This gentleman is an absolute breath of fresh air in a “tacticool” hunting world. I have an old Remington 700 in 25-06 and it’s a gem. It’s nice to see practical thinking in a field rifle. The fixed 6 is a fantastic choice for a scope. I can’t wait to see more of this.
.25-06 has to be one of the most under-rated and unappreciated cartridges out there. As a long-time quarter-bore fan I'm glad to FINALLY see some modern high B.C. bullets like the Black Jack Ace and the new Berger's coming out to bring some attention back to these great older cartridges. Only problem is I still always have to decide whether to grab my Ultralite .250 Savage A.I. or my .25-06 A.I. from the safe when deer season rolls around.
Yes I have a 25.06 also I love it shoots great but to shoot the higher bc bullets like the black jack ace you have to change your barrel to a higher twist rate like 7.5 in order to stabilize it properly
I was one of the people who was somewhat critical of your channel recently for so many videos revolving around very high end reloading equipment. I'm happy to walk that comment back because it appears that you're starting to cover some different areas such as hunting and more affordable (to many of us) equipment and builds. Thank you.
25-06 is highly underrated. Built a custom rifle in this caliber for my son as a grift when he graduated basic training as a marine, he absolutely loves it. Shooting 100 grain Barnes ttsx at 3360fps. Flattens everything it gets pointed at!
It would be nice to see you do a series on a classic hunting cartridge rather than the latest whiz bang PRS cartridge (enjoyable, but repetitive). I’d prefer the 270 Win be your first, but the 25-06 will do. I’ve hunted with the 257 Ackley Roberts fairly extensively and would like to see how it compares to the 25-06. I’ve shot a number of smaller Texas Whitetail and a couple of Washington/Oregon Blacktail with the 100 grain Nosler Partition (the rifle won’t stabilize the 115 or 120). At 3106 fps the Partition does achieve full penetration, but the nose section blows up big time inside the deers body cavity leaving you with small entrance and exit holes and a jellied mess internally. No 25-06 should be stuck with a 22” barrel give the weight of the powder charge versus the bore size. If possible I’d like to see a comparison between 24” and 26” barrel velocities as well as a comparison to the 257 Weatherby with the same bullet weight/barrel length. Again, the 270 Win is my first choice for you to test, but the 25-06 has always intrigued me.
I don't have a 270 on hand right now, but I sure do like your thought of doing a series on classic hunting cartridges. Maybe I can talk the boss (Gavin) into it! :) Thanks.
My experience, too . . . that front core on the Nosler Partition just explodes like a varmint bullet. Many premium choices these days. I've always liked the Speer GS.
Great video! Thank you both! I'm old school to the core. I still shoot Game Kings and Interlocks in both 30-06 and 25-06. The older I get the more I lean to the 25-06.Love the light recoil!
I have had a 25-06 for 45 years. Love it. I am waiting on a 1in 8 twist for heavier bullets. Would like to see something on the Berger & Blackjack high BC bullets in 1 in 7-8 twist barrels.
Just finished building Rem700 with Liljia 1:8 barrel and waiting for the BJ bullets that are backordered. Im also out of primers, so i will have to wait. Will try the Retumbo,l using imr 4350 49gr with 120gr Nosler partition. I think im on the slow side, need to speed it up a bit.
I think Guy is spot on. I've hunted with a .270 Win for years and years. I have many calibers and they all shoot well and perform well but my .25-06 occupies a pretty special place in my heart. Just like my .270. You can't beat them (my opinion) I think you have to own and shoot one to fully appreciate them. My biggest problem is choosing which caliber/rifle to use. But the .25-06 is definitely a contender. I appreciate this video and keep them coming!
Guys is an incredibly nice guy. A few years ago we messaged back and forth on a forum, he got me pointed towards the 700 CDL in 25-06 for my second 25-06. It is one of the nicest rifles I have ever carried/hunted with, it is sleek, light and incredibly accurate with 80grn TTSX at 3600fps using H4831. I use it as a predator calling rifle and it will take them clean WAY out there. If you want a great rifle that's easy to carry with traditional great looks this is the one. Great video.
120 grain Nosler partitions have served me super well since the 1980's! It has taken moose, elk, Black Bear, mule and white tailed deer. More than adequate for all of them if placed thoughtfully. Retumbo works awesome in my 26" barrel!
I like the small diameter/ lots of powder concept for flat shooting. I had a choice between a 270 and a 25-06, and I chose the 25-06 for flatter trajectory and lower recoil. When I go specifically for elk, I use my 7mm Rem Mag, also a flat shooter. Joe
I have hunted with my father's remington 700 bdl 25-06 since I was 14. Many mule deer have been taken with it and the longest walk any of them took was 2 steps forward a left hand turn to a complete side shot then drop! This was at approximately 530 yards , which is the longest shot I've ever taken with it!! It is a fantastic gun and cartridge!!! I've never had any penetration problems with it! I'm now 51 years young and still shooting it!!!
I had a bull barrel Remington sendero in 25 06 ,there was nothing i could not hit and kill with it, no matter how far. Sold it ,and instantly regret it.
Got my first .25-06 when I was 18. Shot it a lot. It's an early '80's vintage 700 ADL. The throat shows some erosion so doesn't shoot lighter bullets anymore. Luckily it shoots into a quarter all day everyday with 120 gr Partitions over IMR 7828. It has worn the same Leupold 6X36 scope since day 2.
25-06 is an exultant round I use to hunt chucks with it and have taken a few chucks at a thousand yards...punch a .25 hole on entry and a silver dollar exit, and have taken a few white tales with zero tracking do to the fact that they drop in their tracks....Love it!!
I inherited a 1977 rifle very similar to the subject of the video: 700 BDL with a 24" heavy varmint barrel in 25-06 Rem. It is a very capable rifle. Before the recent onset of heavy 257 bullets, the Speer BTSP at G1 .480 was the highest BC I could find. That bullet over a heavy charge of RL 25 or Retumbo bangs steel plates out to 3/4 mile without much fuss at all. I even stretched it to 7/8 mile. A 120 gr Partition over 7977 groups (5 shots) under 1" at 200 yards if I do my part (sometimes I do!). So even with hunting bullets, it is easy to shoot respectable groups. And 1000 yard shooting is well within its capability for target shooting, and really underestimated in that regard. Nice video, gentlemen!
Great video. Guy is a very good speaker. Enjoyes his stories a lot. I can tell he is a good man and a highly ethical hunter. Bring him on as often as you can. The 25-06 has long interested me, as has a fixed 6x scope (planned to put one on a 7x57, but i sold the rifle). I like the dual purpose abilities of the 25-06, and so far i have only hunted ground squirrels and varmints. I know it is extremely versatile for reloaders. Should be a lot of fun all around.
I had a 25-06 that I'm rebuilding into a 6.5-06. I relaod and am still waiting to take possession of rifle. Great cartridge for deer. Thanks for the media your producing.
There seems to be a renewed interest in the quarter bores. I have hunted with a 25-06 for almost 20yrs now and love it. Happy to see the industry finally give some much needed attention to us quarter bore fans!!
25-06 is a great long range, flat shooting and inherently ACCURATE cartridge. Nosler Accubond handles the very fast muzzle velocity for the occasional closer range medium game hunting. Thanks for this video.
what a beautiful package.. note the scope height above the barrel.. i still believe the closer the line of vision parrallel to the center of the bore, that scope almost sits on barrel.. there not carry handles.. the more condensed the package is the easier it is to carry..
I am currently building a 25-06 for my grandson on a model 98 action. I chose this caliber for several reasons; fast and flat, low recoil for a light weight, easy to obtain factory ammo (pre-pandemic), and only about 200 fps slower than a 257 weatherby, Since he lives in the plains and will start out with deer or coyote sized game it is a good all round rifle for him. I liked the video. I would not hesitate to use a 25-06 in Africa with solids and well build expanding bullets for many of the smaller/mid sized antelope.
Love my 25-06. It is a close 1st to my 22-250 as my favorite caliber. I've shot more game with it than any other caliber. Elk, Deer, Antelope, Coyotes, and Rock chucks. I own many other tried and true calibers in the reloading manual, and I always grab this first for deer. My Dad gave it to me for Christmas when I was 15, and I'm now 43 and its killed every deer and antelope I've harvested since. It"s exactly like Guy says, always dead on at the range every year. It is an early 90's Remington 700 BDL 24" sporter barrel with a Leupold VARI-XII 3-9x scope. I call it "ole meat in the pot". I also have one exactly like Guy's, but I always go to old reliable. 25-06 is a way underrated caliber IMHO. Great video! Bullet manufactures need to give us more 1/4 bore bullet selection!
