.25-06 over .260??

mitchell koster · April 15, 2010, 07:23 AM

Hello all,
i'm considering buying a new rifle and was thinking about buying one of these calibers, i like the .360 because of the range of projectiles you can shoot and that they have a bit more knock down power. Is the .25-06 more common?? Does it have a flat shooting trajectorie?

Thanks

mitchell koster · April 15, 2010, 07:24 AM

.260 not .360 sorry.

mikejonestkd · April 15, 2010, 01:01 PM

Both are great for hunting from antelope to deer and the downrange ballistics are pretty similar. The only problem with the .260 is that there are very few new rifles chambered for it, and ammo might be an issue in the future if you do not reload.

geetarman · April 15, 2010, 01:17 PM

I have no experience with the .260 but I shoot 25.06 a lot.

It was not a favorite of mine for a long time but I have found that with bullets 117 gr, or heavier, in my rifle, just perform great.

It is a flat shooting and hard hitting caliber and performs well. At least it does for me.

Come and take it. · April 15, 2010, 04:16 PM

25-06 is an excellent cartridge.

dahermit · April 15, 2010, 04:20 PM

Buy the .260 now and the 25-06 later when you can afford another gun. Or, vise-versa. Then a 7mm-08, then a .308, then a 30-06, then...

rshanneck2002 · April 15, 2010, 04:35 PM

Just started shooting 25-06., just bought a Ruger Hawkeye in this cal. so far with simple rem corelokts 120 grain shooting 3/4 in groups with it at 100 yds. This being said,ive only put 2 boxes thru it so far im impressed somewhat with this rifle. My last Ruger in 270 i couldnt do better than 2.5 to 3 with it at 100 no matter what i did. Still to early to tell,but initial impressions are very good to great. Alot more zing than my .243. Believe me when i say this, i was real leary of even buying another Ruger,the new trigger is a vast improvement over the old one but still about a 1lb heavier than i like but breaks real,real clean. dosnt recoil any harder than my .243 at all,but is on the heavy side at 8lbs. which in a deer stand dos not bother me in the least.

GeauxTide · April 15, 2010, 09:26 PM

Well, I've got a 260 because of the Ruger Compact that houses it. Now a real comparison is the 6.5-06. I had one built more than a few years ago after comparing the 25 and the 270. With the 6.5, I don't need either. And I can use 25 or 30-06 cases.

uncyboo · April 15, 2010, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Buy the .260 now and the 25-06 later when you can afford another gun. Or, vise-versa. Then a 7mm-08, then a .308, then a 30-06, then...

This is the correct answer....

Osageshooter · April 15, 2010, 09:57 PM

I have both and really like them both. The 25-06 will shoot a little flatter with a little more energy. The 260 (and its older twin the 6.5 X 55) is famous for penetration and big game taking ability. I love the 260 for hogs and deer out to 300 yards using a 140 grain bullet. For antelope or mule deer way out there, I would go with the 25-06. That said, I mostly use both a lot on deer and can't remember being dissappointed. You can't go wrong with either. I guess my personal favorite at this point is the 260. It is amazing what it does on game for very little recoil.

5RWill · April 20, 2010, 04:32 PM

Both are good cartridges but the .260 will do more and serves as more of an all around caliber. Depending on what your looking for. Personally i say .260. Almost any 6.5mm cartridge has the ability to do the following...hunt anything from prairie dogs to moose and shoot long range due to High BC and slender bullets.

Pathfinder45 · April 21, 2010, 11:47 AM

.......neither one is as good of a choice as a .270 Winchester. And if you do reload the .270 is still the winner. I you want something different, and you reload your own, the 6.5-'06 would be a good choice; you'd never lack for cases.

Water-Man · April 21, 2010, 11:57 AM

I personally prefer the 6.5x55 Swede but between your choices I would choose the .260 because it's more versatile.

crghss · April 21, 2010, 12:51 PM

If you reload the .260 if not the 25'06. For deer or punching paper......

But a little more insight in to it's intended uses would help.

sc928porsche · April 22, 2010, 12:40 AM

I have both. I would be a bit reluctant to hunt elk with a 260 or the 25-06, but for deer, both are great cartridges. If I had to choose just 1, I would opt for the 25-06. It is a bit flatter shooting and can be used on varmits to deer with confidence. The best distance to zero a 25-06 is 200yds. You wont have to worry much about hold over from 100 to 300 yds.

As for reloading, you can use 30-06 cases for the 25-06 if need be. For the 260, you can use either 243 or 308 cases if you cant come across 260 readily.

