Author Topic: 25-06 vs. .260: What are the benefits of each? (Read 3987 times)

RKBAHolsters · « **on:** January 20, 2003, 01:08:42 PM »

So I decided to keep the Remington Model 7 in .308, and am going to have to just buy another rifle in a medium caliber.

I've currently got bolt actions in .22lr, .223, .303 British and .308(Model 7 and Savage 10FP). I think that I'm needing something in the 6mm to 6.5mm range.

Looking for something that will be versatile enough to handle things from varmints to coyotes and mule deer out to 300-400 yards.

I've narrowed my choices down to the 25-06 or the .260 remington.

I wouldn't mind either of them (but don't plan on buying both). The .260 kind of intrigues me.

I've recently took up reloading, and am now hooked, so factory ammo is not a big concern to me.

So what would you choose and why?

Thanks in advance,

Steve

Doesniper · « **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2003, 01:30:45 PM »

Comparing both with 100g. and 120g. bullets they are about equal. The 25-06 can be loaded with lighter bullets so that it can shoot very very fast and flat. The 260 can be loaded with heavier bullets so it may be better suited for big game. The 260 will do about every thing the 25-06 will do but at a lower pressure. This means longer barrel life, and the 260 is a short action cartridge, so the action will be a little stiffer and more compact.

Zachary · « **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2003, 02:19:03 PM »

Doesniper pretty much summed it all up. The only thing I would add is that if you are looking for a 400 yard mule deer cartridge, then neither the .25-06 nor the .260 would be ideal choices.

Zachary

kahuna · « **Reply #3 on:** January 20, 2003, 02:49:59 PM »

If the 260 will knock down a 50lb steel ram at 500 meters.
It will take down a deer at 400 easy with a 140 bullet.
Larry

Zachary · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2003, 08:00:03 AM »

Most bullets need about 2000 fps to expand reliably. I could be wrong, but I don't think that the 260 with a 140 grain bullet travels at 2000 fps or more at 400 yards. Besides, shooting, hitting, and dropping a 50 pound target at 500 yards is not a great analogy in my opinion. :?

Zachary

todbartell · « **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2003, 08:41:16 PM »

I don't know if you've made your decision yet, but my vote is for the 260 Rem. It is a super cartridge, and is great if you handload. 25-06 is good too, but while it has a flatter trajectory, it doesn't have the power to match it, and can be a little light on larger deer. I've had good success on deer with the 260 Rem, my handload fired a 140 gr. Nosler Partition @ 2600 fps (which, BTW, carries 2000 fps all the way out to 355 yards). This isn't maximum speed, just what I found most accurate. 2750 fps is doable in a 260 w/22" barrel, and this load would pack 2000 fps all the way out to 430 yards if you loaded a Sierra GameKing or a Nosler Partition. The 260 is probably best when loaded with 120 gr. to 129 gr. bullets, at around 2800-2900 fps, good for deer out to 350 yards.

stv · « **Reply #6 on:** June 21, 2003, 02:40:29 AM »

I prefer and use the 25-06. It marches right up there with the 270 with 120 Gr bullets and has all the power needed at reasonable ranges. and with bullets in the light range makes a fantastic varmint round. That said however, You wont make a mistake with either one. Brass can be converted from 30-06 in one case and 308 in the other. Bullet selection is very good in either case. And I have seen very accurate rifles in both calibers. Get a good set of dies whichever one you chose and enjoy.

longwinters · « **Reply #7 on:** June 21, 2003, 04:32:54 AM »

The 25-06 never intrigued me. But the 260 does. Maybe just because it is not all that common.

Gregory · « **Reply #8 on:** June 21, 2003, 01:42:52 PM »

480 Ruger
I currently own a Browning A bolt in 25/06 and I had an Encore barrel in 260 Rem. Both are excellent choices. Being the practical sort of guy I am, and seeing as how you already have a 308 and you can use the same brass to load a 260 I'd take that one.

dbuck · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2003, 09:15:38 AM »

Just don't buy either one, but buy a 7mm-08 instead, took two trophy white tails in Wyoming at 413 and 417 yards using Nosler 140 BT. Look at what top gun writers have said about the 7mm-08.

