I hav hunted with a 25-06 for 45 years. I have guns in every caliber, but I always take the 2506. It has proven itself on hundreds of different size animals and game. It is a devastating round.
“Ballistic coefficient does not matter when taking ethical shots on game animals under 400 yards” That right there is a statement that proves this man’s worthiness as a hunter for induction into the Jack O’Connor Hunting Hall of Fame.
Everything you said in this video is so true. Back in the day when i was a kid our old-timer gunsmith shot a 25-06. By choice i shoot a 7-08 to mimick the 7x57 but I prefer the short action(purely preference) the 7 mauser was another favorite of the old timers along side the 30-06 of course. Boy i sure miss the old days sitting around the garage late at night listening to my father and the rest of the guys talk about gunsmithing and real hunting stories before all this internet hype bullshit. Thanks for the great video I enjoyed it
I love my 7x57. Such an excellent round. I've been debating between building a 25-06 or .280 Remington for my plains/longer range hunting rifle. I probably don't need it, cause my dad's cousin took a mule deer at 700 yards with his 7x57, but I gotta work on my shooting to make that kind of shot, lol. Anyway, I'm leaning towards the .280, simply because it's better suited to larger game as well as small game (not that I think the 25-06 is a slouch for elk or anything).
I received a NIB Remington Stainless 700 in 25.06 for a tip from some Elk hunters I guided 25 years ago. It was topped with a Burris 3x9 scope. I have lived and guided Elk hunters in Chama NM for over 30 years. My sons my wife and I have put elk in my family’s freezer every year, some Bulls but mainly late season cows. I previously used a Ruger M77 chambered in 7MM rem mag with 160 grain Nosler Partitions. Although the 7mag did its job faithfully the Elk are just as dead with 100 grain Remington Core Loc bullets (also underrated) fired from my 25.06. Plus it doesn’t kick like a mule or cost a left one to shoot. As a PH for 30 plus years I can say without any reservations that I definitely prefer guiding a Elk hunter that is confident and accurate with a medium size caliber than one that flinches with a Big Gun. On one occasion a father with 2 sons flew in from Scotland and borrowed my 25.06. 3 Bull Elk dead with 3 shots, yes this caliber is highly underrated! A double lunged elk doesn’t go far, a gut shot one is usually Coyote food regardless of caliber. Like they say in the real estate game, placement, placement, placement...🤔 Great video, Thanks
A guy that used to hunt with my dad,as well as who also got me into reloading 25+ years ago, loaned his 25-06 to his son in law and said he has killed 3 elk with a 25-06, all one shot with a 100 grain bullet.
yes, you could lose an elk or even a deer with a poor shot for even 50 bmg. elk can and do fall with less than even a 25 cal. ethics have more to do with YOU doing your job than the rifle... at least in most circumstances.
@ Greg Friday. That's a heck of a testimonial for a cartridge in the land of enchantment. Your experience and comparison to the 7mm Rem Mag was particularly interesting. Your 160 grain Partition 7mm Rem Mag load was about as "Elk" as a load can be assembled. Yet your .25-06 with factory CoreLokt ammo is about as "deer" generic as you will find. All equaled dead elk consistently. Bet those Scots appreciated that loaner rifle and cartridge in a big way.
I have hunted with a 25-06 for 40 years, I love that gun Remington 700 BDL . I have used Hornady 117 SST and I’ve had some problems with blood shock and bullet separation the Speer boat tail 120 grain very good bullet
I really have to say that you do a extremely good job formatting your talking points in these videos, it makes it really quick and easy to follow along with. Great caliber as well.