NWCP · April 22, 2010, 04:54 AM

My next rifle will be a 25-06. Flat shooting and a proven game killer it's the one gap I have in my hunting lineup. If only CZ made a 550 chambered in 25-06 I would drop the money on one today. I may end up going with a Vanguard.

taylorce1 · April 22, 2010, 06:57 AM

If you go with a .25-06 just make sure you get at least a 24" barrel. Too many of them out there are only running a 22" barrel and that is really a shame. The .25-06 needs a long barrel to get the maximum velocity and potential out of that round that is why I built mine with a 26" barrel.

mdd · April 22, 2010, 09:52 AM

I have a ruger vt model 25-06 and it came from the factory with an adjustable trigger and 26" barrel. I've enjoyed that gun/caliber so much that I went and bought a second 25-06 in stainless & synthetic to carry around for everyday use. Everybody has a caliber they prefer over the rest and this is mine.

Longdayjake · April 22, 2010, 12:14 PM

I own a 25-06 and absolutely love it. I want a .260. If I didn't own a 25-06 and I could start over I would choose the .260. I love .264 bullets!!!

Zak Smith · April 22, 2010, 03:45 PM

From the '06 parent case, look at the 6.5-06 and the .280 Remington (ie 7mm-06). Both of these have a lot more bullet choices and long-range capability than .25-06 or .270Win.

In a short action, .260 hits the sweet spot for long-range shooting in the .308 case size. For hunting or shooting within 500 yards you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference between .260 and 7-08. The latter will allow to shoot bullets in the 150-180gr range if you need more lead on target for some reason.

IMR_SR4895 · April 22, 2010, 05:55 PM

I have a 25 06 that Ive used for deer and groundhogs for nearly 20 yrs now.
its been a wonderful rifle, although there are times I wish it was shorter and lighter ~ especially when deer hunting.
I would love to have a 260 in a short action smallish rifle for deer hunting but Im not sure what make and model I would choose
hope that helps

April 15, 2010, 07:23 AM	#1
mitchell koster Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2010 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 211	.25-06 over .260?? Hello all, i'm considering buying a new rifle and was thinking about buying one of these calibers, i like the .360 because of the range of projectiles you can shoot and that they have a bit more knock down power. Is the .25-06 more common?? Does it have a flat shooting trajectorie? Thanks

April 15, 2010, 01:01 PM	#3
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,760	Both are great for hunting from antelope to deer and the downrange ballistics are pretty similar. The only problem with the .260 is that there are very few new rifles chambered for it, and ammo might be an issue in the future if you do not reload. __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

April 21, 2010, 11:47 AM	#12
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	If you don't reload........ .......neither one is as good of a choice as a .270 Winchester. And if you do reload the .270 is still the winner. I you want something different, and you reload your own, the 6.5-'06 would be a good choice; you'd never lack for cases.

April 22, 2010, 06:57 AM	#17
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,498	If you go with a .25-06 just make sure you get at least a 24" barrel. Too many of them out there are only running a 22" barrel and that is really a shame. The .25-06 needs a long barrel to get the maximum velocity and potential out of that round that is why I built mine with a 26" barrel. Last edited by taylorce1; April 22, 2010 at 11:46 AM. Reason: spelling

April 22, 2010, 03:45 PM	#20
Zak Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 1999 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado, USA Posts: 2,682	From the '06 parent case, look at the 6.5-06 and the .280 Remington (ie 7mm-06). Both of these have a lot more bullet choices and long-range capability than .25-06 or .270Win. In a short action, .260 hits the sweet spot for long-range shooting in the .308 case size. For hunting or shooting within 500 yards you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference between .260 and 7-08. The latter will allow to shoot bullets in the 150-180gr range if you need more lead on target for some reason. __________________ Zak Smith . DEMIGOD LLC . THUNDER BEAST ARMS CORP . COLORADO MULTI-GUN *My PM inbox full? Send e-mail instead.*

April 15, 2010, 07:24 AM	#2
mitchell koster Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2010 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 211	.260 not .360 sorry.

April 15, 2010, 01:17 PM	#4
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	I have no experience with the .260 but I shoot 25.06 a lot. It was not a favorite of mine for a long time but I have found that with bullets 117 gr, or heavier, in my rifle, just perform great. It is a flat shooting and hard hitting caliber and performs well. At least it does for me.

April 15, 2010, 04:16 PM	#5
Come and take it. Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 999	25-06 is an excellent cartridge.

