# The 25-06



## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

What is the advantages and down side to this gun? I was looking at a .25wssm but have hurd other wise for good people and good thoughts on it. So why is it better? Remember this is going on a arm of a guy who needs total replacment of the sholder. I would go with a .243 but since I do have a .300wm a .243 to me is somthing under powered...am I wrong on this? I dont know. That is why I am asking for as much INFO before I get this gun. But not too light...this gun will be mine one day :wink:


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## pennsyltucky (Oct 30, 2005)

the 243 isnt underpowered, the 300 is way overpowered. its all relative. the 25-06 is a good gun, but the 243 will get the job done just as well, with less hurt on the shoulder.

i just went thru this with a friend who wanted a good coyote gun. he either wanted a 270 or a 223. the 243 is so common and so many kids use it, that he had written it off as a no good caliber. he didnt think it was exotic or good enuf. he finally got the 243. he loves it.

i strongly suggest u get the 243. if u need a big gun that 300 is always there.


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## Whelen35 (Mar 9, 2004)

I really like the 25-06 a lot. Another consideration would be a 257 roberts, or a 250 savage. I have used the 243 a bit, and I just can't sine up to it for a deer gun. I know many use it and have great success with it, but I just don't. It is a wonderfull long range fox and yote gun, and I guess if you can wait for perfect placement of your shots deer, but the use of a 120gr bullet for deer sized game is just right. The 250 savage kicks soo little, you can watch things happen through the scope. And, a 115gr nosler at 2600fps works just great for deer out to 250yds or so. It also seems to be a bit softer spoken than the 243. I can shoot my 250 improved and 257 roberts when hunting without hearing protection and my ears don't ring. I shoot my 243 that way (and it has athe same barrel length as the others) and my ears will ring for two days. Do a search and find one of the savage 110's that was chambered to 250 savage, and your sholder will not feel a thing. Reloading is a must thing with the 250 though. A good excuse to start if you don't already.


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

My choice for a light recoil rifle ctg. that still will pack a punch down range would have to be the 260 Rem. The more I read about this ctg. the better I like it. Remember, in the long '06 based cases you'll use more powder and that translates into recoil. A shorter 308 based case(243,260,7mm08 ect.) will have less recoil because you'll use less powder and have less mass going down the bore of the rifle. The 250 Savage is another one of my favorite old ctgs. but rifles chambered in it are getting pretty hard to find. Look into the 260 Rem. and I think you'll find what you're looking for.


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## pennsyltucky (Oct 30, 2005)

theres almost no difference between the 243 and the 257's. both 243 and 257 roberts push a 100g bullet at 3100. actually in my book, the 243 throws it faster. the slightly smaller bore with the same weight gives u a better ballistic coeff. the amount of muzzleblast is different in every gun, and with every load. a 120g bullet is more than you need for a deer. u only need to shoot one deer in the chest with a 85 or 95 grain ballistic tipped bullet from a 243 to realize u have more than enuf gun. if u want to shoot a 120+g bullet, u should go up to a 270. the heavier bullets go pretty slow in small calibers, and dont provide the expansion shock to stop em in their tracks like the smaller faster bullets.

ive never seen 257 roberts ammo in the sporting goods section. they have em at the big sporting goods store, but no where near the selection as the 243.

now the 257 weatherby magnum is a real winner, but the recoil is a bit more.


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## elderberry99 (Aug 18, 2005)

I hunt with the .243 exclusivly now and have never had one problem dropping a Southern Whitetail with one well placed shot with the 100 grain bullet.
I have a brother-in-law who hunts with his .243 for the past 20+ years in Virginia and has an extensive collection of deer mounts and racks all from a one shot one kill and he uses the 80 grain bullet in his Remington semi-auto rifle.
It all comes down to doing your job with what you have.
I have a disability with a very bad back and had to go from my .30-06 down to the .243 and have not been sorry for doing so at all.
I am about to purchase another rifle but in the 7MM-08 just because I want to be able to use 140 grain bullets as well.


