25-06 rebarrel.

[YOSEPPY]

I've got a 25-06 Remington 700 sendero that I'm kicking around getting rebarrled but I'm not sure what round I want to go with. I was planing on a 6.5-284 Norma but I think that will be to close to my .264 wm to make a difference in my arsenal. What would you guys rebarrel to if you had the choice

 

[MudRunner2005]

.25-06 AI 40º Shoulder... You can get to within 100 fps of the .257 Wby.

You could also go .280 Sherman or .300 Sherman... Those are cool wildcats. You use .270 Win or .280 Rem brass to form from. For more info on the 2 wildcats you can contact Rich Sherman here on the forum. He goes by the handle "elkaholic".

 

[Barrelnut]

Just it depends on what you want to shoot with it. But if you want another 6.5, I would go 6.5-06. Especially if you have some good 25-06 brass left. You could also do a long throated 260 with it and maybe even make a 260AI out of it. Still better barrel like than the 264 WM, probably.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

Agree, the 6.5 / 06 would be an awesome choice, and if you AI it you could be in the neighborhood of the 264 wm in a hurry..lots of brass forever, reasonable cheap to shoot, mild recoil, this would be an outstanding choice for deer sized game, target shooting and banging steel out to a 1000 with no problem and no expensive bolt modification needed..good way to go upward just a little.

 

[mgood]

I'm right there with you thinking about what caliber my 25-06 should be in the future. I'm building a 6.5 Sherman Shortmag that will probably dominate the niche currently occupied by my Kimber 84L Classic Select Grade 25-06 Rem. It's too nice a rifle not to use it for something. I've thought about 338-06 AI, or maybe a Shermanated version of that.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I'm right there with you thinking about what caliber my 25-06 should be in the future. I'm building a 6.5 Sherman Shortmag that will probably dominate the niche currently occupied by my Kimber 84L Classic Select Grade 25-06 Rem. It's too nice a rifle not to use it for something. I've thought about 338-06 AI, or maybe a Shermanated version of that.

Try a .300 Sherman...It's basically a .30-06 Ackley Improved Improved. He also has a .280 Sherman which is a .280 Ackley Improved Improved.

 

[scottishkat]

Or just rebarrel the 25-06. I owned a 22" 25-06 for years wore it out and sold it since then I have owned or still own the 257 wby, 6.5-06, 6.5x284 and I don't mind telling you. I did pretty close to everything with that 25-06 that I have done with all the others. That's harvesting 15-20 deer a year the 5 or 6 additional animals I've harvested heck I have another in the safe.

If your thinking 6.5 and wildcat I think the 260 ai is fantastic. My 260 rem gets the nod for most of my hunting needs now. Been waiting 3 years for Remington to come out with a 24" CDL SF. Thought this year would be it but they did the 35 Whelan go figure.

For harvesting these southern whitetails that average 150 or less the 25-06 is hard to beat. The 100 ttsx at 3150 is just plain magic for them. The next hole in my safe is going to get filled with a 24" 25-06 or maybe 257 Roberts 40 degree AI or maybe 25-06 ai if I could forgive myself for copying Mud (just kidding).

Good luck and shoot straight all.

Bob Mac

 

[RT2506]

I have killed hundreds of white tail deer over the past 45 years and have killed them with about everything from a stick to a 45-70 rifle. I will not be without a 25-06. It is a deer killing machine. I would barrel that action with a 26" 25-06 quality barrel and never regret it my self.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Or just rebarrel the 25-06. I owned a 22" 25-06 for years wore it out and sold it since then I have owned or still own the 257 wby, 6.5-06, 6.5x284 and I don't mind telling you. I did pretty close to everything with that 25-06 that I have done with all the others. That's harvesting 15-20 deer a year the 5 or 6 additional animals I've harvested heck I have another in the safe.

If your thinking 6.5 and wildcat I think the 260 ai is fantastic. My 260 rem gets the nod for most of my hunting needs now. Been waiting 3 years for Remington to come out with a 24" CDL SF. Thought this year would be it but they did the 35 Whelan go figure.

For harvesting these southern whitetails that average 150 or less the 25-06 is hard to beat. The 100 ttsx at 3150 is just plain magic for them. The next hole in my safe is going to get filled with a 24" 25-06 or maybe 257 Roberts 40 degree AI or maybe 25-06 ai if I could forgive myself for copying Mud (just kidding).

Good luck and shoot straight all.

Bob Mac

Well, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery... So...Build away.

I do suggest a 26" barrel for the .25-06 AI. The longer barrel will give you a slightly more compete burn, plus a small bump in MV.

Now back to the OP...

My results of comparing the .25-06 AI side-by-side with my .257 Wby, the velocities were within 100fps, an animal will never know the difference. But the .25-06 AI is so much nicer to shoot. I'm not a recoil-sensitive person at all, and never have been. But I will say, after comparing them, the .257 seemed a bit overly dramatic (more powder, more recoil, more muzzle blast, more expensive brass and ammo) to reach nearly the same results as the .25-06 AI. I used to feel the opposite way, but having owned both, I realized I was wrong about the .25-06. Also, I've never been a big fan of the regular .25-06 because of the very low shoulder angle, same reason I've never cared for the regular .270 Win and .30-06 Sprg. But I like the improved versions of those cartridges a lot.

People can get mad all they want, and .257 Wby supporters can argue all they want, but the numbers don't lie. I never said one cartridge was any better than another, they are both good cartridges. I just said that raw-data shows the .25-06 AI as a much more efficient designed cartridge, being that it uses 10-15 grains less powder to reach within 100 fps.

 

[dwm]

Let me suggest replacing the 25-06 with a 270Win, they are very similar cartridges. With the 270 you can shoot 130 Ballistic Tips or 130/140 Bergers for a light load all the way up to the 165 Matrix or 170 Berger. If you are recoil sensitive or have kids or the wife the 130 Berger would be fine, they kill just as good or better than anything shot out of a 25-06. I have had a 25-06 and 25WSSM, they are fun to shoot but are limited by the factory 10 twist barrels and the selection of heavy for the caliber bullets. A 270 with an 8 twist barrel can shoot the full range of 270 bullets and will give you more confidence in the ability to knock down game. I'm not saying the 25-06 won't kill deer, however the heavier 270 caliber bullets with better BC give you more confidence and less chance of them running off and having to track them. Something to consider....

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Go with the 25 and get a reasonable twist. Like 7" so it can shoot good size bullets. Now you will have a cool cartridge and extend the 25 past a 500 yard tool.


Steve

 

[mgood]

I'm right there with you thinking about what caliber my 25-06 should be in the future. I'm building a 6.5 Sherman Shortmag that will probably dominate the niche currently occupied by my Kimber 84L Classic Select Grade 25-06 Rem. It's too nice a rifle not to use it for something. I've thought about 338-06 AI, or maybe a Shermanated version of that.

Try a .300 Sherman...It's basically a .30-06 Ackley Improved Improved. He also has a .280 Sherman which is a .280 Ackley Improved Improved.

Yeah. At one time I was going to rebarrel the 25-06 into a 6.5 Sherman. Then I decided I wanted a SS so I'm having a new gun built. The 25-06 could wind up as 280, 30, 338, or even 35 on down the road, and very possibly a Sherman version of whatever I decide on. I just said 338 because that's my top choice of the moment. My preference changes week-to-week.

 

[cape cove]

I have killed hundreds of white tail deer over the past 45 years and have killed them with about everything from a stick to a 45-70 rifle. I will not be without a 25-06. It is a deer killing machine. I would barrel that action with a 26" 25-06 quality barrel and never regret it my self.

X2.