6.5x'06 vs 25x06

[MT Gianni]

I have a bug to put a barrel on an 98 action that is collecting dust. I see a defiency caliber wise in my safe for a midbore fast cartridge for Antelope, Deer and Coyotes with occasional varmits as needed. I like the 6.5x06 over the 6.5x57 but am aware of the problems with lead in a 9" twist. 270 for me is almost the 30.06 and 25.06 is just a little on the light side but still do-able at 120 gr.'s. For a 95% Jacketed bullet gun what am I overlooking? I have about 1000 LC68 cases and am not worried about confusing headstamps as I used them in the 30's and the Whelen. Custom chamber reamer & dies vs over the counter is cheaper initially but a one time coat for a 30+ year gun. Gianni

[Johnch]

I like the 6.5x06 over the 6.5x57 .

I chose the 6.5 x 57 , but both are great rounds and I did mine in one of the "shorter " 98 actions


Custom chamber reamer & dies vs over the counter is cheaper initially but a one time coat for a 30+ year gun. Gianni

I beleive a 6.5x06 chamber reamer is rentable
As for dies
Last ime I looked
RCBS listed them

Not in the normal group

But not the true custom dies


John

[S.R.Custom]

Hmmm... I would've picked you as a .256 Newton kind of guy... :-D

[threett1]

6.506 is on my short list. Got the action-just need the roundtuit.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Gianni, my choice in that area was the .260 Rem. So far it has been a very successful ground squirrel rifle with 95 gr. Hornady V Max, and it killed like the Hammer of Thor on a big Alberta whitetail with 140 gr. Hornady. I will load it with 140 Nosler Partitions for a coming return to Alberta, so it can be a backup to my .35 Whelen in case I run into an elk while carrying the "wrong" rifle. If Swedes can use 6.5 X 55 on moose, bet the .260 will be OK for elk, too. I think I have a .257 Roberts and .270 Winchester in one gun. If you build a 6.5 X '06 it can only be more of what I've got. Re; cast, I haven't tried them in the .260 yet, but the conventional wisdom on this board is that 1;7.5 twist Swedes are OK as long as velocity doesn't exceed 1650. A 1:9 twist might let you step that up a little.

[405]

I'd lean toward the 6.5X55. Plenty of case capacity for the 6.5. You can specify twist when getting the barrel and have the chamber/throat reamed to your specs. The cases and dies are standard and available.

[Larry Gibson]

I built a 6.5-06 in '73 for a long range coyote/varmint rig and actually ended up with a 6.5-280. Never regreted the choice over the 25-06 which I had one for a while and was disappointed by the performance of .25 cal bullets at longer range. With old 4831 I drove the 129 Hornady's right at 3200 fps (Oehler M61 chronograph). Sierra 120 SPs were at 3250 fps. Both were deadly on coyotes and rock chucks at extreme range. Sierra 100 gr HPs could be driven to 3500+ fps (litterally blew a young coyote in half with one of those!) My rifle is on a M98 action and has shot in the .5s and .6s with the above loads. I also killed one antelope and one elk with the 129 gr load. I shot one barrel out and the throat on the second. I caught it in time and set it back so the rifle is now a heavy sporter with 24.5" barrel. I've 5 1/2 lbs of the old 4831 left (well kept in old powder keg) and when it is gone I suspect the second barrel will be gone also. Want to guess what I'll rebarrel it in?

Larry Gibson.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

I once scoped a Mannlicher-Schoenauer in 6.5x68 Schuler for a guy who brought it back from Germany when he mustered out. Claimed he traded it for a carton of cigarettes. This is about like a .264 Win., but without the belt. Really flat shooting cartridge. Always thought about building one for myself, just never got around to it. Bet the reamers and dies are $$$
Morgan

[NuJudge]

I've had a .25-'06 since about 1972. I've shot quite a few whitetails with it, and one Mulie. Years ago I shot a lot of woodchucks with it. The guy who had it before me shot even more deer and several turkey with it. My best results were with 100 grain bullets: lightning like kills on deer using a heart/lung shot. Using bullets in the 117/120 grain class (mostly Nosler partitions), kills were sure but the deer got 70 yards or so, and one of those was right next to the most incredible swamps . . . Centerbody shots on woodchucks with 100 grain bullets were most impressive. My best results were with maximum charges of 4831.

I have no experience with the 6.5-'06, but I sure have been impressed with the .25-'06.

