# 25-06 for deer



## People

Ok a lot of you have said a 2506 is great for deer hunting. I know 4 people that use them three use the 120gr bullets and the other uses 85gr ballistic tip bullets. The only one that has any luck with the gun ammo combo is the one 85gr shooter. This gun is also the one if you need a gun you get that one. So I know it is not just the owner that is a better hunter than the other three. I asked them if they were just starting hunting and could pick any cal they wanted only one would take the 25-06.

I have to know what are they doing wrong? When I am not using the big one or the flesh destroyer I use a 308 with 168gr SMK.

Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.


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## southdakbearfan

Well, I can't talk for them, but I shoot a 257 Ackley Improved. Maybe a little slower, but just about the same. I shot 6 deer this year, 2 with the 257, 2 with a 270 and 2 with a 300 win. The only ones that dropped in their tracks we with the 257, one a 150 yds and the other pushing 400. What did this mean? Absolutely nothing! All were one shot kills, but i was just behind the shoulders on the other 4 and broke both front shoulders with the two that I shot with the 257. Sounds to me like they got a screw loose behind the but plate if they are having trouble. They need to find an ammo combo that the rifle likes for accuracy and shoot enough to get use to it. I prefer partitions, either the 100's or 120's, I would probably go for the 115's, but my rifle doesn't shoot them near as well.

308 is a great gun too.

That being said, I have known people that could use a tank and still not get a deer. Sounds to me like a little practice and experimentation with the setups should cure the problem. Most rifles will do the job, you just have to have it pointed in the right spot when you pull the trigger.


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## Whelen35

I like the 25 cals, I have taken deer with a 250 savage, a 250 savage improved, a standard 257 roberts, and a 25-06. The 25-06 is a great hunting chambering, great for deer, and one of the best of the long range varmit rounds to date. The 85gr bullet to me is a very poor choice for deer seeing that i goodly sized jack rabbit hit with the 85gr noslers most often will not exit. It just enters and turns the insides to mush. For deer, if you must shoot a lite bullet, go with the 85gr barns X. The 100gr partition or bonded bullets, the 115gr nosler BT is good at long range, or if loaded to about 2800fps. The 120's are almost all good if they will shoot in your gun. I don't think there is just one best choice when it comes to hunting, the 25-06 will do many jobs, as well as most any other choice we have. The 25-06 is a good choice, not hte only choice, but a good choice capable of serving several nitch areas.


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## mr.trooper

People said:


> Ok a lot of you have said a 2506 is great for deer hunting. I know 4 people that use them three use the 120gr bullets and the other uses 85gr ballistic tip bullets. The only one that has any luck with the gun ammo combo is the one 85gr shooter. This gun is also the one if you need a gun you get that one. So I know it is not just the owner that is a better hunter than the other three. I asked them if they were just starting hunting and could pick any cal they wanted only one would take the 25-06.
> 
> I have to know what are they doing wrong? When I am not using the big one or the flesh destroyer I use a 308 with 168gr SMK.
> 
> Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.


Well, considering that the vast majority dont touch there rifles for 10 months after the end of the rut im not supprised. Tell them to "buck up" (forgive the pun :lol: ), get off there comfy seats at the local range, and go test out as many different ammos as they can under FIELD CONDITIONS. there is NO reason that they shouldnt be droping deer in their tracks with a 25-06.


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## Whelen35

Well said Mr. Trooper!!!!!! About 17-18 years ago after graduating with a ba in business and psychology I worked in a sportingoods store in Fargo. You would not believe the people that would come in and state that the gun we sold them was no good and that they had to hold x high/low or so much right/left. As was the usual case, the "great" hunters and shooters that they were would state that we had bore sighted the gun in for them so it was not them, had to be the gun. I even had a few that I took out shooting and sighted in their guns for them and they did not know that you had to do anything more than bore sight it in and you were good to go. Shooting is fun, and a skill that needs to be developed by actual shooting. I think I shoot about as much as I can at about 6-8 thousand rounds of centerfire a year, and 2-3 thousand rimfire. I still have a lot to learn, and have been shooting this volume and more for about 20 years now. I still miss, but not as much as if I only shot 5-10 shots a year with my hunting guns. A deer is not very hard to put down, and a versital gun chambered in 25-06 shouod be shot all year around.


