Headed back to Meeker, Co., next week for Elk Hunt Number 3. Two trips and two elk so far, and yes, it's more luck then skill in my case. Each so far has fallen to a 180 grain 300 WinMag, the first a Federal Supreme Nosler Partition and the second a PMC Barnes X. I've always carried either the 300 or a 375H&H, and just seem to have the 300 when the elk finally show up.
I've got a new tricked-out 25-06 that I'm anxious to use for something, but can't quite seem to think of it as an elk rifle. Most of my shots have been long, or way too long, and I just am not sure about the 25-06. I've read some of the previous threads on elk-sized critters, and based on those, I'm shying away from it. I really want someone to come right out and say "Steve, leave the little peashooter home or go on an antelope hunt with it." Thanks,Steve

"Leave the little pea shooter at home !!!" I personally feel thet a .25-06 is way undergunned for elk. Sure I know some guys use .270s and they kill elk, but I believe an elk to be too majestic an animal to be wounded and run off to die a long and painful death. I know that if I see that once in a lifetime 7x7 bull scoring 420, and he's at 400 yards, my .338 Mag has got plenty of nuts left to cleanly take him. Have you looked at the energy figures for your .25-06 at that range ??? Forget about it !!!! By the way, I had a .300 Mag and kiled a 5x4 with it. 180 Nosler Partition at 3050 fps. I liked the way my .338 killed elk, thought it did a better job, so I sold the .300 Mag. You know what, the .338 actually kicks less than a .300 Mag. It gives more of a push than the very sharp whack that you get from a .300, at least in my guns(both identical Browning Composite stalkers). Do the right thing and leave the .25-06 at home and maybe use it on deer or antelope NEXT time. Just my two cents worth.

Rich

Steve,

What Bowhuntrrl said!!!!! (BTW, welcome to the forum Bowhuntrrl!) The 25 will kill an elk given good bullet placement and a well constructed bullet, but you have much better weapons! Don't take a chance on wounding and losing one of those regal animals!

Good Hunting,

Always struck me as odd,how some figure a recurve and arrows are GREAT Elk Medicine,yet on the other hand,cuss anything less than a 460Wby for same.

If you don't fill your tag with the 25-06/X bullet combo,you can't cuss anything exceptin' yourself.

It has the mustard,if you do.............

[ 10-07-2002, 03:38: Message edited by: Big Stick ]

The problem w/ comparing bow/arrow vs rifle shots is always the range. If you could be disciplined enough to take your shot @ 40-50 yds, a good bow shot, then you could probably kill your elk w/ a .22lr.
I think in your post you said you had taken your elk @ long range in the past. You answered your own question. While I would take a controlled shot @ a big bull w/ the .25-06, if that's all I had, you have other choices. Leave the .25-06 for deer/antelope & hunt w/ the .300mag. Good luck on your hunt, I hope you threepeate!

[ 10-07-2002, 03:50: Message edited by: fredj338 ]

I hate like shit to agree with the stick,but if a recurve or compound bow is enough for elk any 25/06 is. Use a good bullet and put the bullet where it needs to go. Elk aren't bullet proof and with a bullet like the barnes,you'll likely get an exit wound with the 25/06 out to 300 yards on broad side shots.

I know of several that have used the 25 very successfully. Bullet placement will be quite important, and determination to follow through if you drop the hammer, also. My own choices are in line with my logon name. Have a good hunt, and let us know how the 25 works, if you choose it?

Gentlemen,

I personally would not use the .25-06 for elk, but I know that it works when used with premium bullets and proper shot placement. A friend of mine has killed three moose with her .25-06 and 120 gr. Nosler Partitions or Barnes X-bullets. All one-shot kills. She is an excellent shot, so I feel comfortable with her using this rifle on large game.

If you are an excellent hunter and a good shot, than your .25-06 will work. I'll keep my 7 Mag though.

Joel Slate
Slate & Associates, LLC
www.slatesafaris.com

7mm Rem Mag Page www.slatesafaris.com/7mm.htm

If a recurve bow CAN kill an elk then I expect a 243 win can as well. Does that make it advisable to do so? Not as far as Im concerned. I know of several people who have succesfully taken Elk with their 25-06s but that doesnt make it a good Idea. Ill stick with 180s from a 30-06.

