on second thought

I can see where the gentleman from Maine could come by his opinion. The 25-06 is really not a moose cartridge. As for target shooting, it does a decent job. Its not a 1000 yard compettitor, but definately a rival for the 243 with more energy down range.
 
sc928porsche said:
25-06 will do quite well for elk at 200yds. Deer at 300 are definately in trouble. Out to 400, keep it coyote size or smaller.
I can see where the gentleman from Maine could come by his opinion. The 25-06 is really not a moose cartridge. As for target shooting, it does a decent job.
Click to expand...

I have a diagnosis for you, sir. You have a case of Magnum-itis. Don't worry though, there's hope.

Start by watching this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY0w1c-gf18

Now reconsider, after seeing a 243 kill an elk, DRT, at 688 yards, your assertion that the 25-06, a cartridge offering nearly 25% more energy than that 243, would only be adequate for coyote and smaller at about 2/3s of the distance that you just watched the 243 drop an elk in it's tracks.

My .204 Ruger is plenty for coyote at 400 yards. A 25-06 is practically overkill. It's certainly plenty for deer out waaay past that distance and coyote as far away as you can hit them. I wouldn't hesitate to use a 25-06 with an appropriate bullet on any animal in North America.
 
Brian Pfleuger said:
I have a diagnosis for you, sir. You have a case of Magnum-itis. Don't worry though, there's hope.

Start by watching this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY0w1c-gf18

Now reconsider, after seeing a 243 kill an elk, DRT, at 688 yards, your assertion that the 25-06, a cartridge offering nearly 25% more energy than that 243, would only be adequate for coyote and smaller at about 2/3s of the distance that you just watched the 243 drop an elk in it's tracks.
Click to expand...

Except the .243 will generally have more energy at 700 yards than a .25-06 will. There are a much better selection of high BC bullets for long range shots with the .243 than the .25-06. If you figure the 105 berger Berger used in the video against the .257 115 grain Berger both launched at 3000 fps the .243 will beat it at 700 yards. It doesn't do it by a whole lot but if you start comparing the other offerings in .257 caliber to the .243 105 Berger the gap between the two starts to widen by a bit.
 
If you reload, the 25 caliber cartridges are hard to beat. My 257 Roberts Hand loads beat anything I worked up in 243.
 
Taylor1 said:
Except the .243 will generally have more energy at 700 yards than a .25-06 will. There are a much better selection of high BC bullets for long range shots with the .243 than the .25-06. If you figure the 105 berger Berger used in the video against the .257 115 grain Berger both launched at 3000 fps the .243 will beat it at 700 yards. It doesn't do it by a whole lot but if you start comparing the other offerings in .257 caliber to the .243 105 Berger the gap between the two starts to widen by a bit.
Click to expand...

Perhaps, but I use that video only to demonstrate the silliness of suggesting that a 25-06 isn't good for anything bigger than a coyote at 400 yards. A comparison at 700 might be different, but 400 is barely even considered a long shot for virtually any center-fire cartridge.

Edit:

JBM diagrees with your assumption there too... Using load data from Hodgdon to guestimate the muzzle velocity of two bullets, and using 2,900fps for the 105gr Berger .243 and 3,050 for the 115gr Berger .257, the energies are within 50ft/lbs at 700 yards and it's in favor of the 25-06. Even dropping the 25-06 to 2,900 to match the 243, the 25-06 is within about 30 ft/lbs of the 243, but lower.
 
Last edited:
I'm not picking a fight over it as they are really so close. However I have a 26" barreled .243 and .25-06 and while I haven't shot Bergers in both I do shoot 115 Noslers, 117 Sierra and Hornady in the .257 and 105's in the Bergers. I've been able to get the 105 Bergers to 3100 fps and nearly the same with the 115-117's.

That said neither the .25-06 or .243 Win are ideal elk cartridges. Heck I've even posted that same video a few times, but that was a near perfect situation as you'll ever see for using a .243 Win on elk. Having killed several elk myself I can tell that I'd never recommend the use of a .243 Win or .25-06 for elk unless that was all you had to use. There are just far better options to use on elk regardless of what one video shows.
 
Didnt see what you were dolng with said rifle ,But a 25-06 is a blast to shoot deer,hogs,coyotes with. But elk big bear dont know aint any in GA.:D;)
 
taylorce1 said:
I'm not picking a fight over it as they are really so close. However I have a 26" barreled .243 and .25-06 and while I haven't shot Bergers in both I do shoot 115 Noslers, 117 Sierra and Hornady in the .257 and 105's in the Bergers. I've been able to get the 105 Bergers to 3100 fps and nearly the same with the 115-117's.

That said neither the .25-06 or .243 Win are ideal elk cartridges. Heck I've even posted that same video a few times, but that was a near perfect situation as you'll ever see for using a .243 Win on elk. Having killed several elk myself I can tell that I'd never recommend the use of a .243 Win or .25-06 for elk unless that was all you had to use. There are just far better options to use on elk regardless of what one video shows.
Click to expand...

Possibly, but again, the point I am making is that the idea that a 25-06 is adequate for coyote and nothing bigger at 400 yards is pure silliness.
I wouldn't hesitate to use either one on an elk at 400 yards if I thought I could put the bullet where it needed to be.
 
The use for this rifle will be mostly target and var it and the occasional hunt. Nothing bigger than deer. And I would not hesitate to shoot 500 yards with a 25-06 on deer.
 
Brian Pfleuger said:
Possibly, but again, the point I am making is that the idea that a 25-06 is adequate for coyote and nothing bigger at 400 yards is pure silliness. I wouldn't hesitate to use either one on an elk at 400 yards if I thought I could put the bullet where it needed to be.
Click to expand...

I'm sure the "coyote" comment was an exaggeration to some point, and maybe some personal feelings mixed in. However, saying you wouldn't hesitate to shoot an elk at 400 yards tells me that you have never seriously hunted elk. A big cow will more than double a big NY buck and a bull will probably be at least three times as large.

We all know that bullet placement trumps velocity and energy every time. When using marginal cartridges on elk, and the .25-06 and .243 are marginal, you had better be prepared to eat tag soup all winter. Even though bullet technology has improved the performance of both cartridges they still can't best larger chmberings when it come to killing elk.
 
Do you already own a long-action 700?....or will this be a new rifle purchase?

If a new rifle, I'd go with a .243 or a .260. Brass & ammo is a lot cheaper, and both cartridges will do anything a .25-06 will do with less powder and recoil.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top