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## People

I finaly got a chance to talk to my relitives that shoot the 25-06. One uses a Hornady 117gr soft point. This guy could be having problems because of not shooting very well. That is posible. The other two use a Nosler Partition 120Gr. There shooting abbility is not in question. Where we hunt it is only family and by invite only. So every year the 7 or 8 people who own the land make a list of who can come. One of them likes having his grandson out with him hunthing(who would not). As part of the conditions he shoots ammo that grandpa loads for his gun and has to fire 150 rds every year on paper (75 off hand, 50 sitting, and 25 prone). All fired at 100 yds. He also has to give his grandpa the targets to prove he was out there if his Grandpa did not take him. This kid can shoot very well. We usually go yote hunting before deer season or after. He usually can one or two.

Every year all of them usually get good hits on deer and usually it takes more than one shot to put them down. Granted they would eventually die after going several hundred yds but is that really a nice thing to do? There are always the flukes where it is a great hit and they drop or well you know.

I can not imagine that me shooting a 308 with 168 SMK bullets would make that much difference especially considering that the SMK bullet does not expand at all and will just shoot threw even more so than a FMJ. I do not concider my self that great of a shot and almost never do I need a second shot.

Do most of you need to shoot a deer more than one time?


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## OneShotOneKill

*I am sure your relatives so called "good hits" are not good at all, but poor hits! Your relatives need to start blaming themselves not their equipment!

I continue to use my 243 Winchester with 100 grain Partitions every year and have never lost an animal. I also use a 25-35 Winchester with Hornady 117 grain round noses and 115 grain Partitions also without animal loss, of course I never attempt a shot beyond the range of myself or my firearm.

The 25-06 Remington will continue to be an adequate deer cartridge in the right ethical hunter's hands, but anyone should use a bullet weight of 100 grains or heavier for big game, the lighter weight bullets like 85 grains are for varmints!*


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## sdeprie

OSOK has answered with his usual courtesy and sensitivity. Thank you. (Suggestion, lose the colors.) :eyeroll:

I know a fellow who is a great hunting shot. Not just good, but great. He practices by shooting a 35 Rem at bricks as they come off the roof of a barn. I have personally seen him hit a squirrel in the head with a 44 Mag in a quick draw as the squirrel was running through the woods. (I said he was a great shot. I didn't say he had an ethical bone in his body, which is why I won't hunt with him anymore.) However, I have also seen him miss a deer standing broadside at 40 yds with a scoped rifle on the hood of his truck. (Yes, it was sighted in properly.) My point is, sometimes someone might hit well on paper, but not on deer, or vs versa. There is also the case of the guy who swore he emptied his rifle at a standing deer. All cartridges were recovered, unfired. "Buck fever" can do a lot of weird things. Stay out there, try again, and practice relaxation techniques before pulling that trigger. The gun is enough. You have already done the homework on the bullets and loads. (And 85 grains is enough if the bullet construction is there. A bullet is not automatically a "varmint" bullet based soley on it weight.) Hang in there. They'll get em. :sniper:


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## Whelen35

Check the twist rate of your barrel. It may not stabalize the 120's, or try shooting the gun with 100gr bullets. I have run into people who have various 25cal guns that will shoot great with 100gr and less bullets, and others that would not shoot the under 115gr bullets no matter what they tried. So, if that particular gun will not shoot on paper well with 120's, then try 100's. If you can't get the gun to shoot better with either heavy or with lite, then you need to look at scopes, mounts, screws, and bedding problems. If the person can shoot well with other guns, then there is likely something not right with that particular gun. Find the problem, and I think they will realy like the 25-06.