CDD

[Bass Ackward]

I have a bug to put a barrel on an 98 action that is collecting dust. I see a defiency caliber wise in my safe for a midbore fast cartridge for Antelope, Deer and Coyotes with occasional varmits as needed. I like the 6.5x06 over the 6.5x57 but am aware of the problems with lead in a 9" twist. 270 for me is almost the 30.06 and 25.06 is just a little on the light side but still do-able at 120 gr.'s. For a 95% Jacketed bullet gun what am I overlooking? I have about 1000 LC68 cases and am not worried about confusing headstamps as I used them in the 30's and the Whelen. Custom chamber reamer & dies vs over the counter is cheaper initially but a one time coat for a 30+ year gun. Gianni


As you get older, your outlook on calibers and bore diameters will change.

Today, to me, at this point in time, my varmint rifle is a 30 caliber. And if I were to consider dropping below that, then I want a 22 bore.

The recommendations we could offer mean nothing from a logical sence since there is no logic or scientific fact that can be applied. Even after 70 years of testing, the German's couldn't settle on one bore diameter that was .... superior .... because the objective change. Market forces can't even determine a superior bore diameter as all are still sold.

Scratch the itch you feel you have to scratch at this point in your life or flip a coin. :grin:

[RBak]

I have owned, and shot, a .256 Newton for the past ten years or so. I have also owned a 25-06 since several years before Remington re-introduced it back in 1969. And, I have owned a 6.5x55 since sometime in the 1950's.....Along with that, I have found out over the years that what one will do, the other will pretty much duplicate.

Since sometime in the early 1960's I wanted a "Newton Buffalo Rifle"....it took me about 35 years to find one that was in good enough condition to be a shooter. Then I needed brass, and dies, and load information, and to get my hands on all the reading material ever printed on this particular rifle. :roll:

Nowaday's I have to ask, "Is it not the quest for the Holy Grail in guns that drives us so hard"?

I think BA said, "Scratch the itch you feel that needs scratchin"....
In my mind, I think that is a more important factor that any ballistic quality found in any rifle....So, if you really want a 6.5-06, do it!

Along this line of thinking, I have settled on the 6.5 x 284 as my own next Holy
Grail.

Think about it!....The old 7x57 was never really broken and didn't need a whole lot of fixin, but the Green Box Gun company introduced the 7-08 and we had an instant winner.
The 6.5 x 55 has always been a favorite of anyone who has ever shot it, but the Green Box Gun Company again figured we needed something newer / better, so the .260 was born, and we had another winner.

It's gotta be the quest!

Russ...

[trk]

I would choose the 6.5 (or 7mm) over the 25 for one reason: the .25's have a very limited range of bullet weights.

[twotrees]

And a good friend (and greaty shooter, in Tx) has a 6.5-06. I have killed deer by the hat full with 100 gr bullets and ground hogs out to 600 yards with the sierria 90gr HPBT. All these were over max charges of IMR 4831,

The Tx buddy let me shoot his 6.5-06 at 1" targets at 200 and that was too easy. He shot some real impressive groups at 1000 meters with it too.

The 25-06 jumps so much ,off a bi-pod, that seeing hits on ground hogs is impossible, but you sure hear it, even at 450 yards.

Unless your shooting deer at 500 yards+ it would be a good choice, but I have yet to find a bullet that is fully stable at ranges greater than 800 yards.

In the latter if LONG range game sniping is what you want the 6.5-06 (280) would be a better choice.

I do have a bolt gun made on a 98 Mauser in 257 roberts and I think of it as a 25-06 lite. It shoots the same bullets about 200 FPS slower, but is real accurate, and I bet it's bbl lasts a bunch longer than the 25-06.
The Mauser has a Boots Obymeyer BBl on it and is the ONLY gun I have that shoots to the same windage with 3 different bullets only thing that changes is elevation. 117's on at 100, 100 grn'ers 1.5 high at 100 and 75 gr varmint bullits 2.5 high at 100. Man is that great for a dual purpose rifle.

This is assuming that your going to shoot condum bullits, not the real thing. As the diffrence in bullit weight means a lot more as the Vel's go down.

Good Shooting,

TwoTrees

[Char-Gar]

I would take the 6.5 bore over the quarter inch every day. I have used the 6.5 X 57, 6.5 X55 and the 6.5-06. If I could use only one, it would be the 6.5-06 or the 6.5 -270. Put a 24 inch barrel on it.

The long 140 grain bullet is almost magic in the way it retains velocity and energy down range. When launched at 2.9 to 3 K fps, it is a wonderful Western deer and antelope round. I also would not think twice about taking down an elk with it.

If I wanted to build a cast bullet rifle, it would be either a 35 or 375 Whelen.