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

I too have rediscovered the .243 Winchester. Back in 2001 I had to have my right lung glued to my chest wall to keep it from collapsing. As such my Dr warned me to avoid subjecting my shoulder / chest to too much recoil. When I quizzed my Dr he advised I shoot a .243.

I picked up a Ruger Stainless-Synthetic in .243 Winchester. Before ever shooting the Rifle I totally cleaned the bore, then polished the bore with FLITZ Bore Polish (followed by a thorough cleaning once again to remove all traces of the FLITZ Bore Polish). I then sanded out the forned of the stock so the barrel was totally free floated (not touching the stock anywhere except at the chamber area of the barrel). Once that was done I tuned the trigger so I ended up with a smooth as glass 2 pound trigger pull.

Once at the range with a 4.5x14x40mm AO Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope all mounted up I started to break in the barrel. I would shoot ONE SHOT, then push 3 patches soaked in Shooters Choice followed by 3 dry patches through the bore. I did this for the first 10 shots. Once I had 10 rounds down the tube I then shot 3 shots between patching the bore. I idid this for the next 15 shots, then went to 5 shots between patching the bore. Once I had 50 rounds through the bore I totally cleaned it again.

For my efforts I have been rewarded with a Rifle Barrel that does not seem to foul much at all. I also have been rewarded with a very accurate Rifle. I have settled on 3 loads for this rifle to cover my shooting needs.

Load #1, general purpose Varmints. This is a reduced Velocity load that uses a 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip Bullet at 3229 FPS (roughly .223 Remington Ballistics & Recoil). I have a target sitting on my desk in which I shot 10 rounds of this load about as fast as I could load and shoot them from the bench. The group measures .882" tall x .345" wide. I am quite sure I could have tightened up this group a little if I would have taken a little more time, but I wanted to get an idea of the accuracy level in rapid shooting like can be encountered in a Prairie Dog Town since that is what this load was developed for.

Load #2, is my Coyote Load. I have not worked up a specific Handload as yet, but rather have been shooting Federal Premium V-Shok 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip ammo to aquire more brass. This load produced 3359 FPS in my Rifle and prints 5 shot 100 yard groups of 3/4" or less wth amazing regularity. It is also pure death and destruction on Coyotes.

Load #3, is my Deer Load. I worked this load up this fall in an effort to come up with something better than the factory ammo I Had been using. I selected the 95gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip loaded with Hodgdon's H-4350. This load is HOT so I will not list the charge weight, but none the less is safe in MY RIFLE. This load is averaging 5/8" 5 shot groups at 100 yards at a muzzle velocity of 3071 FPS (with extremely low Extreme Spreads and Standard Deviation). This load accounted for 3 Whitetails last fall and all 3 were one shot kills.

The first was 186 yards and a broadside shot (the Button Buck was walking slowly). My Daughter put the 95gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip low behind the front shoulder taking out the heart (it was blown to pieces). At the shot the Deer took a single leap and was laying stone dead about 10 feet from where it was shot. A rib was hit on entrance and exit and the exit wound was about the size of a quarter.

The second was a large Whitetail Doe at 184 yards. This was a standing broadside shot. I put the crosshairs midway backbone to brisket right behind the front shoulder. At the shot the Doe ran about 20 yards, turned around, walked back and almost fell exactly where she was standing at the shot. I messed up slightly on this one and hit both front shoulders. The bullet completely penetrated the Doe and the exit would was again about the size of a quarter.

The last one was shot by my wife. This was about a 230 yard shot (didn't laser this one), and Bonnie shot a little high. Bonnie hit the spine directly above the front shoulders, and again the bullet completely penetrated the Deer. Believe it or not, but not all that much meat was damaged. I bet I didn't throw away 5 pounds of meat.

In dressing out these deer I did not find any signs what so ever of bullet break up.

I have grown quite fond of this Rifle & Cartridge. It is easy to load for, quite accurate and very pleasant to shoot. It also has provided me with the ballistics and bullet performance I want and need.

