25-06 for elk?

[Pathfinder76]

Can someone explain to me the science behind why it WOULDN'T work?

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by sureshot

As the title says would you use a 25-06 for elk? If so what bullet selection.

No WAY no how. Not near enough gun. Anything short of a 375 H & H is not ethical.

Lord will this type of nonsense question ever stop.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Ya like a bow...the 25-06 is adequate, we seem to drive ourself on myths of animals deflecting or absorbing the impact of a bullet...hogwash...arrows go through and so will a well constructed and placed bullet.

Of course a 25-06 is adequate. I said that. What I meant with my first point is that if you didn't own a rifle and you wanted to buy a gun solely or primarily for elk, a 25-06 would be very few people's first, or second, or third choice. If you have a rifle in a caliber that is legal for big game in Alberta and you are the most comfortable and confident shooting it, that is the rifle you should use. If you are comfortable and equally capable using your .25-06 or your .30-06, take the .30 caliber.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by chuck

Can someone explain to me the science behind why it WOULDN'T work?

This question should be considered before asking if it will work. The "will work" list of cartridges far outnumbers the list of "will not work" cartridges.

At what most hunters would consider a comfortable hunting range, 95% of the legal big game cartridges will kill 100% of the legal North American big game animals.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

At what most hunters would consider a comfortable hunting range, 95% of the legal big game cartridges will kill 100% of the legal North American big game animals.

60% of the time.

[huntsfurfish]

No issue using a 25/06 for elk.

[Norwest Alta]

Makes me wonder how many of the naysayers have ever seen a elk let alone shoot one. Having said that, elk are one of the toughest if not the toughest animal I've ever killed.

[sureshot]

If I could afford to buy a 30-06 or a 270 I would but all I have to use is the 25-06

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[Norwest Alta]

Originally Posted by sureshot

If I could afford to buy a 30-06 or a 270 I would but all I have to use is the 25-06

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It'll work just fine. Don't matter what you've got for a gun. Gotta find the elk first then deal with them accordingly. Shoot straight and good luck.

[shooter12]

If I could afford to buy a 30-06 or a 270 I would but all I have to use is the 25-06

Use a good bullets in this case , Nosler Partition will not let you down.
I don't hunt with 25-06 personally , but almost every year we are going to the same spot in Northern Alberta to hunt elk on a farmer's private land.
He is over 75 strong man who is running a big cattle farm. He has a problem with his shoulder and can not shoot a big boomers. All he is using is 25-06.
When we visit him we bring him 120 Noslers and he is saying that no problem to kill an elk with it .He also have wild pigs on his property that he shoots with the same gun and WTs and whatever comes his way.
Its a lot of bushes over there and I am sure he does not shoot too far, so 25-06 works for him good .

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Norwest Alta

Makes me wonder how many of the naysayers have ever seen a elk let alone shoot one. Having said that, elk are one of the toughest if not the toughest animal I've ever killed.

Only one naysayer. Others (including me) have said it's not the first choice but will do the job. And yah, I've seen and shot 'em.

[roper1]

There's a good book authored by a shooting optometrist that surveys 12 highly regarded elk guides across North America. Every one of them recommended the biggest cartridge you could comfortably shoot, with all recommending a .30 cal minimum, their preference 300 WM at least. His $.02.

[shooter12]

roper 1

I have a feeling that on this forum many people have very enough experience with shooting elk and done it repeatedly on countless animals to realize that
.30 cal mag is better then 25-06 for elk hunting, but OP can not afford it at that moment.
Should he miss elk season and wait until he can afford to buy one ,or sell his 25-06 and buy .300 I don't know .

But for what he is going to use it for, medium range 250 yds shot, it should be efficient enough.

[EagleEyes]

If your going to use it 120 grain high end bullet. Using a lighter cal gun will take down a elk ....your error window just gets a lot smaller on shot placement.

[elkdump]

I killed a nature elk last October at about 120 meters , bang/flop one shot, using a .243 Win and 100 grn PSP lead core bullet , , ,

That same shot would be impossible using a 25-06 and 120 grn bullet !

[Flieguy]

I've never shot an elk, but for YEARS people used a 30-30 or 38-55, and they sure didn't have any Nosler Partitions or Barnes TTSX bullets in them

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Flieguy

I've never shot an elk, but for YEARS people used a 30-30 or 38-55, and they sure didn't have any Nosler Partitions or Barnes TTSX bullets in them

I would NOT use a 30-30. The 30-30 has shot more deer, Black Bear, Moose etc than probably any other cartridge in use. It has also wounded far more deer and other game than any cartridge in use. It shoots relatively light, 170 grain, small diameter bullets that produce low energy and are not very fast. Being round nosed, they slow down really quick also. Just because something works occasionally or even often doesn't make it a good idea when there are so many better choices.

