I am still trying to figure out which one I want to buy. If you have any suggestions please feel free to add your input.
I will be using it for hogs, pronghorn, whitetail, muledeer, and praire dogs.

I was going to buy the 25-06 but I can purchase bulk ammo for the 270. I will be shooting a tika contential with a 26 inch bull barrel. I do own a reloader so I will be reloading.

Thanks

If you are loading your own, then I think the 25-06 was built for your purposes.

They;ll both do fine.

Get the 25-06. Its a great caliber.

Just got to love my 25/06. Have owned it about 11 years and it has never let me down. I used to shoot smallish deer using Sierra 90 gr HPBT but now shoot 100 gr Nosler Partitions at everything.Iuse data out of an old loading manual for 3400 f.p.s. Shoots incredibly flat and hits deer like a bolt of lightening . In my opinion you can not go wrong with the 25/06 IF you hand load . Goat

Swift Shot:

I went through this decision process not terrible long ago. Not all whitetails and mulies are the same. Some of these animals are monsters. With that said I think the 270 Winchester will serve you better because of the heavier bullets with good scetional density.

B

Swift Shot;
I own both, but if I had to choose just one for the list of animals you presented, seeing you'll have a 26" barrel I'd go with the 25-06, you can go all the way down to 75 grain "Vaporizers" low-recoil for Varmints, and up to 120 grain "hard-hitters" that are plenty adequate for Deer. I just think you would have more fun with the 25-06, I know I do. My 270's are set up strickly for Mule Deer & Elk or an occasional unlucky coyote.

[ 03-10-2003, 07:01: Message edited by: Marsh Mule ]

The 270 is way better. The 25-06 isn't even close! With the 270 you can use 150 grain bullets, much better for those big mule deer. Use those little 130's for the prairie dogs.

For an all around cartridge you just can't beat the 270. From prairie dogs to elk it has served me well. Most everything is a one shot kill, I�ve had several one shot kills on elk and trust it completely. I only use the 130�s and 140�s in it. I have a 25.06 and it's not the one I grab when it's time to hunt or if I need to back up the 300WSM. Both are extremely accurate and both are great cartridges to reload for. But IMO the 270 is the best all around cartridge. This past season I had a slight tumble and I just wasn't sure if I should shoot my 300WSM due to the scope getting banged pretty hard. The 270 with 140GR Remington Boattail took a nice cow elk with one shot through the shoulder and lung. Again it's the one.

The 25/06 is the most versatile. Groung hog to elk, the 25 has excelled. Accurate and a reloader's dream. Pull up Guns & Ammo, great article on the 25/06. I now own a 25/06, .270, 30/06, .300 WBY, and the 25 is my #1 pick for deer.
Rick

My heart is set with the 25/06. For all the game you mention it's perfect, except maybe the really big hogs. If that represents a large part of your hunting then maybe the 270 with heavier bullets would be a better choice.

If hog hunting is the teeder totter on the choice, then maybe the 7/08 might be a even better consideration.

to all those who think the 270 is better because it shoots a bigger bullet than the 25/06,out of the same case,why not get a 30/06 then?? Or mabey a 338/06,or a 35 whelen???.seriously the 25/06 is a nice round as well as the 270..I prefer the original/06 though

I've pondered the same question and couldn't decide so I got both!! I'll know which one I really want by which one I always grab. It's really apples to apples so I hope your decision process goes easier(and costs less) than mine.

I don't know about "ground hogs to elk", but for a varmint/deer rig, I would go .25-06. You might stretch it for elk, but I set my .280/160gr as a min. there.

I would say both the 25-06 and .270 are rather large to use on praire dogs, but my .270 shoots extremly well with 90gr to 150gr bullets.

I have both, the .270 seems more versatile but both are great. If I had to pick one and I was primarily going to more big game hunting with it; I'd choose the .270 Win

[ 04-02-2003, 19:44: Message edited by: Buzz ]

I've used them both...I believe the 270 is one of the grandest calibers on the market and always has been and it is a fine elk cartridge to boot..I'd pick the .270 over a 25-06 any day unless I primarily shot varmints...

Well said, Ray! Somewhere Jack O'Connor is smiling!

