Favorite 25 Cal?

[ThomasT]

The poll options were drafted from the Hornady 11th edition reloading manual. The 25 Remington was not included in that manual; therefore, it can be part of the "Other 25 Cal" choice, which I forgot to add! So thanks for the nudge

Its not a round anyone thinks of anymore. No rifles and no ammo. IIRC its just a rimless version of the 25-35 Winchester round with the same weak ballistics. The case came from the 30 Remington which is the same case used to make the new 6.8 SPC round for the AR rifle.

 

[sage5907]

If you look at the Speer reloading manual you will see that a 270 with a 22" barrel firing 130gr bullets shoots a little faster than a 25-06 shooting 120gr bullets from a 24" barrel. I would take the 270 hands down over a 25-06 any day.

That's true about the bullet weight and velocity, but the 270 has noticeably more muzzle blast and recoil. I always picked my 25-06 to shoot steel targets over a 270 because it was a lot more fun. Using IMR 4831 in both cartridges with a 25-06 you would be using from 5 to 7 grains less powder.

 

[bbqncigars]

I went with 25-20, 'cause between 'Sweetie'(1894 Marlin) and the Blackhawk I go through a lot of 25-20 ammo in a year.

 

[lightman]

The only 25 caliber rifle that I have is a 257 Roberts so thats what I voted. Its a Remington 700 CDL.
I wish someone would make a run of 257 Roberts brass. I sent a request/suggestion to Starline.

 

[Remington1911]

I read and thought fave 25acp. I was all ready with Walther model 8.

 

[entropy]

Never owned a .25 cal. (Except.25 ACP) , but having shot most of the non Weatherby or AI ones, I voted for the .257 Roberts.

 

[wombat13]

Right now, .25-06 is absolutely my favorite cartridge for deer hunting. Low recoil, shoots as flat as a .300 win mag, and with the 100 gr TTSX bullets it has been 100% bang-flops. What's not to love?

 

[Gordon]

Although in .25-20 I am down to just the Model 25 Remington pump now it is my favorite quarter bore cause it is FUN. it can kill deer to under 100 yards but with coyotes and big racoons and even large bobcats it really is a hammer of thor with it's Pop ! I now have the barrel of the model 25 threaded and a suppressor for subsonic happiness.
I shot .257 Weatherby years ago and had a few .250 Savages but now only my Mauser 66 Straight pull remains. If there ever was a perfect stalking antelope gun it is that in .25-06 with a 4.5-14 Meopro scope . I too use the 117 Sierra Boattail GameKing and a nice accurate load around 3000 FPS +- from the 22" barrel. this combo shoots MOA to the 600 yards I've sighted it for , and very flat trajectory. i shot an antelope a couple years ago in Oregon at a measured 480 yards and it flipped the animal over DRN with great expansion and complete thru the shoulder penetration !

 

[WisBorn]

The only 25 caliber cartridge that I have owned is the 25-06.
A Ruger Number One, and a Ruger M77 LH. I shot a few whitetail deer with them. The cartridge will get the job done.

 

[.45Coltguy]

I voted 25-06, a wonderful cartridge. It took my Ca. pronghorn with one shot at right at 230 yards. 2007, Lassen Co.

 

[mshootnit]

I liked the thought of 257 Robeets but when I look at even +P data and see those 2850 velocities my mind begins to wander elsewhere

 

[wombat13]

I liked the thought of 257 Robeets but when I look at even +P data and see those 2850 velocities my mind begins to wander elsewhere

You should wander on over to .25-06.

 

[JmacD]

The 250 Savage is such an over-achiever for its size.

But the 250 has a lot of potential and the cartridge was about 100 years ahead of its time.

Well said y’all. Can others do it better? Ya. But(I do know the 7 Ross beat it) it was the first commercial(emphasis on that word) cartridge to hit 3000 fps at the muzzle! Wow! lol It’s a favorite of mine.

 

[WisBorn]

I voted 25-06, a wonderful cartridge. It took my Ca. pronghorn with one shot at right at 230 yards. 2007, Lassen Co.View attachment 1187568View attachment 1187571

I am a firm believer that the 25-06 & 257 Weatherby Mag are the best antelope cartridges ever developed

Ok other cartridges will work, but the faster 25s just seem to be ideal for Pronghorns. Never hunted them but it's fun to dream.

 

[wombat13]

I am a firm believer that the 25-06 & 257 Weatherby Mag are the best antelope cartridges ever developed

Ok other cartridges will work, but the faster 25s just seem to be ideal for Pronghorns. Never hunted them but it's fun to dream.

