I have a Browning A-bolt 30/06 that is a very nice shooter with a reasonable recoil to deal with. Also have a Tikka .223 that is really nice and is a keeper for the varmint class with a 5-15 scope. Have been looking for an intermediate shooter, so far at a .243 (BLR or Marlin), but feel the .243 is a little light for deer. Is there really anything to be gained with going to a 25/06 over the /06 for deer within 200 yards - also thinking Marlin. I'm particularly interested in cutting back on noise and recoil as I find myself flinching at times with the 30/06 and am not enjoying it as much as I should be.
25/06 vs 30/06 - pros & cons
- Thread starter tika223
- Start date
joed
New member
The 25-06 has been my favorite cartridge for over 30 years now. It is not a heavy recoiling cartridge like the 30-06 is.
I like the 25 because it is truelly a dual purpose round. Load it with 87 gr bullets and it's an excellent varmint round at very long distances. Use a 100 or 120 gr and it's a great deer cartridge.
I like the 25 because it is truelly a dual purpose round. Load it with 87 gr bullets and it's an excellent varmint round at very long distances. Use a 100 or 120 gr and it's a great deer cartridge.
tripod3
New member
You can shoot lighter bullets in the .30-06. They even offer managed recoil loads. Flinching may not simply go away with a lighter recoil.
It does look like an opportunity to get another gun though. Any reason works for that.
One thing about recoil is that a well designed stock will reduce felt recoil considerably. Well worth the money and there are factory guns that offer this better fit.
An adjustable clean breaking trigger will be of benefit too. Much like your Tikka.
The .30-06 is a great cartridge but if you want to step down and stay in the same neighborhood I would suggest 7mm-08 or maybe even a .260.
It does look like an opportunity to get another gun though. Any reason works for that.
One thing about recoil is that a well designed stock will reduce felt recoil considerably. Well worth the money and there are factory guns that offer this better fit.
An adjustable clean breaking trigger will be of benefit too. Much like your Tikka.
The .30-06 is a great cartridge but if you want to step down and stay in the same neighborhood I would suggest 7mm-08 or maybe even a .260.
Outlawkyote
New member
Ive killed everything from prairie dogs to elk and buffalo with my 2506's. You will love it!!!.
I had a 7 mag on my shelf for 3 years after getting my first 2506. I never shot it again until I finally sold it.
Ive had many 2506's since then and every one of them has become my favorite.
Good luck!!
I had a 7 mag on my shelf for 3 years after getting my first 2506. I never shot it again until I finally sold it.
Ive had many 2506's since then and every one of them has become my favorite.
Good luck!!
NdIndy
New member
The 25 really has nothing over the 30. Whatever the 25 can do the 30 can do better. I carried mostly 30-06 for the last decade until I started playing with big bores, picked up 2 25's last year and used them on 4 animals. It worked well and was easier to shoot than the 30, but none of the 4 animals were the typical bang-flop I was used to with the bigger round. But to be apples to apples I've always loaded the 30 hot and heavy and loaded the 25 very middle of the road.
I plan on using the 25's on deer and goats, and while it worked well on that size game I don't think I'd venture larger than deer with them. For elk sized game I prefer more oomph. The 25 is a sweet shooting round though, I'd take it over a .243 based on 1 past experience with the .243.
I'd think with a .223, 25-06, and the 30-06 you pretty much have north america covered.
I plan on using the 25's on deer and goats, and while it worked well on that size game I don't think I'd venture larger than deer with them. For elk sized game I prefer more oomph. The 25 is a sweet shooting round though, I'd take it over a .243 based on 1 past experience with the .243.
I'd think with a .223, 25-06, and the 30-06 you pretty much have north america covered.
joed
New member
Originally Posted By: NdIndyThe 25 really has nothing over the 30. Whatever the 25 can do the 30 can do better.
No, I don't buy that. With 87 gr bullets the .25-06 is a spectacular varmint cartridge capable of hitting animals to 500 yards. You can load light bullets in a .30-06 but they won't perform as well as the 87 gr bullet out of the .25 cal.
Also noticed you mentioned you load the .25 to middle of the road. You're cheating yourself. The .25-06 shines when the loads are near max. I learned this pretty quickly 33 years ago when I bought my first .25-06. For some reason reduced loads just don't work well in it.