Thank you Gentlemen, for presenting this .25/06 video. Have always loved the 06 and spinoffs. Very much enjoy your stuff. Will be watching you guys alot.
I have a 25-06 Ruger American believe it or not. It has been an awesome rifle and very accurate with 75gn VMAX and 117gn Hornady interlocks. It’s topped with a 4-16 Nikon monarch and a Boyd’s thumb hole stock. Only thing is it’s one of my heavier guns so it’s really only used for times when I know I won’t be walking all day out here in Kansas.
Great to hear about this wonderful old cartridge. I've shot over 40,000 rounds of 25-06 and 25-06 AI since my first custom AI rifle in 1969. About 90% of those were with the 75g bullet at varmints and targets. I use the 100g at 3350 fps for most Mule and whitetail deer. The Hornady Interlock has been king but I use the Sierra Game King if I expect shots out to 500 yards because of its accuracy and killing power at the slower velocities at that range. I like the 25-06 velocity for running game. It makes those shots so predictable. For ranges beyond that it is the Berger 115.. I shoot p-dogs at 1000 yards with it too but the recoil is too much for me for more than about 100 rounds in a sitting. I usually switch to the 6mm Creedmoor or 25 Creedmoor for those shots if I'm going to shoot all day. I use the 131g ACE in my 25 Creedmoor and it is accurate enough for serious long range competition. My next build will be a fast twist 25-06 AI as that will truly be a superb all around hunting rifle for anything in North America. I've shot most other cartridges - .220 Swift to 7mm mag but the light recoil, speed and deadly performance of the 25-06 causes me to grab the 25-06 for serious hunting every time. At present I shoot a Rem 700 Sendero with a 6-24x scope (I hunt on 6x with parallax set to infinity) and an ultra-light Weatherby Mark V with a 3.5-10x set on 3.5x for stomping through the mountains. Yes, I quit counting barrels after my first six but it has been well worth it. As an experiment, I actually hunted with my 25-06 AI for almost 10,000 rounds before I replaced it. It was still shooting at about .5 MOA until it completely failed. There is no better antelope rifle than the 25-06 with a 90g bullet (with a 115g in my pocket just in case they are way out there). About half of my antelope, deer and coyotes have been running and the 25-06 makes it about as predictable as shooting quail.
Got my 25-06 in 1979 in Rem 700 BDL. 3x9 loupold gold ring set on 6. Ive taken over 60 whitetails with it. I traded it in 1985 for the down payment on a Kawasaki ninja 600. 2 years later I was able to get it back unfired in the exact condition I had traded it for. I’ll never part with it again until on my death it will go to my son. He uses a 6.5 creedmore now. I also have the 700 bdl in 30-06. I use it when I’m in thicker brush areas. The 25-06 is my favorite though. I use hornady 120 gr soft points. I’ve been reloading since 1979. Listening to the guests credentials match mine almost to a T. Very interesting ! 👍😎
I've had a .25-06 on my mind for a couple years. It's going to be my next rifle buy. Really excited to load this cartridge and make an accurate meat gathering tool.
Purchased a Remington 700 Classic in 25-06 for a speed goat hunt in 2015. Dropped a Timney trigger in it and hit paydirt on the firs load with Nosler Accubonds. Before the hunt I shot a tiny group at 400 yards. On the hunt the 245yd shot I took was a chip shot. The buck dropped like a rock. Love that gun and load!
@@Remington-gf4fx any starting loads you recommend? Do you have any trouble feeding the heavier bullets? I just ordered a 24” mcgowen 25-06 AI with a 1:7 twist
@@geslayton my Max load is like 58 grains of retumbo so I would start in the 55 range and work up with imr 8133 max was like 58.5 but I would start at 55 as well. Only have used H1000 for fireform loads and use around 52.5 using lapua 30-06 brass necked down. Just start low
Probably the most under-appreciated cartridge of all time. Light recoiling hard-hitting flat shooting 6.5 Creedmoor eating. There's not a better cartridge for a western Hunter
Only downfall is that the 6.5 Creedmoor is a target round. If it wasn't for that fact then I would keep my 300 in the safe and take my Creedmoor more often.
25/06 is my favorite deer rifle. I've had one since 1983 and it has done everything I needed it to do in my area. I have bigger and smaller but that's my meat getter.
I found a 25-06 in my LGS for about $700. It had been made by a local gunbuilder by the name of Ray Lynn. It was a work of art built on a Mauser receiver with a beautiful stock with a maple chunk at the forend and a layer of maple at the bottom of the pistol grip. The trigger was awsome and I returned at a later date with my $700 in my pocket. Alas as I was awaiting the attention of the gunny I glanced down into the display case and there to my amazement was a pristine Browning Hi-Power. It turned out to be made in '82 in Belgium and also assembled in the same country. It was NIB condition. Not a mark on it and examination of the internals revealed that it had hardly been fired at all. That Browning followed me home and the 25-06 remained behind. The Browning turned out to be a an excellent shooter and it is in my rotation of carry guns to this day. It still remains in top notch shape without a scratch on it but has devoured thousands of handloaded 9 MM cartridges. I removed the magazine disconnect and replaced the trigger and it has a very nice trigger now. The original was not optimal for my usage. So for the future I do not plan on bothering with a 25-06 since I really have no need for one as my hunting days are long over and I have more target rifles that all need love. A pair of Garands, a pair of Lee Enfields, a 38-55 Marlin, a 38-55 H&R, a CZ 223, a 50-90 Sharps by Winchester Model 1885 and a CZ .22 LR.
Truly a fantastic cartridge...I reload for my browning bar 100 g barns tsx or ttsx...any large primer ...and I can print a group 5/8” at 100 meters....and have dope for 400 meters ..roughly 1” per 100 meters (drop)...truly a soft shooting rifle and deadly Just great to use
Love the 25-06. I have two now. It was my first deer rifle that I paid for myself. It is just an old ugly Remington ADL but still usually the gun I grab first. Great deer/varmint rifle.
I have had a 25-06 in my collection for better part of 20 years and am not afraid to take it on any hunt. Have taken game. Including large boar hogs in excess of 500 yards
Built a 25-06 AI and had horrible luck with getting repeatable groups and es. My gunsmith cut and inch off the back of the barrel and rechambered it to straight 25-06. Gained 200 fps and now a 1/4 moa. love the setup in a rem700 and stockys long range stock.
I have had one almost identical to his and love . I have never lost an animal while hunting with it. Like he said I have the upmost confidence in it. I recently found another one that is around the same age and acquired it. Most accurate rifle I own period.
25-06 was what my dad started me out with back in the late seventies. I’ve killed a lot of deer with it and not much walks away from it here in south Texas.it’s also the first caliber I started reloading for and also one of the calibers were there’s room for a lot of improvement velocity wise over factory load.well at least back then. I found that an almost case capacity load of Vvn 560 would push a moly coated 100gr ballistic tip well past 3500fps.and that coyotes and other such critters generally weren’t safe inside 500yds thank for a great video and bringing back some good memories
I love my 25-06, Remington 700SPS. Shoots into 3/4" MOA with factory Federal Premium with a 100 grn. Nosler BT. And I am sure I can improve on that when I start working up some loads for it myself.
I've been hunting with 25-06 for almost 30 years and love it! Easy to load for and shoot. Killed my first deer with this cartridge and have let a couple young kids kill their first deer with it. Not bad recoil for a young person. Very universal cartridge with the right loads. From predator hunting to big game. It covers a wide range. I recommend it to any new hunter. It's not scary to shoot because of recoil and under normal circumstances ammo is easy to find for those that don't reload. Every major ammo manufacturer loads for it.
I'm running a 115 Berger with my .25-06 on 51.2 grains of IMR 4831 and an interchangeable load with a 115 Nosler BT. Bergers win out on the accuracy but terminal performance on deer has been less than desirable with the Berger. I use them for groundhogs now. All that said, one of my favorite cartridges and as others have said, hugely underrated.
@@guyminer3168 Absolutely! The Nosler BT is relatively inexpensive and performs very well terminally. The 95 grain BT is also very effective on deer out to 250 yds. in my .243.
