Is this just a barrel swap away or am I thinking this is easier then it actually is?

Rifle is a Ruger M77 in .30-06. I am under the impression there will not be any feeding issues, bolt face/extraction issues and the only change is the barrel correct?

Even if easy, why? You have the best with a 30-06, but if you want to go smaller, why not .270? Nothing a 25-06 does that a .270 doesn't do better.

The simple, straightforward, answer to your question is yes. Just a barrel swap is all that is needed. Since you didn't ask, I won't tell you what cartridge I think you should really consider rebarreling to. Not that I haven't tried to shove my opinion down someone's throat a time or ten. I grew up in Callahan county TX. The 25-06 would work great on dog size dear down there, not that you asked.
Come to think of it, the 25-06 works great on even the biggest muleys up in these parts as well. I know of an Elk guide/outfitter that shoots Elk with a 25-06. Nosler 120 partitions through the clock works. I guess I'm just feeling like a smart @$$ this morning.

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
Even if easy, why? You have the best with a 30-06, but if you want to go smaller, why not .270? Nothing a 25-06 does that a .270 doesn't do better.

Of course, in cases like this, the OP may already own (4) 30-06s, (2) 270s, and no 25-06s.

It may just be that one of those 30-06's accuracy is abysmal, no matter what he has tried to correct the situation. Guess which one will give him the 25-06 he never had and always wanted...

Matt is right.

I own and use both the 30-06 and the 25-06. You should enjoy the 25-06 for all the things a 30-06 isn't.

There is not enough practical difference between the 270 and the 30-06. Go all the way to the 25 caliber.

I'm open to all other suggested rechambers...people on here really seem to enjoy things like the .338-06 or anything that ends in Whelen...

I was thinking .25/06 just to add one more "different" caliber to the mix....I don't have anything between .223-.284 anymore. .30-06 Ackley, Whelen may be fun..


Fwiw I love the .30-06. First deer rifle was a .30-06. Will be on the hunt later this year for an M1 Garand.

I posted this in the Small calibers section with just the .25 caliber in mind. But I am a fan of .30cal+

I agree, why???? You're much better off with a .30-06. It does everything a .25-06 does, but so much better. In my mind, save your money and buy another rifle in a .25-06 or similar caliber and be the better off.

Since you allowed for opinions...I like the 6.5s best. You could go 6.5-06 or 6.5x55 (using American brass which has the same case head size). Either would work nicely. Not that I didn't just buy my fourth 30-06, but I still prefer the 6.5s.

The swap should work fine Personally I like the 25/06 I own two a model 70 and a parker hale 1200. Both are as accurate and deadly as most calibers as long as you use he right bullet. 120 gr nosler BT will kill deer up to 140# bang flop dead.

I've never understood why the 338/06 wasn't more popular than it has been over the years. It makes near perfect use of the 06 case. It does seem to be gaining in popularity and in the last few years though. I always wondered if the 338/06 would've been more popular if it had the Wheelan suffix attached to it.

I have a Broughton 5C barrel standing in the corner waiting to catch me in a moment of weakness to build another three 338/06.

No flies on the 25/06 either. I killed a mule deer with my friends 25/06 in November 2015. One shot DRT.

Barrel swapping is as easy or as hard as you make it and has been very well covered so I won't go there.

But I will address the '06 case and the 25-05 a bit....ANY case with as ~70 gr capacity has lots of potential not matter the cal, but I think(argumentatively) the larger cals/heavier bullets are more effective/efficient starting with the 30 cal in the '06 case...it just does it's job time after time.

I have had a 25-06 in my rack (or two) for 50 odd years....I have also owned/still have several calibers using the '06 case and experimented, shot, developed loads for every caliber from 22 to 375, excluding odd balls, that have used the '06 case...almost the same could be said for the 308 and mag cases.

Some cals work MUCH better than others on the '06 case and some are just ridiculous except for the knowledge they provide.

My 25-06's have taken everything from chipmunks to Elk...is a very effective caliber when used with the correct bullet matched to the game and the bullet placed correctly within the effective range of the ballistic potential...basically it kills very well and (with the right bullet) I wouldn't feel under gunned going after 98% of all game in the world. I've chrono'ed 75 gr V-MAX at 3900fs and 120 Horns at almost 3400 fs, 115 Barnes TSX at 3300 fs without any pressure signs in a Rem Sendero, but those are extreme examples which I DON'T USE on a daily basis...just too keep the barrel from melting...funneling that amount of powder/pressure and heat down that small hole definitely chews on the rifling.