Answer the Gun Writers

Below are statements made by famous gun writers in the magazines.

The flat shooting 25-06 is the best for antelope hunting in opening country.
Answer: The 7mm-08 120 GR handloads shoot flatter than 120 GR 25-06 factory loads! With 120 GR 25-06 handloads, the 25-06 and 7mm-08 are ballistic twins!

The 30-06 will handle all North American big game except for the large bears.
Answer: The 7mm-08 is flatter shooting with equal energy and 40% less recoil than the 30-06!

The 270 Winchester is the best all-around rifle. For varmits, up to the largest deer species, the 270 can't be beat!
Answer: The 7mm-08 is the ballistic twin of the 270. The 7mm-08 has less recoil for varmit shooting, and will handle bigger bullets for the largest game. The 7mm-08 uses less powder and inherits the tack driving accuracy of the 308 Winchester.

The 280 Remington might unseat the 270 Winchester as the best all-around hunting cartridge.
Answer: The 280 factory loads are made for older pump action and auto-loading rifles and fall far below the performance levels of the 7mm-08 handloads.

dbuck

RKBAHolsters · « **Reply #10 on:** June 22, 2003, 10:23:24 AM »

dbuck,

Thanks, but I bought a Tikka Whitetail Stainless Synthetic in 25-06.

Trust, me this is not my only rifle, but I can't say enough about the Tikka.

I've looked at them from the last 7-8 years, wanting one but never following through.

I wish I knew what I was missing.

Steve

Lawdog · « **Reply #11 on:** June 22, 2003, 11:51:31 AM »

480 Ruger,

Let me be one of the first to congratulate you on your caliber choice. For everything from varmints to deer size game you couldn't have picked better. The bullets available for the .25-06 for varmints are much better than any for the .264. My wife shoots a 6.5MM Swede and the so called 95 gr. bullet for varmints doesn't do what a varmint bullet is supposed to do. It doesn't open up on the smaller game(even coyotes) where the 75 gr. .257 V-Max will turn a ground squirrel into a red mist. Don't believe that the .25-06 won't take deer out to 400 yards because I've taken mule deer with mine at those ranges. I own three .25-06's and have been a fan of the caliber before Remington made it legal. Great choice and have fun with your new rifle. Lawdog

grouper sandwich · « **Reply #12 on:** June 22, 2003, 02:22:10 PM »

I was at the range today shooting my 25-06. I love mine and sure I'm that you'll love yours. Try working up some loads with Barnes X 115 gr. bullets for deer. The 25-06 has enough velocity to expand that bullet at nearly 500 yds. It's a stone cold killer, that's for damn sure! Congrats on an excellent choice!

wyo_hunter · « **Reply #13 on:** September 06, 2003, 07:20:21 AM »

I have been shooting a sako 25-06 for the last 20 years. Since the Nosler introduced Ballistic Tip bullets, I have used nothing else and have had great success for mule deer and antelope using 100 grain bullets.

longwinters · « **Reply #14 on:** September 06, 2003, 08:20:26 AM »

The opening statement by 480 Ruger is an eye opener! :eek: No disrespect intended. . . but his big caliber rifle is a 308 and he is looking for a "medium caliber". This just goes to show the diversity of what anyone across the USA would consider a high caliber rifle. For instance, I would consider the 308 a medium caliber :lol: . Also what is considered a great caliber rifle for a specific purpose has a wide array of opinions. I am not a fan of being politically correct or of politically driven diversity ideas. But I can really appreciate the diversity of favorite rifle calibers. :-)

long

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #15 on:** September 06, 2003, 03:12:15 PM »

Was sort of my thought too---after reading the list of calibers owned----I was thinking he needs something like a .338 or .300 Win mag.

