a fast twist. It's about the easiest wildcat conversion on the planet from a 25-06 donor. All you need are dies. You'll already have the brass and a gun that'll feed the rounds like butter. Not to mention a cartridge capable of some wayyyy out there capabilities utilizing the heavy, high BC, 6MM bullets.

The 25/06 with a 120 grain bullet is real close to a 130 in a 270 win. On the other end a 100 bullet in the 25/06 exceeds the 243 buy several 100 fps. Hasbeen

I'm trying the 80ttsx in my 25/06 this yr. Figured I would try it for both deer and coyotes. It has done fine on two small deer, one was at just a hair under 300yds and the other at about 150yds. No dogs yet

My first centerfire bolt action rifle was a Remington 700 BDL 25-06. With it I shot many woodchucks and some deer. Some years later I sold it and bought a 243. The 243 was nearly as effective on varmints, but a less powerful big game rifle. The 120 grain bullet at 3,100 fps in the 25-06 brought it close to a 270 in power. However, noise and muzzle blast are correspondingly greater.

Here in the northeast I really don't miss the 25-06 - I have a 257 Roberts and two 250-3000s!

I heartily recommend the 25-06. It's a great - and very accurate - round.

I get 3300+ fps with 100g Barnes TSX out of my Tikka 695. I have a buddy that swears by the 110g NAB in his. Hear great things about the 100g NBT and Hornady 100g SP too.

Of course you need a 25-06, what a silly question. It is a bit of an overbore cartridge though, I think it would probably appreciate a 24" barrel.

Since you have a 243, you don't need a 25-06, but if you want one, you should buy one, no other justification is required.

I don't need a 25-06, but I have 3 of them and I'm planning to buy a fourth from Whittaker's as soon as the rifle that I want arrives in Owensboro, KY.

you're asking THIS bunch of enablers if you 'need' a 25-06?

OF COURSE you do! I currently have 2 in my stable (along with 3-243's). By many folk's standards both barrels are 'shot out' with one having more than 3000 rounds through it and the other over 2000 rounds down it's pipe. But both still print itty-bitty groups with the 110 AB.
I used one of them to take my first two elk way back when. Both DRT shots with the 120 partition. I also used one of them to take my longest shot on a game animal - 657 yards with a 120 gr Speer BT.
Numerous coyotes and coy-dogs have fallen to them using either the aforementioned Speer bullet or a 100 gr load.
By reloading for it, you can really tailor make rounds for just about any use.
The light recoil with a 22" barreled rifle is the stuff that let's you spend an entire day at the range really getting to know your new rifle! Heck, one of them holds my 'best target ever' ranking (.497 outside to outside/ .240 inside measurement) to this date. Only rivaled by my 6.5 Sweede's .33 group.
Accurate, light recoil, easy to load for, plenty of factory fodder, great brass availability (you can make it from 270 brass)lots of great hunting bullets, what other reason could you need to go get another rifle? Besides, that conquest is going to feel like you don't like her!

Pretty much sums it up nicely. Buy one its a great cartridge for smacking deer as far as most people have any reason to shoot.

.25-06 is a great caliber. Comparing it to a .243 is like comparing a Chesapeake to a Lab.

I can recall years ago, at the original Dick's Clothing and Sporting Goods (on Court Street in Binghampton, when they were a great LGS, before they went "big box") the kid behind the gun counter trying to sell an older guy a No. 1 Ruger in .25-06. "This is a great road hunting gun," he said, gushing with enthusiasm, "with this rifle you can kill a deer as far away as you can see it." I was fairly young myself, at the time, but old enough to know the kid was FOS.

The biggest reason for buying a 25-06 is so you can say you've got a quarter bore. I've got a 243..... meh, I've got a quarter bore..... hmmmm.

It's based on a 1906 case, can shoot 75gr varmint loads or 120gr partitions, 110gr Accubonds around 3200fps. Prairie dogs to elk, people been using them since the 60's I believe, and most guys that have them seem to love them, not to mention they're suitable for men, women, and children. If it were me, I'd get one.

"It would be nice to hear that they are fantastic underrated guns and that it would be foolish to keep going through life wiithout owning one."

In addition to those obvious truths, there are some good BC's out there now for the quarter bore, making it even better than it was 20-30 years ago. Don't impede it with a short bbl, get a 24-26" version.

Ok I'm convinced that the gift of ammunition dies and bullets is a sign that means that I need a 25-06. What clearer sign than my wife saying do you want that rifle as a Christmas present.

