Is the 25-06 obsolete/unpopular now?

[PanhandleGlocker]

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?

 

[dennishoddy]

The case is a necked down 30-06 to 257 caliber.
More capacity for higher speeds, but I think the bullet manufacturers have kind of lost interest in it in favor of the more popular calibers currently.
It was called the king of the quarter bores in its heyday.
What was interesting when the WSSM cartridges were coming online, the .25 WSSM only matched the 25-06 while other WSSM rounds exceeded the velocity of the calibers like the 6mm and the .223 WSSM's.
It's still a great cartridge and will be around forever. I have seen some ammo at our Atwoods, but since you're in the roll your own society now, keeping supplied with ammo would be easy.

 

[swampratt]

25-06 trumps 6.5 creedmoor.
Wish I never got a 6.5 creedmoor Love my old 6.5 x55 Swedes though.
Just my thoughts your mileage may vary.

 

[08H3]

I never had a thing for the 25-06, mainly cause I really don’t care for the 30-06. But last year a buddy got a older Tikka 695 in 25-06, granted the 22” barrel is a little short it still does the job. Well he let me shoot it before deer season, and during deer season we used his gun to pop two deer within 5 minutes that stopped 5 yards apart and fell dead within 5 yards of each other.

That tikka is now mine, and not going anywhere. Wound up with it since he got a model 70 25-06.

I have seen a little ammo here and there for it but quickly bought dies and plenty of 100gr bullet to load over Varget or h4350. I have found my 117gr SST rounds to put 3 in a ragged hole and not be as bad on the ears with Varget.

 

[Okie4570]

It's still popular to the "50yo" and older crowd lol, as it should be. It's a great round imo.

 

[1shott]

Its the one rifle I actually regret selling.

It was a Ruger Hawkeye left hand 25-06. It loved the federal premium 117gr Sierra Gameking SPBT.

The 25-06 is faster and shoots flatter than the 30-06, makes a great long range elk and mule deer round.

 

[gary brewster]

Best caliber I own.

 

[BobbyV]

I got my FIL's Tikka 25.06 after he passed away. That thing is a very nice rifle.

 

[Dumpstick]

I don't know. I have an older Savage in .30-06 that I considered re-barrelling to a .25-06. I didn't, mostly because I don't need another cartridge to reload.

But really, I'm not looking for anything in a long action. If the rifle was worth selling I would consider moving it along, but I think I'll just use it as a cast bullet shooter. It's the only long action rifle I have that is scoped - everything else is issue Milsurp.

I think that the long action cartridges are fading in popularity, merely because of the ubiquitous AR style rifles. Most folks don't shoot long range anyway, and even hunting is losing popularity. No need for far-shooters if the far-shooting crowd is dwindling.

Still, I think the 25-06 popularity was mostly west of the Mississippi anyway.

 

[bink98xcab]

I have a 25-06 barrel on my encore and it hasn't left the frame since putting it on. My son has since taken it over and is his favorite gun to hunt with. And at the ripe old age of 12, he was convinced that it was easier on him to shoot than the 30-30 he previously carried. So long story short, he uses that gun now and I have a 308 barrel that never made it to the frame for him to try. I like the caliber and so does he. I don't see how anyone could not like it for whitetail. Fast, with smooth recoil.