JBabcock · « **Reply #16 on:** September 07, 2003, 02:07:00 PM »

I agree with you. In fact I consider the .308 as a "smaller" caliber, just a little bit shy of what I consider a "medium" caliber, the 30-06.

I don't know what size Mule deer you hunt, but I actually consider the 25-06 a little on the light side. I've shot a couple big bucks, a 5x5 that was pushing 285 lbs, and a 4x5 that was probably 250 lbs. I know that the 25-06 is very popular for deer, but I'd want just a little bit more bullet weight. That doesn't mean your choice is wrong, you probably are a better shot that I am. I just want to drop them on the spot, or close to it. For me the right choice starts at the .270 which I think is "thee Mule deer rifle" and might end at the .300 Winchester mag. I'm not a fan of that kind of recoil, but if a buck is at 400 yards, you've certainly got the power and range to drop him. I'd use the 30-06 instead of the 300 myself because I don't like recoil that much and won't use a big gun unless I absolutely have too.

One thing I know for sure, when he's a big one, and his antlers are way up over his ears, your heart is going to be doing the "wango tango." A little more horsepower can make up for a small "buck fever" induced tremble at the "jerk" of the trigger...

geronimo.tn · « **Reply #17 on:** December 16, 2009, 04:20:27 PM »

my vote .260 Ackley Improved

RKBAHolsters · « **Reply #18 on:** December 16, 2009, 05:12:25 PM »

Quote from: geronimo.tn on December 16, 2009, 04:20:27 PM

my vote .260 Ackley Improved

Your like 6 years late to the party.......

JASmith · « **Reply #19 on:** December 16, 2009, 05:15:06 PM »

Quote from: Zachary on January 21, 2003, 08:00:03 AM

Most bullets need about 2000 fps to expand reliably. I could be wrong, but I don't think that the 260 with a 140 grain bullet travels at 2000 fps or more at 400 yards. Besides, shooting, hitting, and dropping a 50 pound target at 500 yards is not a great analogy in my opinion. :?

Zachary

The
Remington on-line catalog shows that the 25-06 with both 115 and 120 gr arrive at 400 yards with a tad more than 2000 ft/sec, as does the 260 Rem in 120 & 140 gr bullets.

My .02 — I like both, but if you've already got the .308 & don't have a .243, the 25-06 is closer to filling the gap.

JASmith · « **Reply #20 on:** December 16, 2009, 05:16:45 PM »

Quote from: 480 Ruger on December 16, 2009, 05:12:25 PM

Quote from: geronimo.tn on December 16, 2009, 04:20:27 PM
my vote .260 Ackley Improved

Your like 6 years late to the party.......

True, the conversation marches on well past the needs/interests of the OP, but we all learn a bit more...

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #21 on:** December 16, 2009, 06:18:26 PM »

Since you now handload, my vote goes to a 6.5-06. You can use .25-06 to form brass. What you end up with is a rifle that will shoot .25-06 velocities with 6.5mm ballistics. I particularly like the 130g Swift A-Frame with its BC of .571, but lots of good choices.

If you want to stay with a more common cartridge, I recommend the .25-06 since you already have a .308 Win. The .25-06 is perhaps the best dual purpose (occasional varmint/deer) cartridge available.

What is it you think a .260 will do that you can’t do with your .308?

(Full discosure: My rifles include a .257 Roberts (my favorite), a 6.5mm-06AI and a .308 Win, among others. All are great cartridges.)

RKBAHolsters · « **Reply #22 on:** December 17, 2009, 04:57:14 AM »

Quote from: Coyote Hunter on December 16, 2009, 06:18:26 PM

Since you now handload, my vote goes to a 6.5-06. You can use .25-06 to form brass. What you end up with is a rifle that will shoot .25-06 velocities with 6.5mm ballistics. I particularly like the 130g Swift A-Frame with its BC of .571, but lots of good choices.

If you want to stay with a more common cartridge, I recommend the .25-06 since you already have a .308 Win. The .25-06 is perhaps the best dual purpose (occasional varmint/deer) cartridge available.