That being said...there are many, much more effective and "correct" cartridges in all case sizes to use depending on the game...Using 60 plus grains of powder to plonk a rat even at extreme range is just bad news unless you just want to use up a good barrel needlessly...I can use a smaller case, smaller cal to effect the same thing and get MUCH more bank for my buck.

I don't subscribe to the good, better, best krap, just one case/cal MIGHT be more effective in some situations and having several rifles to pick from makes the choice much easier, but if I don't get a shot at the game I hunting, I always get a shot at SOMETHING at the end...my 26-06's have never failed me.

Luck deciding

Buglemintoday: I see you live in Texas. Isn't the 25-06 the quintessential deer rifle in that state? I think you should make the 25-06.

I use the 25-06 for most of my hunting in Colorado, on deer and antelope. Don't need anything bigger. I have two lady friends here who use it for their elk hunting. The 25-06 is plenty big enough for deer & antelope.

Having said that, I also have a 270 Win., 280 Rem., 30-06, 338-06, and a 35 Whelen, all based on the 30-06 case of course. I'd recommend making them all!

A nice spread might be a 25-06, 30-06 and 35-06 (Whelen, and my favorite), however, the 25-06 for deer/antelope and the 35 Whelen for bear, elk, and Moose will cover all your NA needs.

Let us know what you decide!

My current go to 30-06 Remington 700 started life as a 25-06 that I wasted the barrel in..

I later was looking for another 25-06 when I found instead a 7mmMag that had been built by a local bench rest Gunsmith (trued action Heavy Hart barrel, fully bedded) and I decided there was nothing the 25-06 could do that a 7mm Mag could not do as well I bought it for about what the Hart Barrel blank originally cost....

The rifles only issue is it doesn't seem to like heavy bullets, which doesn't bother me as I wanted it for tossing nothing heavier than 140gr.

AD

quote:

Originally posted by ColoradoMatt:
The simple, straightforward, answer to your question is yes. Just a barrel swap is all that is needed. Since you didn't ask, I won't tell you what cartridge I think you should really consider rebarreling to. Not that I haven't tried to shove my opinion down someone's throat a time or ten. I grew up in Callahan county TX. The 25-06 would work great on dog size dear down there, not that you asked.
Come to think of it, the 25-06 works great on even the biggest muleys up in these parts as well. I know of an Elk guide/outfitter that shoots Elk with a 25-06. Nosler 120 partitions through the clock works. I guess I'm just feeling like a smart @$$ this morning.

Callahan County, eh? Baird? Clyde? Cross Plains?

Anyway, yes the .25-06 works in any action that a .30-06 will work in.

And a lighter caliber is better if your targets are deer and coyotes rather than deer and elk. The .25-06 isn't so out-of-place in a prairie dog town, either. Arguing that the .30-06 is a "better" caliber than the .25-06 is pointless without knowing what the game is and what the shooting situation is, or whether the rifle is to be used for a general purpose or a more specialized purpose.

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
Even if easy, why? You have the best with a 30-06, but if you want to go smaller, why not .270? Nothing a 25-06 does that a .270 doesn't do better.

My comment would be that, for Texas deer hunting, there is nothing a 270 can do that a 25/06 can't do as well, with less recoil.

And I would wonder what your definition of "better" would be.

Justin,

Yes, you should be able to screw a 25-06 Remington barrel into the 30/06 Sprg. action without any issues.

Getting on fifty years ago; when I had one hunting rifle, it was a 30/06 Sprg. and for alot of good reasons; rightfully so. Today I've got 3 gun safes full of all the right tools for the job at hand, including the above mentioned 30/06 Sprg, 270 Winchester and many other glorious catridges to select from when different hunting situations arise. We are truly blessed.

For my purposes the 25-06 Remington is an outstanding cartridge for the size of game and situations I hunt. It is a great roe deer cartidge; but they're not real big deer either, 50 lbs. or so and ..... yes, of course your deer in TX will be larger. I tend to Bang-Flops with this cartridge and roe deer, so I can walk straight to the victim without having to fish the headlamp or flashlight out of the rucksack to do the blood trail at twilight trick.

