New 25-06

[NHSHOOTER]

Looking to buy another 25-06, I own 2 with 24" bbl I am now looking for a 22" bbl , am I going to be losing a lot of velocity, which isn't a big deal but I'm wondering if accuracy will suffer with a shorter bbl.

[stagpanther]

I would say no--only because I want you to buy it and then post your results. I seriously doubt it though.

[ligonierbill]

You will lose something like 70 fps, according to QL with a typical slow powder and everything else constant. In the real world, if you put the same load in 3 different 24" rifles, you might see that much variation. Accuracy: 2" difference in barrel length will not affect it in and of itself.

[natman]

If you were using iron sights you might lose a little accuracy with a shorter barrel due to the shorter sight radius. Since that's unlikely with a 25-06, it won't be an issue. In fact, since a shorter barrel is stiffer, you might gain some.

[44 AMP]

assuming what ever you get doesn't have a crap barrel, there is no difference that any thing you shoot will notice, no significant difference in velocity outside the normal range of speeds, and if you can find a difference in the accuracy of iron sights in barrels differing by only 2" you're better than 99% of us.

You might find it a bit less prone to snagging on branches going through thick cover, but my personal experience is that you need a difference of about 4" or more for it to become noticeably "handier" (26 to 22, 24 to 20, 22 to 18", etc, that much difference makes a change I notice. 24 to 22" not so much )

[jmr40]

There is typically 25-130 fps difference in the measured velocity between 2 different rifles with the same barrel length when firing ammo from the same box. Have you ever shot both of the rifles you have over a chronograph? I'd bet money one is at least 25-50 fps faster than the other and maybe more.


Most rifles lose 10-35 fps for every 1" you cut from a barrel. You have to know the velocity from the longer barrel to begin with.

The 25-06 is one of those cartridges that loses more than most when cut shorter. If you were to measure velocity from one of your 24" guns and cut it 2" shorter, you'd probably lose 50-70 fps. But there is also a good chance it would still be faster than your other 24" barreled rifle.

When comparing 2 different rifles, one with a 24" barrel and the other 22" the odds are the 24" barrel is going to be faster. But no guarantees. If the 22" barrel is just naturally faster, it is possible for it to be 50 fps faster than the one with a 24" barrel. But if the one with the 24" barrel is naturally faster it could end up 150-175 fps faster than the one with the 22" barrel.

[stagpanther]

Silly me--I have a 25-06 with 22" barrel and completely forgot about it; I'll put a few test cartridges for the fun of it and let you know. It's my Boyd's pimp gun--maybe that's why I don't show it much.

[NHSHOOTER]

I have the same stock on 1 of my 25-06's by

[stagpanther]

I have the same stock on 1 of my 25-06's by

I've never really liked the short fore end and how high the action sits in it; what do you think?

[NHSHOOTER]

I really like it, I've shot it quite a bit off the bench, have yet to hunt with it, it's going down to NC with me to hunt white tail next week

[stagpanther]

It does make for easy carry and quick handling--I'll give it that; but I have difficulty getting good balance/consistency on bags/rests etc. I've got some 120 gr gamekings and I'll shoot a few and see how they do.

[NHSHOOTER]

I have a model 70 Winchester in that stock and I could only get really good groups when I get down to 100 grain bullets. My 25-06 Ruger shoots 117 SST almost all in the same hole

[stagpanther]

I have a model 70 Winchester in that stock and I could only get really good groups when I get down to 100 grain bullets. My 25-06 Ruger shoots 117 SST almost all in the same hole

I've read that the 117 sst is very good in 25-06. Prbably 120 gr is around the limit for twists in typical 25-06 gr OEM barrels is my guess. The 25-06 is sort of the polar opposite of the 35 whelen in terms of felt recoil for a 30-06 spawn cartridge. I selected the 120 gr gameking because I figured that is a typical hunting bullet that one might use on large game at intermediate ranges.

Reloading did not get off to a good start this morning. The bulk 25-06 brass I bought from Midway is pretty heavily tarnished (Hornady) and the powder I chose, IMR 4831, looks like a screwdriver or something sharp fell on top of it and penetrated the cap--though did not go through the paper gasket/sealer. It smelled OK and I didn't see any reddish punky dust so I figured I'll give it a go. I chose a moderately warm charge of 50.4 grs that is well under max as forecasted by QL. QL says it should be somewhere around 2941 fps in my 22" barrel--for a 24" barrel (I have an old one which I yanked off the action--but my team spirit only goes so far ) QL says the same load should be getting around 3005 fps; or roughly 30 fps loss for each inch under the 24" length. Interested to see for myself how it does. I don't expect target-grade ragged-hole grouping--but right around MOA beyond 100 yds I think would make the case for both the bullet and the barrel.

[stagpanther]

Went out and tried them out, things started well but went downhill fast. I set up at 223 yds and the first few were looking good--well under MOA--but then I started getting clicks but no ignition--this is the third time in as many weeks this has happened. The first two were AR 10 builds that I found frozen ejectors on--my fault for not stripping and cleaning the bolt and storing dry for long term storage. I probably did the same with this one--didn't clean it enough before storing. Anyway, going to take the rifle apart and do what I should have done before storing. BTW--labradar said I got 2930 fps; very close to the 2941 fps QL predicted.

