Anyone running a Tikka T3 in 25-06?

mutthunter

New member
My daughter can finally hunt with me next year, and I need a good excuse to buy a new rifle. I'm a Tikka fan, but they only offer the 25-06 with a 22in barrel (i'd like a 24-26). I've talked to a guy that has one, and he loves it, says it's a hammer The problem is that around here a long shot is 200yds, but where I hunt muleys in eastern MT, a long shot is 500 yds. I won't be pushing a 25-06 that far, but 400 wouldn't be a surprise at all. It's that 300-400yd range that I feel like the loss of 2in of barrel might hurt. But that's paper, what have you guys seen in the real world with your 25-06?
 
Last edited:
I've owned a 25-06 for over 30 years, it's a great hunting cartridge. Mine has a 24" barrel which I prefer. I don't think a 22"would be to bad, though. I think you'll be happy with it.
 
My son has the T3 in 30-06, 22" bbl and runs it to 700 yards at the range and has it dialed in from 200-600 yards. Shot an antelope last season at 450 yds, 125g bullet like it was nothing.
I run my .243 w/22" to 600 yards so Im sure the 25-06 wont have issues to 600 yards w/that 22" tube.
 
Originally Posted By: 5spdMy son has the T3 in 30-06, 22" bbl and runs it to 700 yards at the range and has it dialed in from 200-600 yards. Shot an antelope last season at 450 yds, 125g bullet like it was nothing.
I run my .243 w/22" to 600 yards so Im sure the 25-06 wont have issues to 600 yards w/that 22" tube.
Yep those European boys build a good stick. My T3 in 300wsm is what makes me want one in 25-06 as well. Just wish CZ would chamber a rifle in 25-06! Thanx for the input, keep it coming!
 
I have a 25-06 with a 26" barrel and I am going to cut it to 22 or 23 inches. They are just awkward to hunt with for me if they are over 24". The velocity you lose to a 22 inch barrel will not amount to enough to be noticed at 4-6oo yard shooting if ever at all. I bet your daughter will like the 22 inch alot better also. I tuned one up and worked up a load for a guy a couple years ago and the T3 in 2506 was impressive, super trigger, smooth action and little bitty groups. Best of luck to ya.
 
I am torn between the .243 and 25-06 tikka. When companies make magnum rounds in 24" I have no idea why they don't just chamber 25-06 in the longer barrel.
 
Originally Posted By: TripleDeuce660I am torn between the .243 and 25-06 tikka. When companies make magnum rounds in 24" I have no idea why they don't just chamber 25-06 in the longer barrel.
I hear that! My 300wsm Tikka has a long tube, can't figure out why the 25-06 doesn't. I think I'll pick it up regardless of my short tube fears. A B&C stock under it, a Viper or VXIII on top, and I'll have one happy kid (and with a little luck, some unhappy wolves to boot!)

I hear good things about the 117gr Seirra Pro Hunters and Retumbo. Any thoughts?
 
Last edited:

I have a Tikka M695, in 25-06 Rem. It has a 22 7/16" barrel
IIRC. I load 100 gr. Barnes TSX loads with RL-19 and the load
chrony's at +3400 fps. It is a hammer. I would not think twice
about shooting 400 yards with mine. The latest critter to fall
to it:



That is the Tikka laying across the deer. Exceptional rifle.

Squeeze
 
Squeeze has it: "Exceptional rifle" Absolutely right. I have a T3 in 223. It is fantastic. The Finns know how to build a rifle. Great pic too.
 
Originally Posted By: Squeeze
I have a Tikka M695, in 25-06 Rem. It has a 22 7/16" barrel
IIRC. I load 100 gr. Barnes TSX loads with RL-19 and the load
chrony's at +3400 fps. It is a hammer. I would not think twice
about shooting 400 yards with mine. The latest critter to fall
to it:



That is the Tikka laying across the deer. Exceptional rifle.

Squeeze
Did that buck drop right there on the road, or was it drug there(if so, nice work!)? I ask because I hunt a farm for whiteys that usually allows me to back the pickup right up to the deer's last step... I'm not gonna lie, I love it! I've packed/drug critters up n down some stupidly steep, snowy, hills, and I'll do it as long as I'm able... but I really like hooking a pulz-all up to the headache rack on the truck, and letting mechanical advantage do it's thing!
 
I decided 40 years ago that I would never shoot any big game more than 100 yards from a road. Longer range is no problem as long as there is a road close.

Jack
 
Originally Posted By: mutthunterOriginally Posted By: Squeeze


Did that buck drop right there on the road, or was it drug there(if so, nice work!)? I ask because I hunt a farm for whiteys that usually allows me to back the pickup right up to the deer's last step... I'm not gonna lie, I love it! I've packed/drug critters up n down some stupidly steep, snowy, hills, and I'll do it as long as I'm able... but I really like hooking a pulz-all up to the headache rack on the truck, and letting mechanical advantage do it's thing!

No that buck was dropped off the truck, and posed there.
That is actually my front yard. In the case of this buck,
two marginal hits(deer bolted as I pulled trigger on
the first shot, and a 160 yard shot, at a severe angle down(I
was sitting in a elevated box blind on a steep hardwood
ridge, about 200' above the deer) had me shoot about 4" lower
than I should have on the shoulder. The 25-06 round destroyed
the front side shoulder, but exited a bit lower on the far
side than I would have liked. I had to do some fancy little
to no blood tracking through a dense cedar swamp to recover
him...But I had him running to a field. So we ended up with
about a 100 yard drag to the truck. Not bad considering
I would have had a tougher drag, if I would have dropped him
in the steep ravine. I expect the 25-06 to drop them in
their tracks, but in this case, what it did do was explode
on the last rib, and basically turn the back of the liver,
and the front of the stomach to corn pudding, and the
second shot destroyed a shoulder. What is surprising is
how far the buck went with the damage it had, with so little
blood loss. All of the blood was inside, and the deer ran
until it ran out of blood. Tough critters.

Squeeze
 
Originally Posted By: mutthunterAnyone have a load for it that won't tear up a wolf hide?

I just do standard loads, that's all the rifle likes, but for wolves, there about antelope sized 100+ lbs.; going with a Nosler 100/110/115 would be good. 115s have a tendency to keep moving a LOT better at range.
My deer load is a Nosler 115gr with 50 grs of IMR 4831 going about 3k fps. 48-52 grain load according to Nosler7.
A 100 gr silvertip Same powder is between 49.5 and 53.5 Max
110 Accubond same powder 47-51 gr between 3000 and 3177
Obviously accuracy and actual velocities will be different in your rifle. If I was in Idaho I would go with the 115 and invite you lol
 
Back
Top