Lloyd Smale
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I believe also that Winchester made the featherweight stainless in a 24 inch 2506
Availability of .25-06 with 24" stainless barrel
- Thread starter wombat13
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Thanks for the link. That rifle looks nice, but it is no longer listed on the Weatherby website. Also, I'm not sure about going to 26" barrel. That rifle with a 24" barrel would be about perfect, although I'd prefer an all stainless rifle (only the barrel is stainless on that Weatherby).
Llama Bob
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Incidentally, my favorite .25-06 load is a 100 grain Swift A-Frame over a slightly over-full case of 7828ssc. Velocity is 3400 ft/s in a 24", measured pressure is 63KPSI (SAAMI max). I find it to be a very well balanced load:
- Stable in all temperature/elevation combinations
- Maximum point blank range (+-3in) of 330 yards
- SD is a little low at .216, but compensated for by the fact that the A-Frame has great weight retention and penetration, so you almost always get an exit wound
- Ideal velocity for the A-Frame (2500 ft/s) is maintained out to max PBR.
- Acceptable velocity for the A-Frame (2100 ft/s) and sufficient energy for medium game are maintained to 500 yards (longer than the longest I'll shoot)
It's pretty much as close to a deer laser as you'll get without going to something like a .257 Weatherby or .264WinMag that has twice the recoil. Even that only buys you about 10-20 extra yards of max PBR and no real improvement in terminal performance.
- Stable in all temperature/elevation combinations
- Maximum point blank range (+-3in) of 330 yards
- SD is a little low at .216, but compensated for by the fact that the A-Frame has great weight retention and penetration, so you almost always get an exit wound
- Ideal velocity for the A-Frame (2500 ft/s) is maintained out to max PBR.
- Acceptable velocity for the A-Frame (2100 ft/s) and sufficient energy for medium game are maintained to 500 yards (longer than the longest I'll shoot)
It's pretty much as close to a deer laser as you'll get without going to something like a .257 Weatherby or .264WinMag that has twice the recoil. Even that only buys you about 10-20 extra yards of max PBR and no real improvement in terminal performance.
sage5907
Member
The new Winchester Model 70 Sporter in 25-06 lists a 24 inch barrel. I wouldn't buy a rifle that didn't have the Winchester type 3 position safety. The 25-06 really comes into it's own with 117 and 120 grain bullets and it makes an excellent light rifle. Don't pay any attention to jmr40 when he talks about 25-06 rifles and 25 caliber bullets because he has some kind of mental block against them. I respect his opinion when he talks about the 308 and 30-06 but for a 25-06 he puts out some really bad information. Makes me wonder if he ever owned one.
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I'm familiar with Ruger's three position safety and like it. Is that the same as Winchester's? Which manufacturers use that style?
eastbank
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i shoot a older rem 722 in 257 roberts with 90gr BT bullets at close to 3300 fps and i think the 2506 will do better. and i have killed deer at a little over 300 yrds with the roberts with double lung hits,easy tracking job about 20 feet. eastbank.
Corn-Picker
Member
No offense, but I think you're going about this backwards. You say your daughter is small, which suggests she may need a shorter length of pull (LOP). Most rifles chambered in 25-06 have a full size stock. If the LOP is too long the rifle is going to be uncomfortable to shoot, slow to shoulder, and she will have poor form.
I'd go to the nearest store with a variety of rifles to choose from. Let her shoulder a bunch (while wearing her hunting jacket) to see what fits her best. After she narrows it down to rifles that fit, I'd ask her which one she found sexiest/most attractive. Having a rifle that fits and a rifle that turns you on is way more important than whether it's shooting a 6mm bullet at 3185 fps or a 6.35 mm bullet at 3095 fps.
Chances are any rifle she picks will be chambered in something appropriate (243, 25-06, 6.5 creedmoor, etc...). When you choose the chambering and barrel length/material before the rifle model you limit yourself to a small number of rifles, and there's no guarantee any of them will fit her frame.
I'd go to the nearest store with a variety of rifles to choose from. Let her shoulder a bunch (while wearing her hunting jacket) to see what fits her best. After she narrows it down to rifles that fit, I'd ask her which one she found sexiest/most attractive. Having a rifle that fits and a rifle that turns you on is way more important than whether it's shooting a 6mm bullet at 3185 fps or a 6.35 mm bullet at 3095 fps.