I have killed Elk with a 38-55, it works fine. There is a BIG difference between a 38-55 and a 30-30. I have also used 45-70, 405 Win, 375 Win and a bunch of modern cartridges, the smallest modern one was a 257 Bee, very similar to a 25-06. High velocity, small diameter with a bullet that will penetrate, or low velocity big bore that penetrates, both work fine. Med to Large bore at 2500 FPS or more is the best of all worlds. Small bore, slow, and lousy penetration, not so much.

[270person]

Originally Posted by rembo

If a 130 out of a 270 Win is good enough for elk, and many believe it is, the same bullet in a 120 out of a 25-06 won't be any different.

Excepting the 270 hits with right around 300 fpe more at all yardages and provides enough of it to be an adequate killer well beyond what the 25 is capable of. 130gr wouldn't be my first choice in 270 either but whatever your preferences theres a lot more and better choices than with the 25. i.e. max Nosler partition at 115 gr.

[270person]

Originally Posted by shooter12

But for what he is going to use it for, medium range 250 yds shot, it should be efficient enough.

I wouldn't say 250 yds is a medium shot with a 25-06 on elk by any stretch. I'd actually say it's pushing it and it's always best to err on the side of more power is better.

[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by sureshot

If I could afford to buy a 30-06 or a 270 I would but all I have to use is the 25-06

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I was lucky enough to inherit my Dad's 25-06. Took a cow Moose at a real long distance with it. Would have no issue taking a poke at an Elk. Like previously stated, the 25 shoots all day long compared to a hard hitting (on your shoulder) 30+ caliber, and shoots accurately. As long as you feel confident in the grouping and take a well executed shot on relaxed game, you won't have any problems.

Best of luck! Go out and drop one!

J.

[shooter12]

Don't worry 270 person , the elk that he is gonna kill with his 25-06 sometimes is showing up at 150 yards too
http://outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=328082

[Mountain Guy]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Hmmmm now it would come down to the shooter...an there is the problem...all will kill in the hands of confidence.

yes exactly...... not knowing the shooter I'm going to say a 2506 is not enough gun.

[skidderman]

Not for me, not in 100 years. I've seen elk hit & lost because of not enough energy & or poor bullets. Anyone shooting elk with a 243 won't be hunting with me. That is simply not ethical!!!

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by skidderman

Not for me, not in 100 years. I've seen elk hit & lost because of not enough energy & or poor bullets. Anyone shooting elk with a 243 won't be hunting with me. That is simply not ethical!!!

How does energy kill?
Can you give a real world example.

And if the elk is lost, how do you know why it was lost? Could it be poor bullet placement?

Just sayn'

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by skidderman

Not for me, not in 100 years. I've seen elk hit & lost because of not enough energy & or poor bullets. Anyone shooting elk with a 243 won't be hunting with me. That is simply not ethical!!!

Meh, your camp,your rules I guess...hit and lost because of pizz poor shot placement that is a combination of many factors...100 yard broadside shot with the little 243 and a 100 gr hornady pill will punch through the boiler room with no issues, the same as a arrow at 30 yards...just saying.

[harv3589]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Meh, your camp,your rules I guess...hit and lost because of pizz poor shot placement that is a combination of many factors...100 yard broadside shot with the little 243 and a 100 gr hornady pill will punch through the boiler room with no issues, the same as a arrow at 30 yards...just saying.

Exactly....

[270person]

Originally Posted by shooter12

Don't worry 270 person , the elk that he is gonna kill with his 25-06 sometimes is showing up at 150 yards too
http://outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=328082

Yes I kinda get that. Lets just leave it at a 25 CAN get the job done BUT isn't ideal.

[FellSwoop]

I don't have a 25-06, but ran it's ballistics on gundata.org and it has about 250 lb-ft more energy than 6mm rem at the muzzle and150 more at 150 yards. I plan on using a 6mm when walking bush for cow elk this fall. I have dropped a moose with the 6mm before but never an elk. I can't imagine a problem with the 25-06 on elk out to 200 meters anyway.

[sureshot]

Originally Posted by skidderman

Not for me, not in 100 years. I've seen elk hit & lost because of not enough energy & or poor bullets. Anyone shooting elk with a 243 won't be hunting with me. That is simply not ethical!!!

Where did the 243 come from I was asking about a 25-06.

[Flight01]

I wouldn't hesitate to use a 25-06 for elk.

I would go with a nosler partition or a bonded bullet like accubond or interbond

Smashed a black bear , through and through with a corlokt and was impressed.

An accurate shot is always the most important.

Love the 25-06. Had 2 of them and sold one to fund optics for the other. Both guns have been accurate