25-06 Questions
 

Before I make up my mind an purchase my new firearm, I have a few questions for 25-06 shooters.

How fur friendly are they when loaded with varmint loads on coyotes? If you miss the shoulder blades and punch 'em thru the lungs, do they still leave a massive hole? I've seen a few 'yotes shot with 25s over the years and they were all blown up real bad.

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

The main thing to stay away from if you don't want pelt damage is to not shoot hollowpoint, or quick expanding bullets, and shoot the higher grain for cartridge loads. Depending on what else you plan on doing with the .25-06, I would tend toward 115 or 120 grain bullets. Cutting the velocity down really helps. Use something like a Nosler Partition and you shouldn't have any excessive pelt damage or to much hole to sew up thereby cutting into the pelts profitability. Use a full solid bullet if you want the absolute minimal pelt damage, about no expansion. Good Luck.

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

Same as above, use a heavy bullet that won't expand easily. Still the damage will be more than a regular varmint gun...you might look into Berger varmint bullets if you handload. They're not supposed to give a passthrough, just blow up after penetrating an inch or two making massive internal damage.

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

Yep, just gonna go with the 243 instead. I already have 2, never hurts to have 3 ;)Gun will mainly be used for a backup deer gun, coyotes, varmints, antelope. More than likely it will bounce around in my pickup 11 months out of the year.

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

:(

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

hahaha.

James - Don't worry I'm getting your favorite cartridge ;)

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

. Thats ok, somebody has to buy them.:D

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

Well at least it's just a beat around gun. It would be an insult for a 25-06 to be shut up in a pickup for that long [:'(]I'd say pelt damage between the 25-06 and 243 is comparably even.

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

I've shot a ton of coyotes over the years with my 243s and have had no issue with pelt damage.

Its actually an honor to be one of my pickup guns. My pickup guns see more action in a year time than many guys' rifles see in a lifetime of use ;)

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

So far mine has been extra NASTY to what I have killed with it...

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

Well, I went to the shop today and picked up my new toy. Here she is.

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

Hey that looks like my rifle':)
Be sure and post how yours shoots and we can compare loads.
Will be at the range tomorrow and see how mine does at 300 yds.
I checked and they have a lot of different calibers in this rifle I think it looks great with the fluted barrel.Mine had the barrel floated did yours?
Could only get the trigger down to a bout 2.75,which is ok.The stock looks like the one that comes on the stevens but may be different just the same color,the shop didn't have one to compare with.
I gave $599 for mine but the other calibers he had was around $630,I guess that was the difference in barrel length.
Nice rifle anyway you look at it.

RE: 25-06 Questions
 

The barrel was floated on mine, and I haven't adjusted my trigger yet, its pretty sweet how it is. The shop I deal with had one in 25-06 and this one in 243. He has 599 on both of 'em, I talked him down to 579 though :D

I shot it 4 times yesterday, 3 at 25 yards to get her dialed in. Then I shot it once at 100 yards and I hit exactly one inch high of where I was aiming, so I called it good for the day (it was misting/raining). It will be a few days before I get to play with it some more, as its still misting/raining. The way its looking the 60gr Sierra HPs I have loaded up are gonna shoot very well out of it. It is a Stevens stock as far as I know. I think I will be upgrading that after I play with it some more to a Stockade stock. Then I was planning on camo'ing the whole gun.