I live in Colorado. My elk rifle is a 338 Win Mag. My deer/antelope rifle is a 25-06. I am kicking around the idea of a 6.5-284. What will it do that my 25-06 won't?

Penetrate.

the 6.5 seems to have a very good long range bullet performance. plus you can shoot a heavier bullet than a 25 will shoot

What are the specs of your current 25-06 and what are the specs of the 6.5-284 you're thinking about building?

Can't see how a 6.5-284 would be much differnt, performance wise, for deer/antelope choice then the 25-06, unless there is something about your 25-06 that you don't like.

Jeff

The 6.5x284 when used in a rifle that is deep throated will handle bullets up to 160 grains nicely.However is that what you need for deer and speed goats? With premium bullets the 25-06 is a performer.
The 6.5-06 will perform as good as the 6.5x284 and feed a lot easier in most rifles with an extra cartridge in the magazine.
If you do one of these 6.5s and accommodate the 160 grain bullet you will have another elk rifle to boot.
My old 6.5x.284 was a fantastic killer. roger

I have a 24 inch Cooper Jackson Hunter in 25-06. I purchased the rifle when I lived in Virginia, and a big whitetail there was anything over 160 pounds. I am shooting 100 grain Federal TSX's. Rifle I'm looking at is another Cooper, in 6.5-284 with a 24 inch barrel. Having recently moved to Colorado, these Mule Deer look awful big. 200 pounds plus.I won't be able to hunt Muley's in Colorado this year and I'm wondering if I have enough gun. I certainly don't want to spend 2K if I don't have too.

I'd stick with the Cooper in 25-06 and a 100 grain Barnes, Hornady, or Nolser load that works well in your rifle. If you're in the Pueblo area, I think that a walking varmint rifle with good optics would be a more useful way to spend $2K.

Jeff

Lee, your 25.06 will kill mule deer just fine. If you are worried about penetration you can always go up to the 115gr TSX. There is just not enough difference between a 25 and a 26 caliber bullet for the deer to be able to tell before he dies.

The classic deer killer in this neck of the woods is a .270 Winchester with a 130 gr bullet. Nosler BT's are great for this purpose. With either 140gr AB or the 150gr Partition, it can also double as your backup elk rifle, and you won't have to resort to any kind of a fancy throat.

With a 25.06 and a 338 Win Mag, you effectivly cover everything from pdogs to Moose. If I was to add a new hunting class rifle, I'd look to add a new capability beyond caliber. Since Colorado has such a diverse land scape, I'd be considering either a mountain rifle for our many wilderness area's, or a longrange rig for our expansive plains. As for which would be best for you is a matter of personal hunting conditions, and hunting style.

A heavy barreled 6.5/284, with top quality optics could make a great long range deer and antelope rig. For my personal tastes, it's lighter then what I would choose if 400+ yard elk was on the menu. In those instances I prefer something the in the 7mm STW to 300 RUM area.

Ton of great advice in this thread. Thanks. Lee

quote:

Originally posted by Lee Woiteshek:
I have a 24 inch Cooper Jackson Hunter in 25-06. I purchased the rifle when I lived in Virginia, and a big whitetail there was anything over 160 pounds. I am shooting 100 grain Federal TSX's. Rifle I'm looking at is another Cooper, in 6.5-284 with a 24 inch barrel. Having recently moved to Colorado, these Mule Deer look awful big. 200 pounds plus.I won't be able to hunt Muley's in Colorado this year and I'm wondering if I have enough gun. I certainly don't want to spend 2K if I don't have too.

I've been killing Mule Deer and Antelope (coyotes too) with my .257 Roberts and 117 Sierra's with no trouble in the least. I would take an Elk with it without a second thought. Your 25/06 "is" enough gun. A "new" 6.5 would also be "enough gun".
Never talk yourself out of an opportunity to get a new rifle, maybe your wife needs the 25/06?

Shows you what I know, I though that the 6.5X284 was specifically a long range (F) class and BR round. It does reach out there for sure, I guess it would be a good LR deer thumper. Probably be kind of fun to kick back in a ground blind all cozy sipp'en a cup of coffee long way from the game trail, then when that big fat mule'e darts out across the canyon at about 800 to 1000 yards, bust out your (f) class rifle and lobe one out there and drop that guy. Then Hire some poor sap to go gut and drag'em back. All the while you light up your favorite smoke or throw down your favorite chew and toss back some more coffee in your cozy blind. Just a thought, but I think a damn good one if I say so myself!

Not much IMO. The 25-06 w/ a 120gr bullet is so close to the 120gr 6.5 as to not matter. The benefit of the 6.5, the longer 140gr bullets. IMO, yo ucan't take advantage of them unless yo uput your 6.5x284 into a long or std action.

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
Not much IMO. The 25-06 w/ a 120gr bullet is so close to the 120gr 6.5 as to not matter. The benefit of the 6.5, the longer 140gr bullets. IMO, yo ucan't take advantage of them unless yo uput your 6.5x284 into a long or std action.

X2 with ample throating roger

I have a 25-06 and a 6.5-06. Primarly built the 6.5 out of nostalgia because I had a buch of 6.5 bullets and wanted to "retire" my 256 Newton.

I prefer 115gr to 120gr in the 25 and 129gr to 140gr in the 6.5. Either one will hammer a mule deer or an antelope.

A friend of mine is building a 6.5-284 F class on an action I donated to him, and he has long throated the chamber for the reasons given by bartsche.

Barstooler

You already own GOD'S CHOSEN CALIBER..........25-06!!! Sierra makes bullets for it as well as Hornady for deer sized game........117 Sierra Sp BT or 120 Hornady SpirePoints and now there are those Accubonds from that other company that seem to be pretty decent. My guess is that if shot placement is CORRECT, any would offer EXCELLENT dispatch of said vermin. (deers is vermin you know) I've shot a rail car full of whitetails here in VA (several of which have surpassed your 160 lb database for "big ones") as well as several Montana Mule Deer up to 335lbs and several antelopes at extended distances with these bullets from a 25-06............IT WORKS!! Never shot an elk with a 25-06 but if need be, a correctly placed shot using the Sierra or Hornady or Nosler offerings, I am sure would do the animal justice and afford an effective and swift demise! And my shoulder would appreciate the fact that I didn't go overboard and use some sugi-muchi, overpowering, unneeded, much heralded, MAGNUM to dispatch the beast! Yea, I own a 375 H&H too!! Ain't been to Africa yet for the Big Ass mean buffaloes but someday I may!! Until that time, I'll let my wife shoot it! She thinks it's her rifle and she enjoys shooting it!! I can already read the comments generated by that last statement!! GHD

Until you get past 800 yards or so the 25.06 will work fine.