For all intents and purposes. The 25-06 and the 270 Winchester both have that magnum velocity when loaded properly with a proper barrel length. I know a guy who owns a 25-06 who handloads. His barrel is 26in. With a 120 grain bullet, he’s capable of reaching 3200 at safe pressures. A 270 win when loaded properly, can reach 3140 with a 130 grain bullet. For this reason I don’t consider magnums needed when wanting to shoot fast and flat. Them two cartridges alone cover flat shooting shots for sheep deer and antelope. I also consider the 25-06 and the 270 the perfect caribou round for Alaska. Their not tough as elk and their bigger than deer. Them two calibers work perfectly for caribou
In 'The Hunting Rifle', Jack O'Connor gives brief mention of the .25/06 as it had not been 'mainstreamed' by Remington at the time of writing, I wish he had written the book a year later! Of course we know his favorite rifles were .270s but he hunted with a wide range of calibers. I stumbled into a Pre-64 Model 70 barreled action in .25/06 on GB and bought it cheap as it had no Trigger Group, Bottom Metal or Stock. Upon receipt, I noted that the barrel was probably unfired. My speculation was that the man who owned the original Winchester was in the middle of rebuilding his rifle to .25/06 when he passed and his family got rid of the barreled action. What happened to the rest of the parts is unknown. I assembled the barreled action into a rifle with original Winchester parts I had on hand then topped it with a Leupold 3x9 and headed to the range. To say the rifle shoots well is an understatement. Just before I took her hunting I went to the range to fire one (1) round to establish how she shot cold. I wanted 2" high at 100 yards. The bullet was 1/4" right of the centerline and on 2". I had no further questions.. That year all I saw was a medium Whitetail Doe and, reluctantly, shot her from about 80 yards and dropped her in her tracks. She is my favorite rifle. O'Connor was pretty blunt about calibers in his book, essentially saying that most 'new' (post 1906) cartridges are simply marketing devices for the gun companies to sell more rifles. He further expounded that the ancient 7x57mm was 'enough gun' for anything short of truly dangerous game. Point being that the .25/06 exceeds the 7x57mm and is just as viable. I simply laugh and sneer at all the new 'wonder cartridges' coming out in 6.5 and 6.8 This, That or TheOther! At some range beyond, in my opinion, about 250 yards for Deer and 350 for Elk, it is no longer 'hunting', it has simply become murdering an animal. Same for shooting one out your back door if you live in the woods: fine for filling the freezer but not really something to boast about. OK, I'm a curmudgeon and proud of it. As I get older I appreciate the classic rifles and cartridges more and more and have no use at all for the modern marvels. But a rifle and the cartridge it shoots is like an auto, barber, whiskey or woman: a man has to pick his own!
There was a man in our town who I met in the early 1990's who had a documented kill of a prairie dog at slightly over one thousand yards, he did it with a built 25-06! When I think now that he did this with optics and a rifle from over 30 years ago is even more impressive to me.
I used a 25-06 from 1998 for springbok hunts 90gn sierra blitzkings at 3450 f/s 57gn N560 cci200 primers norma brass. Rifle is custom built shillen match ss 26'' barrel RSA single shot target action shoots 5shots 1'' or smaller at 300meters.I have lost count of how many springbok i have taken with this rifle only head or neck shots.In south africa we call it culling of game. The game were used for the meat market if you shot a body shot then the shooter must pay for it . The 25-06 is a winner for this kind of work, shoot 3'' high on 100 meters and 2.5" low at 300meters
I have a good friend who built a custom 700 in 25-06 and used it extensively to take many many antelope, deer, elk, bear, and moose. His preferred bullet was the 100 gr partition. He said it was more accurate in his rifle than the heavier bullets, and he liked the higher velocity and flatter trajectory. He has since passed it down to one of his sons.
I have had a Remington 700 Sendero 25-06 for 20 plus years, shoots amazing, 9 .5 inch 5 shot group at 1000 yards, handloads only, it's taken many white tail from 50 to 300 yards, I am a 25-06 fan for life.
I have never used a 25-06 but one of my mates uses one , the only experience that I’ve had in the 1/4 bore was a 257 Roberts and that was a great rifle.
I'm building a 257 Bob and even with a 22 inch barrel I should get around 3200 fps from a 100 grain bullet. Trick is to build on an intermediate or long action and have it throated to original specs for a COAL of about 3 inches instead of the 'standard' 2.78 for short actions. Also for get the anemic SAAMI of 51000 psi (some sources now show SAAMI at 54000 now) and load to a max of 58000 psi (Hornady loads the +P this way)
I got my 19 year old son a 25-06 for his 13th birthday. He's taken 6 whitetail and 8 hogs so far. It's a great hunting round. To be honest he placed all shot perfectly, and we didn't have to track any of his game in the six years he's used it. 40 yards with a brutal blood trail is about as far as they've run to this point. Shot placement and a great round made that happen.