New to your channel, so far like what I am seeing. Now for the 25-06. First off the man that taught me to reload. He makes a science out of it. Trying to keep a long story short here. He would call and say lets go hunting. Meaning coyote. We would sit at his kitchen table telling stories. Then he would get up and turn the weather channel on. Looking for wind speed, telling him what caliber to use. The looking at Barometric and Humidity levels. He had tones of logs on every caliber he shot. Wind says this caliber. Gets in his notebook and that tells him what loads to use. Yada yada yada. Now I learn everything from him and IMO do well. MY 22-250 shoots a 0.114 in group at a 100. Now, my Ruger Number 1 in 25-06. Winchester silver box at a 100. Less than one inch groups all day long. Reload for it. No joke doing everything I can or knew how to do. 2 1/2 inch groups the best I can do. Talking with my buddy. He says give me the gun and dies, as he does not have 25-06. He is retired and claims. No rifle has ever beat me. He tested and measured everything. Barrel was good. riffling he said was awesome. He kept and played with the rifle, no joke 18 months. Spent I do not know how much on powder, primers, bullets and his time. He called me up and said, come get your rifle. And plan on being here awhile. He went through every step with me. To end up saying. Buy Winchester silver box. You and I can not match what they do. This was in late 90's early 2000. DO not have rifle anymore and am still at a loss on what I could of done to make good loads out of it. Longest kill on deer was 425 yards and coyote was 675 yards. Mind you we always saw one cross at that spot. So I practiced and practiced at that yardage. Wondering if you may have any ideas of what we could of done back then? Sorry for being so long.
I bought my REM 700 bdl in 1969 right after the cartridge was standardized. I was 14 years old, put it on layaway and was paying $10/week at Keith’s hardware in Fairfield, Al, which had a nice little gun dept and a full reloading area. I kept paying ever week till I paid off the princely sum of $169 for the rifle. I was already set up for reloading for my 44 mag Super Blackhawk, so I had the dies already purchased for the 25/06 when I brought home the rifle. H4831 was my powder of choice, which was $1.45/lbs in the old black and red Hodgdon cardboard containers. The rifle was bughole accurate, had installed a $19 Tasco scope I purchased at a JCPenney sporting goods dept and mounted with Redfield bases and rings, which are still on 53 years later. I replaced the Tasco after about 10 years with a Bausch & Lomb 2.5/8, although there was no problem with the older Tasco at all. I have used that old Tasco on other numerous rifles over the years with zero problems. The 700 has been shot so much the engine turning on the bolt is like glass, but even with all the rounds put through it, is still an exceedingly accurate rifle. I have been a shooter and gun collector all my life and am still active in multiple shooting sports. Count me in with yourself as an absolute 25/06 aficionado. Keep up the good work !!!
I shoot a 6mm-06 Ackley - it is a screamer and can be tough on barrels. Loaded with 100 grain Berger bullets over a charge of slow-burning powder such as Retumbo, H1000, etc the Pac-Nor 30" 1-7 twist barrel can get hot in a hurry so I limit how much and how fast I shoot it. The 6mm-06 is a hoot on long range varmints. Another favorite is a Kimber 280 Ackley. My 35 Brown-Whelen doesn't come out very often any more.
Love my 25 06. Its very versitile I have taken most African plains game except Eland with mine and it works well. Low recoil and great accuracy. I think its an underrated cartridge.
There's 6mm-06, 25-06, 6.5-06, 270 Win, 280 Rem, 30-06 Gov/Springfield, 8mm-06, 338-06, 35 Whelen. Not to mention all the improved cartridges. The 30-06 has brought forth some of the best cartridges for varmints to bear and moose. New isn't always best.
Personally I can’t find enough difference to make a difference ( Paul Harrell ) between the classic 1900 era cartridges than all these so called new ones. This 25-06 Remington is the old 25 Neidner from around 1920 or so, new and improved powers is what really brought to the forefront in 1968 by Remington. Remington also did the same with the 35 Whelen in 1988. You are so right about the 30-06 Springfield cartridge.
Great video and stories! I'm building a long-ago sporterized M1903 from 1942 into a .25-06 AI. I've been wondering about the scope, and you've helped me decide. Can't wait to get it out after some whitetail this year! Thanks!
I had a 25-06 built in 1973 on a Mauser Action with a Douglas Barrel, I just took another Pa buck with it last week , still shoots great !!! My favorite rifle….
You hit my favorite round for hunting. I have a custom Sako with a 30" Krieger in 25-06AI built for prairie dogs using the same bullet covered in this video. Excellent long range round, easy on recoil at 14 pounds and a 12x42 Night Force. I am interested in the 25 Creedmore that you built a while back as well as a 25BR. Food for thought. Thanks
4 or 6x fixed scopes are very underated. I'm still using a 4x Redfield Widefield on a 308 to take whitetail 40yrs after my grandfather mounted it on a rifle
I have acquired a (25 Boomer) 25x39 varmit gun. Have yet to work up a load but hope to get on it this fall. The parent case is a 7.62x39 and the rifle is a Ruger mini-30. My goal is to use it for coyotes.
It's a very good cartridge I have been shooting it for quite some time hiload 53 grains Hodgens 4831 and 120 grain Hornady hollow point in a worked Winchester brass Magnum primer my longest shot with the 25/ 06 was in Granville County North Carolina on a whitetail deer 558 yards it's a very good cartridge if there ever was the perfect deer size game cartridge in my opinion this is it
I had, and now have again, a Ruger #1 heavy barrel 25-05. Unertl scopes on both. Shooting the Nosler 100 grain solid base over 50.0 of Winchester 785 (sadly discontinued), Winchester case, Federal 210M primer. 5 shots into 0.32" at 100 yards. Pure death on groundhogs to 450 yards, and also one shot kills on whitetail deers.
Had my 25-06 since 1980 in Rem 700 bdl and love it. I had a twin in 30-06 that was stolen and loved the feel buddy talked me into the 25 and have no regrets.
Plus 1 to what Neil posted. Appreciate your enthusiasm and knowledge of the “modern” cartridge. Having said that…… those of us who are older would enjoy some “props” due the classic hunting cartridges. Just how far do I go in crafting a good hunting round in my M70 or M700? Thanks !
I'm hoping to do some articles & videos with more of the "classic" cartridges, since those are what I generally use. Check in on us again, we should have some good stuff coming up!
I have taken mule deer and pronghorn antelope with a 25-06. Love the cartridge. Well balanced and accurate. It has a Vortex diamondback on it and I run a 117 Hornady SST with AA4350. Never clocked it, so I dont know velocities, but bench rest at 200 yards I can cover my group with a dime.
A few years ago I was hunting mulies alone NW of Cody, Wyoming where I live. When I went in to set camp, I talked to a guy, who also happened to be an old Marine like me, who told me that he'd seen 2 different grizzlies in that immediate area in the past 2 days. Well. I got up the next morning and starting out at 8750ft elevation, I immediately had a 600ft climb to get to my hunt area. I made my way up a little creek bed and up to a stand of timber at 9600ft. Working my way around the timber, I ran into bachelor group along the edge at about a hundred yards. I had prepared for and wanted to take a good long range shot and I had my load, rifle, and data all dialed in for it. I picked the best buck in the bunch, a fairly decent 4x4, and nailed him off-hand at 90 yards with my .308 while still wearing my pack. So much for long range. So now I'm thinking about those grizzlies. The wind was blowing into the timber so the first thing I did was drag the buck about a hundred yards away from the edge of the timber and gutted him. Then I dragged him another couple hundred yards further into the open and started cutting. All this time I'm worried about the grizzlies showing up because they have a habit of investigating gun shots in autumn. Cut cut, look look look. Cut cut, look look look. I took the meat off the bones and packed it in game bags... I filled all 4 of them and my pack would barely hold it all. I topped it off with the head and antlers and I couldn't lift it onto my shoulders. I had to lift it onto a deadfall, wiggle into the shoulder straps, and stand up with it. I only had a mile and a half to pack it out and thankfully it was mostly down slope, but my ass was dragging the ground. Did I mention I was in my mid fifties (about the same age as Guy) when I did this? The grizzlies left me alone and I thanked them for that and wished them bon appetit with the gut pile and scraps.
