I have been a 25 caliber fan for many years. My screen name on another forum was 25Cal. My first centerfire bolt action was a 25-06, and I used it for varmint and deer hunting for years. Since then, I have owned other 25 caliber rifles: 250 Savage, 250 Savage A.I., 257 Roberts, and 257 Roberts A.I.
I currently own two 250 Savage rifles, one a Savage 99 and the other a Savage Axis with E.R. Shaw aftermarket barrel. I also have another Axis rifle in 257 Roberts, again with an aftermarket E.R. Shaw barrel.
My favorite of all these? The Savage Axis with 257 Roberts barrel. It has a mild recoil, unlike the Remington 700 25-06, and it is very accurate. With handloads, a 117 grain bullet can be driven to 2,900 fps with ease. The handload I shot in my 25-06 pushed a 120 grain bullet to 3,000 fps, not a lot faster, and with more recoil. I'm 73, and have a bad right shoulder, so recoil is an issue for me, but maybe not for you.
If you have your heart set on the 257 A.I. by all means do it. I'm just relating my experiences.
