Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 25 06, or even 257 roberts on elk?

Last November I shot a 6x5 bull with my 30.06 and dropped him, it was a perfect double lung shot and he moved about 50 feet. The range was lasered at 307 yards. If he had moved another 50 feet after the shot he would have been into a steep canyon. If you have ever carried one out of the steep and deep you know what I am talking about. Would a 25.06 have killed him? Probably, would he have made it into the canyon? It's not something I would risk, especially if you are new to Elk hunting.

Buy a bigger Rifle,


BeanMan

I'm not saying that the 25-06 won't work because it will. But on my top ten list of elk rounds it's down around number 25 or so.

lubbockdave �

Get the .25-06 � it�s a great cartridge. Then get something that will be better suited for elk and will work back in TX, too. I�d recommend something between a .270 and a .300 Win Mag. After knocking elk down with a 7mm Mag and 160g bullets since 1981, I finally opted for a .300 Win Mag myself.

For bullets I like the North Forks, Trophy Bonded, A-Frames. In the second place category are the Partition, Accubond, InterBond and Scirocco bullets. Runners up include the Grand Slam, which have worked perfectly well on my elk. I think the main thing to consider with bullets is the velocity and weight. The lighter and/or faster they are the more heavily constructed they should be, IMHO.

YMMV.

You are definately on the light side for Elk with the 25 cal. guns. With very good bullets and the perfct broadside shots, the 25-06 and 257 rob will kill elk fine. But Elk hunting isn't always perfect. If you are traveling along way to hunt for Elk, then I would suggest a bigger caliber - like 270, 30-06 or 308. I had a client last fall damn near lose an Elk with a 257 Weatherby with a broadside shot right behind the shoulder. The light bullet didn't make it into the vitals. They were Hornady 100 gr. Why even take a chance.

i do not think a .257 whole in a elk is big enough. now yes, if it is in the right spot, it is as dead as if shot with a .375 H&H. the limitations of a .25-06 are far to great to carry that gun when there are many other "better" calibers. when i shoot an elk, i wanna leave as big a whole as i can. my elk gun is a .30-06 or maybe my 7mag. either way, with either of those guns i shoot heavy ass bullets to leave a big whole! (180's in 30-06 and 160's in 7mag) elk are big, strong critters and my grandpa put 6 wholes in one before it died on year. not all 6 of the wholes from his 30-06 were perfect, but 3 of them hit the vitals and the rest hit near there. ifhe was shooting a 25-06, would he have killed that elk? if he hits it in the lungs/heart yes. but, and this is the nice thing about carrying a bigger gun, if you do make a bad shot and hit it in the guts, the bigger gun is going to leave a bigger whole and deliever more shock to the body, hopefully causing a quicker death. a 25-06 bullet in the gut might/probably wouldnt kill an elk. dont go with the bar minimum, step it up a notch and go with the biggest gun you can shot well

OK then, so the 25 06 will do the job within it's limitations and may not be the best 1st choice. Premium bullets and reloads increase the effectiveness of the round. Good deal. I appreciate the conversation!

Dave

25-06 and 257 can be used, but personally I prefer something that wil shot at least a 160 grn bullet.

I have hunted Idaho with outfitter Billy Cox, who takes elk each year for the freezer. He uses a 25-06. He is also an expert still hunter and takes no shots at more that 100 yards or so.

If you are accurate marksman, and are willing to pass up "iffy" shots, then hunt away!

Roy Weatherby took nearly everything with his .257 magnum. It was his favorite round. I'd recommend 120 grn Barnes or Nosler partitions.

I don't. But then I've killed a few quartering elk at extended ranges with much larger calibers and have seen how they react so I do have the advantage of experience.

that you do my friend, that you do....

thanks for the discussion!!


Dave

Mark, I've been in elk camps since about 1950 (beater boy) and I shot my first elk in 1954 at 15. I've harvested one almost every year since then except when I was in the service from 1956 to 1960. I'd guess we've killed a couple hundred elk in our camps over the years. Ho hum. Learn to step before you leap. I have owned and shot a .257 on mule deer but never on elk and would not use it for elk. It was good for most mule deer situations. I have too much respect for these animals to use a .25 caliber on elk. Never have owned a 25-06 - never saw the need to. I stick with what I said: use as much gun as your capable and confident in using. My minimum recomendation would be a .270. Nothing wrong with that .340. Vic/

I am hear to tell you that the 340 will most definately work.

But then again so will the 25/06, its just a bit less forgiving in limitations.

Mark D

lubbockdave, I live appr 3 hrs from where I hunt elk and depending on which season I hunt most are only 5/9 days long. No question the 25-06 will take elk even the 243 where I hunt is some open country so my shots (range) vary. I use a 30 cal mag last thing I want to worry about is do I have enough rifle if presented that shot and I want my elk down. If a guy doesn't want a mag the 270,280 and 30-06 are good choice, if I hunted the timber might look at a 35 Whelan,308,7x57 maybe 7-08. I don't own a 25-06 would consider it for a timber rifle. My elk rifles are only use once a year for elk so they don't have to double as something else. Where I hunt be alittle undergunned using a 25-06.

Curious of the load you used?

Federal HE Trophy Bonded 165 grain.

Beanman

Buy the biggest gun/caliber you can shoot accurately and comfortably. If thats a 25.06, so be it. I've hunted elk for 27 years (much less than others here) and have seen elk killed with smaller calibers than the 25.06. A friend of mines wife gets the job done with a 7.08 and has for years. I like the 30's but I can shoot them just fine. Good luck !

This is Steve_No on muddy waters computer. One factor nobody has mentioned is the issue that comes up more and more on crowded public land of "whose elk is it?" Most of my elk hunts have either been on ranches or way way back where we didn't have alot of conflict with other hunters. But I understand this is a major issue in some areas, and another reason for selecting a caliber likely to put the animal down before he can get over the ridge and catch a bullet from some other nimrod.

A 25-06 will kill elk decisively if a good bullet is used and I'd not hesitate to use a 115 TSX on any quartering shot on any bull... there is more downright bullshit spewed about elk rifles than any other single topic except, perhaps, bear defense handguns...

Right on Brother!

Mark D

My question would be to when people are saying use a "big enough" gun, what are they referring too? What is the practical difference between the .257 vs. .277 vs. .308 dia. bullets? Is it the Sectional Density .257, 120 gr =.26, .277, 140gr=.26 or the .308, 180gr=.27? Or is it the retained energy downrange. I have read in articles that a round should have a S.D. of .25 or more and energy of 1500 ft-lbs for elk size animals, if this is the case then the 25-06 should be good out to 250 yds. As long as you stay within range it should do the trick as long as you do your job.

My opinion on staying within range has, and always will be if the slug I send into the vitals has enough speed behind it to open up suffienctly to open and wreck the lungs then I say the target is within range for me.

In other words I feel that the whole this or that round will work to 250 yds or whatever just doesn't cut the biscuit for me.

Give me a good shot angle, and proper conditions to shoot and I will toast any bull that walks at 500 yds (and in all honesty a lot further) with your basic 25/06.

Mark D