My daughter who is rather small wants to us her 25 for elk. any good loads for this critter. thanks all.

100gr TTSX, Fed 210, RP brass, 53gr IMR4350

You talking factory or load your own?

For load your own, I'd try 7828 and one of the following bullets(100 Horn, 100 NPT, 115 NBT, 120 NPT, 120 Sierra HPBT, 120 or 100 SAF, 120 CL)

Not to tough to find a good bullet for this rig and elk in my experience.

Good luck to her on her hunts!

Dober

I have taken a few elk with the .257 Roberts...and the Barnes
100 gr coated.....now replased by the TSX.

One shot kills. However they were all shot under 230yards.

A good bullet, lots of practice and confidence. Should do the trick quite well.

The .25-'06 just plain kills elk deader than a do-do. Any good 100-grain bullet will do ... most of mine were killed with the Hornady 100-grain Interlocked and it simply electrocutes elk.

Steve

Ours likes IMR4350 and the elk didn't like the 115 CT last year. Keep meaning to try the 100 interlock sometime.

Maybe it's just me, but why shoot elk with a 100 gr bullet when many premium bullets are available in 120 gr, a 20% increase in bullet weight? Me, I'm thinking the 120 gr Nosler Partition or Barnes TSX at around 3000 fps. The .25-06 is marginal as an elk round anyway, so why not shoot the heaviest bullet available? The 120 gr is still plenty light for a woman.

I love my .25-06, but I've shot my elk with the 7 RemMag, .30-06, .300 Winny, and .338 WinMag, each a better elk cartridge than the .25-06. JMO.

He was talking about his daughter using this.

The 25 will do just fine if she does her part. Tell her we expect pics.

This is a gift after high school and proir to med school type of hunt. zthis is her first elk hunt, she has not missed a deer yet. I was thinking of 115 accubond? ant way thanks for all your help....

Probably thinking 110 accubond. That would be a great choice in a 25-06. If she can drive it, and it sounds like she can, it will do great work for you.

dawaba,

Upon what do you base your assessment that the .25-06 is marginal for elk?

The three people I know who have used them recovered their bulls. Not only that they have recovered everyone they shot at. Of about ten, only one required a second shot. The others were DRT.

Ringman, several years back, I helped a high-fence property owner thin out his doe population to bring his buck-doe ratio in line. Four of us killed 53 does in a day and a half. I shot a .22-250 with Nosler 50 gr Bullets at nearly 3900 fps, and this load was the Hammer of Thor on the does, all of which were taken with broadside chest shots.

Now, one might surmise that the these little pills would be the cat's meow for shooting deer. They probably would, providing the hunter was a cool and accurate shooter and one who would decline any shot except one with a perfect broadside presentation. However, if I were trophy hunting for the buck of a lifetime or even for a spike for the freezer, I would choose a heavier bullet in a stouter caliber than the .22-250 in 50 gr.

I stand by my opinion that the .25-06, great cartridge that it is, is a marginal round for elk. If you will re-read my post, I recognize that the hunter is a lady, light of stature, who owns a rifle in the quarter-inch bore. I think she should GO RIGHT AHEAD and shoot her elk with her .25-06. BUT (BUT!!), she should shoot a premium bullet and wait for the animal to present a perfect broadside shot. This would ensure that her 120 gr bullet would double-lung the beast and bring it to bag.

Fortunately for the rest of us, there are more powerful options than the .25-06. These heavier rounds will suffice even when the elk gives us a less than perfect presentation. I think that every ethical and responsible hunter should tailor his weapon to the animal he seeks and plan accordingly.

My current .25-06 is a wonderfully accurate outfit based on a Remington 700 action with a custom Douglas stainless barrel mounted and trued by Steve Lampheare. With it, I shot a near-book, 17" antelope in New Mexico and a desert bighorn ram in Nevada. The pronghorn fell with a Nosler 100 Solid Base and the sheep with a 120 Nosler Partition. I've also taken a few deer with this rifle, mainly with 117-120 gr bullets. I think that the .25-06 may be the perfect deer/antelope/sheep cartridge.

I've shot all the various sub-species of caribou in North America as well, but none with the .25-06. Since caribou are not particularly tenacious of life, I wouldn't hesitate to use the .25-06 on one of these too. BUT, a 300-lb caribou would probably be the heaviest animal I would hunt with a .25-06, and they're a good bit smaller than an elk.

Guys who shoot elk with a .25-06 would also not hesitate to hunt quail and dove with a .410. That's fine, and such a choice is for the experts only, IMO, just like your choice in an elk rifle. I'm guessing that you are an experienced and selective elk hunter and that you are cool and precise in your aim. Otherwise, you would have probably been on many fruitless and frustrating spoors.

