25-06 for elk?

I think that the 2506 would be fine for elk. Use the 120 grain for sure. Nothing less. You just need to make sure you flip off his switch with a head or heart/lung shot. He should go down like he was hit with a bolt of grease lightning.
It's all in the placement of the shot in the end.
 
WOW, Lots of different views this is great. I feel it is up to the hunter to do his or her job to cleanly harvest any game animal. If you don't practice enough or are impatient you are going to lose your trophy regardless of what caliber you shoot. Yeah Mag's post some great energy figures at those extreme ranges. The only problem is, a lot of people dont shoot them enough to consitantly score hits at longer distances. That .300 Ultra Mag is a laser. Great Elk round...if you can handle its recoil. Just a little itty bitty flinch at the muzzle could equal feet down range, not to mention any wind way out there. I would find out if your friend has a muzzle break on the rifle. If you are consistant with your 25-06 and you like it. USE IT. there have been more animals lost due to poor shot placement than due to lack of Caliber.

My brothers my dad and I went elk hunting in South West Montana 3 years ago. 3 Nice bulls were taken. I shot mine a 5x6 with a single .270 win 140gr Barnes XBT at 464 yards (Double Lung hit). It stumbled down the ridge about 75 yards. My brother pat took a huge 6x6 with his .340 Weatherby. He was shooting the 210gr Barnes XBT, he had to shoot it three times. distance was just over 400 yards. Now my brother Paul got lucky and wacked his 6x6 at 596 yards with a single .300 weatherby Mage 180gr Barnes XBT.

It boils down what you shoot best. No matter what you shoot don't rush the shot. Take your time and put it where it counts. You put a .25 cal bullet through the lungs and that animal is not long for this world. Good Luck to you.
 
trapshooter,

Sorry about all the preaching you got in response to your question. I commend your decision to borrow your buddy's 300 RUM. Make sure you get plenty of practice time with it, especially in field positions away from the bench.

That said, will the 25-06 kill an elk effectively with good shot placement....sure. Is it the best choice....no. If it is all you have, use it with the heaviest premium bullet you can (120 gr.) and go hunting.

Not everyone has a large battery of weapons to draw from. I know you look forward to building up you collection of rifles....we all do, much to the chagrin of our spouses.

Now, back to your queston. I would agree with Joe. Try IMR-4350 working up to 49.0 grs. with the 120 gr. Partition (easier to get shoot in most rifles than the X bullets). You might also want to try H-4831 working up to 53.5 grs.

Good Hunting,

Bob C.
 
I am gonna throw my hat in the ring here as well.

There have been elk cleanly taken with .30-30, .25-20, .223, .250-3000, .25-06 and the like. And there have been elk wounded and lost with .300, .338, .375, .416, .425, .458, .460 and the like.

If you know how your gun shoots, and where it hits when you pull the trigger, use it with a premium bullet.

I knew guides in Alaska, when I lived up there, that would rather have someone come up there to hunt brownies with a .270 that they knew and could shoot, than a .338 that they managed to shoot a box through it since they bought it.

If you know your rifle and it's limitations, then you will do well.

Just don't get buck fever /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Hello Folks! Thought I might add a little fuel to the fire so ta speak. Well, let me just say this like a Western hero of mine might put it "Your Darn Tootin, that 25/06 will kill an elk" Yes, Old Gabby didn't mince words much on a topic.

I'll put it another way perhaps and not as suttle for some that never new George back then. One can yes hunt elk and kill it with a 25/06, better known as the "Quarter Bore". However it takes a very disciplined hunter to do so. Simply meaning you must be an experienced hunter and use a premium bullet to boot (in my opinion). Limit your shots to under 200 yards with a 120 grain (premium) bullet, on a broadside presentation and place that bullet behind the shoulders in the heart lung area. I would also avoid any neck shots or quartering shots on a big bull.

My brother in law shot over a dozen elk in his younger years, using a .243 model 70 Winchester with 100 grain bullets. He was an excellent hunter, tracker and never shot an elk over 100 yards with that rifle of his.

On a big bull, my theory is use a bigger caliber, meaning the 30-06 with a 180 grain (premium) bullet as the minimum. The .270 caliber will get the job done on cows etc, but on big mature bulls, I myself like a bigger caliber and more bullet weight for penetration through the vitals.

A mature bull elk can travel at 3 miles an hour up a steep mountain incline with a front leg gone and only one lung to breath out of, while you the hunter are lucky to do 1 mile per hour up that same trail taken by the elk. This I have seen with my own eyes, so it pays to keep all the odds of the hunt in your favor, meaning use a bigger caliber for bigger game.
 


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