Tikka 25/06

I've been shooting it's "ballistic twin" 25-284 about 25 years now. I have always shot 85gr Nosler Ballistic Tips @ 3480-3500 fps. It's 24" 1-10 twist Lilja #4 contour on a Trued Howa SA & shoots under 1/2".
Many animals have fallen to this rifle including, cow elk.
I am currently working up loads on the 92gr Hammers..... as successful as I've been with the Nosler BT's.....I think this will be the REAL medicine.
Like (BUTTERBEAN) said, maybe the MOST under rated cartridge ever.
I just purchased some 92 hammers for my 25-06. What loads have worked for you? Thks
 
I grew up hunting with a 257Bob and my brother a 25/06. I just love the 25s and their terminal performance on light skinned game like deer. My brother and I both killed deer in the 300 yard range without issue or tracking most of the time. Great round!
 
Have a home built Mauser 25-06 w/ 24" 1/10 twist. Loading 50 gr IMR4831 under 120 Nosler Partitions at ~3080 fps. A medium load that shoots really well and works for me, best so far is a big Colorado Muley 425 yds that took 3 steps. For whitetails and antelope I have worked up a 100 gr Barnes TTSX on top of 53 gr IMR4831 for ~3296 fps and MOA groups. Really like this load, but touching high pressure signs.
 
You can basically put in 60 grains of powder in 25-06, 270, and 30-06. So some of the slower modern powders work best. I have a 26 inch barrel and my go to powder is R-26 for 100 and 120 gr. 100 and down to 85 grain I use Superformance. R-23 might be a good option.

I'm not sold on 117 and 120 gr for .257 dia. There comes a point where the bullets velocity is low enough down range that they don't expand. Just 25 cal hole through the rib cage. Where like last falls muley with a 100 gr barnes triple shock was a bang flop with no lungs left and the the chest full of blood and big exit.
 
Love the 25-06. Have for over 30 years. Everything everyone has said about it being a great cartridge for deer size game is absolutely true. I would have loved to get a left handed Tikka in 25-06. I just couldn't get around the 22" barrel. The world would be a better place if manufacturers would quit making the 25-06 with short 22" barrels and slow 1 in 10 twists.
 
I love the attention to the 25:06, and the 25's in general. My first 25 was the classic Savage 250:3000. I AI'ed it as well as the 26:06. My best shot with the 25:06AI was on a Whitetail at 510 yards. He never took a step. Just flipped upside down. Gotta give a little love to my 257 as well. Long live the 25"s.
 
Well guys, you got it pretty much covered. I remember reading that the .25-06 is best suited to a 24" barrel. I have no experience wit 26" barrels in the cartridge but it makes sense that it certainly can't hurt. I'm running a 115 Berger on 51.2 grains of IMR 4831. My Cooper (pictured below) is great but it's a tank at about 11 lbs. scoped. It's definitely a keeper but I've also got my eye on a Sako Finnlight but they too have the 22" barrel, which gives me pause. From what I'm reading the shorter barrel won't hamper it much and I do agree with the previous twist rate comment.

2D443BF2-FF71-4B35-9FDA-5B7EBA7E61AA.jpeg
 
I started as a kid with a 25/06. Remington 700 in 1970. The old lathe turned 115 nosler made it a real gun. I don,t know what it is about the 25,s but they are hammers. Before I went to alaska I bought a 300 weatherby. I thought wow this will really blow them over. Out to 400 I couldn,t see any difference. Of course beyond that the 300 showed it,s muscle. This is on deer. Not moose or elk.
 
Hybird 100V like I said is the go to powder for sub 100 gr. I did chrono time with all kinds of rounds. But everybody loves to brag about speed. So I was going varminting and bought a couple boxes of 750 TNT 87 gr. I exceeded 3500 fps with outstanding accuracy with 100V, look it up n hodgdon reloading. just fun cheap shooting.

 
I have a tikka 25-06 with 22in barrel before they came out with CTR mine is blued composite. Shoot 100 grain ballistic tips lights out. One of the most accurate rifles I own. I put a leupold 4X12 on it 15-20 years ago sighted it in and havent moved it since. I have killed lots of deer antelope and one elk with it (used 100 gr barnes on the elk) neck shot dead before the elk hit the ground. You wont go wrong in my opinion. Good luck...
 
Warning! This thread is more than 4 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top