Great vid 👍🏼 thanks! My hunting rifle arsenal consists of 22-250, 25-06 and 30-06. I feel that provides me with something for every occasion in Australia.
I have three in 25.06. I totally agree with the commentary. It is absolutely fantastic on roos and any other animal (with the exception of buffaloes). I can never understand why it is relatively forgotten. I have been hunting for nearly 40 years and the 25.06 is always my go-to cartridge in Australia.
Thanks for the wonderfully informative video! I have a 25-06 in a Ruger #1 Varmint. I’ve used the rifle on White Tail deer in the Eastern U.S. with success. I hunt from a stand so the added weight of Varmint model is of little consequence. The 25-06 is a fantastic hunting cartridge. I push the Nosler 115grn Ballistic Tip bullet with 53.5grns of Retumbo. Multiple 5 shot groups sub MOA, averaging 3/4”. I have the rifle zeroed at 200 yards. One shot one kill is the only game on the table with the #1. Consequently, 300 yards or less works best for me even though the terminal ballistics are more than adequate out to 400 yards. The last buck harvested with the rifle was at 85 yards and the deer traveled all of 10 yards after being shot. I’ll never sell mine. Thanks again.
I bought a Ruger 77 in .25-06 about 12 years ago and fell in love instantly. It is a killer for sure. My step daughter weighs about 105 lbs and manages the recoil no problem. Very versatile, excellent round.
My cousin hunted with one for more than 40 years. He used it on his farms in South Africa and when he became a PH later in his life. Used it on everything except dangerous game. I shot a lot of game with his 25-06 and everything went down fast and hard. My next rifle will be in 25-06.
A friend of mine had a .257 Weatherby Magnum that he shot long distance with. I bought a 25-06 for myself because I loved what i saw from his 25 caliber round. I instantly fell in love with the 25-06 and have shot deer, coyote and groundhogs with it for a very long time. It's just plain nasty. "When that thing goes off shit happens" as my buddy with the .257 Weatherby used to say. It knocks the crap out of what ever you unleash it on and thats a fact. Thanks for this video and i hope it opens a few eyes about this awesome cartridge.
The only (and I mean ONLY) reason I use a 270 for deer and antelope out here in eastern Colorado rather than a 25-06 is because I currently don’t own a 25-06. Looking to remedy that in the near future.
I know this is an old video, but really cemented my decision and have no regrets on purchasing I recently purchased the 25-06 in the Browning X-Bolt. Was getting tough to find. I recently found out that Browning is discontinuing that caliber a long with a few others. Luckily I was able to find one. A beautiful white gold medallion in a maple stock. I am a wood stock fan. I have a .270 really because that was my grandfather’s favorite caliber which I really enjoy shooting. Then I purchased a 300wm which I found a very good deal on and enjoy shooting it as well. This is when I got the 25-06 it is an absolute dream to shoot. All of these are in the Browning X-Bolt. The reason I chose these 3 calibers is they all have been proven time and time again. These new calibers have a long way to go. Thank you for all the info you give.
When I was a kid, my dad hunted with a 25-06. I'm pretty sure he had one back when it was still a wildcat. I thought it was cool long before I had any idea what cartridges were good for what. When I decided to get back in to hunting as an adult, I wanted one rifle that would do a wide range of things in the area where I was going to do most of my hunting, west Texas and eastern New Mexico. After a lot of research, I bought a 25-06. That was the first hunting rifle I bought myself. I now have a handful of rifles in different cartridges suitable for deer and pronghorn, but that 25-06 still seems to be the one I grab most often.
Also, people go on about 'short action' being more desirable than 'long action'. WHY? So they don't have to move the bolt a few more millimetres? A long action rifle looks far more classic and elegant.
This was incredibly informative. You might have just changed my mind about whether I should purchase I rifle chambered in this round I’ve long been fascinated with, but didn’t know much about.
Excellent video. Showing the 25-06 some love. In fact, for those that know how to tweak it with reloads customized to their rifle, it's an outstanding performer.
