260 vs 25-06
 

I am looking for a new deer gun and can't decide between the 260 and the 25-06. I already own a 300 weatherby mag. so I have a gun with a lot of power for the bigger game. I want something for long range but can still easily take a deer, groundhog, and antelope. I like the 25-06 because of the availability but the 260 can take heavier bullets. Whats are your opinions?

Of the two, the '06 will burn more powder to get roughly the same energy as the 260rem. As you mentioned, finding heavier 6.5mm bullets is easier than finding heavy .257" bullets. Bigger case capacity of the .25-06 with a proper powder should be able to push a bit more energy out than the .260rem, but the difference won't be huge either way.

Personally, I'd throw the .243win in the mix since you mentioned antelope and groundhogs. Even for whitetails, I'm more and more convinced that the .243win is the optimum whitey cartridge.

Out of your two, I'm a bigger fan of the .25-06 than the .260rem, but flip a coin, you'll be happy.

I own two 25/06 , I like them very much. Most deer don't make it out of there tracks. You can go from 87 -120 grain bullets for the 25/06. So it fits your bill. I was looking for 260 myself for something different. But of the two for what you mentioned I go for the,25/06.

You'll see almost no practical difference between em. I'd let the determining factor be whether you want a long or short action.

257 Weatherby mag.

Yes the 257 weatherby is a nice round. My dad's shoots one ragged hole @ 100 yards. Dead deer walking with that 257 weatherby. Plus goes within your 300 weatherby. We got two 300 wby, a 257 wby, and are looking for a 240 weatherby.

25-06 vs 260
 

If you're a handloader the .260 makes sense. If not then I would go with the 25-06. I have a custom 25-06 & with handloads can pretty much cover all the game I hunt. Some use it on elk with good results but I wouldn't use it or the .260 for elk or larger critters. You already have the .300 Weath. for that. There are alot more factory loads for the 25-06 than exist for the .260. You can even find std. Remington Core-Lokts at Wal Mart for the 25-06 but I've yet to see any .260 ammo at Wal Mart. The only .260 loads I commonly see are the 140 gr Core-Lokt. With online ordering available I'm sure finding ammo is easy.

Have you considered the 7mm/08. A great round in between the 260 and 25/06. Or what I am looking for a 240 weatherby.

From what you listed as requirements the .25-06 is the better choice. It makes a wonderful groundhog rifle, and it is just about perfect for pronghorn and mule deer.

Another thing to consider is that in 20 years the .25-06 will still be a successful commercial cartridge while the .260 may not. I don't see very many .260 rifles around. I think most folks that consider the .260 end up buying the 7mm 08 instead.

Thanks for all of the replies! Keep them coming. I don't want a 7mm-08 because my dad already has one and I want to have a bit of variety in the guns. I am leaning towards the 25-06 but am open to other choices.

what do you intend to do with it and what do you call long range
RR

Hunt whitetails, groundhogs, and antelopes. Pretty much just something smaller than my 300 weatherby mag. Long range would be 450-500 yards at the max.

I've never quite understood the .25-06. Everything the .30-06 is, but less. Sort of like "lite" beer. Long action, and maybe it's been a bigger commercial success than the .260, but that's not saying a lot, given that even then it's not terribly common - ammunition OR rifles. So, that argument is really sort of irrelevant when you compare the .25-06 to the 7mm-08, or (dare I say it?) the .243.

I've hunted deer and goats for closing on four decades now with the .243. I've never been presented with a shot that made me wish I had something like a .25-06 or .257 Wby. If you want to compare on the basis of "commercial success", compare against the true commercial successes - the 7mm-08 and the .243. Nearly everyone makes a rifle chambered for those two. Otherwise, the 6.5s are far better performers at longer ranges than are the quarter-bores. My vote then would be the .260.

I'm a big fan of the 6.5 calibers which the .260 is. Those long, skinny heavy for caliber bullets are incredibly effective on game. As you have noted, the .260 will allow heavier bullets which I am also a fan of. I'll admit I don't own a .260 but I do have a Rem Model 700 Classic in 6.5x55 Swedish and a Mannlicher Schoenauer Model 1903 carbine in 6.5x54MS. Both have been very good game getters. The .260 is basically a ballistic twin of the Swede and the Swede has been used for a long, long time in Scandinavia for moose.

I've never owned a 25-06 but I hunted mulies and elk with a guy that had one. It was a good deer caliber but I personally felt it was a little light for elk. That being said, he never lost one that I know of that he shot with it, so it did the job. Bottom line, either will work for what you want. I think the .260 can be had in a lighter rifle since it is a shorter case based on the .308 Win. The 25-06 is a full length case and requires a bigger action. That may be something to think about and then again, it may not be important to you.

Do you now what rifle your looking at for them in. I was wanting a model seven in 260 to go with my 7mm/08. But I am now trying to find one of the new vanguard in 240 WBY, to go with my 300.

If 500 is as far as you wanna shoot, go with the 25/06, not enough benefit from the higher BC bullets of the 260 to justify it, shoot a good bullet in the '25 and hang a scope with some form of milliradian reticle on it and learn to use it, it'll serve you well to 500.
RR

I was gonna mention the .243win as well. It's my 'goat' gun, and wouldn't hesitate to take a deer with it. 85gr tsx.

Personally I'd probably lean towards the 25-06 over the .260 just as a personal preference, really wish a 6.5-06 was more popular. Though the 6.5-284 seems to be doing well, another round to consider...

Don't forget about a .270win or .270wsm even.

25-06 has more "overbore" than the .260 so if you want to do a lot of shooting the 25-06 might be harsher on the barrel ,depending how you shoot.

The 25/06 is a great cartridge and a barrel eroding monster.
Still, it is probably the second best long range pronghorn and mule deer cartridge you can get. Right behind the .257 Roy.

I love it.

I'd also love a Rem Mod 7 in 260.

It's like choosing between a hot brunette and a hot blonde.

25 06 rules from mice to moose. Pleasant to shoot and deer are DRT. Moose and elk fall down fast when the bullet is put in the boiler room. Flat shooting, and ammunition is available everywhere if you don't handload.

+1 more for .243 win.


Never look back - ammo to be found everywhere !!!


Predators plus deer gun.................hard to beat.

With much advice from guys on this site I purchased a 243, with NO regrets. But both the 25-06 and 260 give you heavier bullet options if you did want to use the gun for elk hunting. Im not saying you couldn't use the 243, many guys do but i'd definitely would rather have a 260

If he finds himself waking up to a day with elk on the agenda that .300Wby will treat him just fine if he wants more punch or range than the .243win. What else do we need 30cal centerfires for, if not elk? ;)

I have not found the .25-06 to too bad of a "barrel burner". It is overbore but the barrel should keep good accuracy for 2,000 - 3,000 rounds unless you shoot it rapidly enough to get it smoking hot like is common in PD hunting. I have never had to shoot long strings of shots quickly in a groundhog field (except in dreams).

Ok. Thanks for everyones replies. I have decided to go with the 25-06.

What rifle you pick in the 25/06

Not sure yet.

The better of two good choices.

Both are awesome calibers and you wouldn't go wrong with either one. I've been shooting a 25.06 for over 20yrs with great results and my daughter shoots a 260 with equal results. We handload and both cailbers are very accurate and on game performance has been excellent with both. Having said that let me add that if i could only own one it would be the 25.06 and the 260 would be my second choice. Mike