Great content on this channel. I've been thinking that using a hard (non-deforming) FLUTED bullet in small but fast calibers,--including the 25-06, 6mm creed, .243, etc- would make these calibers we love to shoot for speed and long range, also excellent at hunting all species smaller than elk. The idea is opting for non-expansion to achieve deep penetration and a blood trail, possibly busting through both shoulder blades.. but also with flutes (like Xteme Defender or Xtreme Penetrator) in order to deliver an impressive permanent wound cavity in lieu of mushrooming. I'd love to hear what you guys think of this and how practical fluting a small caliber would be. Perhaps it isn't practical with a speer point and would require a wider nose original bullet. I don't know. I do know that ammo manufacturers currently and perhaps exclusively use fluted bullets in either defensive handgun loads or large dangerous game loads. But those are slow! Imagine the benefit those flutes would get from the speed of a 25-06, .243, or 6mm creedmoor! I'm not currently a reloader so I hope to learn from your expertise.
I've had a Sako ln 25-06 for 43 years. It's taken 160" class bucks and dropped them like they were pole-axed. It was my go to for long range prairie dogs, and loaded 75 grain hollow points at 3750fps. Alas, the barrel is shot out, and I've been comtiplating re-barrelling it to 6.5 - 06 AI. Now I'm wondering if I should just go back to 25-06 with the faster twist? What do you think?
I have shot a 25/06 for 24 years. My favorite all time caliber. I find it stops game as good if not better than larger calibers. The nosier 115 ballistic tip with 50 grains of 4350 is a great load.
It’s interesting to see the contradictions of folks loving the “old” 25-06s but also loving the fact that companies are making some heavier quarter bore projectiles now. That’s really the whole point of the “new” cartridges is holding longer for caliber bullets without making OAL magnum lengths and keeping recoil relatively low. I’d love to see a 150 grain quarter bore bullet in a 25-06 OAL cartridge.
A .270 Winchester uses the same brass as the 30-06. You can take a piece of 30-06 brass, run it up into a .270 sizing die, check and size the brass and reload a .270. I've heard but haven't tried that this process will work on a 25.-06.
I have had good luck with the Speer 120 BTSP. at 3070 with RL25. Wonder how it will do on game? Took two caribou with 117 Hornady factory loaded BTSP at 2975 and it put big holes in the off-side and instant kills at 175 yards.
Have you or Guy hunted in New York State? Catskill mountains where I am have a very high density of wildlife. If you haven’t been here, do a little research on the area and if you guys ever want to come, I’d show you around the cheap (yet decent) places to stay just outside the wilderness areas. That way you can avoid MASSIVE air B&B prices and you’d be ten minutes away from great spots for white tail, black bear and turkey.
Was introduced to the 25-06 cartridge in 1978 by a friend with a Sako Finnbear rifle in 25-06, when he let me fire one round. EVERYBODY was layman hunting with the (more affordable/available) 30-06 at that time, but I liked the capability of this cartridge. Bought my Rem 700 in 1982 for 25-06 for IIRC, $249 (?) at Intermountain Arms store in Nampa Idaho. Bought the Lee (hand) Loader to go with it, still have it although I Rock Chuck loads now. I AM intrigued by the Berger offerings but due to that twist issue, doubt I'll ever be able to afford a custom 1:8 barrel. Anyway, it will always be my hunting rifle and will never get another.
I have been shooting the 25.06 since I bought my first one in 1975. I found a sweet Carl Gustaf HVA bolt action, brand new for $125 at the Rod and Gun Club on base at Harvey Barracks, Kitzigen, Germany. What sweet rifle that is, still to this day. It might have 750 rounds through it. It is mostly a hunting rig. It loves the 100 grain bullets. I found some great news today. I have been looking to rebarrel my Rem 788 in .22-250 in a 26 inch 1 in 9inch twist. I have looked high and low for a new rifle that I could afford that met those specs. Bergara has my rifle. All of their .22-250s have 1 in 9 inch twist and I can get the 26 inch. I want to develop a few heavier bullet loads for the .22-250. I am looking to get optimum in the 75-80 grain loads. I just do not know about seating depth (overall length). I may see 70 grain bullets a better option. I love the 22-250. It has been an accurate rifle for me. I may just rebarrel the 788 anyway. I thought some of your people might want to know, Bergara looks like a very good option for me.
The only problem with the 22-250 in your 788 with 1/9 twist would be you cannot seat the heavier bullets out far enough because of the magazine length will not allow it. If re barreling a &00 then go with a 1/7 twist to shoot up to 80 grain bullets, you can shoot 90 grain depending on your elevation
I've got a good friend who hunts with his 6.5-06, and he used to compete with the same rifle. That cartridge has a lot going for it. I'm mildly surprised that it's not a standard factory cartridge. With the 30-06 sized case and those high BC 6.5 bullets, your rifle should be impressive!
I love my quarter bores. I've harvested more whitetail with a .257 Bob than any other cartridge. I just picked up a late 70's Rem 700 Varmint in .25-06 and working up a load with 100 and 115 gr rounds. Found a great 100gr load using TSX bullets and MagPro. A few tweaks and verifications at the range and it may be my antelope gun this fall!
Looking at ought six wildcats you should look at the 35 Whelen especially in bear country. I push a 200gr Barnes TTSX at 2800fps with my handloads and you can get Hornady Superformance 200gr that is just north of 2900fps. It's really pretty amazing what's been done with the ought six case. I'd venture a bet that at some point it's been necked up or down to damn near every bore diameter available.
You are right! I met a fellow who uses a 400 Whelen! I'd never heard of that cartridge until I met him. So many really good cartridges are based on the good old 30-06 case.
Great stories, great video. I also LOVE my Savage .25-06. I've also taken one Elk with it and a bazillion mulley and whitetails. I took the Elk with a 110 grain Game Changer. He walked maybe 30 yards and it was over. Not a Looong shot to brag about, he was right at 130 yards. But my goto bullet for muley and whitetails is the Berger 133 grain. Keep up the great work ! New subscriber.
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This gentleman is an absolute breath of fresh air in a “tacticool” hunting world. I have an old Remington 700 in 25-06 and it’s a gem. It’s nice to see practical thinking in a field rifle. The fixed 6 is a fantastic choice for a scope. I can’t wait to see more of this.
No 270
I have hunted with a 25-06 for 40 years and love it. The recoil is light enough to enjoy practicing.
Know how you feel. Been using a 25-06 for 40 years like you have.
The 25-06 is my favorite hunting cartridge. Shoots flat and hits way above its weight class with modest recoil.
.25-06 has to be one of the most under-rated and unappreciated cartridges out there. As a long-time quarter-bore fan I'm glad to FINALLY see some modern high B.C. bullets like the Black Jack Ace and the new Berger's coming out to bring some attention back to these great older cartridges. Only problem is I still always have to decide whether to grab my Ultralite .250 Savage A.I. or my .25-06 A.I. from the safe when deer season rolls around.
Also the 257-roberts is another excellent quarter bore.
Is the AI worth it on the 25-06? I've been thinking about modifying my tikka
Yep take them pea shooters in Grizzly County.
I'm taking my 30-378wby. Deer dead.
Grizzly...... if need be.
Yes I have a 25.06 also I love it shoots great but to shoot the higher bc bullets like the black jack ace you have to change your barrel to a higher twist rate like 7.5 in order to stabilize it properly
257 weatherby stomps it and so many more its obsolete let the 25-06 rem go and fade away
I was one of the people who was somewhat critical of your channel recently for so many videos revolving around very high end reloading equipment. I'm happy to walk that comment back because it appears that you're starting to cover some different areas such as hunting and more affordable (to many of us) equipment and builds. Thank you.
25-06 is highly underrated. Built a custom rifle in this caliber for my son as a grift when he graduated basic training as a marine, he absolutely loves it. Shooting 100 grain Barnes ttsx at 3360fps. Flattens everything it gets pointed at!
Same bullet I shoot out of my 25 - 06 killer
It would be nice to see you do a series on a classic hunting cartridge rather than the latest whiz bang PRS cartridge (enjoyable, but repetitive). I’d prefer the 270 Win be your first, but the 25-06 will do. I’ve hunted with the 257 Ackley Roberts fairly extensively and would like to see how it compares to the 25-06. I’ve shot a number of smaller Texas Whitetail and a couple of Washington/Oregon Blacktail with the 100 grain Nosler Partition (the rifle won’t stabilize the 115 or 120). At 3106 fps the Partition does achieve full penetration, but the nose section blows up big time inside the deers body cavity leaving you with small entrance and exit holes and a jellied mess internally. No 25-06 should be stuck with a 22” barrel give the weight of the powder charge versus the bore size. If possible I’d like to see a comparison between 24” and 26” barrel velocities as well as a comparison to the 257 Weatherby with the same bullet weight/barrel length. Again, the 270 Win is my first choice for you to test, but the 25-06 has always intrigued me.