Barnes TSX, nosler part & nosler accubond would be on my short list. My 2506 shoots all of these well within hunting accuracy needs but the TSX and AB are the better of the 3. If it were me the barnes bullet would get the nod 100 out of 100 times with elk on the menu!

Good luck to you and your daughter!!

It's funny. When somebody mentions a smaller cartridge lacking the ability to penetrate on less than ideal shots, I have to wonder if these same guys have ever compared the penetration of 100gr TSX's from a .25-06 or a 120gr TSX from a 6.5 to a 165gr PT (a find elk bullet!) from a .30-06...

dawaba: Well said.

I'd be 4 guessing that you've used the 25/06 to take elk b4 right? How many and what is it about the taking of elk with the 25 that put you off on it?

Thx 4 sharing

Dober

Kind of funny, I always thought of the .25-06 as too light for elk. When I started hunting mule deer with one, I found it killed like lightning, and started bumping into more and more hunters who had used one on elk. That surprised me - but after seeing what the little 100 gr TSX does to a mule deer I am not at all surprised that these other hunters did so well with it on elk. I've not pushed mine to elk yet, but if I do, I'll load the 100 gr TSX or perhaps one of the good 115 - 120 gr bullets avail... Then carefully place the shot. It should do, but then what would I need those bigger rifles for???

It's always interesting that on these threads many people make a big point of about precisely or carefull placing a shot with the .25-06--or whatever "too light" cartridge is being discussed.

The implication is that with bigger cartridges such careful shot placement isn't necessary. I know that's not what most posters want to imply, but there it is.

My experience is that with CAREFUL shot placement about any cartridge meant for big game will kill elk neatly--and that no cartridge kills elk very well with "non-careful" bullet placement.

Big time true, the other comment that always cracks me up is the one about if you keep your shots to 300 yds you'll be ook...grin

Dober

I got flamed on another forum for posting that I had told my friend to leave his 25-06 home and take his 30-06 on our Colorado elk hunt (his first). He loves his 25-06 on deer and he is truly deadly with it. I also know that his deer killin load involves the 100 gr Ballistic Tip and I have been less than impressed by the penetration of that bullet on deer. Destructive, yes. Quick kills, yes for the most part. I've seen more than a dozen of his deer kills, admittedly a small sample but large enough for me to form my opinion.
If I could have convinced him to try another bullet like the TSX or 120 gr Partition I would have had no reservations. I do agree with Mule Deer that all of our shots should be carefully placed to the best of our ability, but critters have the habit of moving at the least opportune time. I had a doe move just as my trigger was breaking at 100 yds shooting off a very steady rest. It resulted in a less than desirable hit but was still deadly.
Let an elk move unpredictably at the last moment and bullet construction becomes a lot more important when heavy bone gets in the way. I've seen what an elk humerus can do to even a 338 cal 225 gr Accubond.
Guess what I'm trying to say is I basically agree with most of the posts here. Use the proper bullet and kill that elk. Wish her the best of luck!

thanks for all the help I have talked to my daughter and she will stick with 11o accubond. Proven deer load just pick my shot she said. She had to laugh when I said no Texas heart shots. thanks again...jeff

Here's a 25-06 elk, 100 graing barnes X, one shot.

Guppy...!

Couldn't you of held out for a big one Greenie...grins

Great bull, and thx 4 sharing!

Dober

Yeah, a man shouldn't shoot them scrub elk

Try 115 or 120 grain partition pushed by H4831 or RL22. I forget what my loads were so I won't quote a charge, but they were max or half grain off in the Nosler manual.

Alternate bullet choices would be the 120 grain grand slam and 115 grain trophy bonded, but those two heavier partitions have a better BC ... plus I have a little more experience with 'em. I know the speers are ok, but I know more firmly the noslers are ok.

Tom

That is a great elk Greenhorn! Good see someone who uses the 25-06 on elk, it just makes my decision to go with a 25-06 that much better.

Greenhorn: Last day bull,huh?................kidding of course

Fabulous bull.Congrats! Reagrdless what you used...

JB: True.......I know from personal experience that improperly "driven" 300 mags do NOT get good results.

I think that bigger cartridges can give pretty dramatic results, but ONLY if properly directed.....and with good boolits.

my daughter says it friken huge. cant wait.

dawaba,

I think you lack expeience with the 100 grain TSX. One of the bulles was shot in the left ham. The bullet was found in the right shoulder. The elk was DRT. Is that not enough peneraration?

It tickles me to read of these "thats too small a cartridge" for elk or moose or whatever comments. Alot of locals as we always read use 243's orwhatnot to kill elk every year. Funny thing is I bet all of them are better than average shots and actually do wait for a broadside presentation. Never occured to them that there are better things to use. FWIW about any 100-120 gr boolit out of a 25/06 will kill any elk alive with a broadside shot.
Good luck to to your daughter and post pics.