Larry


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## pennsyltucky (Oct 30, 2005)

SDHandgunner said:


> . I worked this load up this fall in an effort to come up with something better than the factory ammo I Had been using. I selected the 95gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip loaded with Hodgdon's H-4350. This load is HOT so I will not list the charge weight, but none the less is safe in MY RIFLE. This load is averaging 5/8" 5 shot groups at 100 yards at a muzzle velocity of 3071 FPS


doesnt sound too hot...... my lee book shows 42 grains of 4350 and 95g bullet goes 3087fps. 42g of 414 gors 3138fps.

these are in the max load column, but they show a pressure in the 58,000 range.

i like hearing praise for the 243  it seems like there are way more naysayers than fans.


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## dennis_d (Feb 1, 2006)

dont believe the hype about .243 being underpowered for deer. if ppl have had bad luck its because they cant shoot. texans have been hunting deer w/.223 and .22-250 for years, so a 6mm bullet in the vitals is dropping a deer. i bought a .243 wssm just because i like to have something different, so it was that or the 6mm rem. i say buy what you like, find a rifle that you like and dont worry so much about ballistics. how many ppl ever shoot deer at 400+ yds


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## Pahuntdog (Jan 12, 2006)

go with the 25-06 120 grain and you can shoot whitetail muleys antelope and even black bear at any range and it will devastate them it is a little light for bear but I have killed two with one shot and everything else mentioned also never go any where but down get a simms recoil pad and it wont kick anymore than a 243 atleast it wont feel like it


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Pahuntdog said:


> go with the 25-06 120 grain and you can shoot whitetail muleys antelope and even black bear at any range and it will devastate them it is a little light for bear but I have killed two with one shot and everything else mentioned also never go any where but down get a simms recoil pad and it wont kick anymore than a 243 atleast it wont feel like it


Kill 2 bear with one shot form a 25-06...like I beleave that. Hm or were you using a FMJ. hm hahahachoooo bs bs bs bs bs bs bs. grr small cold sorry.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Few things...form what I have seen and hurd form a few people the deer here in the north are bigger then the south. Second I have hurd a lot of stories form guys hitting a deer and not knowing it from and the deer got a mile or so and die without being taged. I have had several gunsmiths tell me this about smaller cals. Third well after getting my .300 and killing deer like that well takes all the guess work out of having to track a wonded deing animal (droped dead in her tracks). That is why I am asking the questions I am. I dont want it to be somthing like going out after big canadas using a 28g or 20g...it can be done but why not have a better chance of clean kills and use a 12 or even better a 10g. So just about any gun will work to kill dear with...that I get. But wich stand out to be the best. 25-06 that gun? .243 that gun? or is there a better option for a low recoil gun?


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## alsatian (Dec 9, 2005)

Invector: I think the poster meant he shot two bears with the .25-06 and that each kill was a one-shot-kill, not that the bullet exited the first bear and killed the second. I admit the post read that way.

From what I have heard, the results people report with the .243 on deer does not suggest it is unreliable or similar to using 28 gauge on geese. You can lose a deer with any cartridge, if the shot is less than good. Sure, shooting deer with the .30-06 may be more forgiving of poor marksmanship than shooting deer with a .243, but then wouldn't a 416 Gibbs be more forgiving of poor marksmanship than the .30-06? I think the .243 is fine.

That being said, the .25-06 does pack more punch and is an excellent cartridge. I have both a .25-06 and a .243. I guess I prefer the .25-06, but it is a tough choice between them. Sometimes I use my .243 and other times I use my .25-06 for hunting.


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## marcus_rubbo (Dec 11, 2005)

Invector mabye u should use some common sense before bashing sombodys post...because in the prosses of doing that, u made youself look stupid....


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

GUYS...read it again...it says as plain as day "it is a little light for bear but I have killed two with one shot." It they posted it...nothing but reading the written word here. "abye u should use some common sense before bashing sombodys post...because in the prosses of doing that, u made youself look stupid and maybe you should learn to read before calling somone stupid, stupid :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :withstupid: :withstupid: :withstupid: :withstupid:


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## pennsyltucky (Oct 30, 2005)

wow are we in day care? i hear a 6 yr old...........

ease up buddy, ull do better to just let things slide....


