Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 25-06 for elk

Great article. Thanks for posting.

That IS a good article....

Seems that many here have different opinions on bigger calibers...

Also seems that Frau Gutfrucht also values a hefty .458 slug from a reliable, handy & fast lever at times. I can relate.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/node/97108?photo=4#41781567

Just remembered reading something about that years ago - there it is.

This, without glee, to show that bravado is never a good guide to cartridges.

"Lets see how light we can go" is just as much that as going for "bigger, badder, better".

Thought the BS just got a mite thick on this issue. Started when this thread stopped being about .25-06 on elk.

Yup! two camps, basically....the "Anything Works If You Use Good Bullets,And Point It Straight" Camp; and the "Bigger Is Better If You Use Good Bullets And Point It Straight (and sometimes if you don't)" Camp.

Never being one to hedge,I have my feet firmly planted in both.......I'm still learning...

I like your philosophy, Bob.

Tim: As with most things in life,about the time you think you have all the answers,someone or something will come along and blow your theories all to hell,leaving you with a deep sense of doubt and insecurities

The guy who said..."I KNOW NOTHING"....had it pretty well figured

I like the saying "It seems like the more I know, the more I realize how little I know"

LogCutter.....Grits Grissom wrote about a friend of his years ago, named "Whiskey" he killed many elk with his .243 Winchester. My late brother in law killed a lot of elk also with a .243 Winchester, never shot one over 150 yards and used Nosler Partition bullets.
I killed one once with a 25/06 but I'll never hut elk with a 1/4 bore again. One has to limit him or herself to much with this small caliber. If I lived out there year round, perhaps I would change my mind, don't really know.

My vote would be for the 120 gr. Partition. I know a lot of guys have used this in .257 Wby Mag to kill elk.

LOL

AWESOME article!

Well said, and welcome to the fence. With a spine or brain shot the 25-06 will also drop a Griz right in his tracks, while a coyote shot in the leg with a 200 grain Partition at 2700 will just keep on going. I'm (sometimes) in the camp of heavier bullets for elk because my kind of stalking (dark stuff) does not always provide for ideal bullet placement, and I'm forced to break the pelvis.

Wayne

peepsight: I have seen the 250 Savage and 25/06 used enough on elk and other stuff to know they kill,and that bullet placement and "shootability" of the rifle /cartridge are paramount. That said I will leave the 25's to the other guy when it comes to elk hunting,and wish him or her the best of luck.

I shoot other rifles and cartridges just as well as I do a 25/06,and prefer more bullet weight and bore diameter to give me a warm comfy feeling.

Hi Folks,
New to this site, found it looking for a great forum on muzzleloading and I found it here and this section as well. I can't pass up a conversation about my most beloved rifle and caliber that I've been shooting for over 35 years. My 25-06 Remington 700 ADL. If I recall, the rifle in that caliber hadn't been out too long. I absolutely love it. I've dropped more deer and antelope (I guess it's pronghorn now, along with dusky grouse instead of Blue) I've never hesitated to go 500 yards out. I've reloaded for it since I got it. Used to use spent 30-06 casings for it. IMHO, I've yet to find anyone worth their salt who once has used the 25-06 to not have a special place for it in their heart. If two out of three rounds aren't touching or using the same hole at 100 yards, it's me having the bad day and not my rifle. I personally never considered using it to hunt elk, but then again, I've hunted deer for a lot longer than I hunted elk. I use the Hornady 117 spitzer boattail. Best all around bullet I've used. IMR 4350 right at the recommended limit.

Regards,
M376X6

She's out of Hanceville isn't she? German/Native if it's the same lady I'm thinking of.

She proves it usually ain't the cartridge - but almost always - it's the shooter.

This boy was shot at very long range (for me) with a 25-06.

With good bullets, and proper shot placement, I've found the 25-06 great for Ruffed Grouse to Moose - with a lot of different game in between.

Very nice bull, Brian!

I think the 25-06 is a poor choice for Elk for me. I'm 250lbs and have shot "the big sticks" for years. For your daughter or someone of smaller stature like my wife the 25-06 is an excellent choice. No doubt it will put the game down with the correct shot placement and a good bullet designed to operate at those speeds.
If I were outfitting my wife for such a hunt I would set her up with my .270 win. and throttle the loads back a bit for practice using 130s. For the hunt after several range trips I would load up some 150 Patitions and take them right up to the rev limiter.Re zero in the leadsled or a shoulder pad or both. She would never know the difference when shooting at an animal. Some thing you might want to consider is practice with lighter loads and "bump" them up a bit for the hunt.
If the wifey got a black eye from being scoped their would be "Hell to Pay!"around here.
those are nice bulls fellas

My Neighbor is a young lady of 14 years. Her rifle of choice
Is a Rem 700 Classic in 300 RUM. She only weighs 95 lbs and
she handles the rifle as good as any grown up.
She runs 200 gr Accubonds in it.
The first time she shot it, it sheared the Leopold bases right
off the action.
Here's a pic of her first Elk.
Charlie http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b222/hysider

Careful shot placement? Anybody that can shoot straight can kill an elk broadside at a 100yds with a 22lr. All you have to do is shoot them in the eye. That doesn't mean the 22lr is an elk cartridge. The 25-06 is a damn fine coyote gun. It will even do in a pinch on antelope. Unfortunaley for us elk hunters the 6 point elk don't always walk out into the open and offer us a perfect broadside at 75 yards. You want to be an elk hunter, get you a 30 and shoot some 180's.