I have a 25-06 in Sako A7 soft touch. Excellent gun for whitetail and great for smaller shooters. Last years whitetail didnt take a step, broke through the ribcage, passed through and broke the shoulder blade on the other side.
I love my 25-06…I had it bulit on the Mauser Action with a Douglas barrel over 50 years ago and I just shot another buck 4 days ago over 200 yards with the old Hornady 120 gr H-P, can’t find these bullets anymore, glad I stocked up on them….never shot a factory load in this gun….Great Video !!!
I think it benefits from being a classic military rifle Mauser if I'm not mistaken so you'll have Mauser collectors after it also people who are interested in the history of a 6.5 Creedmoor and 65 cartridges I wouldn't quite call it under appreciated
greg, I agree. I have a Carl Gustav M96 (1912 receiver date) customized into a beautiful hunting rifle in 2000 and have taken many many deer and hog here in Texas with it. I would put its accuracy up against any modern expensive rifle today and most likely out shoot that rifle. 3 shot holes touching is common for this rifle. I like to tell folks I've been shooting a 6.5 Creedmoor for 20 years lol. The liability issue with the old receivers is what kept the Swede back. I don't reload and no need. Federal Power Shok 140gr Moly coated and Nosler 140gr Accubond do just fine at 2600fps.
@Joakim Henrikson 6.5x55 är snart ute ur klass 1 ligan tror jag tyvärr. Jag använder 25-06 på tjäder och kolla in den här videon för handladdnings tips.
I agree. The only problem with 6.5x55 is its not chambered in newer rifles. I've been looking at 6.5 Creedmoor as an alternative as it closely duplicates the Swede and is readily available in newer rifles. I always wanted a 6.5x55 though.
GOOD STUFF! 25-06 HAS BEEN ON MY LIST FOR A WHILE NOW. I LOOKED AT ONE NOT LONG AGO. THE SALESMAN LIKED THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN THE CALIBER (OLDER GUY) SAID "I HAVE 19 DEER ON THE SAME 25-06".
Yep, it really is the best cartridge for animals in its class. All of the .25s are awesome, but 25-06 has more ummph than the 257 Roberts, yet doesn't recoil and burn barrels like the 257 Weatherby. Its perfect!
@@usa-rb5fi if you don’t hand load the 257 Roberts is worthless! You can still find a bunch of good fast factory loads for the 25/06! You can’t find much for the Roberts
My dad had a custom 2506 built back in the early 1930s,he really loved it,My nephew has it now . It had a 26 inch barrel was truly a game killer and my dad he had taken had taken many elk and deer here in Idaho with it. I have one today in Remington model 700 with a 26 inch barrel, very accurate and pleasant to shoot, made a 674 yard shot and instant kill on an elk . For deer and Antelope size game it is tremendous.
I agree, just took a nice 8 point whitetail deer yesterday morning with mine at 300 yards. I shoot 117 grain Hornady SST ammo. It's a target rifle, 26" heavy tapered barrel. Great video!
Great video, and I agree with almost everything you said. I've had several 25-06's and my favorite gun to take to the woods is my Sako A7 25-06. I hand load, and have had wonderful success in hogs and deer using Berger VLD Hunting. I know they started out as target bullet, but they perform very well on hogs. I've kill well over 100 with no issues. I even convince a good friend who was a diehard .270 fan to switch to the .25-06.
Nosler partition is my choice , it shoot's dime size 5 shot groups in my 1903 A-3 and the cavity upset on game has always been a devastating 1 shot kill . Seriously , if your a reloader and haven't tried Nosler partition , YOU Should !
JUST WHAT I WANTED TO HERE.COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER !!!!! I"AM IN THE THE HUNT FOR A 25-06.I ALMOST BOUGHT ONE ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO,AND I LISTENED TO THE HYPE. I HADE A STRONG FEELING THAT IT WAS A GOOD HUNTING CALIBER. LISTEN TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID,RANGE SO TRUE TO ME. I WILL BE GETTING A 25.06.THANKS for your KNOWLEDGE.🎖🎖
The 25-06 has been a favorite of mine for more than 20 years so no fear of overbore for me. I have nothing against large BC rounds and have them but it doesn't negate my appreciation for the 25 cal.
