Is the 25-06 obsolete/unpopular now?

[magna19]

The 25-06 is one cartridge in factory ammo that is closer to its potential than most others.

 

[okduckhntr]

i have a set of reloading dies for sale in the classifieds but that’s not the reason why I'm asking the question, I’m genuinely curious if it’s still a popular cartridge or not. I remember when I was around 10 years old my dad was getting me and my brother deer rifles and he originally was going to get me a 25-06 but instead got a .308 for me and my brother a .270. At that time 25-06 was very popular (up in my neck of the woods at least) and I actually was wishing for the 25-06 because I remember looking at it in the store with him and I liked it a lot.

Fast forward 4-5 years later and I borrowed a Browning A-Bolt chambered in 25-06 and got a deer with it. Very accurate rifle and caliber. Had full intentions of getting one after harvesting that deer and then I just never got around to it.

I notice Savage, Winchester, Mossberg, Weatherby, and Browning still chamber rifles in 25-06. It does seem like you’d have to be set up to load for it, I remember a decade ago seeing ammo for it on the shelf but I don’t remember the last time I ever seen it for sale at a store.

If I was to purchase a rifle and put these dies to use Is it still worth getting one or do the Creedmor calibers kind of make the 25-06 not as viable. What would the 25-06 offer that a 6mm or 6.5 Creedmor doesn’t?

I had a Savage 110 in 25/06 with a Leupold VX-III, 3x9x40 that would put 110gr. Winchester cheap stuff, clustered in a ragged hole at 100yds.
Been along time since I looked at a ballistics table, but I reckon you’d be hard pressed to see any appreciable benefits to the “newer” 6 & 6.5 calibers, over the 25/06.

 

[kwaynem]

I had a few rugers in 25-06 in the late 80’s early 90’s 2 number ones and a model 77 every deer I shot didn’t act like it was even hit with a lung shot till it finally just fell over I don’t know much about bullets back then wish I had those back now

 

[Okieprepper]

Grandaddy's favorite gun was a 1969 Remington 25.06. Long action with tight tolerance and works so smoothly. Has the black tipped forearm. Some say it was designed to be a varmint caliber, but its actually a great deer caliber too. Still shoot it, still load for it and still see the ammo for sale at Academy and Atwoods. And Yep, I'm part of the over 50 crowd too.

 

[joegrizzy]

i debated getting my first bolt rifle in .25-06 i guess almost 20 years ago now. i'm left handed, so not a LOT of choices, but savage def offered the 110 in .25-06.

i ultimately went with .30-06 because the ammo was a bit cheaper then (you could still get cheap surplus greek stuff or the like). now that the ammo prices aren't too far off, i wouldn't mind having something different. If for nothing else, i like the less common calibers now.

 

[crrcboatz]

Mine is a Tekka and a real shooter. Had it converted to 2506

 

[Choprzrul]

Ruger #1 with a 26" barrel in 25-06. 90gr Absolute Hammers over RL16 averages 3611fps for me. 200 yard zero has 28.5" of drop at 500 and still carrying 2265fps

 

[dennishoddy]

I had a Savage 110 in 25/06 with a Leupold VX-III, 3x9x40 that would put 110gr. Winchester cheap stuff, clustered in a ragged hole at 100yds.
Been along time since I looked at a ballistics table, but I reckon you’d be hard pressed to see any appreciable benefits to the “newer” 6 & 6.5 calibers, over the 25/06.

That is true with a lot of calibers. What has changed is the bullet design that allows them to fly with much better BC.
But! that same new design in the 6.5's, etc has been carried over to the .30 caliber classic calibers.
Bullet makers aren't going to ignore the most popular calibers to focus on the new manbun 6.5's.

 

[turkeyrun]

Didn't know the M in 6.5CM was Manbun.

But, it does make sense.

 

[Hack]

I owned a Remington 700 BDL in 25-06 40 years ago. I liked it because it was a very flat shooting deer rifle. I could also use it for groundhogs. Was very accurate. I don't remember what happened to it but I'd take it back for sure.