I don't have a 270 on hand right now, but I sure do like your thought of doing a series on classic hunting cartridges. Maybe I can talk the boss (Gavin) into it! :) Thanks.
My experience, too . . . that front core on the Nosler Partition just explodes like a varmint bullet. Many premium choices these days. I've always liked the Speer GS.
The difference between 24" barrel and 26" barrel is about 150 fps.
Great video! Thank you both! I'm old school to the core. I still shoot Game Kings and Interlocks in both 30-06 and 25-06. The older I get the more I lean to the 25-06.Love the light recoil!
The 25-06 is a fantastic round. It's performance on game is phenomenal.
I have had a 25-06 for 45 years. Love it. I am waiting on a 1in 8 twist for heavier bullets. Would like to see something on the Berger & Blackjack high BC bullets in 1 in 7-8 twist barrels.
Krieger makes a 1-7 twist 25 caliber barrel blank. I've been thinking about getting one put on a 700 action.
Just finished building Rem700 with Liljia 1:8 barrel and waiting for the BJ bullets that are backordered. Im also out of primers, so i will have to wait. Will try the Retumbo,l using imr 4350 49gr with 120gr Nosler partition. I think im on the slow side, need to speed it up a bit.
My dad gave me a 1971 Ruger M77 in .25-06 back in the 1980’s. It’s still a tac driver today. Still one of my favorite hunting rifles.
I just went 6.5x06 and called it better bullet selection cse powder 17 rl 22 23 25, 26 I use 25.06 brass and put a .264 bullet in it and go with it
I think Guy is spot on. I've hunted with a .270 Win for years and years. I have many calibers and they all shoot well and perform well but my .25-06 occupies a pretty special place in my heart. Just like my .270. You can't beat them (my opinion) I think you have to own and shoot one to fully appreciate them. My biggest problem is choosing which caliber/rifle to use. But the .25-06 is definitely a contender. I appreciate this video and keep them coming!
Guys is an incredibly nice guy. A few years ago we messaged back and forth on a forum, he got me pointed towards the 700 CDL in 25-06 for my second 25-06. It is one of the nicest rifles I have ever carried/hunted with, it is sleek, light and incredibly accurate with 80grn TTSX at 3600fps using H4831. I use it as a predator calling rifle and it will take them clean WAY out there. If you want a great rifle that's easy to carry with traditional great looks this is the one. Great video.
120 grain Nosler partitions have served me super well since the 1980's! It has taken moose, elk, Black Bear, mule and white tailed deer.
More than adequate for all of them if placed thoughtfully.
Retumbo works awesome in my 26" barrel!
Yup. My go to bullet when I need meat on the table. TO THIS DAY , NOTHING BEATS THE NOSLER PARTITION. JOHN KNEW A WINNER WHEN HE SAW IT .
I like the small diameter/ lots of powder concept for flat shooting. I had a choice between a 270 and a 25-06, and I chose the 25-06 for flatter trajectory and lower recoil. When I go specifically for elk, I use my 7mm Rem Mag, also a flat shooter. Joe
I have hunted with my father's remington 700 bdl 25-06 since I was 14. Many mule deer have been taken with it and the longest walk any of them took was 2 steps forward a left hand turn to a complete side shot then drop! This was at approximately 530 yards , which is the longest shot I've ever taken with it!! It is a fantastic gun and cartridge!!! I've never had any penetration problems with it! I'm now 51 years young and still shooting it!!!
I had a bull barrel Remington sendero in 25 06 ,there was nothing i could not hit and kill with it, no matter how far. Sold it ,and instantly regret it.
That is always the way, never sell great shooting rifle!
Got my first .25-06 when I was 18. Shot it a lot. It's an early '80's vintage 700 ADL. The throat shows some erosion so doesn't shoot lighter bullets anymore. Luckily it shoots into a quarter all day everyday with 120 gr Partitions over IMR 7828. It has worn the same Leupold 6X36 scope since day 2.
25-06 is an exultant round I use to hunt chucks with it and have taken a few chucks at a thousand yards...punch a .25 hole on entry and a silver dollar exit, and have taken a few white tales with zero tracking do to the fact that they drop in their tracks....Love it!!
A thousand yards! Wow!
I inherited a 1977 rifle very similar to the subject of the video: 700 BDL with a 24" heavy varmint barrel in 25-06 Rem. It is a very capable rifle. Before the recent onset of heavy 257 bullets, the Speer BTSP at G1 .480 was the highest BC I could find. That bullet over a heavy charge of RL 25 or Retumbo bangs steel plates out to 3/4 mile without much fuss at all. I even stretched it to 7/8 mile. A 120 gr Partition over 7977 groups (5 shots) under 1" at 200 yards if I do my part (sometimes I do!). So even with hunting bullets, it is easy to shoot respectable groups. And 1000 yard shooting is well within its capability for target shooting, and really underestimated in that regard. Nice video, gentlemen!
I have had my No. 1 Ruger in 25-06 1986, I have taken Whitetail, Mule deer, elk,Black bear, and Antelope with mine.
Great video. Guy is a very good speaker. Enjoyes his stories a lot. I can tell he is a good man and a highly ethical hunter. Bring him on as often as you can. The 25-06 has long interested me, as has a fixed 6x scope (planned to put one on a 7x57, but i sold the rifle). I like the dual purpose abilities of the 25-06, and so far i have only hunted ground squirrels and varmints. I know it is extremely versatile for reloaders. Should be a lot of fun all around.
Good Post, and yes, I'd definitely like to hear More hunting stories or caliber talk From guy. 👍
I had a 25-06 that I'm rebuilding into a 6.5-06. I relaod and am still waiting to take possession of rifle. Great cartridge for deer. Thanks for the media your producing.
The 6.5-06 works very well on elk as well. Within reasonable yardage
Enjoyed the post on the 25-06. It's been a favorite cartridge of mine for more than 20 years.
There seems to be a renewed interest in the quarter bores. I have hunted with a 25-06 for almost 20yrs now and love it. Happy to see the industry finally give some much needed attention to us quarter bore fans!!
What a good man, so rare to see in this age were living in. Your blessed to call him a friend!
25-06 is a great long range, flat shooting and inherently ACCURATE cartridge. Nosler Accubond handles the very fast muzzle velocity for the occasional closer range medium game hunting. Thanks for this video.
Good job Gavin! I'm so tired of all these new cartridge's.
what a beautiful package.. note the scope height above the barrel.. i still believe the closer the line of vision parrallel to the center of the bore, that scope almost sits on barrel.. there not carry handles.. the more condensed the package is the easier it is to carry..
I am currently building a 25-06 for my grandson on a model 98 action. I chose this caliber for several reasons; fast and flat, low recoil for a light weight, easy to obtain factory ammo (pre-pandemic), and only about 200 fps slower than a 257 weatherby, Since he lives in the plains and will start out with deer or coyote sized game it is a good all round rifle for him. I liked the video. I would not hesitate to use a 25-06 in Africa with solids and well build expanding bullets for many of the smaller/mid sized antelope.
Love my 25-06. It is a close 1st to my 22-250 as my favorite caliber. I've shot more game with it than any other caliber. Elk, Deer, Antelope, Coyotes, and Rock chucks. I own many other tried and true calibers in the reloading manual, and I always grab this first for deer. My Dad gave it to me for Christmas when I was 15, and I'm now 43 and its killed every deer and antelope I've harvested since. It"s exactly like Guy says, always dead on at the range every year. It is an early 90's Remington 700 BDL 24" sporter barrel with a Leupold VARI-XII 3-9x scope. I call it "ole meat in the pot". I also have one exactly like Guy's, but I always go to old reliable. 25-06 is a way underrated caliber IMHO. Great video! Bullet manufactures need to give us more 1/4 bore bullet selection!
Thank you Gentlemen, for presenting this .25/06 video. Have always loved the 06 and spinoffs. Very much enjoy your stuff. Will be watching you guys alot.
I have a 25-06 Ruger American believe it or not. It has been an awesome rifle and very accurate with 75gn VMAX and 117gn Hornady interlocks. It’s topped with a 4-16 Nikon monarch and a Boyd’s thumb hole stock. Only thing is it’s one of my heavier guns so it’s really only used for times when I know I won’t be walking all day out here in Kansas.