A .25-06 wouldn't be my first choice for elk, but it wouldn't be my last, either.

Most years I hunt deer and elk in the same season and after I get my first elk I often switch to my backup rifle. This year I'll have a cow and a bull tag and my backup rifle will likely be my .257 Roberts. Whether it's loaded with 100g TTSX, 110g AccuBond, 115g TSX or 120g A-Frames, I wouldn't hesitate to fill my second elk tag with it. I just wouldn't try it at longer ranges where I would be comfortable using my 7mm RM or .300 WM.

Good point! Dunno why I wrote it that way - I tend to be too slow and deliberate about my aiming most of the time anyway - trying for the "perfect" shot has occasionally cost me game as it decided to leave while I was getting set for that perfect shot... Am faster at it these days, after learning that critters don't stick around forever!

Just one more note on this thread. I know an outfitter from northwestern Canada who uses the .25-06 by preference as a back-up rifle when guiding hunters after not just sheep and caribou, but moose and grizzly as well. This outfitter has several hunting rifles but likes the .25-06 because it doesn't kick much, is very accurate, and seems to do the job just as well as larger cartridges. The outfitter's preferred load is the factory 120-grain Core-Lokt Remington ammo. That load has finished off a a number of moose and grizzlies that were wounded by dude hunters shooting .300 and .338 magnums.

Oh, and by the way this outfitter is a woman. As my wife Eileen says, when the BS gets a little too deep around hunting camp, "Why do men need a larger cartridge than women do to kill the same game?"

Elmer Keith must be rolling in his grave right about now.
(grin)

Rustjrm: I have three friends who Hunt Elk with the 25/06 Remington cartridge.
They are ALL extremely successful!
I was assisting one of these friends about 5 years ago as he harvested a VERY MATURE 7x7 Bull Elk with his 25/06 Remington!
Another one of these friends has killed more Bull and Cow Elk than 99% of all the living Elk Hunters have individually ever killed! He kills an "average" of 2 Elk per year (he hunts two states) and has used his 25/06 almost exclusively for the last 35+ years now. He has also been known to "help" kill "an Elk or two" for elderly and incapacitated neighbors of his who are able to buy tags but not much for humin the hills.
I could go on and on about their exploits but no need - whats important is their intensity of effort and their abilities and patience to be able to place a 25/06 bullet in the heart/lungs area of their intended Elk quarry!
Its just that simple!
No excuses, caveats, tangents, alibis or other escape clauses - they shoot their Rifles well and they kill Elk!
There IS a contingent of folks that automatically assume "small" caliber cartridges CAN NOT do things that they absolutely can do - I don't know what motivates these types?
Do have your daughter practice often with her Rifle and make sure that what ever bullet she uses she places it into the heart/lungs area of the Elk.
Then help her enjoy the fine Elk meat!
Two of my three friends use Remington factory ammunition of the 120 grain variety in their 25/06's and the third handloads his 25/06 with Nosler Partions.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

There is finishing off and finishing off.

Differantiating between delivering a coup de grace and stopping an incoming grizzly, I will man up to admit that I (think I ) need a larger cartridge than this woman to kill the same game.

She wouldn't be Heidi G., would she? If so, she is tougher than any man in B.C. If her .25-06 doesn't drop the grizzly, she'll just stop it with her bare hands....

The most Elk killed by one man in Idaho that I know personally was done with a 25-06 and Nosler Partitions second only to the .270 Winchester with the same bullet.

A local man that works in the woods of Central Idaho.

Jayco

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?tocid=339&magid=25

Seems it would be Heidi Gutfrucht.

Great article. Thanks for posting.

That IS a good article....

Seems that many here have different opinions on bigger calibers...

Also seems that Frau Gutfrucht also values a hefty .458 slug from a reliable, handy & fast lever at times. I can relate.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/node/97108?photo=4#41781567

Just remembered reading something about that years ago - there it is.

This, without glee, to show that bravado is never a good guide to cartridges.

"Lets see how light we can go" is just as much that as going for "bigger, badder, better".

Thought the BS just got a mite thick on this issue. Started when this thread stopped being about .25-06 on elk.

Yup! two camps, basically....the "Anything Works If You Use Good Bullets,And Point It Straight" Camp; and the "Bigger Is Better If You Use Good Bullets And Point It Straight (and sometimes if you don't)" Camp.

Never being one to hedge,I have my feet firmly planted in both.......I'm still learning...

I like your philosophy, Bob.

