Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Why do campfire looneys ignore the 25-06

Careful Gene, you are showing signs of rifle love, which precedes the more obsessive cartridge infatuation, followed by entry into a rifle looney therapy program.

That little wildcat .25-06 was first developed by Charles Newton (no relation to Sir Issac Newton or Alfred E. Newman) back in 1912 while he was having lunch only to be hit on the head by a falling jackshaft nut from an overhead power belt. He barely escaped when the pulley and leather belt came plunging down breaking his Thermos of milk. Newton never did understand why the close call inspired him to neck down the .30-06 to .25 caliber, although he wanted to squeeze the neck of the mechanic that installed the jackshaft. He went on to shorten the cartridge, inventing the .250 Savage, and later other rifle loonies raced to draw down all manner of cases to .257" if for no other reason than to waste printer's ink and provide argument at saloons and while circled around potbellied stoves. One poor Montana cowboy was said to argue the merits of the cartridge to his inattentive horse, as the horse was the only other living thing within fifty miles. When they finally returned to civilization, the horse drowned himself in a water trough.

So be careful, don't become too infatuated with the .25-06 Remington, as she's a little bit loose, and will soon do you dirt for a quarter if not closely watched.

I have both the 25-06 and 6mm-06 and i can't tell a dimes worth of difference in the killing power on deer. I use the Swift 90 gr Sirocco in the 6mm and the Nosler 100 gr BT and 110 gr Accubond in the 25.

At the time, yes, it was my go to elk rifle since it was either that or the 243 I had. I had shot that rifle out to 300 yards and knew exactly where it would hit.
The first elk was taken at a whopping 42 paces in heavy timber. Nosler partition in the ear = DRT

Since then I've picked up a number of different rifles in a number of different calibers but the 25-06 is still the first in the truck for just about any BG hunt.

Been packing one since Sept 10th.Haven't shot anything though. Love packing it with the 22 inch barrel. Think it's a good round myself. It's about as overbore as I want to go for a 25.

Could be partially due to the individual rifles. But I did a quick calculation of recoil and the 25 should be 15 or 20% less.

But I can tell you that it's true for both my 25/06s and my 257 AIs. YMMV.

Curious as to why you think the 25-06 is overbore and the 257 Weatherby is not also overbore.

25-06s are for sissies. Had three, gave the M77 tang safety to a stepson and instantly felt a tad manlier.



The other two ain't going anywhere.

Consider yourself lucky.My daughter claims my 700 in 25-06 and my granson now claims my t3 in 25-06.So far they are letting me keep my 257 weatherby.See how long this lasts.Im a sucker.

Imagine your T3 is a shooter. Mine sure shoots.

If you are driving 90 gr bullets from a 12 pound 25-06 at 2000 fps, you MIGHT see bullet impact through the scope.

Of course I only speak from a sample of two. Perhaps others whom have owned more samples of 25-06 can correct my observations.

Perhaps he meant that the recoil is light enough that he can hold the critter in the scope at the shot? That's how I took it.

Killed a doe at around 200 yards a few years ago with the M700 rested atop a woven wire fence and never lost sight of the deer as the 100gr Btip thumped it in the boiler room.

As I mentioned, YMMV. I can only share my experience. I have no idea what you can see or not see. And you clearly have no idea what I can see.

I can watch impact on steel at 300yards w/ my 8.25# 6.5 Creedmoor flinging a 127grn LRX at 2950fps, should be easier w/ a 25-06.

David

Just did a little experiment with a Rem sporter weight ADL in 6mm-284 at 150 yds. The rifle was on sandbags off the benchrest with scope on 4X.

55 gr at about 3000 fps over 37 gr 4046 just barely moved the crosshairs off the bull at 150.

95 gr ballistic tip at 3300 fps over 53.4 gr H4831, which would be very comparable to a light 25-06 load. The rifle recoiled enough to move the crosshairs four feet vertically off the bull. But I did not lose sight of the target.

This is in stark contrast to my memories of my rifles in 25-06. But I did not ever shoot them with the scope on anything but 12X, and I used the 117 gr Hornady pretty much exclusively.

So my opinion now is, if a 25-06 is rested well, with a light bullet and minimal magnification on the scope, one should probably be able to keep the target in the sight picture.

I wish you had not posted this! Now I am a thinking of getting one. Please send me the money. It is all your fault. HA!

But seriously, that is a good thing.

Your two 25-06's, are they varmint configuration or just sporters?

Both sporters. M700 and sporterized 03A3, Bishop stock, douglas premium 24" bbl.

Thanks neighbor.

No prob. Keep us posted on what you buy and how it works

I built one a couple of years ago. Montana 1999 SS action, 26" shilen #3 B&C medalist. Its no light weight, but shoots and looks pretty darn good. My first animal taken with it was a nice montana Antelope buck. 200 yards DRT with a 117 grain sierra GKBT. I plan on working up some loads with Bergers of perhapes Nosler accubonds. I have many rifles, but this caliber is really pleasant to shoot, and very flat. many friends swaer by this round. Seems like the perfect Antelope and mulie round. Mine is not going anywhere soon...thats for sure. Goodshot

My smith was chambering a new stainless Douglas barrel Saturday for .25-06, and then he was going to set up for another in the AI persuasion.