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## Pahuntdog (Jan 12, 2006)

sorry invector if you misunderstood my first post to clarify.... what i meant was that I have killed two bear each with one shot from the 25-06


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## Pahuntdog (Jan 12, 2006)

and to make sure you understand the first bear was shot in the neck 5years later i killed the second one with one shot right behind the front shoulder ....you asked for opinions if you dont want them why ask ? 
and also to clarify Pa. is in the northeast some of our deer get as big as canadian deer and I have some to prove it


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## Pahuntdog (Jan 12, 2006)

you might want to talk to a gunsmith that knows the 25-06 or study a reloading book .... check out the ballistics ... co-efficienties and velocities
it is a 30-06 case necked to 25 cal one of the fastest flattest shooting guns out there in the lower recoil cal. combine all that and the shock that that creates on deer size game and then shoot one and i think you will find it an Ideal caliber for what you are looking for not to mention the fact that you can also shoot factory ammo light enough to make it a fair varmit gun although a 222-50 is my preference for game of that size


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## Pahuntdog (Jan 12, 2006)

invector before you catch another cold ... I meant 22-250 in my last post -
also the 120 grain cartridge I shoot is winchester with positive expandining bullets and i can tell you they will drop deer every bit as good as the 300win mag with half the meaT LOSS IF YOU DO YOUR PART WITH BULLET PLACEMENT like the other poster said ONE SHOT ONE KILL


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## dlip (May 16, 2004)

Invector, just from the few things I've seen you say, nobody can disagree with you or say something that you think is dumb, without you losing your cool. I've moderated this forum going on two years, and let me tell you now, you need to learn how to stop and take a deep breath, and read over what you plan on saying, to see if whatyou say might be a little inflammatory. You aren't going to last on here if you don't learn how to accept others opinions.


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## dennis_d (Feb 1, 2006)

when invector hits puberty maybe he'll get some patience


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## honkbuster3 (Jan 11, 2006)

The 25-06 in far to weak for any animal deer and above. I had a friend that was hunting deer, he shot it and it dropped then jumped back up as we approached it, I will never trust that gun after that incident. The 243. I have seen knock down a deer at 350 yds and kill a buck dead, no problem. So the 243 is much more powerful and a all aound better gun with little to no recoil :beer:


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## bighands (Dec 12, 2005)

I think the 25-06 is an excellent caliber, If anyone has trouble killing deer with it, there is something wrong. I would guess choice of bullets is a big factor. Some of the heavier bullets are too tough to open up much on a deer or antelope, I have seen deer and antelope run off or just stand there when shot and hit in the chest cavity with a .270, 7mm Mag., .308, 30-06 and 300 Win. Mag. Because the bullets were not opening up. I know 2 people that hunt deer with a .222 and it knocks them flat, But I wouldn't say it's more powerful. I'm not knocking the .243, it is an excellent caliber also. 
That's just my opinion.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

This last year I had gotten my deer with a 180 grain bst. The bullet did not do what it was suppost to do. But do to the place I hit the deer, it broke 2 ribs took out the heart and one lung, then exited the chest. If it would have been a hit in the stomak I think I would have had to hit it again. The hit was a catch 20 you could say. The fact it did not open ment very little damage to the deer, but with the impact being as high as it was, the deer was dead before it hit the ground. The impact I think would have taken it down even if it was hit anyplace else. I use a .300WinMag myself. I like the fact of the speed impact it gives off. I think I would have gotten it even if it would have had a 100 grain bullet or smaller.

Ok I get now what you are saying Pahuntdog about usning it to beable to shoot big game with it. I was thinking you were trying to pass off that you had killed 2 with one shot. A 2 in 1. But since you came back and said that it was one shot one kill I get it now.

Dennis_d grow up...creek...oh excuse me my voice just cracked...


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## bwnelson (Oct 29, 2002)

Honkbuster is a troll!
Honkbuster is a troll!
Honkbuster is a troll!

There that was more fun than the alternative.


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## mnwatrfwl (Sep 16, 2005)

A 243 more powerful then 2 bit oh six. Yeah big time troll.

