Am thinking about a 25 cal rifle to use for deer sized animals. Would like some opinions re: the best choice.

thanks

I'm right partial to .250 Savage. I just wish the Remington 7 version weren't priced so dearly so I could get one to go with my 99. There's nothing wrong with the .257 Roberts or .25-06 but I like the combinaton of a short action like the 7 and a light barrel for an easy to carry package.

Your're going to get a lot of answers of 25-06 and 257 wby, but I like the plain old 250 and 257 Roberts better. Sort of a "speak softly and carry a big stick" attitude. I'm not sure the extra speed the bigger cases give will take a .25 cal bullet up a full notch in game size from what you can get with the smaller cases. The .257 Roberts +P has plenty enough range and power for anything I'd want to shoot at with a 117-120 grain bullet.

Depends, I am now becoming fond of the 250 Savage also, I have a Ruger 77 RSI, and a 250 Savage Ackley Improved.

If you don't reload than the only one I would consider is the 25/06. If you do, than take your pick. 250, 257, 25/06, 257 Wtby, they all shoot the same bullet and they all kill deer.

Well I don;t think you can pick a bad one, the 25's are great. As other have said if you don't reload then the 25-06 is the best choice.

If you reload then I would go with the 250 Savage and if you are up for a wildcat I would go with a 257DGR (My favorite) or a 25 Souper, both are 308Win cases (or 243, 260, 708) necked to 25 cal.

Here is some more info on teh 257DGR.
http://www.duanesguns.com/pages/dgr.htm

Good Hunting
Jeff in ND

As much as I like the plain-Jane .250 Savage and the .257 JDJ, my favorite of the quarterbores is actually the .250 Savage Improved. Check the Sierra manual and see how close it actually comes in terms of performance to some much larger cases -- and it does so with substantially less powder, noise and recoil. And the fireformed case -- with capacity maximized and body taper minimized -- requires trimming less often, and trimming is my least favorite of any loading activity.

For 25cal. I'd look to the Ruger Ultra-Light bolt action in 257Robts. Good lightweight bolt action rifle. May need a little trigger work to lighten that up some, then glass bed the action, and throw on a Leupold VXII, 1-4x, or maybe a VXIII, 1.5-5x.

257 Roberts all thw way! Nothing against the 250, but the Roberts is more of a good thing with the ability to cleanly use all 25 calibre bullets.

What is a 257DGR??

Hey Bobby-I am gonna start to work with a 250 AI Monday night. I will be using 100's, you're thoughts on a propellant please.

Thx

MD

In a long action, the 25-06.

In a short action, the 257 Roberts or 25-284.

In a super short action, the 25 WSSM.

If I was limited to 1 .257 bore rifle, it would be a 25-284. If cost is an issue, the $429 Winchester 70 Super Shadow in 25 WSSM that I bought last fall is close to the most accurate out of the box factory rifle I'm ever owned.

Jeff

I would have to say the Best in my opinion would be the 257 WBY Mag.

I'm a .25 cal fan and own or have owned three .257 Roberts, three .25-06 and two .257 Weatherby.

When it's all said and done the .257 Roberts in my M-70 gets the nod for deer hunting almost every time. It'a also spectacular on pronghorns and handles the varminting jobs nicely as well.

Mark-As far as I am concerned, there's only one propellant for the .250 and the .250 AI -- not to mention the .257 JDJ. Nothing has come close to Re-15 in terms of both accuracy and velocity. With 100 grain bullets and up, H4350 is worth a shot as it, too, has turned in some spectacular groups, yet it still pales in comparison to Re-15.

Gentlemen

6,5X55, 6,5X57, 6,5X64, 6,5-284 Norma, 6,5X68 are all nice calibers

Cheers
/JOHAN

quote:

Gentlemen

6,5X55, 6,5X57, 6,5X64, 6,5-284 Norma, 6,5X68 are all nice calibers

Cheers
/JOHAN

But they certainly aren't 25 caliber.

Personally I think that winchester missed the boat when they didn't build a 257wsm.