April 15, 2010, 04:20 PM	#6
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	Buy the .260 now and the 25-06 later when you can afford another gun. Or, vise-versa. Then a 7mm-08, then a .308, then a 30-06, then...

April 15, 2010, 04:35 PM	#7
rshanneck2002 Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2008 Posts: 194	Just started shooting 25-06., just bought a Ruger Hawkeye in this cal. so far with simple rem corelokts 120 grain shooting 3/4 in groups with it at 100 yds. This being said,ive only put 2 boxes thru it so far im impressed somewhat with this rifle. My last Ruger in 270 i couldnt do better than 2.5 to 3 with it at 100 no matter what i did. Still to early to tell,but initial impressions are very good to great. Alot more zing than my .243. Believe me when i say this, i was real leary of even buying another Ruger,the new trigger is a vast improvement over the old one but still about a 1lb heavier than i like but breaks real,real clean. dosnt recoil any harder than my .243 at all,but is on the heavy side at 8lbs. which in a deer stand dos not bother me in the least.

April 15, 2010, 09:26 PM	#8
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,514	Well, I've got a 260 because of the Ruger Compact that houses it. Now a real comparison is the 6.5-06. I had one built more than a few years ago after comparing the 25 and the 270. With the 6.5, I don't need either. And I can use 25 or 30-06 cases.

April 15, 2010, 09:57 PM	#10
Osageshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2009 Location: Overland Park, Kansas Posts: 179	I have both and really like them both. The 25-06 will shoot a little flatter with a little more energy. The 260 (and its older twin the 6.5 X 55) is famous for penetration and big game taking ability. I love the 260 for hogs and deer out to 300 yards using a 140 grain bullet. For antelope or mule deer way out there, I would go with the 25-06. That said, I mostly use both a lot on deer and can't remember being dissappointed. You can't go wrong with either. I guess my personal favorite at this point is the 260. It is amazing what it does on game for very little recoil.

April 20, 2010, 04:32 PM	#11
5RWill Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,654	Both are good cartridges but the .260 will do more and serves as more of an all around caliber. Depending on what your looking for. Personally i say .260. Almost any 6.5mm cartridge has the ability to do the following...hunt anything from prairie dogs to moose and shoot long range due to High BC and slender bullets.

April 21, 2010, 11:57 AM	#13
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 2,126	I personally prefer the 6.5x55 Swede but between your choices I would choose the .260 because it's more versatile.

April 21, 2010, 12:51 PM	#14
crghss Junior member Join Date: July 1, 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 537	If you reload the .260 if not the 25'06. For deer or punching paper...... But a little more insight in to it's intended uses would help.

April 22, 2010, 12:40 AM	#15
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: now living in alabama Posts: 2,433	I have both. I would be a bit reluctant to hunt elk with a 260 or the 25-06, but for deer, both are great cartridges. If I had to choose just 1, I would opt for the 25-06. It is a bit flatter shooting and can be used on varmits to deer with confidence. The best distance to zero a 25-06 is 200yds. You wont have to worry much about hold over from 100 to 300 yds. As for reloading, you can use 30-06 cases for the 25-06 if need be. For the 260, you can use either 243 or 308 cases if you cant come across 260 readily.

April 22, 2010, 04:54 AM	#16
NWCP Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2006 Posts: 1,903	My next rifle will be a 25-06. Flat shooting and a proven game killer it's the one gap I have in my hunting lineup. If only CZ made a 550 chambered in 25-06 I would drop the money on one today. I may end up going with a Vanguard.

April 22, 2010, 09:52 AM	#18
mdd Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Posts: 626	I have a ruger vt model 25-06 and it came from the factory with an adjustable trigger and 26" barrel. I've enjoyed that gun/caliber so much that I went and bought a second 25-06 in stainless & synthetic to carry around for everyday use. Everybody has a caliber they prefer over the rest and this is mine.

April 22, 2010, 12:14 PM	#19
Longdayjake Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Posts: 619	I own a 25-06 and absolutely love it. I want a .260. If I didn't own a 25-06 and I could start over I would choose the .260. I love .264 bullets!!!

April 22, 2010, 05:55 PM	#21
IMR_SR4895 Junior Member Join Date: April 2, 2010 Posts: 3	I dont think you can go wrong buying either one I have a 25 06 that Ive used for deer and groundhogs for nearly 20 yrs now. its been a wonderful rifle, although there are times I wish it was shorter and lighter ~ especially when deer hunting. I would love to have a 260 in a short action smallish rifle for deer hunting but Im not sure what make and model I would choose hope that helps