Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 25-06 pros and cons???

Very flat shooting rifle and i would like any advice on bullit choices and powders. I shot a couple of 25 this past week and I'am really impressed.

One powder 7828 and two bullets 100 NBT and a 100 TSX is all you need know. One other super bullet is the 100 Horn, add 7828 to it presto you're in biz.

Dober

I agree with Dober but my rifle liked RL19 best. 7828 is a great choice also but my rifle wouldn't shoot as well. 100gr TSXs are a very nice bullet like a hammer to deer and very fur friendly on yotes. HAPPY HUNTING

I have been loading with 4350 using the 100gr TSX. It is magnificent to say the least.

I have also loaded 75gr Speer, and Hornady for coyotes. They are just as accurate as the 100 grain bullets. I was surprised about that, but they are one holers in my rifle.

I do beleieve if I were looking for the last few FPS in Velocity I would be using 7828 as well. However, I use 4350 for my 30/06 so it's just easier for me to use the same powder for the 25/06. 4350 is also better for the lighter 75gr bullets. There is probably less then 100fps difference in max loads between 7828 and 4350 with the 100grain TSX. 7828 is a great poweder though for building maximum velocity accurate loads.

Ooops I almost forgot

the pro's, you'll love the 25/06 a ton and you'll use it a ton.

Con's the other rigs in your cabinet will get jealous....grins

Seriously it is one of the most user friendly and capable rounds I've ever worked with. Not much in this world I wouldn't take on with one I was intimate with.

Dober

Here's my load

TC Encore 26 inch barrel in 25-06 Rem.
Remingtom Brass full length sized
CCI 200 Large Rifle Primer
117 gr Sierra Gameking bullet O.A.L 3.130"
50.5 gr Reloader 22 (Max load per Sierra 5TH Ed Manual)


I'm quite satisfied with the load performance, sub MOA at 100 yds. As for bullet performance, I shot a deer at 40 yards in shoulder right behind front leg, quarter size exit hole. No sign of jacket/core separation. Deer dropped in it's tracks just like on TV.

I have owned one for years, there are no cons that I am aware of...

The pros are,
that if you shoot good premium bullets out of it - you will drop animals that are much too big for what 25 caliber cartridges are supposed to be able to kill quickly.

The cons are - when everyone else hears about it - you'll have to put up with them telling you that you are hunting with a "borderline" "marginal" or "inadequate" cartridge.

You just know that that lady guide from Hanceville, in B.C.'s Chilcotin country, is just asking for trouble finishing more than 50 grizzlies with that puny round. Sooner or later, all of the moose she kills every year with the same rifle are going to wise up and figure out how inadequate her rifle is too.

There are cons to the 25-06? News to me.

I have a T/C Pro Hunter in 25-06. My load is 54.0 of H-4831SC in WW cases using the 120 gr. Hornady HP. Chronographed velocity is 3094 and groups are running under .65 for 3 shots. Whats not to like.

Doc

The only sort of 'con' is that in the same action size that is needed to house a 25/06 you can also have a 257WBY. Kinda like wow, I coulda had a V-8.

I love my 25-06 and it was my go to rifle until my kids got old enough to hunt. My daughter started with it, now using a 7mm-08. My oldest son was next, he is now in love with my 8X57 Classic. My yougnest son has latched on to it pretty hard and I may not get it back. I had the stock cut to 13" for them and added a recoil pad. Recoil is almost nill with full power loads. Mine loves 56.0 grs of IMR4831 over just about any 100gr pill and will drop them into 1/2" cluster with boreing regularity.

cK

If you don't mind a lot of extra recoil compared to a 25-06, then by all means get the Weatherby, I'm sure there must be a person somewheres who will be able to notice it's about an inch or two flatter than the 25-06 at a quarter mile.

Me - if I want 30-06 type recoil - I'd rather shoot a 30-06.

Been there - done that. That's why the 25-06 is my favourite quarter bore.

I really doubt there's can be a "con" to the .25-06 Rem. Seems like the near perfect rifle for game up to sheep, maybe elk with the right bullet. I really do not think an elk is going to discern its heart/lungs destroyed with this round as opposed to any other. But I don't know for sure, because I don't own one. But I would like to!

I get an honest 3400 with 100 grn tsx and H4350 with a 26 inch barrel.

I have one that I swear the deer run into. It is my go to on the last day and I can honestly say, it never fails. Try the 120 gr horn hp.

What is not to like about the little 06? Very easy to load for, very light recoil, very much performance. I think of the 2506 as a non magnum magnum. It really performs well on all the deer size game I have shot. Burns a lot less powder than a Roy, not that I am running down the Roy, the 06 just is a lot cheaper to shoot.

My favorite load for the 25 is 55.3 gr of rl22 with the TSX, this yields 3470 f/s and true sub inch groups out of a 26" Pac Nor.

My practice and coyote load is 51 gr. of IMR 4350 for about 3400 f/s and about the same accuracy as the TSX load.

FWIW My son shot a nice whitetail buck this year from 125 yds, with the ballistic tips, right behind the rib and it exited the front of the neck leaving a grapefriut sized hole. That bullet traveled through alot of deer before it came out. The 2506 is a potent little cartridge.

The only con that I have run into is the Mrs took a liking to mine...I then had to buy another rifle or two. I guess that may not be a con after all. Mine likes rl 22 and 100 gr Barnes just fine.

Seriously, if you are going to use it on 200 pound dressed whitetails you really should use a premium bullet. I had some less than stellar performance from factory WW power points and Rem Corelokts.

No cons for the 25-06, its the real deal for varmints and deer and will do an elk in a pinch in open country on broadside shots. I liked the 120 gr. Noslers for big game when I shot that caliber but today there are a lot of good bullets like North Forks, Woodleighs, and the old corelokt ain;t bad.

Nothin' says "Dead Coyote" like a 25-06.

CK