Thoughts on a 25-06 for sheep/mountain rifle?

[Bowhnter]

I'm on the hunt for a lighter weight mountain rifle rather than lugging my 9lb 7mm around the Mountains. I know the 25-06 is a lighter round for some unexpected guests in the mountains but every time I read into its performance it's hard not to fall in love! Any one have any experience using one in the mountains?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

26-06 is a great cartridge for sheep. Go for it.

 

[SDHNTR]

Definitely effective! But, imo, there’s more to a sheep rifle than terminal ballistics. Short and light and easy to pack is important! You will be carrying the thing much more than shooting it. For that a .260 or 7mm-08 will allow you to knock 2-3” off the overall length and several ounces off the weight. That’s meaningful to me. More so than a little give or take in FPS or energy.

 

[Tmac]

Yes, it’s a great “mountain” cartridge. A good number of mule deer, pronghorn and some elk have fallen to mine. Some up on top, some down low. They will be just a little heavier in a given barrel contour/length than a larger caliber, so you may be able to go a smaller/lighter contour. They work fine in 22” barrel, with a 24” barrel being my fav. A 25-06 with a 24” Krieger #3 was my first attempt at a Mt. rifle.

My son has an old M700 ADL Stainless rifle in 25-06 with a 22” mountain rifle taper barrel. Once we got it bedded and a trigger, it was maybe the best of them all for that time. Today a Tikka T3 lite in 270 is my mountain rifle. If I was looking for another Mt. rifle, and found a 25-06 M700 ADL style with the thin 22” barrel, and could fund a little work on it (trigger, bedding, ...) it would draw my attention and $. I believe they are still readily available. Or save the work and get a 25-06 in a T3X lite stainless.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Twisted right and shooting the 131gr Blackjack would make for one heck of a 25-06.

 

[LightFoot]

I would feel comfortable with an accurate 25-06 shooting premium bullets. Maybe Accubond or TTSX.

>>>----JAKE----->

 

[FLAK]

I have a stainless synthetic 700 in the '25, Love it.
Thinking about trying it on an Aoudad hunt.

 

[Kotaman]

I agree with some of the poster's comments above in that I want a short, lightweight package for sheep. Personally, given the choice, I'd start with something "short action" and go from there. My personal favorite for sheep is the 6.5 PRC.

 

[idig4au]

Agree with the short action approach and something short and lightweight. Accordingly, that's why I went with a 300 wsm, which is a bit more versatile and unforgiving in the mountains. I have a 6.5 as well, but just can't seem to use it as my primary mountain rifle.

But if a 25-06 is the only thing I had, I wouldn't hesitate to take it sheep hunting. Fantastic caliber as others have mentioned above

 

[Bowhnter]

Thanks for all the input, a lot to consider.

 

[menhaden_man]

Love my 25-06... bought it about 15 years ago for antelope hunting and have whacked a few mule deer to 350 yards up high (say 9-10,000 ft). I use the 117 grain SST bullets and they crush the animals - I've blasted a dozen or so with as many bullets. Come to think of it, I don't think I've taken the turret caps off since about the 6th round fired?

Ron Spomer has a good article that you might enjoy. Quarter bores get a knock for lower BC (maybe rightfully so), though I do enjoy the flat shooting that can make up for error in range.

25-06 Remington Beats 6.5 Creedmoor? — Ron Spomer Outdoors

The little known 25-06 Remington can outperform the 270 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor, and with better bullets could do even more.

ronspomeroutdoors.com

 

[recurveman]

Cartridges are only causing a chunk of lead to fly at a certain speed. For practical hunting purposes for sheep you could shoot most hunting cartridges and be just fine. I personally would lean towards a short action cartridge if I was starting from scratch. If you have a 25-06 and love the gun then go out there and kill stuff. The cartridge is more than capable.

If you are starting from scratch I would think about a .308 or another short action cartridge that shoots a 125 grain bullet or bigger and have at it. You could shoot a short action cartridge with less recoil out of a really light gun and still enjoy shooting the gun without a break. Issue being the "other" critters that might need to be stopped.

 

[19hunt92]

the ram in my profile picture was taken in the Mentasta Range last August. Ruger 25-06 with 115 gr partitions.
You can see the entry hole since it was quartering to me, took the hard angle shot and the bullet was in the hide behind the opposite shoulder. DRT.

It worked great for me and I would take it in the mountians again for anything under the ~600 lb range

 

[NMframed]

I have a Browning A-bolt 25-06 that my dad gave me about 15 years ago (or maybe I just borrowed it and he hasn’t asked for it back lol), it is by far my favorite hunting rifle. A lot of people have told me it’s not enough gun for larger size western big game but to me shot placement is most important and I shoot it better and with more confidence than my .270 wby mag or my 7mm rem mag.

