Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Buck Antelope Via 25/06 & Nosler Ballistic Tip

I've used my Ruger R77 25-06 on about 50 deer and antelope. Love the cartridge. Used Speer 120 Grand Slam.RL22.

I’ve killed a rail cars worth of deer an antelope with my 25-06. A couple elk too. It’s very capable.

79S,

Yes indeed, do 'drag' that 25-06 along on your buddies deer hunt. DRT if you hit 'em right.

I too 'had' a Winchester SG in 25-06 until a week ago. It was a beautiful rifle with dark wood and lots of dark contrast grain, plus was super accurate. It's in like-new condition and probably should not have sold it. I sold it to my hunting buddy who is trying to build a battery of American/African rifles. I've taken him to Africa twice, and he has shot about (6) PG and one Buffalo there.

He's never hunted America! I encouraged him to apply for Antelope tags and after three years, he finally drew two tags in WY. He needed a Pronghorn caliber, so I sold him my Win. Super Grade 25-06. I hated to see her go, but I still have my Dakota and (3) Ruger Express rifles, all in 25-06.

He took his first NA animal last week, a doe Antelope. We are now waiting for the 40-60 mph winds to die down so we can return up there for his second tag before the season ends in his unit the end of Oct. He is so happy! A new hunter is born...

VG, nice story and great tribute to your buddy Jack.

Get that new knee limbered up and get back after the elk!

Regards,
Bob.

Surefire7: Maybe some good news - the wind here in SW Montana HAS STOPPED!
I mean it has been blowing like crazy for the last week hereabouts.
But with the lack of wind the weather people say rain is coming - so get in some field time ASAP as "gumbo" may be in the near future.
Best of luck to you all - and I hope that 25/06 gets back in your gun rack some day.
With all the advice I am getting I think I will jump up about 15 or 20 grains in bullet weight.
When I originally set this Rifle up after I bought it from my friend I intended it for long range Rock Chucks and Coyotes mostly thus the 100 grain bullets - I can still accomplish that with the heavier bullets I'm sure.
I am pain free in that knee it is just a bit weaker than the other knee and I tend to tilt/falter under load.
I do know people with horses though and they have packed out Elk for us in the past.
I personally have introduced at least 10 - 12 Hunters to their first Antelope Hunts and harvests.
Long live the American Antelope (Pronghorn).
Headed out scouting (Deer & Elk open soon) this afternoon - more later.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Well sir, those are so difficult to find. No one wants to sell them. I lusted after one for years and could not find any available anywhere. So I had to cheat and build one!

Started with a beat up 270 ADL I found in a pawn shop. Stock scratched, barrel blue rubbed off, but the action was not only pristine, it has a smooth bolt knob and a bolt locking safety. $200 cash out the door.
Purchased a take off, long action, Remington Classic stock off of the classified. Pristine condition except, the inletting for the bottom metal was tilted. Tightening down the action bolts would bend the floor plate. Nothing that a little steel bed wouldn't fix. Next I sent the action to Pac-Nor for a match grade 25-06 barrel contoured to match the factory classic barrel. Put it all together, with the action steel bedded out to two inches of the barrel shank, free floated the remaining length of the stock. Presto! Classic 700 in 25-06!

All the pieces ready to assemble.

The fake Classic 25-06 with the 25-06 Sendero



Sight in target.



Sometimes you just have make it your self.

VarmintGuy,

Good on you for introducing so many new hunters to our ranks!

Thanks for the tip on the wind. I sure hope you're right and the wind stops down here soon for his sake.

The 25-06 is such a great dual purpose round. Anything from Prairie Dogs & Coyotes, to Antelope & Deer, and for some people, even Elk. I tend to think of it as a varmint to deer round. I have bigger rifles for Elk & Moose.

I think your idea of 115-120 gr. bullets is a good one. I started out using 120s years ago, and then switched to 115gr. Win. Silvertips. Have never left them. They are devastating on Pronghorns!