What is it you think a .260 will do that you can’t do with your .308?

(Full discosure: My rifles include a .257 Roberts (my favorite), a 6.5mm-06AI and a .308 Win, among others. All are great cartridges.)

6 years later and I don't have any of these rifles anymore.

The Remington Model 7 while a very nice gun, was so light that it was hard for me to shoot well with that light little barrel out there.

The .25-06 was a good cartridge, but I felt like it was a little on the small side for large mule deers and up.

I ended up picking up a Weatherby Ultralight with a Leupold Vari-XIII 3.5-10x50mm for $800 in .270win a couple years back and absolutely love the gun. It has a 24" barrel but still only weighs 7-8lbs with scope.

My next gun will be a .300win mag or .300wsm, just in case I get out after something bigger.

diggler1833 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 17, 2009, 02:38:37 PM »

A .260 with heavy, target bullets is usually good for a couple of hundred yards more range than a .308 with about 2/3-3/4 the recoil.

Either caliber is more than capable on big muleys, it all boils down to shot placement and bullet construction.

Since I'm 6 years late to the party also, does this mean that the beer is all gone?

JASmith · « **Reply #24 on:** December 17, 2009, 05:48:08 PM »

Quote from: RKBAHolsters on December 17, 2009, 04:57:14 AM

6 years later and I don't have any of these rifles anymore.

The Remington Model 7 while a very nice gun, was so light that it was hard for me to shoot well with that light little barrel out there.

The .25-06 was a good cartridge, but I felt like it was a little on the small side for large mule deers and up.

I ended up picking up a Weatherby Ultralight with a Leupold Vari-XIII 3.5-10x50mm for $800 in .270win a couple years back and absolutely love the gun. It has a 24" barrel but still only weighs 7-8lbs with scope.

My next gun will be a .300win mag or .300wsm, just in case I get out after something bigger.

Apologies for drifting further from the original post, but the .270 Win is really, really hard to beat!

I don't know the particulars of your interest in the magnums, but some of the 130 gr 270 factory loads map almost perfectly into the trajectories of the 180 gr 300 Win Mag and 300 WSM offerings out to 500 yards. If you go with the same rifle "Weatherby Ultralight with a Leupold Vari-XIII 3.5-10x50mm" (I haven't checked if it's available) you will have a fine pair of rifles!

Bowjack · « **Reply #25 on:** December 17, 2009, 05:52:57 PM »

The 30-06 will handle all North American big game except for the large bears.
Answer: The 7mm-08 is flatter shooting with equal energy and 40% less recoil than the 30-06!

The 270 Winchester is the best all-around rifle. For varmits, up to the largest deer species, the 270 can't be beat!
Answer: The 7mm-08 is the ballistic twin of the 270. The 7mm-08 has less recoil for varmit shooting, and will handle bigger bullets for the largest game. The 7mm-08 uses less powder and inherits the tack driving accuracy of the 308 Winchester.

dbuck
[/quote]

A quick check of some ballistics comparisons ... I am not sure where you are getting this info. Equal energy to the '06 ... not even close.

MZ5 · « **Reply #26 on:** December 17, 2009, 06:29:35 PM »

It's funny how folks reply without reading either the thread or the date, isn't it?

skarke · « **Reply #27 on:** December 17, 2009, 07:05:21 PM »

'tis true MZ5

JASmith · « **Reply #28 on:** December 18, 2009, 02:41:48 AM »

Quote from: MZ5 on December 17, 2009, 06:29:35 PM

It's funny how folks reply without reading either the thread or the date, isn't it?

I Agree -- the topic 260 vs 25-06 was the starting point. We had a good hiatus and then someone new to forums ran across it and responded. This made the topic fresh again and was as good a place as any to restart the conversation. It has gone to an interesting place, where the original poster has gone on to another rifle and we're discussing where he has gone. Not too bad, but as folks are suggesting, poor forum discipline. Oh well, it's still an interesting conversation!

I for one am hoping to hear more!