OK here we go. Why buy the BOY when you can own the DAD. If you want a short action get a 308 Winchester. If you want the long action go with the 30-06. You will do better in the long run with the 30 caliber. LET THE FLAMES BEGIN. Tom.

JMHO, But I think that the 25-06 is one of the best dual purpose calibers there is.Load a 85 grain(3300) for varmits 117 or ,120 (3000)for deer sized game.Will do the job on any of them.Mild recoil .Whats not to like ?

The only reason i was looking at a 25-06 isi already have a 300 WSM and a 204 and wanted something in between them but liked the little more power a 25-06 had over a 243. I also considerd a 7mm-08 but i ahve enver shot one.

you can't go wrong with a .25-06

I have a tikka in 25/06 and 308 caliber and have shot one hole groups with both at 100yds.Some of my shooting buddies have tikkas and sako's in 7/08,243,22/250,300wsm and 30/06.So I get to shoot a lot of different calibers in the tikka,Have to give credit to the tikkas because I have shot one holers with every one of them except the sako in 300wsm.
One buddie has 2 300wsm tikkas,2 300wsm sako's and one rem in 300wsm He shoots 180 gr sst's in all of them but I have shot some tight groups with the 2 sako's but have yet to shoot a one holer with one.I am sure though if I worked up a load for the sako it would do it also.
Don't think you would go wrong with either the 243 or 25/06 in the tikka.

That was my exact criteria when I purchased my 25-06 . In defense of the 243 I have never heard of anyone having problems losing deer with one except on the internet. My Best friends co-worker in Alabama has used the samewalnut stocked Howa25-06 rifle for the last 20 years and killed manyamazing bucks in the 200 lb class and they went down like the hammer of Thor hit them. His cousin has a beatup mauser that had a 25-06 barrel on it and he raises havoc the deer inFlorida and Alabama and swears by it. Another co-worker manages his property using QDM and has 150 class whitetails on it and he is very selective killing his bucks.His rifle of choice a 6mm Remington and I would like to see what deer the detractors of the 243 or 25-06 have hangingon their walls compared to what this guy has hanging on his.

I used to shoot a Remington 7400 in 243. I got my first 5 deer with it.3 of them only went about 20 yards, 1 dropped in its tracks, and 1 ran about 70 yards. I would never put down a 243 as a deer gun as long as the shooter can shoto good. Shot placement is important with a 243 or any gun in fact.

IMO a 25-06 would be a perfect 'tweener for you as would a 7mm-08. I've never been a 243 fan but in truth any of these 3 will do nicely.

I have a friend that hunts a powerline with his 25-06. He uses 100 gr. bullets and a tripod and routinely shoot deer over 400 yards DRT. He has killed hundreds of deer and claims to to be the best rifle he has ever used.

25-06, the best shooting gun I've ever had. Can be used on deer, antelope, varmit, and more.