Chances are any rifle she picks will be chambered in something appropriate (243, 25-06, 6.5 creedmoor, etc...). When you choose the chambering and barrel length/material before the rifle model you limit yourself to a small number of rifles, and there's no guarantee any of them will fit her frame.
Murphys Law
Member
Hey Wombat,I think all of your choices are good with the exception of the Tikka varmint barrel. Most likely that will be too muzzle heavy for her except for when she is bench shooting. Not knowing her physical size or strength, take what I say with a grain of salt 
. You may want to see what rifles offer a youth stock or the availability of an aftermarket wood stock that can be easily shortened to fit a youth or small female. A full size stock will actually increase felt recoil for a small girl.
I wouldnt dismiss the .243 quickly. Nothing wrong with the .257 bullets for hunting but the .243 opens up a much broader selection of youth rifles for her.
. You may want to see what rifles offer a youth stock or the availability of an aftermarket wood stock that can be easily shortened to fit a youth or small female. A full size stock will actually increase felt recoil for a small girl.I wouldnt dismiss the .243 quickly. Nothing wrong with the .257 bullets for hunting but the .243 opens up a much broader selection of youth rifles for her.
sage5907
Member
wombat13, most rifles that have the safety lever on the bolt shroud are the Winchester 70 type safety. This safety locks the firing pin instead of the trigger. The forward position is fire, the middle position is safe where you can work the bolt with the safety on, and the rear position is safe and it also locks the bolt handle down. Locking the bolt handle down is really important to me when I carry the rifle on a sling. Trees and brush can push the bolt handle open if the bolt handle is not locked down. The other type safety is on the side of the receiver like a Remington 700 and it only locks the trigger and I personally do not use this type safety for hunting.
Bbear
Member
I'd 2nd rayatphonix's comment. Though an 'ideal' barrel length on the 25-06 may just be 24", the lighter weight of a Tikka T3 or the newer T3x might fit what you're wanting to do, as long as you can get by with the 22.4" barrel. After all, all you'd be losing velocity-wise is what, 25-50 fps? So what if the bullet is 'only' traveling 3200 fps instead of 3250? The deer won't be able to tell the difference. Also, in the synthetic stock model you have a rifle weighing in around 6.5 pounds. Add in another pound for the scope and rings and you have a fairly light-weight rifle that your daughter should have no problem carrying around. As for bullet availability, Nosler shows 11 different bullets as does Sierra. Speer 'only' shows 10, and that's just 3 different manufacturers. I'm not certain where you and your daughter will be hunting, nor, what animals you will be taking, but I've taken game from prairie dogs up to and including elk. (and BTW, both elk were 1 shot, DRT kills with a 120 partition) with my 2 25-06's. One is a first-year production model with over 3500 logged rounds through the barrel.
In short, I think the caliber selection is a good one. The main thing with all of this is to find a RIFLE that will fit your DAUGHTER. Once you find that, you have years of memory-making ahead of you. And each time she looks at 'her' rifle, she'll remember all of those times with Dad. It's one way to pay it forward and to always be certain you will stay alive 'forever'.
In short, I think the caliber selection is a good one. The main thing with all of this is to find a RIFLE that will fit your DAUGHTER. Once you find that, you have years of memory-making ahead of you. And each time she looks at 'her' rifle, she'll remember all of those times with Dad. It's one way to pay it forward and to always be certain you will stay alive 'forever'.
As far as the cartridge goes,you could do a lot worse than the 25-06.In the hands of a good handloader,this round can be loaded with bullets between 70 and 90 grains for varmints,100 to 117 grains for deer,and I wouldn't be at all afraid to hunt elk with premium bullets in the 120 gr range.It's a lot better round than it gets credit for.Mine is a M700 with a Wilson 24" barrel.I shoot 100 grain Sierra Gamekings for deer hunting,and if I want to show off,I use 100 gr Matchkings to make cute little oval shaped holes at 100 yards.Mine is carbon steel,but it's been Dura Coated and has done great as far as not rusting.I think you made a good choice in looking at the 25.
CoalTrain49
Member
Half the fun of shooting is matching a cartridge with it's intended purpose. I've bought a few rifles that I didn't keep very long for one reason or another. It isn't the end of the world if it doesn't work out. 25-06 is a good cartridge and a good place to start. My neighbor has a new Win 70 and he won't be getting rid of that one anytime soon.
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