My train of thought is simplistic and seldom deviates.

I believe placement is the key ingredient,regardless of implement used.

The second most important facet,is the projectile employed. It must be capable of harnessing the impact velocity,from the implement it was launched from. That goes for stick and string,cap and ball and the countless smokeless/centerfire vehicles.

Of least importance,is the cartridge designation stamped upon the barrel shank,AMO rating of the bow,or whether or not an open ignition is used(all as example of course). I'll grant that within those broad confines,there are "better" choices than others. That is a given. But I'd also grant there are MANY variations within,that will tackle the task comfortably.

However,to berate an accurate 25-06,that is launching the very capable X bullet,is folly at best. Elk don't read Gun Rags,nor are they at their keyboards and privvy to friendly debate amongst this site. They are non-dangerous Game and far from being impervious to a well placed projectile's abuses to their anatomy.

I mean how hard is it,to bust front shoulders on a critter of that size? The cartridge will do it,the projectile will do it and the Operator is the weak link.

Pull the trigger,punch the tag and start skinnin'...............

I wouldn't recommend the 25-06 for elk but myself and my partner did kill both moose and elk with our 25-06 and 257wby mag and 100gr nosler partitions(They were all we had at the time).If the shot is placed right it will cerytainly do the job but there are better choices out there.

Out to 150 yards or so, maybe with a Nosler Part. or Swift A-Frame. Beyond that, i wouldn't try it. Use your 300 win again.

In 2000 I had three choices; buy a new rifle for a trophy elk hunt, use my 25.06 Rem., or use my .308 Win.

I thought about it long and hard. I chose the 25.06 Rem., then as the hunt drew closer I started having second thoughts. I worried about whether I was making a mistake. That alone made me switch. I wanted rock-solid confidence when I laid the cross-hairs on him.

I went with the .308 Win. and a 168 gr. Winchester SBST. The third day I nailed a 6x6 with the first shot and flattened him with the second as he tried to get up. I probably could have done the same with the 25.06 Rem., but maybe not.

As I see it there is a very big difference between what can be done and what should be done!

Hell of course you can kill anything with a .22LR if you take you time and pick the right shot!

Bowhunters most stalk very close to take their deadly shot - and they do!

Rifle hunters can kill at a long distance - and they do!
But eventhough a .25 bullet in the right place do kill. Well I would bring it along for hunting such big game as Elk. You might not have the power that you need and only damage the one lung - then I guess that you want get you Elk but the wolfs do!

In my mind there is no sych thing as being over gun! But far to many is under gunned!

Regards

Mads

I remember once hearing that the 22LR is the tomorrow killer. The same could be said for the 25-06 in this instance.

The 100gr XLC,launched at 3400fps out of a 25-06 is no slouch.

That load retains 2619fps of impact velocity at the 400yd line and is still making over 1500ft lbs of energy.

Having dabbled with a couple 25cals now and again,I'm inclined to believe that combo will yield both copious amounts of expansion and penetration(meaning,I ain't guessin'). That particular projectile has little trouble breaking bone,in my experience,as well.

Please understand that the farthest thing from my mind,is to paint the 25-06 as the ULTIMATE Elk Chambering. But I find it ridiculous in the extreme,that it is scoffed at in this situation.

My point is simple. The 25-06 is easy to shoot well,is easy to extract mechanical accuracy from and has exceptional componentry available to it. The gent who started the thread,indicated the mechanics of his particular rifle were sound. Secondly,he mentioned the use of an excellent projectile,for this particular task.Those two variables coupled in harmony and employed with common sense and a smidge of skill,will work rather nicely.

Shoot what you like and feel most comfortable/confident with. The 25-06 as described above,is far from a lark and would likely suit many better than a "big" rifle they can't shoot well.

Here endeth the Sermon.................

I was in the "pro" camp until you started talking about long shots, and having a good 30 cal you could take.

The 25/06 will do it, but the 30 will do it better. If elk hunting is religion, then not using the best you have is sacrilege...... JMO, Dutch.

I agree with the .25-06 versus the bow & arrow analogy.