Tim: As with most things in life,about the time you think you have all the answers,someone or something will come along and blow your theories all to hell,leaving you with a deep sense of doubt and insecurities

The guy who said..."I KNOW NOTHING"....had it pretty well figured

I like the saying "It seems like the more I know, the more I realize how little I know"

LogCutter.....Grits Grissom wrote about a friend of his years ago, named "Whiskey" he killed many elk with his .243 Winchester. My late brother in law killed a lot of elk also with a .243 Winchester, never shot one over 150 yards and used Nosler Partition bullets.
I killed one once with a 25/06 but I'll never hut elk with a 1/4 bore again. One has to limit him or herself to much with this small caliber. If I lived out there year round, perhaps I would change my mind, don't really know.

My vote would be for the 120 gr. Partition. I know a lot of guys have used this in .257 Wby Mag to kill elk.

LOL

AWESOME article!

Well said, and welcome to the fence. With a spine or brain shot the 25-06 will also drop a Griz right in his tracks, while a coyote shot in the leg with a 200 grain Partition at 2700 will just keep on going. I'm (sometimes) in the camp of heavier bullets for elk because my kind of stalking (dark stuff) does not always provide for ideal bullet placement, and I'm forced to break the pelvis.

Wayne

peepsight: I have seen the 250 Savage and 25/06 used enough on elk and other stuff to know they kill,and that bullet placement and "shootability" of the rifle /cartridge are paramount. That said I will leave the 25's to the other guy when it comes to elk hunting,and wish him or her the best of luck.

I shoot other rifles and cartridges just as well as I do a 25/06,and prefer more bullet weight and bore diameter to give me a warm comfy feeling.

Hi Folks,
New to this site, found it looking for a great forum on muzzleloading and I found it here and this section as well. I can't pass up a conversation about my most beloved rifle and caliber that I've been shooting for over 35 years. My 25-06 Remington 700 ADL. If I recall, the rifle in that caliber hadn't been out too long. I absolutely love it. I've dropped more deer and antelope (I guess it's pronghorn now, along with dusky grouse instead of Blue) I've never hesitated to go 500 yards out. I've reloaded for it since I got it. Used to use spent 30-06 casings for it. IMHO, I've yet to find anyone worth their salt who once has used the 25-06 to not have a special place for it in their heart. If two out of three rounds aren't touching or using the same hole at 100 yards, it's me having the bad day and not my rifle. I personally never considered using it to hunt elk, but then again, I've hunted deer for a lot longer than I hunted elk. I use the Hornady 117 spitzer boattail. Best all around bullet I've used. IMR 4350 right at the recommended limit.

Regards,
M376X6

She's out of Hanceville isn't she? German/Native if it's the same lady I'm thinking of.

She proves it usually ain't the cartridge - but almost always - it's the shooter.

This boy was shot at very long range (for me) with a 25-06.

With good bullets, and proper shot placement, I've found the 25-06 great for Ruffed Grouse to Moose - with a lot of different game in between.

Very nice bull, Brian!

I think the 25-06 is a poor choice for Elk for me. I'm 250lbs and have shot "the big sticks" for years. For your daughter or someone of smaller stature like my wife the 25-06 is an excellent choice. No doubt it will put the game down with the correct shot placement and a good bullet designed to operate at those speeds.
If I were outfitting my wife for such a hunt I would set her up with my .270 win. and throttle the loads back a bit for practice using 130s. For the hunt after several range trips I would load up some 150 Patitions and take them right up to the rev limiter.Re zero in the leadsled or a shoulder pad or both. She would never know the difference when shooting at an animal. Some thing you might want to consider is practice with lighter loads and "bump" them up a bit for the hunt.
If the wifey got a black eye from being scoped their would be "Hell to Pay!"around here.
those are nice bulls fellas

My Neighbor is a young lady of 14 years. Her rifle of choice
Is a Rem 700 Classic in 300 RUM. She only weighs 95 lbs and
she handles the rifle as good as any grown up.
She runs 200 gr Accubonds in it.
The first time she shot it, it sheared the Leopold bases right
off the action.
Here's a pic of her first Elk.
Charlie http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b222/hysider

Careful shot placement? Anybody that can shoot straight can kill an elk broadside at a 100yds with a 22lr. All you have to do is shoot them in the eye. That doesn't mean the 22lr is an elk cartridge. The 25-06 is a damn fine coyote gun. It will even do in a pinch on antelope. Unfortunaley for us elk hunters the 6 point elk don't always walk out into the open and offer us a perfect broadside at 75 yards. You want to be an elk hunter, get you a 30 and shoot some 180's.

he he he he... this aught to be interesting.....

I keep waiting for this thread to heat up...
??

MackMan-when did they make the Classic in the 300 RUM?

Thx
Dober

It would be pretty cool to have killed so many elk that the safety blanket of a bigger cartridge no longer felt... So compelling. I'm envious of you guys who aren't "mad at 'em" anymore!

