Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Milek and the .25-06

Seeing the table of contents of that old issue of Rifle brought back memories of the good old days, when they published the kind of articles rifle loonies could really sink their teeth into.

Well my father in law that's nearing 70 years of age uses a 25-06 on mule deer and elk year in and year out going on 9-10 years now. His view is piss on all that recoil I tolerated for so many years, I put the bullet where it needs to go and they die. He also owns several 30 cal rifles that he just doesn't use anymore.

You'll still hear from a lot of Montana hunters that at least a 180-grain bullet is absolutely required for elk. In fact I just watched one yesterday attempt to sight-in his three .30-06's, all loaded with 180's. He obviously wasn't fond of the recoil, but would never dream of using an "inadequate" cartridge like the .25-06.

Yeah my father inlaw is one of those guys that laughs when he hears people say stuff like that. 50 + years of hunting elk and mule deer in Wyoming,Colorado and Utah is a pretty good basis for experience, listening to someone babble about what's needed to kill elk has little influence on him.

Thanks for sharing, remember reading his writings regularly.

I loved reading Milek. His writing was down to earth and as a novice hunter at the time that was a welcome relief from the more blustery writers. I still have some of his writings in my collection.

The last few times I've been to the range I've seen a wide variety of 270, 7mm, and 300 mags being readied for the deer opener.

Me? I've got my 250 Savage ready to go.

Recall a time some years ago, when a member showed up at our range with a new 340 Weatherby and was telling everyone what a deer slayer that thing should be.

Pre-everybody-got-ear muffs days at our club and some of the boys soon demanded he remove the muzzle brake 'cause it was making their ears ring under the "tin" firing line roof.

Think he fired one or two more shots (sans brake) and left in a huff?

I'm a recoil sissyboy and as I've gotten older, that's gotten worse. Could still shoot one of my 25-06s (70s vintage M700) multiple times from a bench with no regrets if I had to. Beauty is, it generally takes three shots and done for a preseason workout.

One year I fired one shot at the 100 yard camp target, smack in the 1" FO target dot, from a bench using the bipod. My son asked if I was gonna shoot again. Said nope, that'un went right where it was 'sposed to go.

Far cry from the days when I shot lots of ammo from that thing prior to deer season, in preparation. By "dumb luck" that particular rifle hasn't been a problem for the past 20 years, but it gets tested every year anyway.

As someone else mentioned, I have several rifles that I no longer use much in deer seasons because the recoil is bothersome. No need to abide the pain, when the 25-06 is ready to go.

He liked the 120 gr Speer in his 25-06 for Elk

I really like mine. As I get older, I prefer the smaller bores. A big gun now is a .270 or .30-06. This one is a Sako AV that's been glass-bedded and the bolt engine-turned. I used to use 117 grainers, but lately I like the 100 grain TTSX Barnes factory load. I haven't whacked anything near the game most here have, but so far, this .25-06 has worked on a Wyoming antelope, a few deer in SC and a couple of pigs in TX.
Bob

Coincidentally I'm taking Dad's old .25-06 hunting this year.

I killed my first two deer with the .25-06, many moons ago. I was using the 100gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, before I learned it was actually considered a varmint bullet One deer it worked fine, the other the bullet did some funky things. But I did recover both animals. I think they have been toughened since then.

This old sporterized Mauser has all kinds of funky things with it. Dad bought it from a coworker who needed money. No markings except the serial number. 1 in 11 twist barrel, military trigger, bolt s/n does not match action, old Weaver scope, etc.



I tried some mild loads with 52gr of R22 and 110gr Accubonds. Apparently no one told the rifle it was funky:



There's five shots in the last group, on the right. The load's making only 3000 fps, but that's plenty for deer, and I don't feel like hopping it up, given the rifle's unknown metallurgy. It oughta work.

I wrote Bob Milek and enclosed a self addressed envelope because he also wrote a lot about the 7x57 Mauser.

I was asking his advice wanting a rifle I could have for family members especially women and children for use on deer and black bear. He sent my note back where he had scribbled "25-06" and after I bought one I am in agreement, a wlnderful light recoil flat shooting caliber.

I got my first .25-06 back in the early '70's when I was shooting woodchucks a lot. It was a heavy barreled Ruger 77. It would shoot 75 grain Sierra HP's into little groups (sub .75"" ) and send a single woodchuck in many directions all at once. I used to love to shoot the ones in front of a low sun and get about a 30' cloud of red air.

I now shoot a .25-06 AI 26" barrel on an Encore. With 100 grain TSX's it kills deer pretty dead. I also killed a caribou close on to 400 yards with it. Pretty good cartridge.

Affirmative. Drop 2-4 grains for modern H4831

This is off topic. So forgive me ahead of time. Why would anyone expect there to be a performance difference between a 25-06 firing any 120 grain big game bullet versus any 270 Winchester firing a similar 130 grain bullet? Is there any performance difference?

No, not really. As far as what it hits.

I liked to read Milek too. He also wrote a lot about the .243 Win as well. And, at a time when many other writes turned their nose up at the .243.

That's because, as somebody once noted, "The only people who apparently have a hard time killing deer with the .243 are some gun writers."

I read every word Bob Milek wrote when I was a kid in the 80s, I lived in Pa. and dreamed of seeing what Bob seen on his hunts..... I now lived just over the Bighorns from the area Bob did and am happy !!!!
That being said I hunt elk with a 7x57 because of people like Finn AAgard and JB.........

I was just turning 18 when I first started reading Milek. He was a great writer and taken from us too soon. Very practical, down to earth guy. I need to go back and reread some of his stuff. Haven't looked at some of those old magazines in a while. That will make for some enjoyable winter afternoons in front of the fire.