Reread your ballistics.

l8r,


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## Lil Sand Bay (Feb 2, 2005)

We've got some pretty big dear here in N. Wisc. All I use anymore is my .243, and have never had any problem with it taking down a deer.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

I see though that differnt areas need different guns. Remember why the short and wssm were made. Close reange elk hunting in trees. And form there the other .22cal shorts came form. So why need lots of speed and lots of energy if your shots are close...you just need enough to kill it. There in Wis. you hunt in a lot of trees right? Here in ND the way my group and I hunt is walking and taking shots that can get long. A gun that can handle long range shots. From what I have seen that would be a larger gun. Thats why .270's and 30-06 are common around here. So .243 shooting at the range its effective at makes good sence if you dont want to realy damage the deer. In other words a .243 would not be a gun that you would want to shoot over 200 yards with it. Same with some of the other .22 cals.


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## pennsyltucky (Oct 30, 2005)

Invector said:


> . In other words a .243 would not be a gun that you would want to shoot over 200 yards with it. Same with some of the other .22 cals.


the 243 will blow a volley ball sized hole upon exit at close range. i dont think its the best choice if u are concerned with meat damage. if u dont want that, get a slower bullet in the 270 or 06. they wont do near the damage as the speed shock from the 6mm but they arent long range guns either. and 200 yards is just gettin started for a 243. a deer at 600 yards is not at all safe. if the shooter is good at that range, the gun will do its job fine. its one of the most acurate calibers off the shelf.

also, why did u say "same with some of the other 22 cals"? the 243 is nothing like a 22cal rifle.


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## swift (Jun 4, 2004)

Pahuntdog, where are you from in NE PA? I grew up in Dallas, PA and have lived in North Dakota for 19 years. The deer here are alot bigger than back there. My best man from my wedding is the district game warden for Luzerne county. He has been out 8-10 times to hunt and describes the deer out here as 55 gallon drums with legs. I'm not arguing with you because 200 pound deer do show up in PA but 140 pound bucks are much more common. The other thing about ND deer hunting is we tend to walk up bucks in cattail sloughs and tree rows and shoot them on the run. More power is nice for the type of hunting we do. When I hunted in PA I never shot further than 75 yards and every deer was standing or walking. That makes it alot easier to slip a bullet into the ribs.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

pennsyltucky said:


> Invector said:
> 
> 
> > . In other words a .243 would not be a gun that you would want to shoot over 200 yards with it. Same with some of the other .22 cals.
> ...


Ok so what you are saying then pennsyltucky that a .243 is a powerful gun and should be used for long range shots? and that it out shoots a .270 and 06? I would like to ask rihgt now if you are jokeing about that. Factory ammo listing form the Winchester site show that after 500 yards the 243 has not enough energy and has droped so much that it would be very inacurate with a 95gr bullet and that the 55gr would not last till 300. The 270 though has more speed and more energy up to 500 yeards then the 243 or the 25-06. As I see it the 243 is a close range gun that would be more then a match at 200 yards but would be pushing it. While the 25-06 and 270 have more speed and impact at longer ranges.


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## pennsyltucky (Oct 30, 2005)

actually if u look into the real facts, the 270 will only push a 90 grain 300fps faster than a 243 will. the 25-06 is no faster in any bullet than the 243. and the 243 will have better ballistics at any bullet weight.

the 95 in the 243 goes 3100.... the 130 in 270 goes 3100.....both the common deer load, and the 243 is hitting 3+ inches higher at 500 yards....... its moving over 1900fps (hardly slow) and the 270 is down below 1800. the 243 still has 735 ft lbs at 500 the 270 has barely 900. 600 is more than necessary to kill a deer.

the 55g is a real loser at long range in the 243. same as the 90 in the 270. and neither are what u would be shooting at deer sized game.

the advantage of the 243 at long yardage is the bullet still expands due to its being a weaker jacket than the 270. (which i doubt will do much but pass thru at only 1750fps, not much of its energy will be put to the deer)

ur welcome to bad mouth me all u want. i dont mind. but dont post opinions as fact please. i like the 243, because it will do pretty much anything u ask of it. it has its downsides just as any caliber. the 243 is no 270, just as the 270 is no 338, but on a deer, its just as effective. deer arent hard to kill. place ur shots with any caliber. big guns arent a reason to take marginal shots on any animal.

the reason so many people badmouth the 243 is because everybody else does. they say its a kids gun or a girls gun. this makes it seem like its an underpowered caliber. it certainly is not. and no, im not joking......