256 Newton

At this time I have a standard 250, a 250 AI, a 257 Roberts, and a 25-06. If deer and varmits were to be the only game, then I would go with the 250 improved. If I was to use this arm for anything larger, then I would go with the 257 bob. The bob can use the bullets from the 75gr's all the way on up to the 120's. It will shoot farther than most of us should, and can be put into a short actin to make it a bit easyer to hump around as I get older this is more of a consideration. The 25-06 really dose not have that much over the bob, but then again with 100gr bullets, the 250 improved will do almost equal. Good hunting, and let us know what you go with.

quote:

Originally posted by stubblejumper:
Personally I think that winchester missed the boat when they didn't build a 257wsm.

Close.....I would have bitten on a 6.5 WSM

ALL "Quarter Bores" are great but I would have to pick as "the best all around Quarter Bore" the .25-06. Mainly because of the ability to load it to whatever level that suits you. Down to .250 Savage or lower or up to near the lower .257 Weatherby levels. Lawdog

Bob

I am partial to the 25-06 due to the amount of factory ammo on the market and the easy ability to reload. Although the 257 Roberts is a sweet little shooter also.

Stubble that move by Win (and I no it has beeen beat like a big dog but a bone headed move like that deserves to beat some more) to go 25 wssm instead of WSM is one that will bewilder me for years to come.

I mean if there was ever a slam dunk to come down the pike it was the 25 WSM and they didn't go that way. Absolutely amazes me how a company that big can turn something so fubar!!!!

Only to be followed up by going 325 instead of 338, yikes they get my vote for the Darwin awards for the year! grins

Guess they should of hired us to consult for them eh?

Oh well, perhaps we just build our own, come to think of it I do have my own 338. I call it Fat Bastard...grins

MD

I like the .25 Souper or the .257 Wraith. Granted both of these are wildcats but thats JMO!

IV

Oldgun, Here is a brief discription of the 257DGR from the web sight I linked to:

"The 257 DGR was designed by Gunsmith/Hunter Duane Spooner, owner/operator of Duane's Gun Repair. The cartridge is based on a 260 Rem. case, necked down to 25 caliber, with the shoulder pushed back, diameter increased slightly, and the shoulder angle changed to 30 degrees. The result is an efficient, modern design, that fits a Rem 700 short action magazine, with performance levels that are perfect for the shooter who wants one rifle from small varmints through antelope and deer. Velocity levels from a 24" barrel with 75gr bullets will reach 3700+fps, and 100 gr bullets will obtain 3200+fps. Another plus to the 257DGR is that the case is formed 95%+ with the reloading die, so there is no real loss in accuracy or velocity when hunting with new ammo."

If you know what a 22-243 Middlestead is then just neck that up to 25 and you have the 257DGR.

I have been using it for 5 or so years and it is great on everything from PD's to Deer.

My rifle is the Deluxe 257DGR pictured on Duanes's Web sight:

http://www.duanesguns.com

Good Hunting
Jeff in ND

I could hunt the rest of my life with 2 rifles.
They would be a 25/06 and something small like a 222 or 223. Even for elk and bear here the lower 48 states.

Right now the 25/06 is king of the 25 cal. family. The Roberts is in the same class as the 6mm. Rem. & 243, or maybe slightly more because of heaver bullets. The 250Sav. is even less. As much as I like my 25 Souper it's really just a short Roberts. Handloaded the 25/06 has about 300fps on the Roberts without primer pocket expanding pressures, more rifles available, and more factory ammo also. With 120gr. bullets it runs neck and neck with the 270/130gr., and that isn't bad company. Pedro

I know I shouldn't do this but ********* a deep throated .256 Newton. roger

Amen to what Pedro said

(great to see your around Pete-beat up any yotes lately)

MD

quote:

Handloaded the 25/06 has about 300fps on the Roberts without primer pocket expanding pressures...

I suppose if you compare standard (lame) Bob pressures in a 22" barrel to 25-06 max+ pressures in a 26" barrel you might get 300 fps. My experience is more like 125-150 fps...

Since the 256 Newton has a .264/6.5mm bore, It isn't a "real" 25.

