Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Recoil of 25-05 vs 6.5x55 Swede?

Hi All,

I am considering picking up a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless (6.2 lbs w/o scope) or Laminated Stainless (7 lbs w/o scope) for my girlfriend for elk hunting. I want to be sure to get a caliber that she can shoot without the recoil being a problem for her, but will still be effective on cow elk (i.e. no monster-sized bulls will be harvested with this gun) at 300yds max, with shots more likely limited to 200 yds. We will be hunting elk in the Colorado mountains.

My little lady is athletic, average height and build at 5'7" and 130lbs, and currently shoots about 500 rounds of 20ga shotgun a year (so she does have some experience with recoil). I wouldn't call her recoil sensitive, but she is not recoil immune, either. Of course, once we get a rifle for her, she will also be putting in trigger time with it, too. I can say without a doubt that she has absolutely no interest in shooting my Kimber Montana .300 WSM.

Of the calibers that the Tikka T3 models I am considering are available in, it appears that the 25-06 and the 6.5x55 Swede would be the most appropriate for her to use on cow elk.

I know some will have the urge to suggest better calibers for the stated application (i.e. low recoil and effective on cow elk at medium ranges) than the 25-06 or the 6.5x55 Swede (the .257 Roberts springs to mind), however, I am set on these Tikka T3 models, so the only caliber options I can consider are the ones they come in. (Part of the purpose of this purchase is an excuse for me to play with the highly recommended Tikka T3. *grin*).

Can anyone offer comments on how the recoil of the 25-05 compares to the 6.5x55 Swede??

TIA.

--shinbone

Shinbone,
Something to consider. My wife shoots a TC Encore 25-06 with a SIMS recoil pad on it....no issues at all. Matter of fact, she shot her brothers 300 last year thinking it was her dads 25-06 (both browning ABolts, same scope), until she pulled the trigger and it 'kicked' the snot out of her. I saw the video.....however, with the SIMS, recoil of either of these calibers should not be an issue....hope that helps.

skywalker

Shinbone, The recoil factor for both is very similar, the big difference is in bullet weight and sectional density, here the Swede has it all over the 25-06. I mean no disrespect to the 25-06 gang it's a good round. That long 6.5 bullet in the Swede makes it a better flyer and penetrator with virtually no perceived recoil. Load it with Partitions or TSX's and go hunt elk, you won't be disappointed!

I don't own a 25-06 but have shot them. I own a 6.5 Swede which I load with Sierra Game Kings 140 gr (I would not use that bullet for elk thoigh),at about 2650. Truthfully about the only way I know it went off, at the range, whe nI am wearing hearing protection is the I can feel the firing pin drop via way of my cheek on the stcok. Probably loaded with 160 gr bullet it would be tad more, but comparing the 250-06 and the 6.5 in the 140 gr class,I think the 6.5 recoils less

25-06 with 120 gr Partition , recoil is mild and Elk can't stand it.

My wife uses a 6.5x55 and the recoil is minimal. Although she has only killed antelope and muleys with it, elk is on the "to do" list. I load 130 TSXs for her, and I have no doubt it will cleanly take any elk in the woods. If you don't handload, get the .25-06, as most Swede factory loadings are anemic.

If I didn't handload I'd check ballistics for Norma or Hornady Light Magnum ammo for the 6.5x55. I think the Hornady's are supposed to be over 2745 for the 140 grain bullet. To me the 25-06 has considerably more muzzle blast than the 6.5. Some people believe that adds to the perception of recoil.

I like both rounds very well and either one with heavy bullets would do well on elk at reasonable ranges,but I have grown extremeley fond of the 6.5x55 with a fast twisted barrel and the use of 140 thru 160 grain bullets and penetration on big game is devastating and accuracy of a good swede is sometimes almost unbelievable,but Id go the swedish mauser.............

i just bought my bride a tikka t3 in the swede for this exact scenerio. she shot it and said that she could barely till the difference in recoil compared to her a-bolt in 243. she was shooting factory swede ammo.

get here the swede and be happy.

pm me if you want more info.

I don't and never owned a 6.5x55 or a 260 Rem but I've shot a few of each.
I do own and hunt with a .257 Roberts, .25-06, and a .270 Win and the recoil of the 6.5x55 is in between the .25-06 and the .270 Win but there is not a lot of difference.
I would get the Swede because you can used heavier bullets.

I have a 6.5x55 and would recommend it based on the heavier bullets you can use in it.
Good hunting,
Graham

I've used the .25-06 with 120 grain loads to take caribou (over 20) out to beyond 500 yards.