Good luck on your hunt and take care of that knee.

Prairie dog shooter: Wow what a cool project. And it turned out so wonderfully (shoots great & looks great!).
And that 25/06 Model 700 Sendero makes me swoon as well!
I have a similar vintage 700 Sendero in 270 Winchester and it is just a stunning performer for an all factory Rifle (with Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope).
And great find there at the pawn shop to get you started on that project.
Thanks for the info/incites.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Surefire: I know a couple of fellows who use stout bullets in their 25/06 Rifles to Hunt elk with here in Montana.
I have never tried this myself.
A few years back up in the Missouri Breaks I was along on an Elk Hunt with my lucky tag drawing Hunting partner - I was spotting over his shoulder when he put two quick shots in the heart lung area of a big 6 point Bull Elk!
The second shot was probably not even needed?
Yeah the 25/06 Remington does a lot of things well.
This will be a good project for the coming winter - figgering out a heavier bullet that shoots well in my Ruger 77 V/T.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Nice to hear of the success with the .25-06... It has been a while since I shot anything with my .25-06.. I built it as a long range coyote rifle, an adl rebarreled to 25-06 with a 27 inch Douglas air gauge premium barrel... I have shot many antelope, and whitetails with it and lots of coyotes, and a few mule deer.. For many years it was one of my three favorite calibers.. .22-250, .25-06 and 300wm.. Lately my 270 built similar to the 25-06 has edged it out for the number two position..
This fall my two step daughters were here for 10 days for their moms birthday and antelope.. When they arrived I had the 6mm factory, the .25-06 and the .270 sighted in and ready to go.. Before hunting, we went to a local gravel pit and set up a few plastic bottles filled with colored water and backed off to 200 yards.. I had them rest over the hood of the Tundra, and try what ever rifle they wanted.. No one picked the 6mm!! Surprised me!! The oldest one picked up the .270 with a 4-12 on it and wanted to try it.. two shot two bottles.. The youngest wanted to try the .25-06 .. It has a 12x leupold with dots from 200 to 600 yards.. Two shots two bottles... Great start... The youngest daughters grandson want to try a shot from the .25-06.. two shots two bottles... His first time ever with a centerfire rifles!! On the hunt the gal with the .270 dropped her buck with one shot from about 140 yards... She has shot a few deer in Mi. the youngest had never shot any big game but is an excellent rifle shot.. She dropped her buck with a 100 grain Sierra flat base.. The 270 had a 140 gr. Sierra HPBT.. Great shooting by two beginners...
My late wife and I have shot well over 250 antelope.. Her favorite rifle came to be a 7mm RM with a custom stock and barrel.. I have shot them with every thing from a .22lr through 375 H & H and .45-70.. The .25-06 is a good choice.. I have used 100 gr. BTBT, 115 gr. BTBT, 100 grain Sierra FB
The old 100 gr. FB is super accurate in all of my .25-06 s as well as the .257 Wea. when I had those.. Aside from deer, they are my favorite big game animal.. They make the best jerky of all wild game...

Varmint guy, I use 115 b-tips in mine and they all used 100 you couldn’t tell a bit of difference in the kills. I’ve also used 100 grain Sierras and 117 Sierras with great results. Like I said before the 25/06 is just a great western cartridge!

VG - I enjoyed the heck out of your hunt story! The 25-06 is a terrific cartridge for antelope & deer. I typically use the 115 gr version of the Ballistic Tip with mine.

Congratulations on a quick kill at an impressive distance. You did well.

Regards, Guy

Cascade: That does it - I am going to the 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip for next years Antelope, and Coyote Hunting as well as maybe a Whitetail (the ranch I have Hunted for Whitetails the last MANY years is in "transition" and I may not be able to Hunt that flat, very open, Whitetail heaven anymore).
Thanks all for the kind words.
Everyone have a great season and stay safe.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

BCinKS: Thanks for your input as well.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Sounds like you had a memorable hunt with extra meaning using a special rifle from a good friend. Congrats.