For me- my elk mantra is carry as much gun as I can shoot well. Bigger is better, etc. Macho? Magnumitis? Yeah, but it's hard to argue against (say) a .338- as long as a guy can shoot it, a big if I suppose.

Bob- you got me all revved up about an Ouch and Ouch! Handled one of the "Dangerous Game" M700's so chambered today... Probably rather have my .375 be CRF, but still, it worked for gunshop fantasy purposes <g>.

Mark,
I am not real sure about the Classic moniker, I know that it was a limited run of some kind of commemorative model, it was
one of the 1st factory 300 Rum rifles. She bought it with her
own money that she had made by picking up sheds and selling
them. The story behind the elk is pretty interesting too.
She and her Dad and Mom where returning from hunting on the
Bookcliffs and stopped on top of a ridge leading across Rabbit
mountain just out of Rangely Co. She announced that she had to
pee, so while she walked off one side of the ridge while her
parents went off the other side to glass. When they heard
a shot they feared the worst, they ran over the ridge to find her standing over the elk . Seems that she was getting ready to
pee and heard something in the trees and threw a rock at the sound and the bull came trotting out.
I remember shooting that rifle and it knocked the snot out
out of me! I watched her shoot and instead of pulling the
rifle back on her shoulder, she pushed her shoulder into the
rifle and then rolled with the recoil. When I tried to do this
it took 9 stitches to fix my little recoil problem. She told
me that it would help if there wasn't a 1/2" gap between the butt pad and my shoulder. She then told me that I couldn't shoot
the way she did, because it was women thing!
Charlie

There are certainly better choices than a 25.06. Careful shots a reasonable ranges kill 'em though.

Hi folks, I apologize in advance for commenting on this because I am new to this site and haven't earned my space at the fire yet, but, I take exception to this post in a couple of ways. I am always suspicious of folks who post outlandish statements that are so far from actual that it can only be to draw attention to themselves. A .22 LR on an elk at 100 yards??? The most serious to me, the 25-06 only fine for coyotes and in a pinch antelope???? Here I've been dropping 180 plus bucks out to 500 yards for almost 40 years and never new the limitations of this outstanding cartridge. At least there is some measure of reality to this flaming mess, that's the 30 cal at 180 grains. I use a Ruger in 300 Win Mag and load 180 grain Hornady's just for elk. I suppose to vaildate wild statements, you have to at some point base something in the realm of intelligence. But at any point, everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if experience and common sense dictate otherwise.

Would I hunt elk with my 25-06, no, if I had to I would, but I don't have to. Here's my effort at wild rediculous statements. Why not mandate the minimum cailber at 50 cal, like I use to shoot in my M2 (in the servce)(No, I don't have anything against the folks who do use them). Don't think I haven't wished I had one when I glassed those magnificent royal bulls out there at 1,000 to 1,200 yards. But then again, I don't think you need anything that says "Hey, I'm trying to drop it in its tracks even if I wing it in the hoof". I wonder over the century or so how many elk have been dropped by that inferior 30-30 lever action? Kind of makes you wonder about the need for a 338, 375, even perhaps a 458 Weatherby Magnum.

Disclaimer Follows: All flaming was unintentional and accidental. Don't take any of the previous statements personally, I have no idea who you are, nor you me. Just trying to chat harmlessly. I'm getting so excited about hunting season already, it seems the older I get, the earlier the mild fever sets in. ;-)

Regards,
M376X6

Just a quick note on the 22LR thing...

I've killed two deer with a 22LR. No, I wasn't poaching them. Anyway, both went down like they were struck by lightning. Both were brain shots. I can't see why the same wouldn't be true with an elk.

But anyway, it's just illustrative of how shot placement trumps all.

Now, on to the realies of elk hunting... I could have killed scores of elk so far in my short hunting career, if I'd had the right tag... the right tag and right place and right time have only come together twice for me, though... but point being, I've been around some elk.

They have very, very rarely been standing broadside. They are usually moving, whether they were aware of ME or not, for me to be aware of them, usually means some movement on their part as it's still fairly thick even over in Eastern Oregon- other than on the southern exposures, but the elk don't go there in huntin' season!

So the plot thickens considerably- for ME. 8 times out of 10, it's a moving animal, filtering through the trees. Not a simple shot. So for me, I like a little more gun than might technically be "necessary" just because you don't know what is gonna be the shot you actually GET, as opposed to the mythical 100-yards-broadside-on-a-calm-animal shot that is apparantly so common for some folks.

That said, I very much appreciate hearing folks relate their experiences with something like a 25-06. Nice to know that what I see as a relatively light cartridge for elk, works great. Just makes me feel that much better about my heavier cartridges!