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## Bobm

I have killed at least 100 deer at ranges from 20 to 350 yards with my 257 Roberts the last 20 or so were shot with federal premium rounds with 120 grain nosler partitions prior to that they were all shot with remington core lock factory 117 grain rounds. My experience is that the noslers don't open up on deer very well if at all. I had much better results with the Remington core locks. The partitions still kill them but they often run as much as 100 yards with well placed bullets. The remington 117 grain corelock bullets almost always drop them in their tracks. You can't even find the exit holes with the partitions I don't think they expand unless they hit a rib or something. I think they would be better used on elk or bear. A 25 cal is the best deer round with 120 grain bullets if you use a soft tipped bullet. My 257Roberts is soft recoiling so I shoot it very well. We also have liberal deer seasons so I get to shoot it often. :lol: 
My second favorite is a 308 with 180 grain soft nose bullets I like remington and the old federal red box bullets I don't even know if they still sell them I usauly buy 10 boxes at a time so they last a long time. I do all my practicing with a 22 rifle I think the absense of recoil helps my shooting form.


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## southdakbearfan

Interesting that you had those troubles with the partitions. They are all I shoot anymore in my 257 Ackley Imp. 100's or 120's and I have killed game at 40 feet and 400 yds with them and never had one not open up and do massive damage on entry, and only had one not go completely through, but it did smash 7 ribs and break the back hip before stopping under the hide. Even on hits with no bone contact on entry I have gotten good expansion due to the fragile jacket on the front portion of the bullet.

In the past I have shot just about every type of bullet in this gun, but ended up back with the partitions. Hornady's, Sierra's, Speer, Remingtons, Barnes, Etc.  I had one issue or another with them. Some performance related, some just preference related. Hornady's - didn't care for the cannulure and had some jacket separation issues, Sierra Game Kings - exploded on impact, Speers - had to seat too deeply to get them out of the rifling which increased pressures, Remington Core Locks - absolutely would not shoot in my gun, and Barnes X Bullets - too much fouling to deal with.

Makes me wonder if they give federal a different bullet or something for premiums as having a wildcat, I reload all of mine.


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## Bobm

I have no idea why, I bought them thinking they would be more effective. Most of the shots I've taken with the partitions have been at 200 yd plus because of the stand I've been using the last few years. They kill everything I hit just no blood trail and 4 out of 5 run 50-100 yards after being hit. All broadside lung shots right behind the shoulder. I bought them all at the same time maybe I got a batch of harder bullets, if thats even possible.


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## southdakbearfan

Being lung shots right behind the shoulder, and I would assume not breaking the shoulder explains a little to me. Partitions can never be said to be fragile, but he front portion of it is. Usually disintegrating for me, and the back half exiting, but usually not a large hole. I would say what you are seeing is a product of just a lung shot. I shot two deer with a 300 win this year, one of them 3 times right behind the shoulder and it ran 100 yds or so. I got it opened up to gut and let me tell u there was nothing left inside with regards to the heart and lungs. No blood trail, just bleed out inside.

That being said, I usually shoot for the shoulders, and usually break both of them and the bullets exits. When I shot the core locks it would break one, but not even reach the other side. If your seeing damage inside and the deer only go 50 to 100 yds, the bullet is performing correctly. I always prefer to shoot the shoulder becuase they go down like they are hit by the hammer of thor, lol. and there isn't that much meat up there. If you are trying to lung shoot and not worried about penetrating through shoulders, you may want to switch to a different bullet as the partition can do both, but is designed for penetrating and breaking bone more so than being fragile and taking out the lungs.


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## Bobm

Yeah thats the same conclusion I made. I shoot behind the shoulder because they are far away ( I know plainsmans laughing now) and I like to give myself the biggest room for error I can. The spot I'm hunting is so thick that once they get thru the little clear spot that I shoot them, 50 yards makes it tough to find them. I've have to go back to the house several times and get one of my shorthairs to find the deer, but the dogs walk right to the deer so I don't have to worry much about losing them.

The couple I've shot in the base of the neck dropped right away I just don't take that shot at 200 yards plus.

I've been hunting that spot for twenty years though and the 117 grain core locks dropped them faster with the lung shots. I guess my bowhunting backgroud makes lung shots come natural :lol: I've pretty much quit hunting with rifles for the last few years. I do love my 257 Roberts though.


