[msjones360]

I currently own a cheap Mossberg .270 and am looking for a secondary gun that has a bit less recoil. I'm currently looking at 25-06. I would like to shoot coyotes/varmints and still like to be able to kill a deer at 300 yards or so if needed. Thanks for any input.

 

[fritz1]

A 25-06 sounds like just the rifle for you.

 

[BarkBuster20]

I've always thought the 25-06 was probably the best compromise between a good varmint rifle, and a deer rifle. In a pinch it could be used for elk with carefull shot placement and good bullets, i know if it was the only rifle i had, id be hunting elk with it even though it is on the light side to say the least.

Sounds like you already know what you want/need.

 

[Guidedfishing]

Finished up on my range today prepping the 257 Roberts for fox and coyote hunting. I've killed an elk with 120 Nosler partitions and misted P-dogs the next with 75gr HPs. No fuss and little recoil. I have a Bushnell elite 3200 3 - 10X on this fine rifle. The Bob hand loaded is a true long range varmint gun, and capable of deer at any range you would shoot the 25-06 or 270 with the right load.

good luck you would not go wrong with any.
GF

 

[TMan]

I have a .243 for that sort of shooting, but the .25-06 certainly has a lot going for it as a long range varmit, medium game round. Brass is easy to find, and there's lots of bullets for game even up to elk size.

I'm eyeballing a Marlin XL7 at the moment, and thinking I need a .25-06 myself.

You should have one

 

[big dan]

the 25/06 is a great round, i have one on a remington 700 and it is a dandy! if you reload the 257 roberts is a great round too but i'm not sure what the factory ammo situation is like.

 

[RaySendero]

If you plan to keep the 270 - Get a 243.
If you plan to sell the 270 - Get a 25-06.

 

[BKeith]

25-06 will do it but that's a lot of powder and recoil for a varmint rifle. My first choice would be the 6mm Reminton but since that caliber is hard to come by, my second choice would be a 243. A 22-250 makes a great Varmint rifle and a very capable deer rifle but I would only recommend that for someone that's an excellent marksman. Most 22-250's have a 1:14 twist so a 55gr bullet is about the max you can shoot without giving up accuracy.

 

[magnumitis]

The .25-06 has got to be the best "all-around" deer/varmint caliber ever devised.

 

[BarkBuster20]

The .25-06 has got to be the best "all-around" deer/varmint caliber ever devised.

exactly, just cant be beat.

 

[243dave]

There is very little difference between a 270 and a 25-06, might want to think about a 243. Dave

 

[OneShotKill]

What about a 7mm 08?

 

[Runnin Lead]

Neighbor has a 6.5-06 , it is very nice . takes 85gr to 160 gr.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

 

[TMan]

If you plan to keep the 270 - Get a 243.
If you plan to sell the 270 - Get a 25-06.

I was wondering how the opinions on this would go

I have owned a .243 of some flavor, since 1968. Deep down inside, I feel that for my money, it's a good choice for a varmit/medium game rifle. I've used one for whitetails, mule deer, and antelope, and coyotes, foxes, prairie dogs and groundhogs.

When I bought the first one, it was in the era of decline for the .250 Savage and Roberts, and being no smarter than most, I never took a look at those. I think, had I been smarter, I would have made the trip with a quarter bore, probably the Roberts. I'm still haunted by the M700 Mtn Rifle in .257 I didn't buy

 

[kludge]

Keeping or selling the .270 is a good question.

How about a .260 Remington? I might not be comfortable with a .243 at 300 yards... unless it's for small Southern deer. I would also be tempted by the .25 WSSM, but it's basically dead and just duplicates the .25-06.

If you want "more" than the .25-06, the 6.5-284 and 6.5-06 come to mind.

If you don't hand load, then go with the .25-06 or .243.

 

[broom_jm]

I had a 25-'06 and found it burned more powder than I liked for varmint and didn't have the bullet weight I prefer for big game. With that being said, it is really an excellent choice for both kinds of hunting, as long as you're willing to compromise just a tad on both of those counts. I sold the 25-'06 and later regretted it, even though it provided nothing of value over the 243 and 270 I already owned. If I were restricted to just one rifle for varmints and big game, that M70 FTWT in 25-'06 was just about ideal.

Given that I can have more than one rifle, I prefer a hot 22 for any varmint smaller than a coyote...which is just about all of them. The 25-'06 is in a kind of no-man's land, from my perspective.

 

[magnumitis]

I had a 25-'06 and found it burned more powder than I liked for varmint........

Given that I can have more than one rifle, I prefer a hot 22 for any varmint smaller than a coyote...which is just about all of them. The 25-'06 is in a kind of no-man's land, from my perspective.

I load for both a hot .22 (a Swift) and a .25-Oh. There's 10-12 gr. of powder difference between most of the loads. Given that equates to around 50 more loads per pound of powder (137/lb. for the .25 compared to 184/lb for the .22 for the Swift). But the Swift ain't much of a deer gun. I've really taken a shining to the .25-0h. Maybe it's just me.

P.S. Not sure I wouldn't rather shoot a 'yote with the Swift over the .25-06. Those 50 and 52 grainers rolling out in the 4100's are pure murder on them.

 

[Tnhunter]

You say coyotes, varmints and deer and I'd say the 25/06 (as already mentioned) is as good as it gets, but you might also take a gander at it's little cousin, the .257 Roberts. I've not found factory loads for the .257 tough to find, nor expensive. I own both and simply have a slight preference for the older classic .257. But I certainly could not call it better than the baby 'o6.

 

[TMan]

I might not be comfortable with a .243 at 300 yards... unless it's for small Southern deer.

Not a problem, I've dropped a couple mule deer that were easily twice the size of many eastern whitetails at that range, and a couple more antelope the size of a southern whitetail, at a good deal farther.

The .243 is fine if you can shoot, and don't feel the need to take every shot, at every angle. It's not the choice for beginners at that range (or any range, maybe), and it's not for trigger happy hunters that can't consistantly place their shots. But for a guy who shoots 'yotes and prairie dogs at the same range, it's fine.

 

[seasidehunter]

25-06 is a great cart