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## Kiwi98j (Sep 6, 2005)

It's a good idea to get to know the ballistics for the load your are going to kill with but ballistics is only part of the story. The ballistics tables give you a good idea of the behavior of your factory load and you can get a good idea of the expansion charactertics from the literature but you need to know the sectional density of the bullet. Sectional Density (SD) is the relationship of bullet weight to length and is the major factor in penetration. A higher SD will be thinner for a given weight and will penetrate easier for a given velocity and bullet construction. The 243/6mm caliber bullets have the highest SDs of all the hunting class bullets from .224 to 8mm for thin skinned class. Big, dangerous game class bullets all have very high SDs as they have been designed to be deep penetrators for the obvious reasons.

It ws suggested to me many years ago that if I was only going to be a 1 or 2 weekend a year hunter, chose one of the 30 calibers - 308/30-06/300WinMag as they were very forgiving but if I was a good shot, and knew how to place a killing shot, the 243 was all I would ever need for deer class animals.


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

In the 13th edition of the Speer loading manual the 243 starts out at 2766 fps (Fastest load) pushing a 100 grain Spitz-SP. The 25-06 pushes that same bullet out the barrel at 3298. That's over 500 fps faster for the 25-06. Don't know how you can say the 25-06 isn't faster. BTW, BC for that bullet in a 243 is 0.430 and 0.393 for the 25-06. Certainly not enough to be concerned with.


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## pennsyltucky (Oct 30, 2005)

u need a new book gohon..... the lee modern reloading book shows a 100 grain 243 at 3200 and the 25 06 at a little over 3300. no difference. by 150yards the BC will have the 25-06 going slower than the 243 (obviously that difference in BC is enuf to be concerned with). when u are posting data, post either both starting loads, or both max loads. apples to apples, man :wink:


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

The data I posted *were* both max loads. Here is another from a different book, older Speer reloading manual. Max load using 100 grain BT.

243 = 2890 fps

25-06 = 3290 fps

12 years seperate the two manuals. Want to go for a different book older book. Lyman, 45th edition 1970 has the following for max load of 100 grain bullet.

243 = 3065 fps

25-06 = 3304 fps

Or, maybe a new Hodgdon 2005 manual max load 100 grain bullet.

243 = 2973 fpe

25-06 = 3212 fpe

Or the latest 2005 Accurate Powder manual with a max load behind a 100 grain BT.

243 = 2966 fps

25-06 = 3283 fps

As for BC you may want to read a article in the latest Shooting times about the difference in Static B.C. and Dynamic B.C. and no I don't new any new manuals. In all cases the 25-06 is at least 300 fps faster and in some as much as 500 fps faster.


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## arctic plainsman (Aug 21, 2005)

There was a time when big game hunters counted more on their skill than their howitzer to take big game. 
Having said that, I have experience with my 25-06 on Montana mule deer and Alaskan caribou. In both cases, the cartridge excelled, and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to use the 25-06 for almost anything smaller than moose. Years ago a friend used his 25-06 in Oregon for elk very successfully. No he didn't try those quartering away 500 yard, full gallop shots, but he didn't have to, he used his skill as a hunter or an outdoorsman to make a reasonable shot.
This summer I'll be in the Brooks Range of Alaska hunting sheep, and If I wasn't taking along a bear tag I'd bring that 25 in a heart beat. As it is, I'll just be carrying my 30-06, and will feel adequately protected from the man eating Yogi's.
If I may be so bold, rather than arguing the merits of the .243 and 25-06, why not buy both!


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## elderberry99 (Aug 18, 2005)

here here to that arctic plainsman!