While it's not my ideal elk rifle by any means, if all I owned was a .25-06 and I wanted to go elk hunting, I'd take that rifle and head for the mountain. I'd just load it, as has been indicated, with the toughest bullets it would shoot with acceptable accuracy, and have at it. If you stick with broadside lung shots you should be alright.

AD

A 25-06 with premium bullets will definitely take elk, but I would only suggest this for people that can't handle much recoil. It's definitely better than an arrow. I've taken a big bull with a .243 Win with a Core-Lokt, but I've also had to follow up a lot of elk that other people have shot. My personal minimum is now .30 although I usually carry either a .35 Whelen or .375 H&H. I have taken 2 elk that were healed up from previous wounds, one a rifle wound( I believe a 270) and an arrow wound.

Leave the peashooter at home. I shoot a .257 Wby with a 120 gr. Nosler Partition load at 3500 fps and a 100 gr. Barnes XLC load at 3700 fps, either will kill an Elk very dead, given the perfect shot. Given the not so perfect shot or add considerable distance and it is another matter. I have killed Elk with a .300 Win, .340 Wby and .358 STA, and still do and always will consider the larger chamberings and calibers best for Elk sized game and up, with no ifs, ands, or buts. Good shooting.

[ 10-07-2002, 23:13: Message edited by: phurley ]

MtWoodson,

Well, you have opened up a can of worms here and I am with the majority in saying that a 25-06 will work as well as archery equipment but you must discipline yourself with respect to range and be careful about shot placement.

As an aside . . . I LOVE MEEKER COLORADO ! !
There are some really friendly folks in the VFW club (don't go to the other bar in town) there who I visit every year or so and some of them actually remember me. Tell everyone "hi" from that "crazy Greek hunter".

Regards,

JohnTheGreek

First off let me state what is apparent here. The 25-06 is tailor made for antelope, long range coyotes or deer. It really shines from 3 to 4 hundred. My dad has used his on numerous whitetails, two antelope and one 250 lb black bear. Would other calibers serve him better possibly but it truley is the only rifle he has besides a 22 Long Rifle. Will it kill an elk? We all know with proper shot placement and quality bulletts it will. Even though its a long range deer and antelope gun make no mistake it isn't a long range 300 plus elk gun in my opinion. My advice is shoot the largest gun you can shoot accurately. If its a 270, 30-06, 300, or 338.

But do not underestimate the lethality of a razor sharp broad head from a 65 lb bow. An arrow kills by making clean cuts that cause the animal to bleed freely. An arrow through both lungs or the heart will dispatch any animal quickly and ethically. Dad shot a 250 lb black bear at 15 yards with his 25-06. The shot placemant was good but the 120 grain bullett did not exit and the bear went 60 yards. I shot a 225 black bear at 15 yards the arrow was placed in almost the same place as dad did his bear. The arrow went completly through and stuck in an aspen tree. The bear bled freely with a good blood trail 40 yards.

most Guides in alaska will take you brown bear hunting with a bow but most would think twice about taking you armed with a 25-06. Do not assume that just because an arrow will kill an animal that a smaller than average rifle will be better. This is just my thoughts. Take the 300 if you can shoot it well.

If you drew one of the very few Kansas elk permits, the argument would be academic. Legal centerfire rifles for elk here must be in a caliber greater than .25". Yeah, I know the .25-06 is .257", but I don't think those 7 thousands of an inch are getting you out of a citation.

Sure the 25-06 will kill an elk and it will do it in style at up to 200 yds. ON A BROADSIDE SHOT.. My dad and I killed a lot of elk with the 250-3000 that way....also the 25-35.

But, if your are going to take longish shots and going away shots which are very common these days I would suggest a minumum of a 300 H&H with 200 gr. Noslers..I prefer the 338 with 250 gr. Noslers myself...

Today if you have to pass up shots because the angle is wrong for the gun your packing then you may just come home empty handed...your call!

Today, I believe good elk calibers start with the 30-06 with 180 Noslers and go up to 375 H&H...to use less gun is ridiculas unless you cannot handle the recoil then you may justify a 257 or 7x57 on elk with carefull use.

You have some interesting responses here, but I will throw in my opinion since that is what you asked for. Leave the darned 25-06 at home. I have one that is on it's second barrel already, but I darned sure would not take it elk hunting unless I just had to.