No, I don't buy that. With 87 gr bullets the .25-06 is a spectacular varmint cartridge capable of hitting animals to 500 yards. You can load light bullets in a .30-06 but they won't perform as well as the 87 gr bullet out of the .25 cal.
Also noticed you mentioned you load the .25 to middle of the road. You're cheating yourself. The .25-06 shines when the loads are near max. I learned this pretty quickly 33 years ago when I bought my first .25-06. For some reason reduced loads just don't work well in it.
mark shubert
New member
Between my varmint calibers and my 30-06, resides (and always will) a Savage 99 in 243!
Mark
Mark
NdIndy
New member
Originally Posted By: joedOriginally Posted By: NdIndyThe 25 really has nothing over the 30. Whatever the 25 can do the 30 can do better.
No, I don't buy that. With 87 gr bullets the .25-06 is a spectacular varmint cartridge capable of hitting animals to 500 yards. You can load light bullets in a .30-06 but they won't perform as well as the 87 gr bullet out of the .25 cal.
Also noticed you mentioned you load the .25 to middle of the road. You're cheating yourself. The .25-06 shines when the loads are near max. I learned this pretty quickly 33 years ago when I bought my first .25-06. For some reason reduced loads just don't work well in it.
I figure prairie dog pieces are the same regardless of what I tap them with
But I used to go primarily HMR on them and have switched to .223 recently. I don't like to burn the extra powder with the bigger bores on them. Even with the .223 there's not enough left to recover. I keep a dermestid beetle colony and harvest PD's with the HMR when I'm out of skulls and need food for them.
For big(ish) game I've done deer and antelope to 400+ with both -06's and filled the freezer, and at 500 yards I'm just flinging lead at the little guys and hoping for the stars to align. I know my limits
When I picked up my 1st 25 I bought a bunch of midway 100gr 2nds and picked the middle load out of the book, about 2800fps by chrony. While sighting in I turned in around MOA with the load. Picked up an edge 25 and while sighting in had touching groups with the same load. Called it good and went hunting, dropped a mulie and a goat with each rifle and both took 1 animal around 400 by laser
I'll likely be bumping things up this summer when weather is better to experiment but it was a good enough combo for season this year.
I've never had more than a 30 yard run with the 30-06 on deer/antelope/elk, with the 25 I had 1 antelope and 1 deer go about 100. With the loads I used I give the big game edge to the 30's more immediate knockdown IME, but I like shooting the 25 and dissection of the 4 animals showed good bullet performance. Both my long runs took both lungs and missed the heart so bear that in mind. Hunting primarily the plains, 100 yards doesn't matter. You see them drop as long as they don't run more than a mile. But the 100 yard deer made it into some tall sage and took about 10 minutes to find.
No, I don't buy that. With 87 gr bullets the .25-06 is a spectacular varmint cartridge capable of hitting animals to 500 yards. You can load light bullets in a .30-06 but they won't perform as well as the 87 gr bullet out of the .25 cal.
Also noticed you mentioned you load the .25 to middle of the road. You're cheating yourself. The .25-06 shines when the loads are near max. I learned this pretty quickly 33 years ago when I bought my first .25-06. For some reason reduced loads just don't work well in it.
I figure prairie dog pieces are the same regardless of what I tap them with
For big(ish) game I've done deer and antelope to 400+ with both -06's and filled the freezer, and at 500 yards I'm just flinging lead at the little guys and hoping for the stars to align. I know my limits
When I picked up my 1st 25 I bought a bunch of midway 100gr 2nds and picked the middle load out of the book, about 2800fps by chrony. While sighting in I turned in around MOA with the load. Picked up an edge 25 and while sighting in had touching groups with the same load. Called it good and went hunting, dropped a mulie and a goat with each rifle and both took 1 animal around 400 by laser
I've never had more than a 30 yard run with the 30-06 on deer/antelope/elk, with the 25 I had 1 antelope and 1 deer go about 100. With the loads I used I give the big game edge to the 30's more immediate knockdown IME, but I like shooting the 25 and dissection of the 4 animals showed good bullet performance. Both my long runs took both lungs and missed the heart so bear that in mind. Hunting primarily the plains, 100 yards doesn't matter. You see them drop as long as they don't run more than a mile. But the 100 yard deer made it into some tall sage and took about 10 minutes to find.