Mr. M376X6

I don't take any offense to any of your statements. I was only trying to make the point that if somebody is going use "careful shot placement" as a fall back for not using enough gun, then the same point could be made backwards all the way to the 22lr. Will the 25-06 shooting 100 grain bullets kill elk, of course it will. Can you take a shot with the 300 win mag shooting 180's or 200's that you couldn't do the job with shooting a 25-06. I think I can make the arguement that you can.

Personally coming from the Elmer Keith school, I don't see any thing wrong with the 30-30 spitting out 170 grain bullets. I personally would much prefer it on elk at up to 100 yards than the 25-06 shooting 100 grain bullets.

It cracks me up how easily riled the small caliber guys are.

then what do you consider the ideal antelope gun?

Rem-7, I'll give a vote to the .270 Winchester and 130 grain bullet! It's been getting the job done since 1922 or there a abouts.

Now on the other hand, if you wish to hunt elk with a 25/06 have at it, just make sure of your shots, use a premium bullet and don't try those 500 yard friggin shots down range. I would limit myself to 250 yards using a 25/06 with 120 grain bullet. Elk are not mule deer, hell they can soak up a lot of lead. I'll stick with my tried and proven in all circmumstance, .338 Win mag and 225 grain premium bullet.

Tonk-agreed

i personally use a 25-o6 and know what it does to antelope but would'nt be scared of using a.223 if i had to.
dont see a reason to go above a.270 but to each his own and some folks dont have a lot of options.On elk it is a .300 win mag because imo out of what i have available it is best suited to do the job under about any circumstance....though this is a fairly young girl thats gonna be behind the trigger and the 25 will be fine for elk

Rem-7

If I were going to go out and buy an antelope gun to just hunt antelope with, I would buy either a 25-06 or a 270. Maybe even a 264 win mag.

Just trying to stir the pot a little. Looks like it worked. Got the bees buzzznnn didn't it?

did you read your post??

one thing i've learned is these guys dont need me to stir anything,they're pretty quick to buzzzz on thier own

Did I read it? I wrote it. Sarcasm my friend, I was trying to make the point that I didn't think the 25-06 was an elk cartrige. Used a little sarcasm to make my point and POed all the antelope hunters too!

Gives us all something to argue about. What else we got to do on a Sunday afternoon?

enhance your calm

I used to have a 25/06. Like a darned fool I sold it.

Every gun I ever sold I have regretted it. Maybe I should put that on the regrets thread that was going so hot awhile ago....

Hey Rem-7, where you at? I usually get down to NM every year to do a little elk hunting. 16c or 16e usually, but last year wound up by Chama. Think I'll be doing 16e this year. Be bringing the 300 and not the 25 though. LOL

99guy

Carlsbad, think i would take the 300 myself. i generally apply for 34 or 36- dont know much about 16,how is it?

16 is awesome. Down in the SW. Gila NF and any of the units are good a,b,c,d and e. All units would be west of T or C. It's a B to get a tag though. 350 isn't out of the question. There ain't one behind every tree, but they are there.

Whereabouts are 34, 36?

southeast NM,around Ruidoso. IMO i think a better reputation than the Gila.Probably harder to draw but 350 is probably more likely, unfortunately no tag this year.

No draw for me either. Now I just have to decide if I want to pony up for a landowner tag. It's not easy pulling the trigger on a land owner, especially in these times.

Is that over by Lincoln National or am I way off?

Yes lincoln, both border the indian res

i wont pony up becausei did draw barbary sheep, antelope,oryx and ibex
so im extremely content

You are going to be a busy boy. Good to be you right now. I know you have some great goats over that way.

A question.

I killed two elk last year. It was as much just luck of the draw as skill, I make no claim of being a great elk hunter! :-)

The first was a cow at about 300 yards in Colorado. I waited till she turned broadside. The bullet hit her "elbow" joint first then went through the chest; she dropped, thrashed, and died. This was a big animal:



Then I killed a bull in Oregon. This one was at a trot about 150 yards away. I didn't think to lead him, and so hit a little further back than I meant to. The wound below, is the exit wound. The entrance was further forward, and lower, than that. It trashed the back 1/3 of the onside lung, and then barely "broke" the very rear lobe of the offside lung.



So here's the question, and it's an honest one as I'm a noob at this whole killing of elk thing. Would a 25-06 have been equally effective in both cases? Remember, the cow was at 300 yards and the bullet hit a heavy joint first. The bull was mainly hit in the one lung; a smaller bullet maybe wouldn't have broken that other lung? Dunno. Curious what ya'll think.

With TSX's and the ability to shoot, yes....

what were you shooting and what bullets?

what stick were you using? did a good job.

Rem7, Hello! I grew up in Socorro. I am jealous of you for all your NM hunting.

