Is 25-06 big enough for elk?

C

ConfusedCoyote

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I'm going to get a 25-06. And I need a little advise on whether the 25-06 is big enough to do the job on a elk. I'm getting the 25-06 for pronghorn and shoot a few coyote's. I'm saving my points for a good elk hunt and pronghorn but that's going to take 6 more years at least to have enough points. I'm also thinking about getting a Ar-15 or Ar-10 and worry about the elk and pronghorn later. The ar would be a fun gun and they might be impossible to get real soon. It probably looks like I'm confused and I might be but if anybody has any input that would be great.
 
First off, I have absolutely no experience with 25-06's BUT, I posed this same exact question to a very experience shooter/elk hunter here in Cody.

His thought was that it was a fine rifle for deer and antelope, but not quite enough 'oomph' for elk. With the right shot placement, sure, the 25-06 would down an elk. He just preferred something bigger, like a 7 mm Mag.

I'm sure you'll receive a myriad of answers here, but hope this helps.
 
I am sure there are a lot of strong opions on this, however I think a 25-06 has enough power to take elk as long as you limit your shots to good broadside placement, limit range to 250-300 yards, and use a premium bullet like a 115 grain Barnes TSX or 120 grain Nosler Partition for penatration. I have shot a 25-06 for 25 years and while I have not taken an Elk with it, I don't think I would pass up a hunt if that was the only rifle I had.
 
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I've killed a couple of elk with the 25-06 , both with 100 grain Nosler Balistic tips. I would not shoot another elk with the Balistic tips but I wouldn't hesitate to shoot another elk with 120 gr Nosler Partitions or A-Frames or like bullet.
 
I took my elk with a 25-06! 100 gr. barnes bullet, good broadside shot and bang flop!!! So in my opinion yes the 25-06 is plenty gun for elk, 300 yards and under.
 
If you get a good bullet such as the nosler partition suggested above or some other high quality, tough bullet, and pick your shots carefully, it will work fine. I wouldn't have a problem using it for a cow but for a bull tag, It would be too light for my preference. If you see a 350+ bull going away, you will just have to pass and watch him leave. If you get a 30 or 7mm caliber, you have an option for the tough shots.

Light bullets and Elk don't mix.
 
Id rather borrow you my gun than use a 25-06 on elk. Ya, it can be done successfully but just not a great idea. My dad shot one once in the shoulder with the 25-06 and the bullet couldnt break the shoulder blade even. My grandpa had to finish the job with the 7MM.
 
I don't know anyone that uses a 25-06 for elk. I'm sure a 25-06 with a Barnes etc bullet might do the the job but I'd be worrying about it. The last thing I want to worry about on an elk hunt is do I have enough bullet. Afew time I had to take that less than perfect shot and I know my caliber will work and I'm not going to have to track etc to find my elk.

I just had a 257Wby build going to be a nice antelope rifle.
 
If my wife hadn't took partial to my 25.06 I would use it for everything including elk. However it wears a 5x20x56 scope and she liked too shoot her goats with it.
 
My wife has killed two oryx with a .257 Roberts. Oryx are a lot tougher than elk, and she did okay, though the kills weren't immediate or dramatic. If all I had or could get was a .25 caliber, I'd use it. However, if I had access to something with a bit more horsepower, I'd use it instead. You probably have time during the next few years to make a plan. Use your .25-06 during that time, but save up for larger cartridge in the meantime. You could could the same model rifle chambered in .30-06 and have a real nice matched set capable of all NA hunting.
 
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I am sure there are a lot of strong opions on this, however I think a 25-06 has enough power to take elk as long as you limit your shots to good broadside placement, limit range to 250-300 yards, and use a premium bullet like a 115 grain Barnes TSX or 120 grain Nosler Partition for penatration. I have shot a 25-06 for 25 years and while I have not taken an Elk with it, I don't think I would pass up a hunt if that was the only rifle I had.

I concur /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
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Is 25-06 big enough for elk?



Sure!! A 25-06 will kill an elk every time...under the right circumstances. Plenty of elk fall every year to muzzle loaders, archers, a variety of .22 calibers, and the list goes on and on.

I prefer to stack the deck in my favor if I can. I don't get to hunt elk nearly as often as I'd like to and I never know when I'm going to stumble on that trophy of a lifetime, so if I'm hunting with a rifle, I want something that's going to give me a little latitude and some margin for error.

If all I had was a 25-06 and drew an elk tag I'd still go hunting, but I'd be hunting with a borrowed rifle.
 
25-06 will kill an elk!But why chance it?
A 22-250 will kill a deer etc etc,why not just use a 270 or 06 and not have to question yourself b4 you pull the trigger.JMO
 
I have killed 4 cow elk and 2 bull elk with a .25-06 either in neck or double lung. from ranges or 50 yards to 300 plus.
I think it is a perfect rifle for elk.
my wife uses a .243 for elk and has taken 3 cows with it.

we use Nosler Partitions and do wonders on lungs and don't even twitch when shot in neck.
 
YES IT IS , KILLED MY FRIST ELK WITH A 300 SAVAGE BUT WITH AMY LIGHTER CAL YOU NEED A VERY GOOD BULLET OR YOU WILL HAVE TROBLE
 
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I am sure there are a lot of strong opions on this, however I think a 25-06 has enough power to take elk as long as you limit your shots to good broadside placement, limit range to 250-300 yards, and use a premium bullet like a 115 grain Barnes TSX or 120 grain Nosler Partition for penatration. I have shot a 25-06 for 25 years and while I have not taken an Elk with it, I don't think I would pass up a hunt if that was the only rifle I had.



+1
 
It will do it if you put the shot in the right place. But if you have something like a 270, 300, .308 they may be a little bit better options for an elk.
 
Its been pretty well summed up thus far. The cartridge is certainly capable of putting a killing shot on an elk. For some hunters, the trusty .25-06 is about all they can shoot accurately because of recoil woes. If that is the case then a well aimed shot from a .25-06 or even a .243 can and will do the job. However, the .25-06 is way on the light side of what any experienced Elk hunter would recommend for an ideal caliber for Elk, especially a mature bull.

If it was me, I would go for the AR-10 in .308 and never look back. You have a caliber that, with the correct bullet selection, will shine for Pronghorns or Elk. While the .308 may not be the fastest or flatest shooting round, its high B.C. more than make up for it.
 
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