I've been a fan of the quarter bores for my whole life. The 257 Roberts, 25-06 and 257 Weatherby mag I have used on varmints to large mule deer. My favorite hands down is the 25-06.
My first rifle was a 243 as a kid then my dad told me one day “I’ve been saving this hidden gem for you” and gave me a wood stock browning 25-06 with a box of shells thanks dad
Awesome video, I had a T/c encore years ago and I loved it. My friend's wife has shot several cow elk with her ruger m77 in 25-06. It's all about shot placement
Thanks for your great review and endorse of the 25-06. I've been a huge fan of this cartridge for years. I have one with a 26" barrel and another with a 22" barrel. Both are very effective.
I agree its the most underrated cartridge. Its an awesome round. Wish I had never sold my old Savage 110 .25-06. I miss that rifle like you would not believe. I used to shoot it all day long on the gun range when I wasn't hunting with it. Its recoil was not that bad at all contrary to what some may believe. If the ammo manufacturers had supplied a wider range of bullets and weights it would have gone farther than it did. It has better ballistics than the vaunted and much publicized .270 Rifleman's round. I agree it does all those things. Flat shooting, low recoil, and hard hitting. I also agree its all marketing ploys to push what the gun and ammo manufacturers want to push rather than what shooters and hunters want. Winchester out marketed Remington and the .25-06 with the .270. Not because the .270 was the better round as the ballistics proved. The .25-06 is for sure a deer cartridge first and foremost. I used the Nosler Partition for deer and Nosler Ballistic Tip for varmints. Unfortunately I see a lot of gun manufacturers dropping the .25-06 from their available cartridge lists of their new rifles. I need to get another .25-06 and sell my .22-250 to get it. I like the .22-250 but I can do so much more with the .25-06. Thanks for sharing. Great video.
Been shooting a bull barrel Ruger 77, top tang safety for 40 years...will continue to do so. Between it and an iron sight Winchester 30-30, all whitetail bases are covered.
I bought an ADL 25-06 at 18 also. I have dozens of rifles but still my go to deer rifle. It's ugly as hell but still shoots. I also have a heavy barreled custom 25-06 my Uncle gave me. It is a fantastic coyote gun.
I like the way you think. I agree that the 25-06 needs a long barrel to get that velocity up for those slow burning powders. That being said if you want to haul around a gun with a shorter barrel AND you hand load, then the 257 Roberts is another viable option that gives you the same attributes as the 25-06. Off the shelf 257 Roberts, even the +P stuff, doesn’t allow you to get those velocities with a shorter barrel.
@@lorent7475 the only advantage the 6.5 has on the 25 would be ringing the steel at 800 plus yrds, it was designed as a paper punch not a hunting round and i agree if your shooting at animals past 500 yrds your not hunting your taking chances regardless of what you shoot for a rifle
Thank you very much for this VERY informative video!! I now know what my next hunting rifle will be ! I primarily hunt whitetails here in NC and I think it’ll be perfect 😀
My dad bought one in the 80’s and I followed suit soon after (browning BBR and a S&W 1500). We have never lost a deer with them and there is very little recoil. We really like the 120 grain Winchester positive expanding point. Great deer rifle you can’t go wrong with this cartridge Thanks I enjoyed the video
I have owned and fired quite a few 25-06s through the years and have found 117 grain Hornady to be the most accurate factory load.Ground hogs at 400 yards are no problem .And the dozen or so deer I have killed with mine have dropped hard.But I myself have also always wondered why it doesnt get more recognition.
Great video and you’re spot on with your choice of game for the 25-06. I’ve always liked the 280 Remington for antelope and deer, but have killed antelope with the 25-06 as well. I think the 25-06 and 280 will always play second fiddle to the 270.Take care and good luck on future hunts!
Great video and synopsis. I had used a borrowed rifle (HIS idea) on a Tx state ‘cull’ hunt some years back and had NO idea of the capabilities of the Rem 700 .25-06 BDL I was hunting with. The hunt was marginally successful as I was the only one that had taken a deer BUT was I a believer in that .25-06 caliber! Flat-shooting and accurate with little-to-no recoil, I was SO impressed and have always ‘planned on’ getting one some day. My go-to is (and always has been) a Winchester .270 (Featherweight model)...EXCEPT for THIS season. I opted to take out my M1A and besides it being a HEAVY rifle, it was great to use it besides bench/target shooting.