I was shooting a Kimber Montana in .325 WSM with 200-gn Accubonds at 2900+ fps.

I know most will not believe this schit but im gonna post anyway.
two years ago i was hunting barbary sheep,first shot was in high wind and i missed at 425 and proceeded to miss until my .300 was empty. i stuck a single down the chamber and at this time he was (oh schit here we go) 600 yds. HIT EM dead behind the left shoulder with a 180 accubond-it exited out of the center of the right shoulder. no kidding the luckiest shot of my life! call me troll or liar but its a fact.

ok i'm ready-lemme have it!

oh, by the way jeff i think the elk would still be dead in both instances but was gonna say the 25 may not have exited until you said accubond. not familiar with a tsx unless thats the new barnes. prolly would exit also

Jeff O
Nice elk rig right there. A keeper.
Guess you won't be running out of elk meat for a while

No, there's no shortage of meat in the freezer! I gave 1/3 of that cow to my hosts on the ranch (it was a friend of a friend, not something they charged me for, so it seemed right to kick down some meat).

I think we are about 3/4 of the way through that bull now. At first, I was making jerky like crazy because my freezers were so damn full, I needed to make room. If you have kids around, and you want to get rid of some meat fast... make jerky!

Hmmmmm, lots of opinions here. While I've shot deer and pronghorns with my .25-06, I have NOT shot an elk with it YET. I do not think I would be "under-gunned" with it. But I know what bullet I would use. No doubt, the Nosler 120 Partition. Jeff O: You are soooo right about kids and jerky. It seems to go rather fast! I like it with my beer watching NASCAR or uhh, well whatever. Tom

Jeff:Given the choice between a 25/06 and your short-fat 8mm on an elk hunt,I would grab the 325.

Oh yeah

so guys bottom line on this. What bullets of the ones below would break an elks shoulder and still have enough steam to go through both lungs..it has to be 25 caliber... what ones wouldn't do the above deed...they would be slung out of a 25-06 as fast as I can get them to go and still shoot an inch. I want to know this in case an elk was facing me or was broadside and I goofed and put one into the shoulder.

I have 110 grain accubonds
100 grain tipped tsx
120 grain partition
115 grain combined technologies

We've shot them with the 115 CT but at close range and high lung shot. I'd shoot the middle two for what you are talking about.

79inpa,

The only one listed I would use is the 100 grainer.

I think I posted here, but don't know. Anyway a 100 grain .257 TSX entered the left ham of a five point bull and was stopped by the skin in front of the right shoulder. Shot was from fifty yards.

Of the three bullets you've listed, I'd follow the old maxim:

"Load partitions and go hunting."

100gr TTSX
.
.
120gr PT
.
.
.
.
110gr AB
.
115gr CT

In that order

!20 Partition, or 115TSX would do the job, if you do yours. Tom

I agree with Jordan, I think the 100g TTSX and 120g NP are closer though. I think you could pick either bullet and be just fine. I personally wouldnt trust the 115g CT with elk.

I loaded 100g GS Customs bullets for my elk hunt with the .25-06, unfort, I wasnt able to test them.

Ummm, make that a 120 Partition, not a !20. Opps! Tom

How's that, kyreloader? I edited the post just for you

I have two good friends that are very experienced elk hunters. They hunt with land owner permits. They both kill good elk every year. One shoots a wondeful, state or the art, 300RUM. He probably has $7000.00 invested in his custom built rifle. The rifle, the scope and the 165gn cartridge have been fine tuned and calibrated to shoot very accurately. He runs the most expensive equipment made. He can also shoot very well. He took classes and practices a lot. The other friend shoots a 700 ADL that he has owned for about 25 years. It is a 25-06. He mounted a 3x9 Leupold on it about twenty years ago. He told me that he has a couple of old boxes of Hornady 117gn cartridges that he uses to kill his elk. However he (the 25-06 guy) doesn't like to take shots at anything over about four hundered yards. I have only killed 2 elk so I don't know much abour elk hunting but my friends really know what they are doing. So, I guess a 25-06 would be just fine for elk. The key is, like every other firearm, you must be able to shoot it well.

I have been trying to decide what rifle to take on my first Elk hunt and this thread is exactly what I was looking for. I have read through the whole thread and wish I could say it's cleared everything up for me but I'm still as undecided as I was when I started.

I will be headed to CO next month for my first ever elk hunt. I have a friend who has been scouting the area a lot and will be showing me the ropes. He will be hunting as well so it's not exactly like I'll have a guide. Some of the area we will be hunting is wide open and others are thick timber. The weather will most likely dictate where we do most of our hunting.