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## OneShotOneKill

*Sdeprie,

If you had a 25-06 Remington would you use the bullet I listed below for deer hunting?

Sierra Varminter Bullets 25 Caliber (257 Diameter) 87 Grain Spitzer Box of 100

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... mid=175160

http://www.imrpowder.com/data/rifle/25-06rem.php*


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## buckseye

This is what I use:

25-06
Hornady 87gr SP
Powder-55gr of IMR 4350
Primer-CCI 200
Trim length-2.484
OAL-3.96
3500 fps on the chrono

I always lung shoot unless I hit them in the *** (lol), they usually go about 0-30 yds. 8)


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## People

Ok had a chance to talk to all of them again. The only thing I can say is this comming deer hunting season I am going to barrow a 25-06 and see for my self what happens.
After talking to them they said that most of the time the partitions are just going threw the deer. That is unless you hit a lot of bone or it was not total broad side. The guy with the 117 he said some go threw and some just explode(he really did not know so I am not going to really listen to him). The Grandpa is shooting the 85gr Ballistic tip bullet. He is shooting a ackley improved. I do not think that really matters because it does not make the bullet go that much faster. He said as long as you do not hit any thing(grass and twigs) between you and your target the bullet will just destroy the internal organs. He stressed not shooting them in the gutts and making sure the bullet did not hit any thing between you target.

Since I am going to use one next year I know what is going to happen. The one shot with the 120gr part will drop like a sack of cr_p and the one I shoot with the 85gr bal tip will probably be shoot in the head. You know how deer are then you want to try something they just stand there with a great head shot and nothing for the body.(If at all posible I do not shoot in to the body.) Well I have some reloading to do to get ready for next season. I will try and remember to let you guys what happens


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## sdeprie

OSOK, if you want any answers from me, loose the colors. It's that simple.


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## Bobm

Head shots can really result in badly crippled deer with broken jaws ect that die a lingering death I would reccomend you go for body shots only


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## OneShotOneKill

*I have a 25-06 Remington Ackley Improved and I hand load 120 grain Nosler Partitions. This is the best bullet weight for the 25-06 Remington cartridge if you're a big game hunter.

I own a Winchester 94 in 25-35 Winchester with iron sights. I hand load 117 grain round nose Hornady bullets. I also shoot my 25-35 Winchester as a single shot with 115 grain Nosler Ballistic tips. I keep my shots to within 100 yards with great success with either lung or shoulder hits on deer.

It's true you shouldn't ever attempt to take a risky head shot on deer when the heart, lungs, and liver area are so large. If the animal doesn't present itself for a good shot, then you need to pass and/or wait for a clear broadside shot.*


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## People

I have shot most of my deer in the head. I cannot say they ever did any thing but just drop like a sack of... I guess I was not very clear on what I wanted to say. I was planning on shooting them in the body with the 25. For my luck they would only present me with great head shots.


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## The Norseman

Hello everyone,

Boy, this should send OSOK over the top.

This fall I plan on getting my deer with:

Remington Model 7 SS/SS w/Leupold 4-12x40
.223 Rem
55gr SBT Sierra # 1365
20gr IMR 4198
CCI 400 SR primer
R-P cases
Vel. 1800fps

I all boils down to Marksmanship. Don't give me any cr......

:wink:


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## OneShotOneKill

*The Norseman,

Son, you need to have a professional check your velocity for you, because the IMR data shows the 223 Remington using 22.0 grains of IMR 4198 gives 3,360 FPS with a 45 grain bullet and 50,300 CUP. You are getting a lot more that 1,800 FPS with the 55 grain bullet load you described!

http://www.imrpowder.com/data/rifle/223rem.php

You do however have an excellent rifle and scope combo for varmints.*


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## buckseye

I have a reason for shooting deer in the lungs instead of the head or heart. If you kill the brain instantly or blow up the heart you destroy the pump that gets the blood out of the meat. In more words they bleed out way better if the pump/heart is working for a couple of moments after the shot. 8)


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## The Norseman

Hello everyone,

oops, wrong data sheet.

Load is running at 3000 pfs with my Chrony.

Thanks.


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