The 270 isn't very versitile when it comes to handloading, you only have 90,100,110,120,130,135,140,150,160,and180's so you would probably get bored shooting one of these 10 bullet weights all the time. Yes, I have my tongue planted firmly in my cheek.

The 270 Weatherby didn't put the 270 Winchester down and the 270 WSM won't either, but it will stimulate interest in the .277's. Which by the way are closer to a true 7mm than the 7mm's are.

The Garand was originally intended to be produced in a .276 dia. bullet but McCarthur said we have warehouses full of 30 cal. ammo and it wasn't going to go to waste.

The 25-06 is a very good cartridge, no doubt. But the 270 Winchester is a great cartridge and has proven that fact. You can use the 270 on elk with a good premium bullet and be completely confident. I certainly don't think so with the 25-06 and general concensus will agree with that.

The 25-06 is very good and if you will stick with deer, sheep, and antelope sized game your good to go. However, if you intend on hunting elk or other similar sized game the 270 is the way to get the job done as it has been doing since it was introduced.

Good Hunting, "Z"

SS,

I always laugh to myself when someone mentions cartridge versitility. You see, I used to buy into that until I realized what a pain in the butt it was to work up a load, re-sight in the rifle, and re-learn the trajectory! Call me lazy, but for my time and money and enjoyment, each CF rifle I own has exactly one load. If I need more or less than that, I get another rifle.

That said, for the quary you list you may well be served best by a 25-06, launching a 100gr pill, topped with a 6x scope. With this setup I've disassembled hundreds upon hundreds of pdogs, ripped more coyotes than I care to remember, and anchored mulies/whitetail of unusual size at all ranges. My close hunting partner has done the same, plus taken some fine antelope that are close to book.

Good Luck!!

A properly placed bullet from a 25-06 will kill any deer.I Have killed a good number of deer (several over 300lbs on the hoof) with my 257wby mag and kills were quick and clean.

THe man did not ask for an Elk rifle.If he had the 270 Win is to light. The 300WBY is a can of woop ass. For the game he intended the 25-06 is just the rig.

The 25-06 is a real good cartridge, here in Nebraska we get Sandhill Mule Deer that push 300lbs on the hoof and Whitetail that push and exceed, again live weight, 300 lbs. You guys use the 25 I will still stay with the 270.

For that matter so will my uncle who moved to Idaho in 1957 and has "killed at least one elk every year since with the ol' 270 and 150 grain bullets". As he tells, and has never come close to loosing one. I didn't claim it was the meanest, just that it is a good elk round.

Oh, by the way, I too only use two bullet weights in my 270, 110 V-Max's and 150 Nosler Partitions.

Good Hunting, "Z"

JoeCool I don't know what kind of elk your shooting with a 270, but the elk we shoot here in Montana have many problems with a 270.

How many elk have you shot with a 270 anyway?

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

And yes the 300 Wby is a nice elk round but I prefer the 340.

[ 03-12-2003, 09:23: Message edited by: Mark R Dobrenski ]

I appreciate the info. I will not be using this for elk, I might use it for caribou but I dont see that as a big seller. I will also be buying a 375 H&H and a 300 Win Mag. I will mostly be shooting Coyote, Whitetail, and Hogs. I will not be using it for elk though. I will use the 300 winie for that. However on the subject of 270 for elk I have seen them die, die, die by it and I have seen them run off after being shot with a 30-06 to me the thing that determined the death rate was the shooter. With a 30 cal the margin of error is larger because you are shooting a 30 cal which is more forgiving of a bad shot.

The most dangerous thing in the world is a old man with one gun. He can probable kill anything.

Mark Dobrenski I said the 270 was to light IMO and I havent shot any with the 270. But I live on a ranch and have lots of time to watch elk and Ive killed many with the 6mm Rem which is way light. But I dont have to deal with any other hunters. So I can take my time tell I have the shot I want.

Waldog... I agree, and apparently view versitility a little different, by determining wheather a cartridge is efficacious within my limitations and the games, not predicated on how many bullet weights are commercialy avaliable. I believe that most who look at how many bullet weights are avaliable, dont shoot that much, or shoot much but dont hunt much. The 270 has most if not all the premium bullet manufactures attention and that will likely not change.