Bang-flops all, but for the first (150 yard)- and he was dead with the first raking quartering shot- he just didn't know it in the time it took me to work the bolt and punch him again crosswise. I then proceeded to lay down 3 more bou as fast as I could work the bolt, reload the magazine, and finish wiping out the group with three more shots. First time I'd used the .25, and pretty much made my (and several other's) winter meat. I was, and remain, impressed with the .25-06.

I took a cow elk several years ago with 140 gr Coreloct through a .260 barrel, at 150 yards. Bang flop, as was my son's caribou at @ 200 yards earlier, and a wolf 2 weeks after the elk, at about 40 yards.

You, sir, are on your own!

Thanks everyone.

Sounds like both are good elk-getters, with the 6.5x55 just slightly lighter on the recoil.

--shinbone

get the 25-06
easier to find ammo if needed to in a pinch, I've killed elk and bang flopped em with the 25-06. I bought one for my wife but she wanted an Xbox360 instead so I sold it, wish I never did.
I would go with the 25-06 hands down. very flat shooting, low recoil and more than enough to put down an elk

I've seen my uncle kill truckloads of elk with his 25-06. Its all he ever hunted with.

I don't remember what bullet weight he used,but it was always Remington Core-lokts. I'm sure they were 120s.

I got the 25-06 when he died. I've hunted deer with it but not elk. I might have to kill an elk with it next year.

I have a .25-06 AI, used to have a .25-06. I also have (2) 6.5X55's. I would go with the 6.5X55. It's not so much an issue of recoil as muzzle blast. Neither will give you a great deal of recoil, but the (to me) considerably greater blast of the .25-06 will be more intimidating to an infrequent shooter. I've never hunted elk, but if I were going tomorrow I would be happy taking either, but would more likely take the 6.5X55.

shinbone, here is something to think about... is she hunting with it, or shooting it off the bench...when hunting, she won't even feel the recoil when she gets to shoot a cow or bull, so it won't matter... just so she can sight it in, but if you know her eye relief, you could do that too, assuming it is scoped, the zero is the same for any shooter. but, to answer, there is none. I have both. Practically the same, but like I said before, as long as she doesn't shoot more than 3 or 4 3 shot groups to zero, she won't develop a flinch, and she'll never feel the gun go off when she takes the shot at the elk.

Both VERY similar, shot both, perhaps a top loaded 140-160grain 6.5x55 has a little more recoil, but you would not know it. 25-06 is very mild, more bark than bite. 115-120s will kill elk dead, no doubt, need factory ammo, use the 25/06.

Met a guy at the Shot Show from Canada, shot one Moose not long ago, something like 450-500 yds, Rem factory ammo, likely in lungs, and it only went a mere 40 yards or so.

Me, I like 6.5's, and I reload, so I'd use the Swede. A 7/08 will also give you an option, tad more recoil, 140 quality bullets, factory or handload will do those Elk in.

Tikkas never seem to disappoint. Good choice.

Tika lists several rifles any many calibers to choose from in the lite line up. I want to throw this out for you I just did some calculating on the 25-06 and 6.5x55 Swede. This is what I came up with Loading for max velocity( book max that is) The felt recoil listed weights 6.2 lbs and 7.0 lbs. The 26-06 120 grn 3000 fps 6.2 lb rifle 19 lbs. recoil. 7.0 lb rifle 17 lbs. 6.5x55 Swede 140 grn 2600 fps 6.2 lbs rifle 15 lbs 7.0 lb rifle 13 lbs. 7mm-08 140 grn 2800 fps 6.2 lb rifle 18 lbs 7.0 rifle 16 lbs. some ting you might look at adding the scope weight/rings bases to find your rifle. If you plan on hunting ELK any rifle you can shoot well(exception of a few) with and place the bullet in the vitals will work. The possibilities are out there for other calibers for you to play with in the future. Try this link to help you find out the recoil for any other caliber you might want to look at. http://www.huntamerica.com/recoil_calculator/

Shinbone, I would go to my local gun club and ask around. I would include three more, the 260 Rem shoots soft and the 7mm-o8. I also would include the 270 Win. I can't much feel the diffrence between any of them. I know the 25-06 does have a Sharp Crack to it from the sound. I just know with good hearing protection on no one is going to flinch. Besides the old guy's at the club are always wanting someone to shoot there Favorite guns. I showed up once to a 22 rifle shil. shoot just to see what it was about. I had six diffrent shooters offer to loan me there back up guns and ammo if I just stay and shoot the match. I did stay and had a great time. It did make me build very sweet shootin 22. Good luck!