The Ruger American is an impressively accurate rifle!
Great to hear about this wonderful old cartridge. I've shot over 40,000 rounds of 25-06 and 25-06 AI since my first custom AI rifle in 1969. About 90% of those were with the 75g bullet at varmints and targets. I use the 100g at 3350 fps for most Mule and whitetail deer. The Hornady Interlock has been king but I use the Sierra Game King if I expect shots out to 500 yards because of its accuracy and killing power at the slower velocities at that range. I like the 25-06 velocity for running game. It makes those shots so predictable. For ranges beyond that it is the Berger 115.. I shoot p-dogs at 1000 yards with it too but the recoil is too much for me for more than about 100 rounds in a sitting. I usually switch to the 6mm Creedmoor or 25 Creedmoor for those shots if I'm going to shoot all day.
I use the 131g ACE in my 25 Creedmoor and it is accurate enough for serious long range competition. My next build will be a fast twist 25-06 AI as that will truly be a superb all around hunting rifle for anything in North America. I've shot most other cartridges - .220 Swift to 7mm mag but the light recoil, speed and deadly performance of the 25-06 causes me to grab the 25-06 for serious hunting every time. At present I shoot a Rem 700 Sendero with a 6-24x scope (I hunt on 6x with parallax set to infinity) and an ultra-light Weatherby Mark V with a 3.5-10x set on 3.5x for stomping through the mountains. Yes, I quit counting barrels after my first six but it has been well worth it. As an experiment, I actually hunted with my 25-06 AI for almost 10,000 rounds before I replaced it. It was still shooting at about .5 MOA until it completely failed. There is no better antelope rifle than the 25-06 with a 90g bullet (with a 115g in my pocket just in case they are way out there). About half of my antelope, deer and coyotes have been running and the 25-06 makes it about as predictable as shooting quail.
25-06 has been my dream cartridge. Thanks for this video. So many new cartridges exist due to a minor tweak and a different barrel twist.
Got my 25-06 in 1979 in Rem 700 BDL. 3x9 loupold gold ring set on 6. Ive taken over 60 whitetails with it. I traded it in 1985 for the down payment on a Kawasaki ninja 600. 2 years later I was able to get it back unfired in the exact condition I had traded it for. I’ll never part with it again until on my death it will go to my son. He uses a 6.5 creedmore now. I also have the 700 bdl in 30-06. I use it when I’m in thicker brush areas. The 25-06 is my favorite though. I use hornady 120 gr soft points. I’ve been reloading since 1979. Listening to the guests credentials match mine almost to a T. Very interesting ! 👍😎
Bought my 25-06 about 10 years ago and I absolutely love it a well designed round and performance is absolutely amazing
I've had a .25-06 on my mind for a couple years. It's going to be my next rifle buy. Really excited to load this cartridge and make an accurate meat gathering tool.
Purchased a Remington 700 Classic in 25-06 for a speed goat hunt in 2015. Dropped a Timney trigger in it and hit paydirt on the firs load with Nosler Accubonds. Before the hunt I shot a tiny group at 400 yards. On the hunt the 245yd shot I took was a chip shot. The buck dropped like a rock. Love that gun and load!
I would love to see a 25-06 with a fast twist barrel and some of these new Berger 135 and 133, bullets.
look up ron spomer 25-06 on youtube
@@jacestaab316 I have seen some of his stuff on the 25-06, I’m curious to see the video he said he is going to make about the 25-06 ackly.
@@mrstangthang98 I have a fast twist Ackley improved 25-06 shooting 131s is amazing
@@Remington-gf4fx any starting loads you recommend? Do you have any trouble feeding the heavier bullets? I just ordered a 24” mcgowen 25-06 AI with a 1:7 twist
@@geslayton my Max load is like 58 grains of retumbo so I would start in the 55 range and work up with imr 8133 max was like 58.5 but I would start at 55 as well. Only have used H1000 for fireform loads and use around 52.5 using lapua 30-06 brass necked down. Just start low
Probably the most under-appreciated cartridge of all time. Light recoiling hard-hitting flat shooting 6.5 Creedmoor eating. There's not a better cartridge for a western Hunter
Only downfall is that the 6.5 Creedmoor is a target round. If it wasn't for that fact then I would keep my 300 in the safe and take my Creedmoor more often.
25/06 is my favorite deer rifle. I've had one since 1983 and it has done everything I needed it to do in my area. I have bigger and smaller but that's my meat getter.
I found a 25-06 in my LGS for about $700. It had been made by a local gunbuilder by the name of Ray Lynn. It was a work of art built on a Mauser receiver with a beautiful stock with a maple chunk at the forend and a layer of maple at the bottom of the pistol grip. The trigger was awsome and I returned at a later date with my $700 in my pocket. Alas as I was awaiting the attention of the gunny I glanced down into the display case and there to my amazement was a pristine Browning Hi-Power. It turned out to be made in '82 in Belgium and also assembled in the same country. It was NIB condition. Not a mark on it and examination of the internals revealed that it had hardly been fired at all.
That Browning followed me home and the 25-06 remained behind. The Browning turned out to be a an excellent shooter and it is in my rotation of carry guns to this day. It still remains in top notch shape without a scratch on it but has devoured thousands of handloaded 9 MM cartridges. I removed the magazine disconnect and replaced the trigger and it has a very nice trigger now. The original was not optimal for my usage.
So for the future I do not plan on bothering with a 25-06 since I really have no need for one as my hunting days are long over and I have more target rifles that all need love. A pair of Garands, a pair of Lee Enfields, a 38-55 Marlin, a 38-55 H&R, a CZ 223, a 50-90 Sharps by Winchester Model 1885 and a CZ .22 LR.
Truly a fantastic cartridge...I reload for my browning bar 100 g barns tsx or ttsx...any large primer ...and I can print a group 5/8” at 100 meters....and have dope for 400 meters ..roughly 1” per 100 meters (drop)...truly a soft shooting rifle and deadly
Just great to use
Love the 25-06. I have two now. It was my first deer rifle that I paid for myself. It is just an old ugly Remington ADL but still usually the gun I grab first. Great deer/varmint rifle.
Really enjoyed listening to Guy and I hope to see and hear more of him on your channel. Cheers from Australia.
Awesome, thanks for watching Paul! Guy is a great guy :)
I have had a 25-06 in my collection for better part of 20 years and am not afraid to take it on any hunt. Have taken game. Including large boar hogs in excess of 500 yards
Built a 25-06 AI and had horrible luck with getting repeatable groups and es. My gunsmith cut and inch off the back of the barrel and rechambered it to straight 25-06. Gained 200 fps and now a 1/4 moa. love the setup in a rem700 and stockys long range stock.
I have had one almost identical to his and love . I have never lost an animal while hunting with it. Like he said I have the upmost confidence in it. I recently found another one that is around the same age and acquired it. Most accurate rifle I own period.
25-06 was what my dad started me out with back in the late seventies. I’ve killed a lot of deer with it and not much walks away from it here in south Texas.it’s also the first caliber I started reloading for and also one of the calibers were there’s room for a lot of improvement velocity wise over factory load.well at least back then. I found that an almost case capacity load of Vvn 560 would push a moly coated 100gr ballistic tip well past 3500fps.and that coyotes and other such critters generally weren’t safe inside 500yds thank for a great video and bringing back some good memories
I literally just purchased a Remington 700 25-06 for the fall season. Really excited to get out to the range and see what it’s capable of!
I think you're going to enjoy that rifle & cartridge! Best of luck with it this season!
I love my 25-06, Remington 700SPS. Shoots into 3/4" MOA with factory Federal Premium with a 100 grn. Nosler BT. And I am sure I can improve on that when I start working up some loads for it myself.
Who needs a creedmoor when the 2506 is a proven round
I would love to see a segment on loading the 6.5-06 with the Hornady 157 A-max bullets for ELR.
my favorite big game cartridge. For handloaders, the 25-06 is superb. In a 26" barrel and slow burning powders, the cartridge really shines.
I've been hunting with 25-06 for almost 30 years and love it! Easy to load for and shoot. Killed my first deer with this cartridge and have let a couple young kids kill their first deer with it. Not bad recoil for a young person. Very universal cartridge with the right loads. From predator hunting to big game. It covers a wide range. I recommend it to any new hunter. It's not scary to shoot because of recoil and under normal circumstances ammo is easy to find for those that don't reload. Every major ammo manufacturer loads for it.