I am not sure what kind elk some of you are shooting but if you get around to useing the 270 on them you will find that it will penetrate deep enough, even when sending one up the pipe. I SEE NO DIFFERENCE IN KILLING POWER between the 270 and 300s, only that the 300 can penetrate farther at longer ranges after hitting bone.

[ 03-13-2003, 00:24: Message edited by: smallfry ]

If some of you are referring to my list of bullet weights I was simply referring to a typewritter gun scribe who always determines the worth of a cartridge/caliber by the number of bullet weights available for it, as I said with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek!

Yes, I've killed 'em with a 270 and about a dozen African animals that size and every bit as tough. Including zebra, wildebeast & kudu. With the discontinued Barnes 140 fb X bullet out to 300 yards I would not think twice about any REASONABLE shot.

Yes I take my 338 RUM for elk but I also, confidently, take my 270 loaded with those X bullets as a back up.

Good Hunting, "Z"

The .270 gets my vote for the game you described.

I don't have to resight my .270 when going from 100 to 150 gr bullets.

Gentlemen

A 270 would be my choice or maybe a 7X64. The selection of loads is far bigger than the 25 06. If you have any plans on traveling the choice would be a 270, easy to find cartridges in most countries.

Good luck

/ JOHAN

[ 03-13-2003, 22:43: Message edited by: JOHAN ]

I'm a big believer in the 25-06. Been using mine since 1978. I use Nosler 120 partition on Deer & Elk. I've shot several elk at 300 yards and had the bullet go through both lungs and exit the far side. Both elk have only gone 10 yards after shot. Antelope and Mule drop like lighting hit them.

I load it with 87 grain bullets to shoot jack rabbit and coyotes. It vaporizes them.

It has a light recoil and I have great confidence in shooting it.

I also own a 270 WSM. I wanted to try a .277 caliber and decided to bite on the hot trend for WSM cartridges. Every bit as effective on deer and more insurance on elk with more recoil.

For what you are describing and with the other guns in the cabinet. Go with the 25.

Swift Shot

Both are great cartridges for what your after.

The 25-06 goes real well with a 26 inch barrel but I think the 270win has a slight advantage because of the heavier & greater bullet range.

I just bought a tikka continental in 7mm-08 & I am impressed & think you have made a great choice & will be happy no matter what chambering you get it in.

Good shooting

Tumbo

The 25-06 is in my opinion the most versatile varmint to deer caliber to ever make it to production!!! There is no deer in NA that is too large for it to handle and it is the "varmint rifle from hell" in the eyes of the varmints!! Mr Niedner did a great service to the shooting community when he "wildcatted" it! If I could only own one rifle(Lord knows that would be hard to take) it would be a 25-06 hands down, nothing else considered! If you need some load data that I might have from 28 years of shooting this caliber, give me a email and I'll try to help out! GHD (The church of GHD from the "other" forum)

I think that if you are buying a 300 win mag as well then the 270 might not be the way to go, as anything larger you could use the 300 on.

Just to mix it up a bit though, why not consider the .257 roberts ackley improved? Very efficient cartridge, excellent performer. :-)

I do agree with working up one load for a rifle and if you need a different weight get a different gun, great reason to buy more!

Red

Make mine the 270 Win.

I have shot lots of game with both, and the 270 just shines a bit better for me.

I cannot imagine anyone having trouble killing elk with a 270, I have shot a number of elk with the 270 and 30-06 without a problem...If anyone has problems with the 270 it is because said person didn't stick the bullet in the right place or used the wrong bullet. The 270's only problem is your limited to near broadside shots, but that also applies to the 300's, albiet to a slightly lesser extent perhaps...

For going away shots in dark timber, I like the 338, 9.3x62 or 375..

I think the 270 really outshines the 25-06 on Mule Deer and Elk, not to say the 25-06 isn't a fine round, but perhaps just a bit light to take them as they come, maybe! then again maybe not. Its a close call.

What is your next gun up? Mine was a .308 Win. I felt buying the .270 Win was too close (similar). I bought a 25.06 Rem instead. It's a great caliber.