I've taken deer with .338wm, .300wm, .30-06, .44 rem mag, .50 cal muzzleloader, 12 ga. saboted slugs, and .25-06. I have the highest rate of bang-flops (100%) with the .25-06 on (shots so far ranging from 60 - 180 yards) and it is a joy to shoot. It is the ideal cartridge for anything up to the size of whitetail, for me. Other chamberings may work as well or nearly as well, but it takes all the same powders that I already stock for .300wm (and the .280ai I'm about to start loading).

 

[.45Coltguy]

I am a firm believer that the 25-06 & 257 Weatherby Mag are the best antelope cartridges ever developed

Ok other cartridges will work, but the faster 25s just seem to be ideal for Pronghorns. Never hunted them but it's fun to dream.

It was a dream for me, believe me. Getting a antelope tag in Ca. is like hitting the lottery. Once in a lifetime. The 25-06 did it's job to perfection.
Load was Hornady Interlock 120gr HP, 51.0gr H4831scin Win cases. What an accurate round!!

 

[mshootnit]

One of the reasons I like 257 Weatherby, the recoil is more like a push than a sharp crack, like with 25-06.

 

[mshootnit]

It was a dream for me, believe me. Getting a antelope tag in Ca. is like hitting the lottery. Once in a lifetime. The 25-06 did it's job to perfection.
Load was Hornady Interlock 120gr HP, 51.0gr H4831scin Win cases. What an accurate round!!

Yes sir. These days I use the 117 SP American whitetail in my Rem, and I have a hard time beating the accuracy with my handloads.

 

[mshootnit]

Come to think of it 257 is getting pinched pretty hard these days between 244 cal and 264 cal.

 

[WisBorn]

One of the reasons I like 257 Weatherby, the recoil is more like a push than a sharp crack, like with 25-06.

I personally didn't think the recoil from a 25-06 is sharp. Both of my Ruger 25-06 rifles were heavy for a hunting rifle. I personally believe that the recoil of the 25-06 is mild.

 

[OS/N]

I had to go with 25-06 cause thats the only one I have (for 40 yrs.). If I had to buy over it would have been a 270 but I'm not sure the Ruger #1 was availble or common in that caliber back in 1983. A Bob makes a better target gun because it doesn't burn up the bore as bad but the 270 eats both their lunch.

 

[JumboJVT]

Never owned any of those, but I always thought the .270 was a silly half-step between the .30-06 and .25-06. Never understood why the .270 was so popular while .25-06 kinda languished.....so I voted .25-06.

'Cause the 270 pre-dated the 25-06 by about 45 years. If it ain't broke...

 

[mshootnit]

Theres nothing wrong with a 270. But if I am loading up some nice 100 gr. for 300 yd. shots on coyotes or 75 gr. I aint grabbing my 270. I amgrabbing the 25-06. They are just better in that weight range. But then again if I go elk hunting in Montana, I am loadi g 150's in the 270, not the 25-06.

 

[.45Coltguy]

Theres nothing wrong with a 270. But if I am loading up some nice 100 gr. for 300 yd. shots on coyotes or 75 gr. I aint grabbing my 270. I amgrabbing the 25-06. They are just better in that weight range. But then again if I go elk hunting in Montana, I am loadi g 150's in the 270, not the 25-06.

You should try the Nosler Partition 160gr for the .270. It took the only Elk I've shot; N/W Colorado, early 90's.

 

[Litetrigger]

Mark me down as a long time fan of .25 cal rifles, as I have rifles .250 Sav, .257 Roberts, .25-06 and .257 Web Mag. I've had successful hunts with each of them so I would no more claim one to be favorite over the others any more than I would claim a favorite of my kids. However, one of the rifles, a .25 Sav. may stand out more that the others because of some rather unique features and its builder. The action began as a '09 Argentine '98 style Mauser. Of course the action was to long for the stubby .250 Sav so the action was shortened a full inch by master custom gunmaker Bob Lampert, making it just about perfect for the .250, with his alteration being so near perfect it appears the action was originally manufactured in it present form. Lampert also crested the front receiver ring, giving the action a sleeker profile, converting the safety to a three way M-70 type safety, reshaped the bolt handle to a graceful curve and checkering the knob. Then the project was turned over to a craftman by the name of Don Allen, who at that time was an airline pilot who turned out beautiful stockwork as a a partime hobby, and later became reknown as one of the founders of Dakota Arms, makers of top quality arms. The stock's striking grain contour has been speculated to be the resulting growth around a graft, once common in walnut trees.