Favorite 25 Cal?

[Larry in wyoming]

250 savage. It's perfect for the 300yd and less deer and antelope hunting I do. 100gr bt or Hornady interlocks pushed by 36.5 grains of ramshot big game do all that needs doing.
A year ago I picked up a savage 23b in 25-20. I haven't had a chance to work with it much but so far it seems to be a finicky little thing.

Oh! I always thought if I was going to build an antelope rifle, I'd use a fast twist barrel in 25 wssm. Cause I like oddball. If I was recommending one to someone, it'd be 25-06.

 

[KnightHawk]

I voted for the 250-3000 as I have two Savages, a 1926 that’s been restocked and a 1899 deluxe takedown.
I was torn between the 250 and voting for the 25-20. I have two Remington model 25’s one rifle and one carbine length. Both are well used but very tight. I haven’t worked with these yet, but I’ve a couple cast bullet molds, a 70 grain and a 86 grain.
I just not in the high velocity camp, don’t care for bullets over about 2800 fps.

 

[hillman23]

My granddad’s old Win 94 was a hand-me-down to him. It’s not chambered in a high performance cartridge, it’s chambered in a heritage cartridge. Consequently, 25-35 gets my vote.

 

[Buckeye63]

Mine was a 257 Bob
Always wanted a 25 Souper .. which I still believe it would be a fantastic cartridge

 

[1948CJ2A]

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 by a full inch by master custom gunmaker Bob Lampert, making it just about perfect for the .250, with his work being so 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. View attachment 1187806View attachment 1187807View attachment 1187808View attachment 1187810View attachment 1187811View attachment 1187813View attachment 1187814

That is a gorgeous rifle! Thanks for sharing the back-story and the pictures.

 

[Gordon]

I also forgot about my "other" .25-06 : a Savage 112V J series bull barrel single shot with a nicely stippled walnut target stock . It likes 87-100 gain bullets best and it has a 16x Super Sniper scope and it was deadly when the wind picked up on long range varmints at any range I could see them.

 

[mshootnit]

Snagged a NIB Ruger walnut stock to replace my 25-06 Hawkeye black synthetic yesterday. That will make it a stainless/walnut combo. Pics soon.

 

[mshootnit]

Loves me some 25 cal. Top: Remington 700 Classic 25-06, Ruger Hawkeye Stainless 25-06, Weatherby S1 Stainless Vanguard, 257 WBY Magnum.

 

[1948CJ2A]

View attachment 1189913
Loves me some 25 cal. Top: Remington 700 Classic 25-06, Ruger Hawkeye Stainless 25-06, Weatherby S1 Stainless Vanguard, 257 WBY Magnum.

Ahh yes, that walnut stock looks like a nice upgrade over the black plastic. My Vanguard 257 Wby was black plastic too. Took me a couple of years but I found a walnut replacement at a gun show. Turned a then $400 rifle into probably double that in todays market. Only set me back $100.

 

[someguy2800]

I have to sit this poll out. I had a 25-06 for many years and it served me well but I wouldn't choose that cartridge again and probably never will choose any 25 caliber. For all the uses that I have for rifles I would choose a 6mm or a 6.5mm

 

[Legionnaire]

∅

 

[Boom Vang]

I like all the QuarterBores. Too bad the CEOs and bean counters at the gun makers don't agree. It's a dying bore.

Although I've taken most of my deer with a little Kimber 84M Montana in .257 Roberts (a discontinued chambering BTW), I changed my vote to the .25 WSSM, just so it wouldn't be lonely. Took an antelope three years ago in Wyoming with my Browning A-Bolt II in 25 WSSM (another discontinued .25 cartridge). Clean kill at 330Y with a hand-loaded Hornady 120 HP - another discontinued .25 bullet!

 

[.45Coltguy]

That Hornady Interlock 120gr HP was a superb bullet. Too bad Hornady stopped making those.

 

[Varminterror]

I like all the QuarterBores. Too bad the CEOs and bean counters at the gun makers don't agree. It's a dying bore.