Whittaker's has a Howa for under $350 as does gunbroker and a TC venture for the same price. I've shot both and would lean towards the Howa unfortunately both are 22" barrels but either makes a nice walking Varmint rifle or deer gun.

I like them better than any other budget rifles from Savage and don't know anything about a Mossberg Patriots.

Anything I'm missing or just buy the Howa?

Funnier than fhuqk,how DUMB Fhuqk's fixate FLUFF and get giddy about everything that does NOT make a fhuqking schit!

The 25-06,is no different than any other .257" chambering and simply fhuqking sucks,due it's projectiles. Bullets ALWAYS matter farrrrrrrrrr more than headstamps. Hint.

Nice to see "overbore" too. Laughing!

EVERY .257" bullet thus far cited,is a whopping turd and a Plain Jane Vanilla 243Win 700 or RAR with a 22" spout,will bitch slap it into next fhuqking week.

.257" 100TSX at 3350fps? Big Fhuqking Deal.

Assumin' 1.75" sight height(6x MQ in the saddle) and a 250yd zero. That bullet drops 13.4" at 400yds,drifts even more than that in a 10mph full value at 14.6" and arrives the scene at 2221fps. 600yds is 57.4" drop,36.7" drift and 1753fps. 1000yds is 313" drop,129" drift and 1101fps.

A "lowly" 22" 700 243Win will squirt a 105 Hornie HPBT at 3050fps and when zero'd same,do the followin'. Drifts CONSIDERABLY less at 3.7"(think percentages) and arrives the 250yd line only 14 fhuqking fps slower. At 400yds it drops less than halfa fhuqking inch more,drifts but 9.8" and arrives better than 125fps faster. Down at the 600yd line,it drops 2.5" less,drifts over a foot less at 23.6" and arrives better than 275fps faster at 2032fps. The 1000yd line do the Quarterbore's ZERO fhuqking favors,as the ittty-bitty 243Win Factory Rifle drops over 5 FEET less at 251" and drifts 4 FEET less at 76.2" and "only" arrives the scene 388fps faster.

The rifle is better balanced,better handling,lesser weight,lesser length,recoils less,is cheaper to shoot,not as loud and will reliably out-Agg same too...if only for fhuqking starters. Hint.

The AB's,NPT's,Speer and Hornie dogschit thus far "espoused" in .257",only paints a more grim extrapolation and muchly sweetens the 243Win's gross advantages,even further. Re-hint.

'Course I may or may not shoot a herd of 8" and faster twist 6mm's too and prolly have seen a .257" bore size or two to boot. Re-re-hint.

VERY much enjoyed the 650yd+ 25-06 "advantages" ala 120gr Speer SPBT. FUNNY schit!

Zero'd as above,that bullet drops more at 650yds(5-inches),drifts more(7-inches),arrives the scene 166fps slower and arrives with 40 ft lbs LESS "energy" for Drooling Dumbfhuqks who factor Fluff.

As an aside...I'm fairly certain a Vanilla 243Win SALAMI will murder schit just fine,inside the 650yd line too. 'Nother hint. Hint.

The only stupid fhuqking thing for Dumbfhuqks left to say,is to use a long barrel.

Oopsie...too fhuqking late!!

Laughing!

People crack me the fhuqk up and it ain't ever been tough to cypher who shoots and who don't.

Hint.

Though in "fairness" I "only" shoot 270,6BR,XC,243,243AI,6mmRem,6mmRemAI,6-284,6-06 and 6-06AI. As Quarterbores go,"only" Bob,Better Bob,25-284,25-06,25-06AI and 257Wby.

The 25's simply cain't hang with the 243's,due boolits.

You've been led to water and have been missing it ALL.

HINT.

Thank me later...................

The 25-06 is better on game such as deer and antelope than the 243 or 6mm. I think with a heavily constructed bullet or perhaps a Nosler partition at 120 grains it would be OK for elk too, very similar to the 270 with 130 grain bullets.

If only varmints were what you were going after the 6mm or 243 would do as well.

I've had 6mm's and 243's since the late 50's. I like them a lot. The 25-06 is just a little more everything.

I shot a couple of deer this year with 25-06 100 grain Hornady's. Instant drop on the deer. I think I'd prefer a heavier bullet though. I think it was a little too much. The problem probably was due to the close range -- I shot them at about 30 yards. (and yes there was no hold over needed)

But the intellectual argument from Big Stick is compelling.