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

arctic plainsman said:


> There was a time when big game hunters counted more on their skill than their howitzer to take big game.
> Having said that, I have experience with my 25-06 on Montana mule deer and Alaskan caribou. In both cases, the cartridge excelled, and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to use the 25-06 for almost anything smaller than moose. Years ago a friend used his 25-06 in Oregon for elk very successfully. No he didn't try those quartering away 500 yard, full gallop shots, but he didn't have to, he used his skill as a hunter or an outdoorsman to make a reasonable shot.
> This summer I'll be in the Brooks Range of Alaska hunting sheep, and If I wasn't taking along a bear tag I'd bring that 25 in a heart beat. As it is, I'll just be carrying my 30-06, and will feel adequately protected from the man eating Yogi's.
> If I may be so bold, rather than arguing the merits of the .243 and 25-06, why not buy both!


 :beer:


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## duckdowner007 (Mar 8, 2006)

25-06 is a good gun. I used it to shoot my first deer. But now i use a 270


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## dlip (May 16, 2004)

Now, maybe I'm just flat out wrong on this, but I found this quote hilarious...


> the 243 will blow a volley ball sized hole upon exit at close range.


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## honkbuster3 (Jan 11, 2006)

bwnelson said:


> Honkbuster is a troll!
> Honkbuster is a troll!
> Honkbuster is a troll!


 Just what is this supposed to mean????? I didn't look up the ballistics but I do know what I've seen in the field :beer:


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

honkbuster3 said:


> bwnelson said:
> 
> 
> > Honkbuster is a troll!
> ...


Honkbuster this means that you don't need to post to every thread just because you think you might have some anecdotal evidence to present. That post that he was referring to is an example of how you post information that at best is inaccurate, and at worst is reputation damaging. You need to understand when to offer an opinion to a thread, and when to let it pass. Your statement:



honkbuster3 said:


> "The 25-06 in far to weak for any animal deer and above. I had a friend that was hunting deer, he shot it and it dropped then jumped back up as we approached it, I will never trust that gun after that incident. The 243. I have seen knock down a deer at 350 yds and kill a buck dead, no problem. So the 243 is much more powerful and a all aound better gun with little to no recoil


just shows the people reading this forum that you have no real knowledge of the topic and are simply an overzealous youth or worse a true TROLL who shouldn't provide a post on this topic. I'd take this as an expression of the frustration some are experiencing with you and a few others who are constantly posting "advice" on these forums, when you've barely been hunting for a couple of years.

A word to the wise. Use these forums to learn as much as you can. Unless you feel you are an authority on the topic, don't post your opinion without explicit facts to back up your statements. You haven't "seen" enough in the field yet to sound credible.

Regards,

Ryan

.


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## pennsyltucky (Oct 30, 2005)

Gohon said:


> The data I posted *were* both max loads. Here is another from a different book, older Speer reloading manual. Max load using 100 grain BT.
> 
> 243 = 2890 fps
> 
> ...


ive already posted that a 100 in the 243 is at 3199. u cant top that with the 25-06 by any more than 100fps. ive never seen such poor data that shows the 25-06 at 300-500 fps faster. ever. i looked at quite a few books, and the one made by lee is by far the best. accurate, consistent loads. at any rate, im done quarrelling about this. the 243 will always be cheaper, just as deadly, and more accurate than the 25-06. i like them both, but id take the 6mm any day


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Well, I think I'll put my two cents in here. I have at least ten reloading manuals. The average difference in the 243 and the 25-06 is about 300 fps. 
I have also owned five different 243 and shot deer with them all. I have friends and relatives with 25-06's. On average the 25-06 always puts deer down with more authority than my 243's. I shot about every bullet in it that I could get my hands on and still the 25-06 factory loads outperformed 100 gr Nosler Partitions in my 243. The 243 did a good job, but it was obvious watching the reaction that the 25-06 just hammered them harder. 
Although I am a fan of velocity, there is also something to be said of frontal diameter. It is from the olds school of thought, but still carries some validity in it's thinking. 
I like 243's, but the 25-06 is faster, has a larger frontal diameter, can use heavier bullets, and gives nothing up in accuracy. Not to diminish the 243 from it's true capabilities, but the 25-06 is a step up.


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## bighands (Dec 12, 2005)

And here's my two cents, I agree totally with Gohon and plainsman on this.


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