[schutzen]

I've used the .25-06 since 1975. It has consistently delivered one shot kills. I'm in the eastern 1/2 of the US, but whitetails in my local area run 175-200 lbs (nothing like soybeans to fatten deer). Ground hogs don't stand a chance and coyotes need to stay 400+ yards out. My particular gun likes the Serria 117 gr BTHP best, but is good with anything 100 grains plus and fair with lighter bullets. For the eastern US the .25-06 is my choice. I'm not sure how it would stack up against larger game. I'm sure Mule deer and antelope would be not problem. But I'm guessing it would be a tad light for elk. Still the .25-06 is a good medium- light caliber rifle.

[mainiac]

might as well reply, I have hunted deer here in maine with my 25-06 for the last 12-15 years or so. Use 100 gr bullets, killed everything i ever aimed at with one shot. Took it to Quebec in 1990 and hunted caribou. Two big bulls, a shot apiece. Cant kill any quicker than this gun can! Speer makes a 100 gr h.p. that has a hole in the front that is a huge hole. Shoot crows with this bullet, and i aint never seen such a pile of feathers! 3400 f.p.s. will devistate anything it comes in contact with.

[9.3X62AL]

Gianni--

Answering the question asked--I would take the 6.5-'06, without hesitation. The 25 tops out at 120 grains, while the 26 goes to 160......and Chargar's points about the 140 grain 6.5mm are dead-on-the-money.

My Ruger 77R in 6.5 x 55 has a 1-9" twist, and can get 2700 FPS safely with every maker's bullet I've tried in that weight--Hornady, Speer, Sierra, and Nosler. All of these shoot under 1"/5-shot groups at 100 yards, too. I'm not sure that 200-300 FPS is worth the effort of having a rifle built when factory rifles are available in 6.5 x 55 and 260 Remington, but that's your call. I don't and likely won't run castings in my 6.5 x 55.

[MT Gianni]

Thanks for the comments guys. It has not brought much to bear that I had not thought of but I appreciate the opinions. Gianni

[pa_guns]

Hi

The bullet diameter difference between .25 and 6.5 mm is very small. There simply are not going to be dramatic differences between the two cartridges.

You can get factory ammo for the 25-06. Finding factory loads for the 6.5-06 is not an easy thing to do. The 25-06 is a very capable deer cartridge with the bullets available.

The 6.5 offers a *lot* more flexibility.

Bob

[carpetman]

Mt Gianni---Not wild about a .270---what would a 25-06 possibly offer that the .270 doesnt do better? The .257 Roberts has much less blast and recoil than a 25-06 which has a fair dose of both--especially blast. Get a Lyman manual that lists pressure and the 30-06 family all have 50-55K pressure. The 7x57 and the .257 Roberts are more like 45-47K. I have not had a 6.5x55 but hear lots of favorable stuff about it. So what would I make the action into? You mention varmints. To me they fall into two catagories. The type you get one shot every now and then (coyotes for example). Larger cal ok on these. Also,the type with lots of shots(jackrabbitts--prarie dogs for example). Smaller cals for these 22-250 max in size with a .222 being better.(less blast and recoil---more enjoyable shooting).

[Bret4207]

If I wanted to be able to shoot cast without a lot of work I'd pick the 25. Otherwise I'd got with the 6.5. Simple.

[DonH]

Along this line of thinking, I have settled on the 6.5 x 284 as my own next Holy
Grail.
Russ...

Despite all the hype these days re: 6.5-284, it and the old 6.5-06 are peas in a pod. The 6.5-284 may offer ever-so-slightly more accuracy but it will take one heckuva shooter to prove it, given chambering both in equal rifles. As I see it, either of these two rounds come into their own where need calls for heavier 6.5mm bullets OR if the range to target is truly long and then only if you load them to utilize all they offer. I have friends who shoot or have shot bothe of these big 6.5s in 1000 yd competition so am fully familiar with their capability. However, if distance to target is typical hunting yardages a 6.5x55 will easily suffice as will the .260.
As to this latter pair, I will give the nod to the old Swede, especialy when chambered in a modern action. The extra bit of case capacity it affords, I believe, allows it to do what it can do when the .260 has reached it's pressure limits. A shooting cohort has used a .260 for hunting for a number of years. In his M 700 the .260 treads on the edge of primer flattening and he is not given to hot-rodding. In fact he has now gone to the 6.5-284 which he loads to .260 performance level. Go figure. In the end it is nearly all itch-scratchin.