For my line of work it is a real step-up from the .243 Winchester (which isn't legal here for "options"); and the above mentioned 270 Winchester and 30/06 Sprg. work well also, as would a 7x57, 280 Remington or 7x64 Brenneke without having to modify/tweak your Ruger M77's action but in today's modern world in many instances we have the wonder of "our choice". I really like the cartridge, and if you so decide I cannot imagine you'd be disappointed with it on TX deer using an appropriate bullet.

Since it is a 6.5mm caliber it's legal here for "Capital Game", too. I do not feel undergunned when the situation arises where a red, fallow deer or even a wild boar steps outa the wood line when seasons overlap.

The plusses for the 25-06 Remington are it shoots very flat with negligable recoil, is superbly accurate and there's a good range and selection of components for many options. On the "less than optimal" side are; it appears to me to be one of those cartridges (the 22-250 pops to mind as well) with considerable muzzle blast and the barrel heats up very quickly, so don't rush the sight-in. Perhaps the muzzle blast is a result of the 22.6" bbl. I'd prefer a 24" or 26", but that option isn't available to me in the Blaser R93.

With the correct sight-in affords a center of chest hold out to 300 meters on small deer. A 100 grain TTSX is all I require to get the Job Done.

Have fun with your choice.

My first centerfire rifle and the first deer I shot were in Texas, 1974. Still have the Rem 700 25-06.
My son has shot two antelope with it and one deer.
A friend used it on four antelope and a couple deer.
I have a 30-06 and lots of other guns, but its hard to beat the 25-06 for deer/antelope size game.

quote:

Originally posted by NONAGONAGIN:
Barrel swapping is as easy or as hard as you make it and has been very well covered so I won't go there.

But I will address the '06 case and the 25-05 a bit....ANY case with as ~70 gr capacity has lots of potential not matter the cal, but I think(argumentatively) the larger cals/heavier bullets are more effective/efficient starting with the 30 cal in the '06 case...it just does it's job time after time.

I have had a 25-06 in my rack (or two) for 50 odd years....I have also owned/still have several calibers using the '06 case and experimented, shot, developed loads for every caliber from 22 to 375, excluding odd balls, that have used the '06 case...almost the same could be said for the 308 and mag cases.

Some cals work MUCH better than others on the '06 case and some are just ridiculous except for the knowledge they provide.

My 25-06's have taken everything from chipmunks to Elk...is a very effective caliber when used with the correct bullet matched to the game and the bullet placed correctly within the effective range of the ballistic potential...basically it kills very well and (with the right bullet) I wouldn't feel under gunned going after 98% of all game in the world. I've chrono'ed 75 gr V-MAX at 3900fs and 120 Horns at almost 3400 fs, 115 Barnes TSX at 3300 fs without any pressure signs in a Rem Sendero, but those are extreme examples which I DON'T USE on a daily basis...just too keep the barrel from melting...funneling that amount of powder/pressure and heat down that small hole definitely chews on the rifling.

That being said...there are many, much more effective and "correct" cartridges in all case sizes to use depending on the game...Using 60 plus grains of powder to plonk a rat even at extreme range is just bad news unless you just want to use up a good barrel needlessly...I can use a smaller case, smaller cal to effect the same thing and get MUCH more bank for my buck.

I don't subscribe to the good, better, best krap, just one case/cal MIGHT be more effective in some situations and having several rifles to pick from makes the choice much easier, but if I don't get a shot at the game I hunting, I always get a shot at SOMETHING at the end...my 26-06's have never failed me.

Luck deciding

Agreed!

I heartily concur with the 25-06 supporters. I’ve owned and shot the .270 Win extensively and it wishes it could shoot as flat as the 25-06 with “the same amount of recoil.” Not saying the .270 isn’t a great round because it is. In my experience, where the .270 seems to recoil almost identically to the 30-06 with similar bullets, the 25-06 is a down range hammer with noticeably less recoil. That advantage alone contributes to better marksmanship.

I’m mostly a .30 caliber fan; genuinely enjoy hunting with my 7x57 and Whelen; but my 25-06 just never fails to impress me on coyotes and deer of varying sizes…and is a proven killer on Antelope, Black Bear and such. I prefer a larger cartridge for Elk but absolutely would not hesitate to use it with a 120 gr Partition.

Like my 7 mag and the .270’s I used to own, the 25-06 has serious reach with dependable terminal performance…all with a cartridge that’s downright pleasant to shoot. For my Grandson (11) who is small framed, I skipped the .243 because I saw so much more potential in the 25-06, and he handles the rifle with great confidence.

The 25-06 won’t do everything as well your 30-06 will do with heavier bullets but is a much underestimated, highly dependable cartridge with a lot of game flexibility.

