steve_b_wales Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Does anyone use, or have used the above caliber? I have been talking to an RFD friend of mine, regarding the possibility (in time) of changing my .308 caliber for something else. He reckoned that the 25.06 is an 'awesome caliber'. I like the fact that it's very flat shooting. Any thoughts and comments would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deershooter Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I have both .2506 and .308, 25.06 is my morning rifle as it has a target type scope I allways use 120 grain bullets I have not had much sucsess with the lighter ones it shoots 1 inch groups at 180 yards the .308 is my evening gun as it has a swarovski scope with a no 4 retical which is better in low light Ido like the 25.06 but would not trade my .308 for one .Three of my mates also use 25.06 in Lincolnshire for fallow with no problem Deershooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I have both .2506 and .308, 25.06 is my morning rifle as it has a target type scope I allways use 120 grain bullets I have not had much sucsess with the lighter ones it shoots 1 inch groups at 180 yards the .308 is my evening gun as it has a swarovski scope with a no 4 retical which is better in low light Ido like the 25.06 but would not trade my .308 for one .Three of my mates also use 25.06 in Lincolnshire for fallow with no problem Deershooter Thanks for the info'. To be honest, I have'nt done any stalking for at least 12 months, but intend to start up again soon. I have my .243 & .308 at my disposal, and I have an 'open' ticket for both, and can use either for fox. I was thinking that maybe I could sell my .243 & .308 and get a 25.06 to use as an 'allrounder'. It would mainly be used for fox, and I would be reloading my own ammo. Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodeer Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Used one for years, superb calibre. Fed 100g noslers work well in mine. It's a point and shoot upto 250-300 metre gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Used one for years, superb calibre. Fed 100g noslers work well in mine. It's a point and shoot upto 250-300 metre gun Thanks for your comment. I think I will be 'going down the road' soon and looking at purchasing a .25.06, providing I can sell my other two calibers first. Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Thanks for the info'. To be honest, I have'nt done any stalking for at least 12 months, but intend to start up again soon. I have my .243 & .308 at my disposal, and I have an 'open' ticket for both, and can use either for fox. I was thinking that maybe I could sell my .243 & .308 and get a 25.06 to use as an 'allrounder'. It would mainly be used for fox, and I would be reloading my own ammo. Steve. You have the two most popular stalking guns in the UK, arguably the best foxer in the .243. The 25-06 is a larger action size and not as easy to get bullets or components for. We are currently at the start of what I believe will be a fairly long term supply problem in ammunition and components should think twice. If you want to go one gun try looking seriously at Bullet selection in the .243 or get one of those split between the two you have .260 rem or 7-08 , .260 with a 95 grn v-max for fox and something 120-140 for deer. Less powder, shorter action and in the case of the 6.5mm for the .260 more widely available bullets. All .308 cases can also be formed from the same brass at a push by necking up or sizing down. Heck you could sell one and re-barrel your favourite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 You have the two most popular stalking guns in the UK, arguably the best foxer in the .243. The 25-06 is a larger action size and not as easy to get bullets or components for. We are currently at the start of what I believe will be a fairly long term supply problem in ammunition and components should think twice. If you want to go one gun try looking seriously at Bullet selection in the .243 or get one of those split between the two you have .260 rem or 7-08 , .260 with a 95 grn v-max for fox and something 120-140 for deer. Less powder, shorter action and in the case of the 6.5mm for the .260 more widely available bullets. All .308 cases can also be formed from the same brass at a push by necking up or sizing down. Heck you could sell one and re-barrel your favourite! Good advice there. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 You have the two most popular stalking guns in the UK, arguably the best foxer in the .243. The 25-06 is a larger action size and not as easy to get bullets or components for. We are currently at the start of what I believe will be a fairly long term supply problem in ammunition and components should think twice. If you want to go one gun try looking seriously at Bullet selection in the .243 or get one of those split between the two you have .260 rem or 7-08 , .260 with a 95 grn v-max for fox and something 120-140 for deer. Less powder, shorter action and in the case of the 6.5mm for the .260 more widely available bullets. All .308 cases can also be formed from the same brass at a push by necking up or sizing down. Heck you could sell one and re-barrel your favourite! I am afraid i can't argue with that logic. Friends and family use the 25-06 back home and it is a great deer gun. With 100 grain soft points or bt's it is point and shoot to 350 or so and carries enough energy for most any deer. Tough to beat that. That said, bullets aren't always easy to find in the US so i can't imagine what they are in the UK. The 6.5 seems a lot more common. If you are reloading anyway, why not a 6.5-06? Basically as flat as a 25 but with quite a few more bullet options. Alternatively, the 260 is tough to beat and you could rebarrel either of your guns now while selling the other. Like kent said, keep all of your current brass and gear, just get 260 dies and neck up your 243 brass. Thanks Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I am afraid i can't argue with that logic. Friends and family use the 25-06 back home and it is a great deer gun. With 100 grain soft points or bt's it is point and shoot to 350 or so and carries enough energy for most any deer. Tough to beat that. That said, bullets aren't always easy to find in the US so i can't imagine what they are in the UK. The 6.5 seems a lot more common. If you are reloading anyway, why not a 6.5-06? Basically as flat as a 25 but with quite a few more bullet options. Alternatively, the 260 is tough to beat and you could rebarrel either of your guns now while selling the other. Like kent said, keep all of your current brass and gear, just get 260 dies and neck up your 243 brass. Thanks Rick Thanks for your input Rick. All this advise has got me thinking again. I may just keep my .243, which is mainly used for fox, and sell the .308. I can use the vacant slot for a different caliber. I am waiting to see more results on the new Winchester .17 Super Magnum, which I believe will be in the UK early next year. Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Thanks for your input Rick. All this advise has got me thinking again. I may just keep my .243, which is mainly used for fox, and sell the .308. I can use the vacant slot for a different caliber. I am waiting to see more results on the new Winchester .17 Super Magnum, which I believe will be in the UK early next year. Steve. Thanks for your input Rick. All this advise has got me thinking again. I may just keep my .243, which is mainly used for fox, and sell the .308. I can use the vacant slot for a different caliber. I am waiting to see more results on the new Winchester .17 Super Magnum, which I believe will be in the UK early next year. Steve. I should do just that, I have had more than a few Stalking calibres and with correct bullet choice for purpose nothing beats the .243 win in the Uk. It only has two bad things Case stretching and short barrel life. Getting both fox, crow, deer and even target 6mm bullets is real easy. Using the same gun for deer and fox breeds knowledge in its use no question as they say beware the guy with one gun he probably knows how to use it ! A theory I certainly put my name to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Steve it all depends what you are going to shoot and where, assuming you aren't into big bucks and reds on the hill then the .243 will do all you want, and be more suited if most of your shooting is foxes. If I swapped it probably would be to a 25-06 but that would be just for deer. As an aside Friday night I had a call for the dog to find a muntjac runner, dead simple blood trail into the field and then lost sight of could have gone 4 ways from there. Put her out and cast about and it had done a u turn back close to where it was shot, that was a 308 and mashed the heart lungs, fast forward 24 hours and I had one on last knockings an that ran as well dog out and that made 30 yards despite entry exit, heart blood being pumped as it went next to no difference at all when you looked at the rib cage. Bullet choice is what it's all about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Thanks to you all for your advice and comments. I think I will keep my .243 and possibly offload my .308. Most of my shooting with the .243 will be for fox. I purchased it years ago for Deer, but have'nt done any stalking for 18+months. I also use my .22-250 for fox, and although the rifle is not used much, I'm reluctant to sell it. I reload my own ammo for both .243 & .22-50, and at the moment, all the rounds for the .243 are fitted with 100grn heads. These are excellent for fox, especially at the short'ish ranges I shoot them at. Once I use up the rounds, I will reload them with a lighter bullet. As mentioned earlier, I'm waiting to see what results will be found with the new Winchester .17 Super Magnum. This would be an ideal caliber for me to use on long range Crows. If I did buy one, then my .17HMR, which I hardly use, will be up for sale. The staff at the firearms licensing department, really love me, with all my changing and swapping calibers (according to my FEO) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Thanks to youn all for your advice and comments. I think I will keep my .243 and possibly offload my .308. Most of my shooting with the .243 will be for fox. I purchased it years ago for Deer, but have'nt done any stalking for 18+months. I also use my .22-250 for fox, and although the rifle is not used much, I'm reluctant to sell it. I reload my own ammo for both .243 & .22-50, and at the moment, all the rounds for the .243 are sporting 100grn heads. These are excellent for fox, especially at the short'ish ranges I shoot them at. Once I use up the rounds, I will reload them with a lighter bullet. As mentioned earlier, I'm waiting to see what results will be found with the new Winchester .17 Super Magnum. This would be an ideal caliber for me to use on long range Crows. If I did buy one, then my .17HMR, which I hardly use, will be up for sale. The staff at the firearms licensing department, really love me, with all my changing and swapping calibers (according to my FEO) I was speaking to a Guru of cartridge pressure and related matters the other week, don't hold your breath on the .17 Winchester I am told there are some pressure issues going on and its likely to be dear ammo here as the importers will wish for people to stick with HMR for their own economies of scale and might well twist the issue in favour of the established offering. .243 win will handle anything a 25-06 can, Bullet choice and speed is critical big reds on the hill in the .243 there are no issues if you get the right bullet from the .243 connecting at the optimum speed range whatsoever. If you were shooting mainly Reds then their might be better choices (6.5 mm or 7mm to my mind and experience) but those choices also have drawbacks on fox and smaller deer. My own 7mm used to suck Roe guts through the diaphragm if I wasn't overly forwards on the chest and I never got it working with anything but 140's, though the new owner has found something that worked. My .308 was likewise not to versatile as bullet selection suggested it liked 150 grn up to 168 and nothing under or over, I don't buy this " my .243 don't like 100 grns" I have yet to find that to be the case with all 100 grn stuff and your not likely to get BR stds from a partition or other "balanced" bullet design the 6mm is the most versatile and effective bullet to ever leave a shooters barrel, breaking BR records and felling a heck of a heap of quarry from little furry rodents up to big stags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Think I`d stick with what you have,two proven,very capable rifles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Think I`d stick with what you have,two proven,very capable rifles. I agree. I'm going to stick with what I've got (for the time being anyway) As I've mentioned, at the moment, all my centrefire shooting is at foxes, and the odd Crow. I've been more than happy with my .243 (and .22-250) and will continue to use these. The advice that I've been given has been excellent, and I thank you all. Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codling99 Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 steve,ive seen you shooting,better off selling the 223,243,22.250.308, and buy a peg gun hahahahahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 steve,ive seen you shooting,better off selling the 223,243,22.250.308, and buy a peg gun hahahahahaha HA ********************* ********** * * * *********** ******** HA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Of course if you got some 55/58 grain bullets you could sell the 22-250 as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Of course if you got some 55/58 grain bullets you could sell the 22-250 as well! Try as I might I cannot understand the 22-250 in Uk terms, though I have many mates and acquaintances that own and like them non shoot over 300yds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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