[pa_guns]

Hi

The 6.5 Swede and .260 are indeed very similar cartridges. The .260 *can* be run through a short action. Depending on exactly who's action, you may have to load the .260 "short" to keep things running smoothly. Unless you go crazy both should let you run a barrel for several thousand rounds.

All of the "big" cartridges are going to be 1,000 rounds per barrel affairs. The 25-06, 6.5-06 and 6.5-284 take out barrel throats pretty fast. That of course assumes you are loading them reasonably close to max.

Bob

[jhalcott]

I have a couple 6mm's and 25-06's . I think they are almost interchangeable when going after deer or smaller critters. I thought about some thing on the '06 case in 6mm.Then I Ackleyed one of my 6mm's. SURPRISE! They results were less than spectacular. I gained a few FPS,never lost any accuracy to speak of,MAYBE a quarter inch. The deer and groundhogs NEVER complained. When you get older you will start to trim down your gun collection any way. So IF you WANT/NEED the 6.5/06 go for it. It's like the girl you dated in High school. You'll always wonder what it would have been like WITH her!

[RBak]

Despite all the hype these days re: 6.5-284, it and the old 6.5-06 are peas in a pod.............. ......In the end it is nearly all itch-scratchin.

Yep, It is, and it's a whole lot of fun. At least IMHO.

I'm sure we've all heard the saying that, "....if the 30-06 was just developed today, it would have a very hard time catching on".

It has taken me years to understand the merits of such a statement. But it has merit, and the reason it has merit is because those folks with an itch have dared to step outside the envelope and develop more "specialized" cartridges. Not better cartridges, just more specialized. Cartridges that were more itch satisfying.

Russ...

[Bullshop]

Since I have no experiance with a 6.5/06 I cant say much about it accept that I have been wanting to try one for a long time. I have a set of 6.5/06 imp dies I have been packing for 20 years just waiting for the chance. It almost happend this year with a project gun I helped my son build but in the end he went for the 6/284.
My single experiance with something close was with an origonal 1'st model Newton rifle in 256 Newton. I was elk hunting near Dear Lodge Mt. walking a fence line that meandered through some broken timber. As I neared a small patch of timber a bull that had been beeded on its edg jumped to his feet and took off on a run through the trees. He was headed straight away and I had little faith in the small caliber I was holding for this shoy. The load was pushing a Nosler 129gn partition at 2900 fps. To make it a bit tougher I was in an antler restricted area that required two brow tines to be legal.
He being headed straight away I couldne tell if he had the brow tines but I could see that he was a decent bull. I had plenty of time to lean on a post and get him in the scope and just watched him run. When he got to about 75 yards distance he turned just enough that I saw the brow tines and just as the cross hairs cought the yellow of his right flank I touched off a shot. At the shot he crumpled and skidded on his lipps.
I watched to see if he would try to get up and he did manage to get his front leggs under him again. Just as I was readying for a finishing shot he dropped and it was over, didnt need the second shot. The shot clipped hair off the hind quarter and entered the flank just ahead. When I skinned him I found the bullet shank half way up the neck on the opposite side of the hit. That day earned a great respect from me for that small caliber.
On the other hand I have much experiance with a 25/06 and have nothing but praise for it. I have taken two elk that come to mind and numerous other lesser game and varmints. A friend here uses one for caribou and has little trouble out to 500 yards.
The bullet I used most was the Hornady 120gn hp, a long sleek bullet with a pin holr for a hp. For fur hunting I found lighter bullets to be too destructive. The Hornady 120 hp will open more slowly and not make big holes in fur with a solid hit, usually about the size of a quarter if they are not much nearer than 200 yards. Anyways I like the 25/06 but like I said still would like to try a 6.5/06. This not because I find the 25/06 lacking but just a because thing. The one conclusion I have come to is that for mild recoil and plesant shooting I feel the calibers stop at 6mm. Not that the 25's or 26's are hard to shoot but just something differant thats hard to explain over the 22's and 24's.
As to shooting boolits for several reasons for myself I would likely go 25. That because I have several molds in that cal and only a few in 26. My limited experiance with boolits in 26 cal has not been so rewarding. In contrast my experiance with boolits in 25 cal has been exceptional. I have a Roberts that is outstanding and a 25 copperhead that I enjoy emensly with boolits.
Eather way its a tough call between the two for me. If I was being totally practicle I would look no further than the 30/06 as boring as it may seem it can do it all. The 25/06 being factory has a mite of the same bordome, but the wildcat seems to hold a bit more excitment. One thing for sure I know if I was limited to just one of any of the three I could get all the same jobs done. The only way to be sure of wich you will prefer is to have all.
Blessings
BIC/BS

[DonH]

"One thing for sure I know if I was limited to just one of any of the three I could get all the same jobs done"

Yup1 And I feel the same way about my 7x57 - and that round is only 114 yrs. old and easy on barrels, shooters, ears, etc. And boringly as comfortable as a well worn pair of slippers.