Love the quarter bore's. Owned a 25-06 and did well with it. I currently use a 257 Weatherby and it is a super flat shooting cartridge. I zero 2.5" high at 100 yards and it gives me a 300 yard zero with only 7" of drop at 400 yards. I hunt with the 100 grain TTSX from Barnes and it is a killing bullet.
Great review!! I've had a Rem 700 25-06 since the late 1960's. Still my favorite deer and antelope cartridge. Over 30 kills and no lost animals. It's just a great cartridge.
Great review .. I just bought a Tikka Lite 25-06 synthetic 22” barrel and had it hydrographed and also installed a muzzle break .. I will also fill the stock butt with resin to make it heavier .. Hope it does the job at 200-300 yds .. If I had looked further and been more patient, I would have bought a Browning X-Bolt 25-06 24” barrel for 150$ more that I saw afterwards .. It would certainly have been more precise .. Anyhow, I will never know !! Let me know your thoughts on this !! 😉
Absolutely agree with you. The 25 caliber family is very underated. I'm a huge fan of the 257 Bob and the 25-06. Might even try out a 257 Weatherby magnum some day. Thanks for the great video
I am not a fan of Roy Weatherby's cartridges at all; EXCEPT for the 257 Weatherby. These 25-caliber cartridges just seem to get better and better with velocity, and the recoil remains very light. The 257 Weatherby was Roy's greatest creation.
I’ve had a 25-06 for years and it’s always been insanely deadly, the weight range is insane 75-120 grains, pushing 75 grain bullets around 3800 fps it’s about the best prairie dog/varmint round on earth. 22-250 has nothing on the 25-06. But if you step up to 100 grain bullets it’s insanely effective on larger game, I’ve taken several massive pigs many deer with 100 grain Speer hot cores and it drops them in there tracks, never exits but turns the insides into jelly, the last two bucks I’ve shot had the same result busted through the shoulders and completely blew the heart apart to the point where it was just a bunch of mush
My first hunting rifle is a Savage Axis ii in this round. I was going to get a 30.06, but my buddy talked me into this round. 3 days after purchase, I took a 10 point buck, then later that night, a 150 lb. Hog. It dropped both with authority, neither ran farther than 15 yards!
I have a 25-06. And people that come to the camp to shoot it says it's a very loud gun. Its got a ton of energy for a smaller bullet. And I have never shit more than once at deer or hog with it.
Loudness is one thing all the fast, high pressure rounds have against them, compared to something like the 30-30 or pistol caliber levers. And the overbore ones are the worst offenders.
I never had any experience with the 25-06 personally, but I known guys at the hunting camp who swear by it. I seen and heard nothing but good things about it. I do agree with what you say, about high bc bullets and ethical hunting ranges. I think companies like Hornady and Berger are doing hunters a disservice by promoting stupid long range hunting. My theory is that it's a ploy to get PRS shooters involved with hunting. Here's the thing punching paper and smacking steel at stupid ranges Has Absolutely Nothing to do with big game hunting.
I just subscribed! I been telling people this for a while now. Everybody is on the 6.5 bandwagon!! If you’re shooting paper a 1000 yards away go for it, but any common big bore round will kill effectively at hunting ranges! 243 to 300 win mag will all kill effectively on medium to large size game. Thank you sir for this video.
My first rifle was a Ruger Model 77 in 25-06, made in the 200th year of American Liberty. I have used it on Muleys, Whitetail,Coyotes and P-dogs. I still have it and my Son says it a family heirloom. I got when i turned sixteen and used it to get a Muley Buck back in 1976,which was my first deer.
My Winchester 25.06 has taken probably 2 dozen elk and about the same number of mule deer. My wife has no idea what anything in the safe is except as she calls my 25.06; Old Reliable...
I have all but have given up on my savage 7mm rem mag and browning 300 win mag for my H&R handicap rifles in 280 rem and 25-06 for hunting all over the USA. Still take one of my mags on moose and bear hunts just as added measure though or for longer shot situations.