Best of luck on your decision.

Not that it needs to be mentioned, but just in case, a different
barrel will require head-spacing. Otherwise, everything will fit
in .30-06 to .25-06 conversion.

This may be a biased answer since my first CF was Rem700 in .25-06.
Got tired of winds of western Nebraska blowing bullets all over the
place using a .22-250 and asked a dealer about the .25-06. He told
me that the caliber was "hell on wheels" and that Horn 75gr HP's
would be great in bucking the wind and that Horn 100gr SP's would
take any deer out there. HE WAS RIGHT!!

That was soon after Remington had commercially made the cartridge
and rifle......one of their "better" ideas. Even though .25 bullets
are somewhat limited in selection than some of the other calibers,
today's bullets give enough selection to efficiently take down most
anything I will ever hunt. Love that round!

The 30-06 is the best of calibers mentioned for animals the size of deer and even elk..

The 25-06 is a decent deer rifle and a second rate elk rifle, but doable for elk and its a nice varmint rifle but too much recoil for extended sessions at a PD town or rock chuck shoot..I prefer the 250-3000 in 25 caliber for deer and varmints..The 30-06 for large NA game, but even there I would normally opt for the .338 on elk.

This choice like most of the threads herein, is just a matter of want, likes and dislikes, none of which really matters since all calibers mention will work fine if you do your part.

Let's muddy up the discussion a bit.

Personally, I never liked the 270 because of the limited bullet selection. the 25-06 isn't much better, and I have see deer and antelope hit with a 25-06 and just stand there like nothing happened. I watched a friend put 5 shots into a pronghorns chest at 200 yards, and it just stood there till it bled out internally. He thought he was missing!

Soooo..... How about we throw the 280 Remington in th mix for consideration? (basically a 7mm-06)

quote:

Originally posted by Pa.Frank:
Let's muddy up the discussion a bit.

Personally, I never liked the 270 because of the limited bullet selection. the 25-06 isn't much better, and I have see deer and antelope hit with a 25-06 and just stand there like nothing happened. I watched a friend put 5 shots into a pronghorns chest at 200 yards, and it just stood there till it bled out internally. He thought he was missing!

Soooo..... How about we throw the 280 Remington in th mix for consideration? (basically a 7mm-06)

Interesting observation Pa. Frank. I agree with 270 and 25-06 not having a huge selection of bullet weights, and I like the 280 Rem. very much for that reason.

However, it's incredible to me that your friend shot an antelope 5 times in the chest with a 25-06, and he just stood there. I'm not doubting your observation, I am just astounded by it.

My wife and I have hunted 5-6 antelope a year between CO & WY for the last 20 years, and I have never seen an antelope take more than one shot from our 25-06s. We shoot 115 gr. Win. Ballistic Silvertips. Maybe we've just been lucky, but that's a lot of pronghorns.

I have also used a 280 Rem., and it hits even harder in my observation. I shoot 140 gr. Ballistic Silver-tips, and it usually leaves a larger entrance and exit hole than the 115 gr. 25-06 loads. Almost too much.

Because of this, I have mostly hunted them with the 25-06. I like it very much and have never needed a second shot on any of my antelope. I have six kills over 300 yards with this load, and they normally just drop where they stand, so I'm not talking about just very close shots.

Do you have any theory on what happened on that particular 5-shot antelope?

quote:

Originally posted by surefire7:

quote:

Originally posted by Pa.Frank:
Let's muddy up the discussion a bit.

Personally, I never liked the 270 because of the limited bullet selection. the 25-06 isn't much better, and I have see deer and antelope hit with a 25-06 and just stand there like nothing happened. I watched a friend put 5 shots into a pronghorns chest at 200 yards, and it just stood there till it bled out internally. He thought he was missing!

Soooo..... How about we throw the 280 Remington in th mix for consideration? (basically a 7mm-06)

However, it's incredible to me that your friend shot an antelope 5 times in the chest with a 25-06, and he just stood there. I'm not doubting your observation, I am just astounded by it.

I'm of the same mind. I can't think of a more fragile, easy to kill big game animal as a pronghorn antelope. The 6mm's and 25 cals typically work great on antelope. Was that antelope wearing Kevlar body armour? On a more serious note, I use Nosler BT's on antelope. They are so small that really fast expanding bullets make the most sense. I wouldn't hesitate to use a thin jacket cup and core either.