As to the .260 working in a short action and the 6.5x55 not, that "advantage" means ittle outside a benchrest match but it does help the factories sell a few more rifles. I guess if that helps 'em stay in business it is a good thing, right?

[Bret4207]

DonH- I'm right there with you on the 7x57. Cartridge development could have stopped right there and we'd still be in a good position.

[pa_guns]

Hi

If you already have a short action sitting there with no barrel, then the .260 is a nice alternative to have.

It doesn't take very long at all with a reloading manual to figure out that there are a lot more cartridges out there than you really need to own. Pick up a good cartridge book and you'll be even more convinced.

If you shoot off of sand bags over measured distances, a lot of things matter. 1500 yard ground hog shooting is one example. That's not exactly what everybody goes out and does. For sub-400 yard shots, you can get away with a lot of stuff.

Bob

[HABCAN]

Up around here folks seem to have great success with the 6.5/.284 as the best of all worlds. I'm thinking about maybe doing one myself, as I adored the 6.5x55 Swedes when I had them. For cast boolits, the bigger bore dia. wins every time, IMHO.

What DonH posted above is very true; there is little diff between the older '06 version and the newer .284 version 6.5. The other consideration is the scarcity (here) of .284 brass.

[pa_guns]

Hi

If you are really going to get maximum performance out of any of these cartridges, neck sizing is the way to go. You will have to full length size every so often, but rarely.

Run that way, you should get a lot of reloads out of a piece of brass. You may get 10, you may get 20. A lot depends on just how your chamber is set up, and how good the brass is.

If the barrel is good for 1,000 shots, you may get away with less than 100 pieces of brass. At that level you can afford the "imported" stuff from Europe.

Bob

[Newtire]

I have a 6.5 x 06 and a .257 AI. I suffered no pain getting them into those calibers as they came already done. The .257 AI is about a twin of the 25x 06 and the little 6.5 x 55 starts creeping up on the 6.5 x 06 at the longer ranges it seems, so I would probably just go with a 6.5 x 55 unless another 6.5 x 06 dropped out of the sky. As far as picking the 6.5 over the .25, if one weren't concerned with anything bigger than deer, I would probably stick with a .25. I think it would make better sense on varmints. For bigger stuff, probably the 6.5 just because of the fact that there are longer bullets. They both shoot cast boolit pretty good!

[onceabull]

Talk about a thread rising from the DEAD.!! 8 Yr.9 Mo.++++ should be right on for a record...I had a 6.5/06 once, had to darn near give it way to pass it on....

[gpidaho]

To any of still interested in the O.P. question. I can add that my 25-06 Rem 700 shoots MOA with the NOE258-120 FN it loves that Boolit over 4227. Gp

[tygar]

Have them both & shoot both "long" but, in all respects, the 6.5 is the choice. I love my 6.5-06, but it is a custom LR hunter that shoots 2" at 500. The 25 will also do it but the 6.5 does it with less drop, wind movement etc & hits harder, at longer range with a bigger bullet, + it has lots more selection.

FWIW, I'm a big 6.5 fan for anything smaller than elk, including caribou.

[MT Gianni]

For the record I settled on the sevens. 280 and 7x57 fit in well with the 7/30 and 7 TCU.

[tygar]

EHHH. Not a big fan. I have 2 or 3 but the 6.5 does it better, smaller & the 30s, do it better bigger. And, both are more accurate.

But just my experience.

Enjoy.

[9.3X62AL]

I have a short post-script for this thread as well. I'm still campaigning the Ruger 77R in 6.5 x 55, and it will go along with CondorSafe Barnes TTSX bullets for a D-8 deer hunt on the Kern Plateau next week if the planets align right. I have also begun a varmint rifle enterprise with this same rifle, and have stair-stepped j-words on 85 and 95 grains loaded and ready for test-drives after deer season closes.

[Newtire]

I had a 6.5/06 once, had to darn near give it way to pass it on..... To keep the record straight, it was "value priced" as are all of any guns bought from once a bull. I did have to mount a scope and wipe off the drool marks before I could shoot it. The extra strain put on my vehicle's drive train components, owing to the mountain of j-words thrown into the deal, might have had some unforeseen effects on my trusty steed. Just sayin!