25-06

[laker]

What brand of 25-06 would you get for under $600?

[poncaguy]

I have one a, $269 Stevens 200 25-06..........

[The Sodbuster]

I picked up a Ruger 77 MkII in .25-06 for $514 earlier this year.  It's the stainless, laminated sporter.  Blued hardwood is probably cheaper.  There's others in the same price range.  Don't just buy a rifle 'cause it's in the caliber you want.  Try 'em out for size in the store.  You may find one model you like best due to stock design, length of pull, balance, etc.  We don't hunt from benchrests.  The one that shoots best in the field is probably the one that feels most comfortable in your hands (assuming a decent trigger).

[Zachary]

Tikka T3.

Zachary

[Val]

I have a Savage 110FP with the Accutrigger in 25-06. It's a heavy 24" barrel vs the light 22" barrel on the Savage 110. It only weighs one pound more than the 110. I use it for ground set up before dawn and before sunset so the extra weight is not an issue. I use other rifles for carry rifles. It's a good accurate sweet shooter.

[Todd1700]

What Zachary said.

[safetysheriff]

Remington Model 700 in BDL if it must be a .25-06.

i would not personally want a button-rifled barrel in a high-intensity cartridge such as the .25-06.   i would expect too short a barrel life.    that's why i'd shoot a hammer-forged Remington instead.    i like to shoot a rifle a lot when i'm able to get to the range so that's important to me.

good luck,

ss'

[lilabner]

I suggest you get your 25-06 with a 24 inch (or longer) barrel. Velocity loss with a 22" barrel is approximately 100 fps for this cartridge - about like the .270 Winchester. The 25-06 is popular because it shoots flat. Why handicap it with a short tube?

[nomosendero]

Amen to that! I would not consider a 25-06 with under a 24" tube. Several years ago I went to a 26" Sendero.

[jnclement]

i would not personally want a button-rifled barrel in a high-intensity cartridge such as the .25-06.   i would expect too short a barrel life.    that's why i'd shoot a hammer-forged Remington instead.  

That's a new one. Be even more interesting to see someone prove it. Let's see.......hammer forging was invented as a fast way to make cheap machine gun barrels to burn up, since accuracy wasn't an issue. Funny how no match barrels are hammer forged.

Personally, I'll take the accuracy of the button-rifled Savage/Stevens. And if I'm lucky enough to shoot the 2,000-3,000 rounds need to see a drop in accuracy (burn out the barrel), I'll take 15 minutes and $300, and put a Pac-nor stainless match barrel on it. Which will bring the total rifle cost up to a Remington.

That being said.......I just bought a stainless Howa in 25-06 for $450, because I liked the stock. Bet it doesn't outshoot my $235 Stevens.

[The Sodbuster]

jnclement offered:

safetysheriff wrote:
i would not personally want a button-rifled barrel in a high-intensity cartridge such as the .25-06. i would expect too short a barrel life. that's why i'd shoot a hammer-forged Remington instead.  


That's a new one. Be even more interesting to see someone prove it. Let's see.......hammer forging was invented as a fast way to make cheap machine gun barrels to burn up, since accuracy wasn't an issue. Funny how no match barrels are hammer forged.

My understanding of button rifling was that a "button" with the negative impression of the rifling was drawn through the barrel and the metal "pushed" out of the way.  It takes a great deal of force to do this.  I thought hammer forging was similar, but that the rifling die was pounded through with successive blows.  

I always understood button-rifled barrels were more accurate than hammer-forged; everything else being equal.  I have no idea how this all relates to barrel life, or if cut-rifled barrels last longer.  I do know cutting the rifling does not impart "stresses" to the barrel that cryo-treating is supposed to relieve.  I also know that from field positions, I'm not a good enough shot to see a differnce between barrel types (still, I enjoy evaluating loads from the bench and like to think every bit of accuracy helps).