[stagpanther]

Stripped the bolt and found "mangy" ejector spring; this is actually pretty common with my older savage bolts. I'm not sure, but I think a weak spring together with perhaps a bit of slack headspace might contribute to FTF since the pin strike might be shoving the cartridge into the chamber deeper.

New spring on left--old spring on right.



Bottom line, I think your 22" 25-06 will make a dandy handy hunter with little sacrifice in accuracy/ velocity over a 24".

[MarkCO]

I do not have direct experience in the .25-06 with barrel length as we only have one, but I have several 6.5CMs.

Same 140 grain load is 2655 from an 18" barrel, 2795 from a 22" barrel and 2815 from a 24" barrel. I see about the same thing with our 4 .243s.

[stagpanther]

It turns out I did have some slack in headspace--though still within general compliance but reset to tighter tolerance (I've learned it's a good idea to keep spare boltheads without ejector and extractor for headspace setting Savage bolts; I hate chasing little BBs bouncing off the walls and hoping to find them). After cleaning and installing new spring went out to test fire and

Click--no ignition! By this time I was "What the royal..."

As they say, stupid is as stupid does. It didn't occur to me at the outset that if the ejector spring had compressed and taken a weak set; so too could have the firing pin springs. I keep spares from Gun Shack on hand and sure enough they were noticeable longer and stiffer than the ones in bolt. I should have known right from the start by how easily I could cock and uncock the firing pin by manually moving the firing pin retaining pin free-hand--a normal bolt with adequate spring tension you cannot do this without stiff resistance.

[NHSHOOTER]

since I am heading down south for a hunt this weekend I took both my 25-06s to double check, my ruger is right on the money, dont ask my why I didnt take a picture, 2, 3 shot groups with 115 gr ballistic silvertips were 1, 1inch the other was 3/4", I think that will suffice, the other rifle, model 70 ended up with 1 group, 1.5 the other was 1 inch, with 100gr speer boattails, the model 70 will not shoot the heavier bullets worth a damn..so the ruger will come with me along with my x bolt in 7-08 which is 3/4" groups all day long with 120 gr ttsx..they are killers too...Stagpanther, glad you got your issue fixed. Hopefully I will have pictures to share upon return...

[stagpanther]

since I am heading down south for a hunt this weekend I took both my 25-06s to double check, my ruger is right on the money, dont ask my why I didnt take a picture, 2, 3 shot groups with 115 gr ballistic silvertips were 1, 1inch the other was 3/4", I think that will suffice, the other rifle, model 70 ended up with 1 group, 1.5 the other was 1 inch, with 100gr speer boattails, the model 70 will not shoot the heavier bullets worth a damn..so the ruger will come with me along with my x bolt in 7-08 which is 3/4" groups all day long with 120 gr ttsx..they are killers too...Stagpanther, glad you got your issue fixed. Hopefully I will have pictures to share upon return...

Good luck, I hope you get your tag filled. I live on the coast of Maine--even though there is no formal order I decided to stand down from shooting locally--they still haven't caught the shooter from last night's mass murder in Lewiston. People are jumpy and can react badly to bang noises under these circumstances.

[MarkCO]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

Good luck, I hope you get your tag filled. I live on the coast of Maine--even though there is no formal order I decided to stand down from shooting locally--they still haven't caught the shooter from last night's mass murder in Lewiston. People are jumpy and can react badly to bang noises under these circumstances.

Stay safe Friend.

[stagpanther]

Stay safe Friend.

Appreciate it. The guy not only is military trained but also is an outstanding marksman, Mainers are often raised to be comfortable in and know their way around in wilderness woods, too. I would be lying if I didn't admit I spent a few hours last night setting up my home security cameras and motion detectors and getting some weapons ready just in case. It's been almost 24 hours since the shooting and so far not a single report of a potential sighting--very unusual. I don't think this kind of thing has ever happened in Maine.

[NHSHOOTER]

I hope they find him before someone else gets hurt, I also didn't realize we were neighbors, I live in Concord NH. I get 4 tags to fill in NC

[sako2]

Stag good idea not to go shooting that could have got ugly real fast.

[stagpanther]

I also didn't realize we were neighbors, I live in Concord NH

I love watching the Hillbilly Weatherman's weather forecasts out of NH. Our general deer season opens this weekend, so the sounds of gunshots of hunters doing their Core Lokt minute of paper plate checks are reverberating throughout Maine for the last two weeks.

[stagpanther]

Maine has suspended all hunting in the towns near Lewiston (understandable)--but businesses and schools are selectively shutting down further out in other areas. Reading between the lines, my guess is the authorities are pretty well convinced the shooter is either still in the immediate area or that he self-terminated and lies at the bottom of a river or ocean. The pictures I've seen of the suspected shooter doesn't remind me of a crazy possessed by demons.