25-06 elk load.............

[Pioneer2]

My son shot a 3pt bull two weeks ago with his Ruger MKII 25-06 and Hornady's 120gr HP/54gr H4831SC/Fed mag primers.Took out a rib entering behind the shoulders and another exiting at 400 yards.The Bull was lights out after trotting 100 yards or so.Nice eating animal.We were looking for moose but there was a 80% winterkill on deer and moose in this area thanks to deep snow and spring ticks.This bonus elk made up for that though.Harold Here in central Alberta the deer season starts Nov1 so we'll top off the freezer with deer.............Harold

[thndrchiken]

Sounds great, congrats, personally I feel the quarter bore is too light for elk or moose unless your shooting a Barnes triple shock or Woodleigh.

[Pioneer2]

Moose are soft and can be taken with any deer rifle.Everyone thinks they are like cape buffalo because they are so big.My 14 year old dumped a big cow last year with a H+R 158 SS in 30-30 with a 170gr Hornady handload.Elk are tough but not bullet proof.Hornady tested their 120 HP sucessfully on elk before marketing them.Bob Milek shot lots of elk with a 257 Roberts/120gr.You just have to pick your shots and shoot straight.Elk + moose I've pounded with a .338 didn't die any quicker.For pushing bush I prefer my 6.5x55 with handloaded 160 Hornadys.Never recovered a bullet from a deer or moose with that one.It will completely penetrate a deer lengthways and a moose broadside every time.If it ain't broke don't fix it............Harold

[rbullom]

Anyone that thinks a 25-06 is light for elk hasn't tried one on elk. 400 is pushing the limit. Handloading is required with good bullets. Personally shot elk with 25-06, 270, 338 and 300 ultra. Punch a lung they go no further than any of the bigger calibers. Good shot is a good shot. Elk don't know if you hit em in the wrong place with a 25 ora ?

[ShatoDavis]

What's hornady 120 gr HP mean? surely you don't mean Hollow Point. I can't for the life of me guess at the meaning of HP.

No doubt about it, a well placed shot from a 25-06 will do the job!

[Frank in the Laurels]

PUT an X-bullet in one and have at it..it will destroy their chest cavity as well as anything you care to shoot one with...I wouldn't be afraid of shooting any elk with an X-bullet in any cartridge..penetration baby !!!

[Pioneer2]

HP is hollow point and I think it's more cosmetic than aiding expansion[no blowup] Hornady tested this bullet on elk before allowing them on the market and they made e'm dead. Like I mentioned the bullet took out a rib going in and another leaving so it obviously didn't explode.In my opinion it duplicates a 130 .270 or darn close.He planted a WT doe this Am on video with it as well. Last spring a black bear and it went through lengthwise chest to hoop no bullet found. I like Jack O'Conner's quotes reguarding bullet debates.At what point of the animal's death did the bullet fail?Or the mythical Indian guide that said, any gun good gun if you shoot straight! Harold

[ShatoDavis]

ORIGINAL: Pioneer2

Indian guide that said, any gun good gun if you shoot straight! Harold

TRUE....OH SO TRUE!

[TUK101]

Dead is dead, it doesnt matter if you hit them with a hand thrown rock, or with a modern day Magnum in large caliber. I just really think that it is funny how people doubt the effectiveness of yesterdays tried and true guns just because there are all of these short action magnums now available. Sure the new cartridges have thier advantages, but most are simply just a small improvement on what has been around for generations. The 25-06 is a good and accurate low to moderate recoil round.

[royalcoke23]

Hey I am a huge 25-06 fan! definatly my fav gun is my .25 . my favorite load is 54gr 4831 with a 100gr nosler balistic tip absolutly devistating on whitetails, the most awesome transfer of energy I have ever seen.