I'm running a 115 Berger with my .25-06 on 51.2 grains of IMR 4831 and an interchangeable load with a 115 Nosler BT. Bergers win out on the accuracy but terminal performance on deer has been less than desirable with the Berger. I use them for groundhogs now. All that said, one of my favorite cartridges and as others have said, hugely underrated.
I've used the 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips from this same rifle, with excellent results on mule deer & antelope!
@@guyminer3168 Absolutely! The Nosler BT is relatively inexpensive and performs very well terminally. The 95 grain BT is also very effective on deer out to 250 yds. in my .243.
New to your channel, so far like what I am seeing. Now for the 25-06. First off the man that taught me to reload. He makes a science out of it. Trying to keep a long story short here. He would call and say lets go hunting. Meaning coyote. We would sit at his kitchen table telling stories. Then he would get up and turn the weather channel on. Looking for wind speed, telling him what caliber to use. The looking at Barometric and Humidity levels. He had tones of logs on every caliber he shot. Wind says this caliber. Gets in his notebook and that tells him what loads to use. Yada yada yada. Now I learn everything from him and IMO do well. MY 22-250 shoots a 0.114 in group at a 100. Now, my Ruger Number 1 in 25-06. Winchester silver box at a 100. Less than one inch groups all day long. Reload for it. No joke doing everything I can or knew how to do. 2 1/2 inch groups the best I can do. Talking with my buddy. He says give me the gun and dies, as he does not have 25-06. He is retired and claims. No rifle has ever beat me. He tested and measured everything. Barrel was good. riffling he said was awesome. He kept and played with the rifle, no joke 18 months. Spent I do not know how much on powder, primers, bullets and his time. He called me up and said, come get your rifle. And plan on being here awhile. He went through every step with me. To end up saying. Buy Winchester silver box. You and I can not match what they do. This was in late 90's early 2000. DO not have rifle anymore and am still at a loss on what I could of done to make good loads out of it. Longest kill on deer was 425 yards and coyote was 675 yards. Mind you we always saw one cross at that spot. So I practiced and practiced at that yardage.
Wondering if you may have any ideas of what we could of done back then? Sorry for being so long.
I bought my REM 700 bdl in 1969 right after the cartridge was standardized. I was 14 years old, put it on layaway and was paying $10/week at Keith’s hardware in Fairfield, Al, which had a nice little gun dept and a full reloading area. I kept paying ever week till I paid off the princely sum of $169 for the rifle. I was already set up for reloading for my 44 mag Super Blackhawk, so I had the dies already purchased for the 25/06 when I brought home the rifle. H4831 was my powder of choice, which was $1.45/lbs in the old black and red Hodgdon cardboard containers. The rifle was bughole accurate, had installed a $19 Tasco scope I purchased at a JCPenney sporting goods dept and mounted with Redfield bases and rings, which are still on 53 years later. I replaced the Tasco after about 10 years with a Bausch & Lomb 2.5/8, although there was no problem with the older Tasco at all. I have used that old Tasco on other numerous rifles over the years with zero problems. The 700 has been shot so much the engine turning on the bolt is like glass, but even with all the rounds put through it, is still an exceedingly accurate rifle. I have been a shooter and gun collector all my life and am still active in multiple shooting sports. Count me in with yourself as an absolute 25/06 aficionado. Keep up the good work !!!
The 25 06 is my favorite deer rifle
Mine too.
I shoot a 6mm-06 Ackley - it is a screamer and can be tough on barrels. Loaded with 100 grain Berger bullets over a charge of slow-burning powder such as Retumbo, H1000, etc the Pac-Nor 30" 1-7 twist barrel can get hot in a hurry so I limit how much and how fast I shoot it. The 6mm-06 is a hoot on long range varmints. Another favorite is a Kimber 280 Ackley. My 35 Brown-Whelen doesn't come out very often any more.
Love my 25 06. Its very versitile I have taken most African plains game except Eland with mine and it works well. Low recoil and great accuracy. I think its an underrated cartridge.
There's 6mm-06, 25-06, 6.5-06, 270 Win, 280 Rem, 30-06 Gov/Springfield, 8mm-06, 338-06, 35 Whelen. Not to mention all the improved cartridges. The 30-06 has brought forth some of the best cartridges for varmints to bear and moose. New isn't always best.
Personally I can’t find enough difference to make a difference ( Paul Harrell ) between the classic 1900 era cartridges than all these so called new ones. This 25-06 Remington is the old 25 Neidner from around 1920 or so, new and improved powers is what really brought to the forefront in 1968 by Remington. Remington also did the same with the 35 Whelen in 1988. You are so right about the 30-06 Springfield cartridge.
Great video and stories! I'm building a long-ago sporterized M1903 from 1942 into a .25-06 AI. I've been wondering about the scope, and you've helped me decide. Can't wait to get it out after some whitetail this year! Thanks!
I've had a 25-06 since I was a kid. I've shot everything from praire dogs to bull elk with it. Best all around western cartridge made in my opinion
I had a 25-06 built in 1973 on a Mauser Action with a Douglas Barrel, I just took another Pa buck with it last week , still shoots great !!! My favorite rifle….
Great video!! I’m headed to Wyoming myself in October. Was thinking of taking my 25/06. Your video solidified my decision. Thanks
Best of luck on your Wyoming hunt!
You hit my favorite round for hunting. I have a custom Sako with a 30" Krieger in 25-06AI built for prairie dogs using the same bullet covered in this video. Excellent long range round, easy on recoil at 14 pounds and a 12x42 Night Force. I am interested in the 25 Creedmore that you built a while back as well as a 25BR. Food for thought. Thanks
The 25-06 is my go to for deer hunting. I have killed many with it over 50 yrs. It has never failed me.
Good to hear! I like it as well. My favorite deer cartridge.
4 or 6x fixed scopes are very underated. I'm still using a 4x Redfield Widefield on a 308 to take whitetail 40yrs after my grandfather mounted it on a rifle
I've got some rifles with variable power scopes, but... I really appreciate a good fixed power scope! Glad I'm not alone in that. Thank you!
Jack O'Connor used a 4X on his 270 Win and once shot a deer at 700 yards with it.
I have acquired a (25 Boomer) 25x39 varmit gun. Have yet to work up a load but hope to get on it this fall. The parent case is a 7.62x39 and the rifle is a Ruger mini-30. My goal is to use it for coyotes.
It's a very good cartridge I have been shooting it for quite some time hiload 53 grains Hodgens 4831 and 120 grain Hornady hollow point in a worked Winchester brass Magnum primer my longest shot with the 25/ 06 was in Granville County North Carolina on a whitetail deer 558 yards it's a very good cartridge if there ever was the perfect deer size game cartridge in my opinion this is it
My 25-06 with 117grs Sierra SBT is my favorite rifle and load.
I had, and now have again, a Ruger #1 heavy barrel 25-05. Unertl scopes on both. Shooting the Nosler 100 grain solid base over 50.0 of Winchester 785 (sadly discontinued), Winchester case, Federal 210M primer. 5 shots into 0.32" at 100 yards. Pure death on groundhogs to 450 yards, and also one shot kills on whitetail deers.
Very nice setup!
Ron Spomer did a video of a Wyoming pronghorn hunt with a .25-06. Great video if you haven't seen it already
Had my 25-06 since 1980 in Rem 700 bdl and love it. I had a twin in 30-06 that was stolen and loved the feel buddy talked me into the 25 and have no regrets.
Plus 1 to what Neil posted. Appreciate your enthusiasm and knowledge of the “modern” cartridge. Having said that…… those of us who are older would enjoy some “props” due the classic hunting cartridges. Just how far do I go in crafting a good hunting round in my M70 or M700? Thanks !
I'm hoping to do some articles & videos with more of the "classic" cartridges, since those are what I generally use. Check in on us again, we should have some good stuff coming up!
Looking forward to that. Thanks !
I have taken mule deer and pronghorn antelope with a 25-06. Love the cartridge. Well balanced and accurate. It has a Vortex diamondback on it and I run a 117 Hornady SST with AA4350. Never clocked it, so I dont know velocities, but bench rest at 200 yards I can cover my group with a dime.