I have been shooting a .25-06 for years and love that rifle. It's more accurate than I can shoot it and I have total confidence in my shot placement with it. I hadn't really even considered it seriously until I read the CO reg's that say it's a legal caliber for elk.

I am taking a Marlin 1895G in .45-70 for hunting in timber but my longer range gun is still undecided. As stated I love my .25-06 but I can borrow a .30-06 if I need to. If the .30-06 were my own rifle and I had worked up loads in it, it would be my hands down choice.

Still trying to figure this out.

Thanks to everyone who has offered up opinions here.

SDS

Go wear the target boards out at the range, and do a final push on conditioning between now and then.

With the right load the rifle will do the job, the rest is up to you to get the shot.

SDS-honestly, you should just use your 25 and forget about the rest. It sounds like you're very intimate with it and it'll do you just fine in the open and or in the timber.

As much as I like the Marlin Guide rifles I'd only carry one on a day where I just didn't care if I really hammered an elk. Too often you'll just have the wrong rifle in your hand at the wrong time. And you may or may not be able to get it done out in the open country with the rig.

But with the 25 you'll be able to get it done no matter where you are.

I'd say pile up some elk and then get to carrying something for giggles.

IMO, anyone who feels that the 25/06 isn't a good choice for elk is seriously under expererienced in the art of killing elk.

Dober

Great thread and article by MD. SDS, If I knew that rifle for the last couple decades and shoot it well, that's what I would go with. A borrowed rifle is unknown and you just never know what can happen..Good luck next month.

FWIW, my favorite gun writer growing up was Bob Milek. He was a big advocate of the 25's especially the 257 bob and 25-06.

I'll be carrying my .25-06 for cow elk on the 30th. It's loaded with 100gr TSX bullets. I'm not worried about it one bit.

The 120gn HPBT Hornady was designed by Joyce Hornady specifically for elk. I have met 2 hunters that use it exclusively and succesfully on elk. As it was their only rifles, they seemed please with the results with no desier to go heavier.

When I showed them my gun rack, they smiled and said, "take the .25/06". I never did, but I would.

JW

The last time I hunted elk in Colorado the landowner who was a 3rd generation rancher had a 25-06 for his elk rifle.
I asked him what most hunters used and he said 7mm Magnum and 300 Magnum's.
He also said that if you hit them right it doesn't matter what caliber you use, and if you don't hit them right it doesn't matter what caliber you used either!
whelennut

That right there made more sense than just about everything else I've read or thought about on this topic.

Thanks guys,
SDS

I just got back from a hunt in Wyoming. I was after pronghorn but the elk season started in that area as well and several guides on the ranch I hunted had comments on elk rifles.

In general the consensus was that most visiting hunters are over-gunned so can't shoot very well. They much prefer hunters who show show up with a .270 or something like it, even a .243 if the hunter can shoot it, rather than a .300 magnum.

They were also not crazy about heavy bullets, because they increase recoil which doesn't help shooting. In fact they would rather see hunters bring 140-150 grain ammo in any 7mm or .30 caliber than anything heavier, because the recoil is lighter, the lighter bullets shoot flatter at normal ranges, and seem to kill elk plenty well, and quicker than heavier bullets.

In fact the outfitter and his longest-employed guide are heartily sick of hunters showing up with brand-new .300 magnums. Of course, the reason the hunters do is that their local gun dealer back in Pennsylvania told them that elk are really, really tough and require a magnum rifle--just like some they happen to have for sale.

I know this isn't what a lot of people want to hear, and also know that some will disagree. But these guys guide 20-25 elk hunters a year, and the outfitter has been guiding on the same ranch for over 40 years, and his top guide for almost 20. They have seen a LOT of elk taken over the years.

Hard to beat the voice of experience.

Looks like I'll be packing my .25-06 then.

Thanks everyone.
SDS

one of you referenced a 120 grain hollowpoint boattail by hornady. I only know of a hollowpoint flatbase by hornady in the 120 grain weight. Is it a flatbase or a boattail.?

A good old local boy here in town has filled his elk tag 19 of the last 20 yrs. Now thats tough to do no matter where you live.

His rifle is a 25-06. He swears by it. He's two sons following right in his footsteps and they both use a 25-06 also. Put the bullet where it's supposed to go and it won't matter what you use.

I for one am done with magnums. I'll most likely never own one again. I don't shoot them well.

Shag,
You may be the influence for the next "turn". In my lifetime, I have watched the plain jaynes come into vogue as well as the magnum crazes several times a piece. The Magnum phase which gained momentum with the new 416's 20 years ago and boiled to a peak 10 year back with the RUMS's is about to turn again.

In 5 more years you will find the .270 and .30/06 riding high for the masses and the 7x57 and .375 H&H holding fast with the seasoned veterans. What H&H used to call "Gentlemen's weapons".

JW

+1