Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 25-06 Obsolete?

I bought a box of various 25 caliber bullets on this forum a few years back. It probably weighed 40-50 pounds. I think it was somewhere around $100 shipped. As I have a stock of brass for 250-3000, 257 Roberts, and 25-06, I do not find any of these "obsolete".

It is no more obsolete than the 303 British is. They both still work remarkably well and just because bullet makers' "self licking ice cream cone" mentality of perpetually "improving" by introducing new cartridges and the masses can't wait to gobble the propaganda strategy. Tell me again how a 270 WCF won't do anything (and more) that the Creedmoor does.

I will be glad to dispose of all those 25-06 rifles for everyone.

IIRC, the 250-3000 and 257 ROB were declared to be obsolete when the 243 WIN and 244 REM were introduced in 1955.

Performance wise, the 250-3000 and 257 ROB were as useful as dual-purpose cartridges as the 243 WIN and 244 REM under most hunting scenarios, but neither cartridge was a big seller in Remington or Winchester rifles, so Remington and Winchester introduced new cartridges with a lot of hype and velocity claims that were more sizzle than steak as a way to sell more rifles.

They did it again when they introduced the SAUMs, WSMs, and WSSMs, new cartridges with a lot of hype as a way to sell more rifles.

yep i stock piled components too , i will mention this some of my 25 caliber rifles i put new Brux barrels on them with a 8 twist and that made them a better long range cartridge for heavier grain 25 caliber bullets . these are the 25 caliber bullet rifles i did = 1 -25 Creedmoor rifle 8 twist Brux barrel , 2 - 257 Roberts rifles 8 twist Brux barrel , 1 - 257 Weatherby mag. rifle Brux barrel . seems the 8 twist barrel is a sweet spot for 25 caliber bullets ?

Pete,

tell us now about that 8 twist 257 Bee! I plan on doing the same thing

Not "obsolete" as much as just hampered by twist rate and bullet selection.

That being said - I own both a .25-06 and a 257 Bee

used a Weatherby Mark 5 action ,fiber stock , put a contour # 4 ,28 inch Brux barrel 8 twist , glass bedded and floated this rifle , Nightforce picatinny base and rings , 5.5 -22 x56 Nightforce scope . this rifle and my other 257 Weatherby mag. rifles like 103 gr. Hammer Hunter bullets ,Reloader 25 powder , my velocity with this rifle was an average 3680 FPS. 3 shot groups were 3/4 inch at 100 yards , but my Ruger #1 257 Weatherby mag. with a Brux barrel 27 inch ,10 twist shoots 1/2 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards with the same loaded cartridges . but i would still do a 8 twist for a Weatherby mag. i purchased a brand new 257 Weatherby mag. reamer used for all my 257 Weatherby mags. and from now on for all of my rifles i will never ever rent a reamer on any cartridge ever again there is a difference. i used the Berger reloading book for my recipe 1 gr. below max.

I don;t see the .25-06 hampered by twist and bullet selection. I have shot game with it to about 450 yards. Minimum hold over perfect hit. I think too many hunters are brain washed by this quick twist bs and the need for longer bullets. Maybe if you are shooting target but for hunting bullsh&t. Too much of Stick's mentality.

I'd say back before affordable rangefinders, clicky scopes, Christmas tree scopes, ballistics apps...the .25-06 played a more valuable role in the simple flat trajectory...and it was more affordable than say the Weatherby line. Now, with the advances, every cartridge is a medium range cartridge. Now it is just another flat shooter, mild recoil, proven cartridge...obsolete? No. You wanna see obsolete, let's take another look at the cartridges of the week craze over the last 25 years...your Noslers, Thompsons, super short mags, ultra mags...I predict many will be impossible to find brass for, let alone factory ammo.

You’re arguing BC at 450 yards. Is your argument the same at 650? It’s really irrelevant how many people are “brainwashed” and only whether a higher BC helps people. Why holdover? Aren’t you concerned about drift? Why is this associated to another firemember? Data are facts and have no innate value, people assign their feelings to them.

i had the TC Venture in 25-06 and 115gr Nosler BT and IMR4350 (i think). i shot 3 or 4 deer with it, got bored and sold it. 25-06 does what the 270 Winchester does, kills deer. in my mind, the 25-06 is right on the line for overbore. i think that the 257 Roberts is about right, for me. i hunt in close cover, 60ish yards and less is good for me.

Shot my latest deer with a Spanish 93 Mauser in 7x57. Talk about obsolete! The deer didn't laugh though. DRT.

I am not agruing anything but most hunters don't need this fast twist long bullet stuff.If you are shooting ultra long range, ok, but most hunters don't need this for their hunting. Range finders, turrets, excellent. But how many folks in the field use them or even need them. They are great, but to the point is most game is taken at less than 500 yards. So fast twist is unimportant. Up to 500 I can do all I want with what I have. I have turrets, range finders I enjoy them. If all works out, the range finders are a great aid in determining exactly the range once I know that I am set. Anymore I don't shoot most game over 400 for a number of reasons. If this fast twist makes you happy fine, I tried it. But for hunting an most shooting it is not that important.

I don't disagree with that, but it seems that everything is a "numbers game" anymore and regardless of who uses what and practicality, numbers are what push popularity and drive obsolescence.

I live in the southeast - we have long seasons with liberal limits and year round shoots for varmints / hogs etc. Only reason I bring that up is even if you shot hundreds of rounds a year at game, typically you'd have to LOOK for places to shoot more than 300y and most of our game shots are 50-150y. I'm sure I could do just about 100% of my hunting with a Savage M99 in .250-3000. Clearly, just about any obsolete round and any multicoated scope would work just fine for me, but I can't say I don't appreciate the "easy button" that some of the newer optics, projectiles, and chamberings like 6CM, 6.5CM, and the various PRC rounds offer, even though I only own a two rifles rifle (300 blackout and 6.5CM) in a chamberinging that is less than 50y old.

Be careful, men. Stick will come after you! 🫨

The 25-06 has been on my radar a few times but I never did get one. Now that it’s obsolete I think I have to have one since my interests run that way

Love my 25-06, been using it for 12 years or so. Its the original gray stock Montana and with a VX3 (no dials) on it carries like a dream. Deer never go far. My shots with it are under 150 yards and if I need high BC and dials I'll take something else on the hunt. If it's becoming obsolete I'll have to keep my eyes open for a cheap obsolete rifle as I've got a good supply of bullets.

if you use Hammer bullets and some other brand bullets you better know the twist of your rifle barrel if you plan on using these types of bullets some Hammer bullets and others need a fast twist some not so much. but if you don`t shoot or reload much you probably will not ever know the difference. as has been posted already your keyboard or reloading ballistics in a reloading book won`t steer the bullet for you.

Just because some dim bulb outdoor writer says something doesn't mean it is true. these guys have to grind out something in print. The 25-06 is a good cartridge for big game.