Why would you want a deep throated 256 Newton? Charles Newton felt that a 130 grain offer the best balance in the 256 and my 256 rifles seem to do OK with 129 grain Hornadys and most 140 grain bullets. I can't see much value in a 6.5mm bullet heavier than 140 grains in most situations. There isn't much, if anything, that a 140 grain Partition can't do that a 156/160 grain bullet can. Norma 156 grain solids would probably be a better choice for Cape Buffalo, but who hunts Cape Buffalo with a 6.5mm rifle?

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by 260remguy:
Since the 256 Newton has a .264/6.5mm bore, It isn't a "real" 25.

Why would you want a deep throated 256 Newton? Charles Newton felt that a 130 grain offer the best balance in the 256 and my 256 rifles seem to do OK with 129 grain Hornadys and most 140 grain bullets. I can't see much value in a 6.5mm bullet heavier than 140 grains in most situations. There isn't much, if anything, that a 140 grain Partition can't do that a 156/160 grain bullet can. Norma 156 grain solids would probably be a better choice for Cape Buffalo, but who hunts Cape Buffalo with a 6.5mm rifle?

Jeff

Now how did I know some one would pick up on that? Charles Newton? How about Wayne Newton? roger

25-284 hands down!!!! with a 90gr sierra hollow point you cannot go wrong!

My favorite is definately the Roberts. I have one in an older M77 that allows me to seat the bullets longer than the short actions do. It's been a great little deer rifle and I used it for many years for coyotes as well. Mine groups better with the lighter bullets which to me is more desireable any way as the heavier bullets are for bigger targets anyway.
I have it in a shortened, bedded stock for my wife now, as she liked it way more than the .308! When I gave it up I was using one of several depending on my mood, but I won a .25-06 in a drawing and have been using it lately. Nate

Of the quarter bores I like the 257 Roberts.
It's one of the best never quite made it rounds.
IMHO I don't see the point of the 25-06 for deer when the 270 is so much better. It's a better dual purpose round than the 270 but that aint what the man asked.

If I could only have one rifle(GOD forbid!!!!) it would be a 25-06!! A more versatile varmint to deer cartridge has not been found yet!!!
Alluding to the comments of a couple others here.........Why did REMINGTON have their heads up their butt and not release the "SAUM" family ahead of the WSM's!!! A better design from the start!! ANd then neither of the "biggies" had the wherewithall to bring out a .257 or .264 version of the shorts!! Winchester's WSSM .257 doesn't count!! As worthless as the first 2 versions of that one are, the 25WSSM just added to the worthlessness!!! GHD......pastor at the church of GHD....25-06!!

I have 2 rifles in 25 WSSM and think that it is a pretty good varmint/deer/antelope cartridge. Good factory ammunition too, something that can't be said for the 250-3000 and, mostly, for the 257 Roberts.

Jeff

Since most of the responses reflect personal opinion I'll add mine. I find the .25-06 a hard choice to argue with. It'll reach way out there, hit plenty hard, all with moderate recoil. That's hard to beat without going to a wildcat. I wanted one for 15 years before finally getting one, and boy am I glad I finally did. Just one mans opinion. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Cal,
The questioner asked for opinions. It's hardly surprising that opinions are what people have written.
What else did you expect?


I'm pink, therefore I'm Spam

I don't have much experience with the .25-06, so I can't comment on it. I do have experience with a couple Roberts, a standard on a Ruger long action and an AI in an Encore barrel. Both of these rifles are quite accurate, pleasant to shoot, easy to reload for, and very effective on critters. My wife has used hers (the Ruger) to take a couple mulies, an antelope, and an oryx here in NM. At 250 yards, the oryx dropped at the shot, but required a finisher up close. All others were one shot kils. My .257AI is relatively new to me, but is deadly (on at least one mule deer) with 100 grain TSXs. In about a month it'll go antelope hunting with me, though I'm planning on 110 grain Nosler Accunonds this year.

I'm sure anything from the 250 to the 06 would work well for you. A lot depends on whether you reload. If not, the only real choice (IMHO) is the .25-06. There are a couple factory loadings for the Bob, but you're likely to find .25-06 ammo in more places besides catalog and larger gun stores. If you're a reloader, I would look very closely at the .257 Roberts.