A few years ago I was hunting mulies alone NW of Cody, Wyoming where I live. When I went in to set camp, I talked to a guy, who also happened to be an old Marine like me, who told me that he'd seen 2 different grizzlies in that immediate area in the past 2 days. Well. I got up the next morning and starting out at 8750ft elevation, I immediately had a 600ft climb to get to my hunt area. I made my way up a little creek bed and up to a stand of timber at 9600ft. Working my way around the timber, I ran into bachelor group along the edge at about a hundred yards. I had prepared for and wanted to take a good long range shot and I had my load, rifle, and data all dialed in for it. I picked the best buck in the bunch, a fairly decent 4x4, and nailed him off-hand at 90 yards with my .308 while still wearing my pack. So much for long range. So now I'm thinking about those grizzlies. The wind was blowing into the timber so the first thing I did was drag the buck about a hundred yards away from the edge of the timber and gutted him. Then I dragged him another couple hundred yards further into the open and started cutting. All this time I'm worried about the grizzlies showing up because they have a habit of investigating gun shots in autumn. Cut cut, look look look. Cut cut, look look look. I took the meat off the bones and packed it in game bags... I filled all 4 of them and my pack would barely hold it all. I topped it off with the head and antlers and I couldn't lift it onto my shoulders. I had to lift it onto a deadfall, wiggle into the shoulder straps, and stand up with it. I only had a mile and a half to pack it out and thankfully it was mostly down slope, but my ass was dragging the ground. Did I mention I was in my mid fifties (about the same age as Guy) when I did this? The grizzlies left me alone and I thanked them for that and wished them bon appetit with the gut pile and scraps.
Great content on this channel. I've been thinking that using a hard (non-deforming) FLUTED bullet in small but fast calibers,--including the 25-06, 6mm creed, .243, etc- would make these calibers we love to shoot for speed and long range, also excellent at hunting all species smaller than elk. The idea is opting for non-expansion to achieve deep penetration and a blood trail, possibly busting through both shoulder blades.. but also with flutes (like Xteme Defender or Xtreme Penetrator) in order to deliver an impressive permanent wound cavity in lieu of mushrooming.
I'd love to hear what you guys think of this and how practical fluting a small caliber would be. Perhaps it isn't practical with a speer point and would require a wider nose original bullet. I don't know. I do know that ammo manufacturers currently and perhaps exclusively use fluted bullets in either defensive handgun loads or large dangerous game loads. But those are slow! Imagine the benefit those flutes would get from the speed of a 25-06, .243, or 6mm creedmoor! I'm not currently a reloader so I hope to learn from your expertise.
I've had a Sako ln 25-06 for 43 years. It's taken 160" class bucks and dropped them like they were pole-axed.
It was my go to for long range prairie dogs, and loaded 75 grain hollow points at 3750fps.
Alas, the barrel is shot out, and I've been comtiplating re-barrelling it to 6.5 - 06 AI.
Now I'm wondering if I should just go back to 25-06 with the faster twist? What do you think?
I have shot a 25/06 for 24 years. My favorite all time caliber. I find it stops game as good if not better than larger calibers. The nosier 115 ballistic tip with 50 grains of 4350 is a great load.
It’s interesting to see the contradictions of folks loving the “old” 25-06s but also loving the fact that companies are making some heavier quarter bore projectiles now. That’s really the whole point of the “new” cartridges is holding longer for caliber bullets without making OAL magnum lengths and keeping recoil relatively low. I’d love to see a 150 grain quarter bore bullet in a 25-06 OAL cartridge.
A .270 Winchester uses the same brass as the 30-06. You can take a piece of 30-06 brass, run it up into a .270 sizing die, check and size the brass and reload a .270. I've heard but haven't tried that this process will work on a 25.-06.
I have had good luck with the Speer 120 BTSP. at 3070 with RL25. Wonder how it will do on game? Took two caribou with 117 Hornady factory loaded BTSP at 2975 and it put big holes in the off-side and instant kills at 175 yards.
Have you or Guy hunted in New York State? Catskill mountains where I am have a very high density of wildlife. If you haven’t been here, do a little research on the area and if you guys ever want to come, I’d show you around the cheap (yet decent) places to stay just outside the wilderness areas. That way you can avoid MASSIVE air B&B prices and you’d be ten minutes away from great spots for white tail, black bear and turkey.
Was introduced to the 25-06 cartridge in 1978 by a friend with a Sako Finnbear rifle in 25-06, when he let me fire one round. EVERYBODY was layman hunting with the (more affordable/available) 30-06 at that time, but I liked the capability of this cartridge. Bought my Rem 700 in 1982 for 25-06 for IIRC, $249 (?) at Intermountain Arms store in Nampa Idaho. Bought the Lee (hand) Loader to go with it, still have it although I Rock Chuck loads now. I AM intrigued by the Berger offerings but due to that twist issue, doubt I'll ever be able to afford a custom 1:8 barrel. Anyway, it will always be my hunting rifle and will never get another.
I have been shooting the 25.06 since I bought my first one in 1975. I found a sweet Carl Gustaf HVA bolt action, brand new for $125 at the Rod and Gun Club on base at Harvey Barracks, Kitzigen, Germany. What sweet rifle that is, still to this day. It might have 750 rounds through it. It is mostly a hunting rig. It loves the 100 grain bullets. I found some great news today. I have been looking to rebarrel my Rem 788 in .22-250 in a 26 inch 1 in 9inch twist. I have looked high and low for a new rifle that I could afford that met those specs. Bergara has my rifle. All of their .22-250s have 1 in 9 inch twist and I can get the 26 inch. I want to develop a few heavier bullet loads for the .22-250. I am looking to get optimum in the 75-80 grain loads. I just do not know about seating depth (overall length). I may see 70 grain bullets a better option. I love the 22-250. It has been an accurate rifle for me. I may just rebarrel the 788 anyway. I thought some of your people might want to know, Bergara looks like a very good option for me.
The only problem with the 22-250 in your 788 with 1/9 twist would be you cannot seat the heavier bullets out far enough because of the magazine length will not allow it. If re barreling a &00 then go with a 1/7 twist to shoot up to 80 grain bullets, you can shoot 90 grain depending on your elevation
I have some 6.5-06 dies on order with hornady, very excited for its performance. I would love to see what you could do with the 6.5-06.
I've got a good friend who hunts with his 6.5-06, and he used to compete with the same rifle. That cartridge has a lot going for it. I'm mildly surprised that it's not a standard factory cartridge. With the 30-06 sized case and those high BC 6.5 bullets, your rifle should be impressive!
I built a 6.5-06 on a mauser-98 action. Shoots the hornady 140gr-SST bullet. Very accurate. Love it.
110gr accubond going 3200 fps over Retumbo is deadly in my 25-06. 120gr partitions and Retumbo at 3140 fps rocks too.
Loved this video. Great story and really enjoyed Guy.
Was thinking maybe a drinking game involving taking a gulp every time Gavin says "Guy". But I think I would pass out around the minute mark.
I love my quarter bores. I've harvested more whitetail with a .257 Bob than any other cartridge. I just picked up a late 70's Rem 700 Varmint in .25-06 and working up a load with 100 and 115 gr rounds. Found a great 100gr load using TSX bullets and MagPro. A few tweaks and verifications at the range and it may be my antelope gun this fall!
Great classic deer/ antelope cartridge , when my barrel is done. I’ll be adding the 8 twist to handle the 131gr. Blackjacks.
I have always wanted a 25-06. One day I will have one and I look forward to reloading for it.
I love my remington cdl 700 in 25-06.
Once I bought it all of my other rifles got side lined.
Love the 25-06 and the .270, excellent rounds. Good video, Guy is awesome 👌
Looking at ought six wildcats you should look at the 35 Whelen especially in bear country. I push a 200gr Barnes TTSX at 2800fps with my handloads and you can get Hornady Superformance 200gr that is just north of 2900fps. It's really pretty amazing what's been done with the ought six case. I'd venture a bet that at some point it's been necked up or down to damn near every bore diameter available.
You are right! I met a fellow who uses a 400 Whelen! I'd never heard of that cartridge until I met him. So many really good cartridges are based on the good old 30-06 case.
This was awesome to watch....... i have never knew that there's a 25-06. I have a 30-06 or a 308 deer rifles that I use to hunt with..
Great stories, great video. I also LOVE my Savage .25-06. I've also taken one Elk with it and a bazillion mulley and whitetails. I took the Elk with a 110 grain Game Changer. He walked maybe 30 yards and it was over. Not a Looong shot to brag about, he was right at 130 yards. But my goto bullet for muley and whitetails is the Berger 133 grain.
Keep up the great work ! New subscriber.