RedRabbit: Yes indeed the Rifle is special to me.
About 12 years ago I took my friend Jack on a Whitetailed Deer Hunt here in SW Montana. He was using this then brand new Ruger 77 V/T in 25/06.
I put him on a stand and moved off a quarter mile to my open country look out point.
Soon I heard a single shot and decided to head back and see what Jack had going.
He had shot a dandy 10 point Whitetail (four by four plus eyeguards) and was just starting to "clean" it.
I immediately noticed that Jack had (for some reason) slit open the Bucks throat "to bleed it" - not a drop of blood had come out of that slit!
The Buck had bled out internally so completely that the neck slitting was useless!
THEN.... Jack says to me "that is such a dandy Buck I am going to get it mounted".
Well replacing that cape cost him an additional $100.00 in taxidermy fees.
Lesson learned - the 25/06 with proper bullets and bullet placement will forego the need to "slit the throat" of Deer/Antelope - they will be bled out, virtually completely, already.
I may use the Rifle again this coming weekend for the opener of the Deer/Elk season - I will have to bring along an Elk Rifle also as the country I will be Hunting has both Deer and Elk opportunities.
We'll see.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I slit the neck one or twice but never saw an need to. I'd open a deer and gut cavity is generally full of blood unless it was a neck shot or one time I shot one just above the bugger! Neither shot put's much blood into the chest cavity. Have a 25-06 I've killed a lot of deer with and I found a definate difference in bullet's. With 100gr Hornady interlock's, get into a little meat and damage will be huge but deer drop right there. Switched to 117ge Hornady interlock and noticeably lessened damage but still plenty with a bad shot But 90% of the deer I shot with it generally walk off a few yards and lie down dead. I recall one, I was with a rancher friend and shot one just as it jumped a fence. Told him it was dead and he said BS, it ran off. Walked over and about 20yds away the deer was on the ground dead. Lighten the bullet and increase the damage and speed up the death, But also hit the central nervous system with either the light bullet or the heavy bullet and death is instantaneous! Send a 100gr bullet through a shoulder and you'll likely ruin both shoulder's. Send the 117gr bullet the same way and your gonna lose a lot of meat, but not as much.

My 25 06 Ruger #1 shoots lights out with the 117 Sierra and is deadly on deer and antelope, damages lots of meat. If hit in the shoulders and it exits you lose both shoulders. Not much left on those little animals. This year , just for fun I shot my Savage 99 in 300 Savage, I loaded up a few 125 Gr Nosler BT's with a mild charge of Varget at about 2800 FPS. This load proved to be very accurate in the old 99, so much so I was amazed, 99's don't shoot like that. I finally got to about 100 yards and put the shot a little far back clipping the lungs and top of liver. The buck traveled about 25 yard and fell over dead, There was very little blood shot meat This was one of the best hunts I've had on Antelope, and plan on doing it again next year in WY. FUN TIMES! BTW i don't "dial" the old steel tube 4X scope! I've been thinking of getting the 303 out and shooting some cast bullets, with a little practice who knows. Just a thought for now. I still love the 25 06 and the 270 Win, can't be beat for the long shots in the wind,

VG, heck of a report you did. Must of been a great hunt. You asked about a heavier bullet and I see you're going to load some 115gr BT's. I have another one if you're interested. Hornady Interlock 120gr HP, 50.7gr H4831.
This load has been devastating on Pronghorn and mule deer. Again, congrats on your hunt.

I've got a box of 120gr Hornady HP's and have never been excited to try them. Problem is if the jacket is to light you run the risk of blowing up the bullet. If the jacket is fine then you run the risk of the HP closing up and shooting like a solid. Shot some Sierra HP's years ago into some Stacked newspaper and every one of them closed up the HP and bent the bullet. Something I did with some HP handgun bulets was fill the hp with clay. Might work on a rifle bullet to ensure it opens. Winchester put the plastic tip in their monolithic bullet just for that reason.