Last year in January I had my OIL oryx hunt on the stallion range. Everyone told me you need to shoot your 7 mag, the .25-06 isn’t enough gun. The morning I was leaving for the hunt I took both guns to the range and shot a 3 shot 1/2” group at 200 with the 06 and about a 2” group with the Sako 7mag. I chose to hunt with the .25-06 and was able to put one shot just behind the shoulder from 245yds quartering away. My 38 inch cow went about 80 yds and piled up. My wife also killed her first bull elk in Sargent’s WMA with the 25-06. She made a 280yd shot right behind his shoulder and he walked maybe 20yds and was dead. To me a good bullet and shot placement are key. I think the 25-06 is a perfect mountain rifle for sheep.

My 12 yr old son shoots a 7mm-08 and has killed a broken horn oryx from 334yds(same range and same day as I killed my OIL), and a cow elk from a little over 300. It performed great on both occasions.

His 7mm-08 is lighter and shorter than my 25-.06 but it is also a youth model gun. We hand load almost everything we shoot. For his 7-08 we do a light recoil load with a 140g Accubond and for my 25-06 a 120g nosler partition.

I love my .25-06 and think it’s a perfect mountain rifle for sheep but I also think the 7mm-08 is just as capable and like previously stated shorter and possibly lighter weight for packing up high in sheep country.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Don’t own one but when I was still guiding elk hunts I had a lady go four for four with 120 gr partitions.
fella over on the Nosler forum guided sheep for 20 years or so, thought the .25/06 about perfect for them. Ive been bidding on a few on gunbroker but those fellas really must not want to sell them

 

[Murtfree]

At one time the 25-06 was my go to cartridge for just about everything under 500lbs. A very accurate and flat shooting caliber. I’ve owned at least 6 different rifles in that caliber and still own a Rem 40X and Rem 700 Mountain Rifle. Both have taken numerous Whitetail’s and the Mountain Rifle has taken many Caribou so I wouldn’t see any reason the 25-06 wouldn’t do well on sheep. But as others have said there is probably much more to a sheep rifle than the caliber....as I am learning as well

 

[npm352]

It is plenty adequate, but if I was starting at ground zero looking for a dedicated sheep rifle, I'd get a 6.5 PRC.

 

[Hunters Luck]

I echo the short action movement. I built a 6.5 Prc with a carbon 22” tube with the purpose of being maneuverable. I can handle an extra pound of weight. I don’t like it but I can’t deal with it. What I can’t stand is a long barrel sticking up like a buggy antenna. In my experience that was worse than weight.
I’ve seen a number of Rockies killed with a 25-06. It will certainly do the job efficiently.

 

[bow_hunt32]

I have a 25-06 in a T3 Lite stainless. Love that rifle but have only used it for a handful of midwest whitetails. Im considering packing it for an Antelope and Mule deer hunt this fall in WY, although I also have a .243, 6.5 CM, .270, 7 mag, and 300 Win mag, so its a tough choice. I recently came across winchester's 117 gr deer season xp and noticed the BC of .453 is pretty dang good for a quarter bore and only $24 a box. Compared to the 110 eldx at .465 and 110 Accubond .418 it seems like a pretty solid choice. Does anyone have any experience with this cheap deer season xp stuff?

 

[menhaden_man]

I have a 25-06 in a T3 Lite stainless. Love that rifle but have only used it for a handful of midwest whitetails. Im considering packing it for an Antelope and Mule deer hunt this fall in WY, although I also have a .243, 6.5 CM, .270, 7 mag, and 300 Win mag, so its a tough choice. I recently came across winchester's 117 gr deer season xp and noticed the BC of .453 is pretty dang good for a quarter bore and only $24 a box. Compared to the 110 eldx at .465 and 110 Accubond .418 it seems like a pretty solid choice. Does anyone have any experience with this cheap deer season xp stuff?

I've had excellent luck with the SSTs... I load now and the price has gone up for the factory stuff, but I've whacked about a dozen antelope and mule deer with it with most of them tipping over upon impact. BC is 0.39 but I've never noticed a problem hitting an animal... maybe ~ 3,100 fps helps!

Hornady Superformance 25-06 Remington Ammo 117 Grain Hornady SST

Superformance ammunition is loaded with proprietary propellants that increase the velocity ratings up to 200 feet per second compared to other popular...

www.midwayusa.com