You do realize that the 25 cals are actually on the rise again, right? There have been more 25 cal bullets, brass, and cartridges released in the last few years than in the decade before them.

 

[.45Coltguy]

You do realize that the 25 cals are actually on the rise again, right? There have been more 25 cal bullets, brass, and cartridges released in the last few years than in the decade before them.

Good. Hopefully, Hornady may bring back the 120gr HP Interlock bullet. It was/is a very good hunting bullet.

 

[JmacD]

You do realize that the 25 cals are actually on the rise again, right? There have been more 25 cal bullets, brass, and cartridges released in the last few years than in the decade before them.

You think the 25 creed will become more “commercialized”? Part of me hopes “yes” and part of me hopes “no”…

 

[Varminterror]

You think the 25 creed will become more “commercialized”? Part of me hopes “yes” and part of me hopes “no”…

I don't really understand why folks would ever wish failure for anyone, but it seems popular online.

There are factory 25 creed and 25 GT brass options available now, and several makers are adding 25 cal bullets - whether either become SAAMI standardized will really depend on Hornady, but for folks who actually want them, they're already here. There are reamers available on the shelf, dies, brass, bullets... everything folks need for either of these, ready to roll already...

 

[JmacD]

I don't really understand why folks would ever wish failure for anyone, but it seems popular online.

There are factory 25 creed and 25 GT brass options available now, and several makers are adding 25 cal bullets - whether either become SAAMI standardized will really depend on Hornady, but for folks who actually want them, they're already here. There are reamers available on the shelf, dies, brass, bullets... everything folks need for either of these, ready to roll already...

Let me clarify: I like the cartridge very much. Part of me really wants to see it Saami certified. The other part of me wants to see it shine in the wildcat world. I certainly do not wish failure to the cartridge or to anyone for that matter. I am not that guy!

 

[doubleh]

I chose the 250-3000 simply because I lusted for one when I was a teenager and couldn't afford the the ammo, much less the cost of the rifle. Then I got my driver's license and another even more expensive thing took over and I forgot about the rifle.

 

[1948CJ2A]

You do realize that the 25 cals are actually on the rise again, right? There have been more 25 cal bullets, brass, and cartridges released in the last few years than in the decade before them.

I guess I'm not seeing it. I went to 4 different "mainstream" rifle manufacturers websites (RemArms, Winchester, Savage, Ruger). I looked at their popular NEW rifles advertised (M700, M70, M110, Hawkeye). Here's the results with respect to .25 cal choices:

• Remington M700 (or 783 for that matter) offers ZERO; not even their own 25-06 Rem!
• Winchester M70 offers 1 choice (25-06 Rem)
• Savage M110 offers 1 choice (25-06 Rem)
• Ruger Hawkeye offers ZERO

So aside from the 25-06, who else in the common-folks arena of new rifle manufacturers is offering a .257 caliber chambering option?

 

[Varminterror]

common-folks

Common folks aren't the tip of the spear when it comes to what is being developed in any industry.

 

[doubleh]

• Remington M700 (or 783 for that matter) offers ZERO; not even their own 25-06 Rem!
• Winchester M70 offers 1 choice (25-06 Rem)
• Savage M110 offers 1 choice (25-06 Rem)
• Ruger Hawkeye offers ZERO

If it doesn't sell well these companies will ignore it or only offer something every few years. Wildcatters used to be Varminterror's tip of the spear but it is now smaller companies that are the innovators. If it sells good enough the big companies will jump on board to lick up all the gravy they can.

 

[1948CJ2A]

Common folks aren't the tip of the spear when it comes to what is being developed in any industry.

I guess we don't speak the same language; aren't the common folks (middle-class America) the ones who purchase the majority of firearms?

 

[Varminterror]

I guess we don't speak the same language; aren't the common folks (middle-class America) the ones who purchase the majority of firearms?

Tidal waves don’t have to hit the shore before we know they are coming.

Ignore reality if you so choose.

 

[.45Coltguy]

I guess we don't speak the same language; aren't the common folks (middle-class America) the ones who purchase the majority of firearms?

Yes, they are.