Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 25-06 Obsolete?

I always lusted after the 257 and 270 Weatherbys. Never owned one but always wanted one. I had three three 25-06s and every one of them was a deer killing machine. They just seemed to be the right combination with 100-120 bullets for DRT kills on deer. Perhaps I need another one 🤔

Certainly not obsolete, but once I got a 270 and shot it with 130 grain bullets, I haven’t shot my 25-06 since…

I have an article from 1932 called "Obsolete Deer Rifles" by Lee Cady. It goes on to explain how the 32-40 and 38-55 are superior to the 30-30 and 30-06. So the obsolete term has been being applied to cartridges for at least that long

The real killing power of an accurately aimed 25-06 is with 115-120 grain bullets not the lighter ones. Shoot enough deer and antelope with both you will see the fifference.
Mb

As is the 270 lol

The 25/06 has fallen my lifecylce.
I believe I was 12 when I had read that it would be chambered in the model 700.
I then energetically told my Uncle about this...he then when out and promptly ordered one.
I inherited the rifle when he passed, but he had loaned it to me all along.
It was a game getter, Bull Elk and Moose, Mountain Goat and Sheep...and our deer. Once I was tempted on a Boar Grizzly.
115 & 120 Nosler Partitions.
If drilling little holes on paper and Game is obsolete...count me in

I've been shooting a 25.06 for over 35yrs and it is and always has been my favorite caliber. The Speer 120gr Hot-cor is my favorite bullet, it's very accurate from my CDL and it is without a doubt pure deer poison. The 25.06 isn't obsolete here or will it ever be. Mike

I absolutely agree about some gun writers, especially 2 who are brothers: if it's not the latest and greatest(and most expensive), it's not good enough and is obsolete. We all should ignore gun writers with the exception of John Barness and Craig Boddington.

I have killed a pile of stuff using re 19 and 100 gr. TTSX's.

One point is that few ethical hunters are good enough shots to pull the trigger on a big game animal beyond 400 or so yards, in perfect conditions. A lot fewer should take such a shot in imperfect conditions. All of that isn’t taking into account the animal moving unexpectedly, especially during bullet flight. At 700 yards, that’s about a full second for a 127 gr. LRX from a Creedmoor. That also includes 43” of wind drift in a 10 MPH crosswind. You’d better be good at judging wind and guessing crosswinds down range.

Much closer is much better…and this thread is getting me thinking about a 25-06 again.

At least brass will never be a problem!

Well said Wyo’ and PL’. I definitely would not starve if “hampered “ by a 450 yard limit. Nothing wrong with the 25-06.
GreggH

Well there are about a zillion of them already simply because the .308 is the parent case for the Creedmoor.

you mean the 30 TC is the parent case.

I’ve been using a 25-06 for a while and a 204 on prairie dogs for a couple of years. They both seem to me to be great cartridges for their intended purposes. The 204 is a better cartridge than the 223 for PD’s but I use it too.
To me, when premium bullets came out for the 25-06, the cartridge was raised to a whole new level. Having written that, mostly what I shoot in the 25-06 has been 100 grain Hornady bullets and they are great deer and antelope bullets. I’ve never taken the 25-06 elk hunting, but that’s not due to the cartridge’s shortfall.

There’s lots of neat tools for showing bullet drop, defection due to wind, energy, & bullet velocity out to distances way beyond where I’d shoot game at.
Compare the 25-06, 270, 280, 30-06 etc to the new cartridges. If you do, you might be surprised at results. It’s not as big a deal as you might think.

Bingo! I have taken both mature Bull Elk & Moose with my 25/06. One of each, both abour 250 yards, good conditions and both were broadside shots .
This was in 1982 & 83 and I used (1 )120 Partition on each. Textbook, kills and the Moose didn't take a step.
I carried my model 700 on my Sheep hunts in those days. The only negative( for me) was the longer barrel
Unless we are purer than the driven snow, or a saint,we have cartridge biases
Yeah, I don't see any improvement on the older chamberings and 400 yards is a questionable range with any Elk cartridge/ rifle combination .
Elk hunting around here, I am usually on a brushy , timbered mountainside, I am puffing like an old steam engine and I have had hunters shoot from over me. Further from the Bull ,missing or worse.
I have raised livestock, love my horses and love our wildlife. I see hunting as an extention of these things.
Maybe, it is a question of fair chase. What exactly is fair chase these days?
Sorry, I digressed a little...
My little old opinion

The 25-06 Rem IMO could be at it’s best with today’s available powders. It was hell on game when it was a wildcat with no good powders or bullets available. With today’s powders it could reach it’s optimum performance. Unfortunately it now appears to be handicapped because of the lack of high BC bullet availability and hunters that think they need a 1,000 yard rig for all their needs. In truth it’s great for a low recoiling zipper of a round that puts game down. Trouble is most want a chamber that could be a bit more reliable on larger game at a distance, enter the 270 WCF.

Whose parent case is??

Basically all .473 case head cartridges are off of the '06 if one wants to split hairs.

If I recall correctly, the 8x57 was .473" before even the 06.

👍🏻

Honestly, between my son and I we've topped over 200+ animals with 25-06's over a 20 year span here in Texas and never thought we needed anything else. Most of these were taken in West Texas, culling large ranches for exotics and hogs and yes, a lot were head shots at closer ranges. For the 200-400 yard shots, the only thing that mattered was shot placement and the bullet used.

Know having said that, I just recommended to a new 26 year old hunter that's like a second son to me to buy a 6.5 Creedmore for hunting here in Texas instead. Do I think it's "better" than the 25-06? No, I don't but twist rates, ammo selection(he doesn't reload), and inherent accuracy of the CM make it a "no brainer."

Hope this helps.

BBQ