25-06

[D.A.T.]

i knew it would happen,my daughter has pretty much laid claim to my 22-250.solightbulbi figured i need a 25-06,im lookin for feedback on the vanguard and the ruger 25-06s.i want a min barrel of 24in.maybe get a savage and new barrel?this will have to be a budget build,im going to use a hogue stock.

 

[RT2506]

You can't go wrong with a 25-06 for deer size game down to varmints. Myself I would go with a Savage with an accue trigger. If you can find a used long action Savage you can always get a top quality barrel and screw it on and have a really great rifle. Yes you need at least 24" of barrel. I like 26" myself. I have a Rem. Sportsman 78 (poor man's 700) action with a Shilen SS #6 26" long in an H&S Precision stock with SS BDL bottom metal. It's a deer thumper. I have a Hogue full bed stock on my Rem 700 Shilen #5 27 3/4" barrel 264 Win mag. I really like that stock.

 

[elkaholic]

I shot a 25-06 for many years (bought the first factory one out in a 700 Rem BDL in 1970). They are a GREAT choice for deer and I took elk with mine when I first moved to Idaho. I think I would go with the Savage if I were you. I also agree that a 24" is minimum. I would personally go with a 26". Good luck with your build.......Rich

 

[roninflag]

if i could not get a sendero i would get a cdl/bdl or a vanguard moa.

 

[diriel]

The Howa's are nice rifles, and they come with a Hogue stock, though it is not the full length aluminium bed version.

As for Savage? Love'm! The 111 Long Range Hunter has a 26" tube with a Karsten Adj. Cheek piece installed. The Weather Warrior 116 FCSS has a 24" tube. With Savage it is entirely possible you could get a rifle that right out of the box will shoot itty bitty groups. That would certainly help with the budget. Oddly, I would have thought the 25-06 had more models in the line up. Savage used to have an LE in 25, but I do not see that anymore.

Have a good one,
Gary

 

[BEAR CARAWAY]

you can not go wrong with a savage. Shilen now makes the screw it on yourself savage barrels. find a used 30-06 or 270 and make your own. i found an used sears J.C. Higgens in 30-06 but the action is a very good belgium action. so this is my next 25-06. if you find an older savage you can get a good trigger from rifle basix or timney. Bear.

 

[patsarge]

I don't write much but have a Savage 116 FCSS in 25-06. Ive had it about 6 months now from Buds Guns. The barrel is 22 inches from the factory, the accutrigger is unbeatable and I set it at 3.5 lbs. It comes now with the accustock, earlier ones did not, and I have never fired a factory load out of it. I bought it as an all around coyote gun and deer rifle as I was switching back and forth between my ARs and my BLR. I've had #1s, and other rifles in bolt action but never had a rifle like this out of the box. In working up loads for the rifle I found that in the 1st 3 groups fired I was at .88 inch and after about 30 rounds fired I went home and decided to try a sierra 117gr with a different powder and on my 3rd group found it at .42" with a 3-9 Nikon coyote special scope which has ballistic circles instead of intersecting crosshairs in the center. I didnt think I could shoot that accurately with the ballistic circles and if I had a good target scope could improve on it more but I quit at that lo'd and call it good. If I had a 24 inch barrel I'd be maybe 60fps faster for the load but why change a great thing. Im gonna keep the one bullet for all my hunting and use the KISS theory. The 22 inch barrel is faster to the target and easier to haul in the truck or the Teryx. A 26 Inch barrel wouldnt fit in my F350 rugged gear rifle rack between the front seats anyway.
Maybe the muzzle blast is a bit more than a 24 or 26 inch barrel but for a stock rifle with another scope, Id put some money on it against the same with a custom barrel. If I lost one time I might not lose the 2nd. The rifle outshoots my ability and old eyes. If you want to add a few hundred dollars to hope for a better rifle, have at it. I keep my Coyote special ballistics data for different scope powers taped to the side of the stock and prerange my coyote setups so I know where to set my scope after a 100yd zero.
RP Brass, Sierra 117gr SBT Game King, 46.5gr IMR-4350, 2.484 case len, 3.125-3.130 COAL, WLR primer, .001 undersize collet hunting loads lee crimp die, .017 clearance from the lands at COAL as listed. This load would be 3000fps but without a chrono I would estimate it at 2900fps give or take.

 

[RT2506]

With 46.5 grs IMR 4350 you may be closer to around 2750 to 2800 fps out of your 22" tube. I have a 26" barrel and I use 49 grs IMR 4350 with the 117 Sierra Pro Hunter , CCI 250, Rem case, and it averages 3000 fps over my chrno and not much over .257 groups at 100 yards.

 

[patsarge]

I could be wrong but all 3 of my books, including latest Sierra book, put a 24" at 3000 with the data I gave which has me as approx 2900 and you at over the Max load of 48.7 which would put it at 3100 with a 24 inch barrel in a savage12vss per sierra. I trust their instraments to be closer than a home chrono. Sierra Edition 5, 5th printing. Also a 26 inch barrel with that load might be way over max load due to increased pressure. Id rather be safe at my load and Im not a bench rest shooter. I just hunt. I realize there might be better and faster loads, but my 22inch is a lot easier to handle than that 26, which wouldnt even fit in my between the seat rack in my truck. Im just happy with my situation and rifle. Thanks for the comeback but I was only giving my opinion in what works for me in a safe load which took no time to set up. Also, I prob would be shooting under .42" with a target scope with actual crosshairs than a hunting scope with a ring in the center of the reticule. My 116FCSS is just fine, didnt break any banks to buy, and makes a hell of a field gun to carry on my quads or Teryx here in the desert, dirt and all.

 

[Chieftain428]

I have Ruger 77 mkII that I have had for about ten years. When I get serious about killing something that is what goes to the woods. I shoot 100 gr. ballistic tips with 53 grains of IMR 4350 and a federal primer. I didn't work up the load just tried the load dad worked up for his gun. It shot 1" to 1.25" groups out of the box with this load and I have never shot anything else. Good on deer, better on coyotes, and hell on crows. Not the most accurate 25 I own but the only one I hunt with. ( I never shot it over the chrony)

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Sendero with 26" tube

59 gr RL17, 210 primers, 110 AB's, 3500 fps, ~ .5 MOA

59 gr RL17, 210 primers, 115 BST's, 3400 fps, Sub .5 MOA

Can't say anything bad about a savage, never owned one but a lot folks seem to like'm.

For out of the box factory rifle, I like the Sub MOA Vanguard. Just picked up a 300 Wthby with about a .35 MOA 3 shot factory target. Only 24" bbl though.

Go do some touchy feely and pick one you like

-Mark

 

[RT2506]

Do not get me wrong. I was not trying to belittle you or your rifle in any way. I too am a hunter and have been using the 25-06 for around 20 years. What works for you in your situation is great. I was just letting you know that your velocity may be a bit slower than you think it is.
Same make rifles will shoot different velocities with the same load. Yes Sierra Edition 5 list 48.7 gr IMR 4350 as the max load with the 117 for 3100 fps. The Sierra 4th edition which I used way back when I started shooting the 25-06 list 50.8 grs IMR 4350 as the max for 3000 fps and the listed accuracy load is 49 grs for 2900 fps and they both used 26" barrels. The Lyman 48th list 51.0 grs IMR 4350 as max and 3013 fps with 117 Sierra from a 26" barrel.
You really find out that velocity makes a big difference when you start shooting long range. By the trajectory that I am getting it verifies that my average velocity that I have checked many times of 3000 fps from my "home chrono" is correct with my rifle with its 26" barrel.