I have killed a pile of deer, antelope, wild hogs, coyotes, marmots, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, etc. with the 25-06. I just got back from Wyoming where 100 grain Nosler Partitions leaving the muzzle at 3400 fps performed just fine. Recovered bullet bulging the hide on the off side still weighed 66 grains and was double its original diameter.

However, when I went to New Mexico looking for a bull elk last fall I took my .338 Win Mag with an identical Remington 700 Classic along for the ride chambered in .300 Weatherby.

Elk are tough suckers, use a reasonable gun.

R F

Thank Y'all,
Thanks for the input, the advice, and the commentary. You all pretty much agree that the 25-06 could work under short, easy or perfect conditions. You all pretty much agreee that when long shots, quartering shots and sh_t shots present themselves, the 25-06 is a maybe at best. It stays home and the 300 WinMags and the 375 H&H go to Meeker with me. Thanks again.

MtWoodson -- Good luck on your hunt, I hunt between Meeker and Craig. When you get back let me know about your hunt, this year in Colorado is going to be very interesting, with all the cow tags they are offering. I don't hunt until the last hunt in November. Good shooting.

here is my two cents worth. a 25-06 or any 25 cal will kill an elk or moose or bear...with good bullets and short range. really short range... i think 100-150 yards would be more that plenty for this caliber. i have a 257 roberts and have debated this very subject myself. i think the choice is simple, if i am going on a elk trip and dont do it very often i bring my 300 winchester. yeah maybe i get the 100yd shot which my 257 could have done, but like was previously mentioned what about the last afternoon 400+ elk at 350 yds...i think i want the power...

Mt Woodson

You have made the right choice. Good Luck.

Just a quick note to thank you all again for your input and close the loop. I took your advice and went to Colorado with my 300 WinMag and the 375 H&H. I got a big cow(I'm a meat hunter) the first afternoon out. I shot it with the 300 WinMag at great distance, or at least at a distance I would not have even considered with the 25-06. So in addition to the entertainment value I get on these boards, I get some pretty sage advice. Thanks again.

Don't even try to compare a rifle bullet with a broadhead tipped arrow. They kill in 2 entirely different ways.
And Bigstick said "The 100gr XLC,launched at 3400fps out of a 25-06 is no slouch.

That load retains 2619fps of impact velocity at the 400yd line and is still making over 1500ft lbs of energy."

Man, your ballistic program must have a virus.

An emphatic DITTO to Keith Atchesons' post.

[ 12-16-2002, 07:39: Message edited by: Nickudu ]

I always tell people that shot placement and bullet selection/performance is more important than caliber. I am sure that with the proper bullet, say a 120 gr Partition or similar, the .25-06 is more than capable of humanely bringing down an elk provided you put it in the right place.
However, the .25-06 is lighter than what most, and apparently you, feel comfortable shooting elk wtih. My personal minimum is a 150 gr .270 Win. It doesn't sound like you have the confidence or experience to be hunting elk with the .25-06 so I would use the .300 you know and trust, practice with the .25-06 until next year, and then if you still need to tackle something with the .25, you'll have the confidence to do it.

Bottom line, the .25-06 probably could be an elk cartridge...but isn't in this case.

With all of my rifles, I set a maximum distance that I'm willing to take a shot. I used a 257 wby to take a elk last year, but I knew my distances would be limited to 200 yards or less. With the grand slam bullet that I used, and the accuracy of the gun, it is potent medicine.
But for the long shots, I use the 300 wby.

I have used the 243 Winchester on a lott of Kudu and it worked fine when the range is close and I make sure of my shots, but I preferd to use my 300 Winchester, it just gives you that little bit of an edge when the shot is not close by. And my 338 Will be even better

After you see an elk run away with a .270 or .25-06 bullet in it (and escape), you might re-think use of such light cartridges for elk.

This seems to me something like a "can I bag a 40 lb salmon on a 4 lb leader" kind of question. Why the h.. would you want to? Does it give you any kind of advantage in favour of the gun you have positively experienced is effective for the hunt in question? I love to play with various guns, but I�d never hunt moose with my 7RM as long as I have a .375hh. Tron