I need a lightweight 25-06

I think I have it narrowed down to the Browning and the Tikka. I was thinking Kimber as well but they might be out of my desired spending limit.

Troy, how much does the longer barrel effect performance in the 25? I can't shoot for crap so I need all the help I can get...lol
 
For all intents it doesn't. You lose a little top end fps but if you're shooting factory you're way below potential anyway, probably no appreciable loss. If you can't shoot, extra fps just makes you miss faster
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I would try to stay with at least a 24" barrel on the 25-06. Any less than that and I don't believe your giving the cartridge the chance to earn its own reputation.
 
Originally Posted By: NdIndyFor all intents it doesn't. You lose a little top end fps but if you're shooting factory you're way below potential anyway, probably no appreciable loss. If you can't shoot, extra fps just makes you miss faster
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Sounds right, probably losing about 75 fps with factory loads in 22" barrel.
If you get a 22" then Winchester loads some decent bullets with lubalox coating that is beneficial in maintaining fps, Federal produces some good loads with fps comparable in 22" barrels.

Sometimes Tikka offers unpublished dealer deals in a few deer calbers with 24" barrels. I know currently Hunter wood stock version are available in .270 7mm-08, .308, .300.
I often see some when I look at Superlight and Boar hunter at Cabelas or Sportsmans Warehouse.
 
The 100 grain Hornady load that shoots @3350 fps in my 24 inch Savage gets 3300 in my father-in-law's 22 inch Savage. Not enough to worry over.
 
Yeah, these guys are right. You won't lose much performance, but I like all I can get. Plus, I just don't really like the way the shorter barrel handles. The 24" barrel on my 8400 seems perfect to me, so that's what I shop for. Performance-wise, no deer/hog/javelina/coyote is going to tell the difference between the 22" and 24" barrels.

I've been thinking of a .25-06 myself, but I'm leaning towards a barrel for my Encore to complement my muzzleloader barrel.
 
I have never owned one but I noticed recently the TC icon comes in 25/06 and has a 24" barrel. Can't remember at the moment but it was fairly light. Has decent reputation.
 
Oh, I have had some spectacular misses at insanely fast speeds. For some reason a flat, straight flying flying bullet still seems to miss the target with me pulling the trigger.

I will hand load so perhaps I can milk that little extra performance out of the shorter barrels.

I do appreciate all the input. Now I need to go fondle a few to see which one fits best. Sounds like there are some good ones.
 
My first choice would be and was a Sako 75 S/S. Thought my Weatherby MarkV action was smooth 'till I worked the bolt on the Sako. Shoots anything I run through it into Sub-MOA groups.
 
Originally Posted By: ninehorsesRemington 700 CDL, bought my beautiful daughter a pretty rifle. It shoots good too! She picked the caliber. 25-06

I'm with nine horse... CDL's are slick rifles!
 
Quote:Remington 700 CDL

I will echo that as well. I got one season before last for deer, with a pronghorn hunt in mind as well.

This is a 4 shot group from my factory Rem. 700 cdl with a 24 inch barrel.

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So far, everything I have shot with it I saw fall. If not in their tracks, they didn't leave my sight.

First blood with it was a hog.

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The pronghorn was 350 and the hog this week was about 60.

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Great shooting YH...I think the 24" barrel is a perfect length for the .25-06, the Sako 75 has a 23-3/8" and it shoots and handles great.

Nice porker
 
My very first centerfire rifle was a Remington 700 Varmint Special in .25-06. I still have it but don't shoot it much anymore as the farms have gotten smaller where I now live.

Mine has the heavy barrel but it doesn't bother me to carry it. I really like that CDL Yellowhammer has, that's a nice group. Very good selling point. My rifle has a Krieger barrel now and will shoot 5 shots that you can cover with a dime, if I do my part.

Everyone should own at least one .25-06, great cartridge.
 
What about a Weatherby ultralight in 25-06? I picked mine up for less then your budget and have been really happy with it. It seems like the perfect balence between easy to carry and too light.
 
I also believe in getting the most out of the .25-06 by using a longer barrel ...... I wish more manufacturers thought that way as well.

We can want it but we don't always get it that way:

I have a Marlin XL-7 in the cartridge and it's a 22" barrel. A coyote last spring underestimated the purported velocity loss however!

I was busy on a project and about to finnish when my wife called me and asked me to come over to where she was hiking with our ranch/cattle dogs and KILL a coyote that was giving her fits. It seems our dogs and this coyote were not observing the day ...... Easter Sunday in a Christian way! And because of this, my wife could not finnish her track to gather trail camera data! We had a STANDOFF!

So, I packed up my Marlin and buzzed over there by truck.

Now, I had been missing some coyotes lately and needed to put the rifle on paper and verify or dismiss my suscpicion that it was shooting over them at reasonable ranges. But I had not done that yet.

So when I get there, the coyote was backed up a pretty fair piece. I was a little miffed because my project was dependent on not having wind and I was just sure I was going to get "blown out" by losing the time messing with this errant coyote that's facing me head on!

So, I get my Marlin .25-06 and while guessing range and how much this rifle was shooting high ........ I launch one.

At once my wife errupts into laughter and informs me I "cut him off mid-howl"!

The long story shortened: I hit between the shoulders (he's still head on) and blow one lung to bits ....... the Speer 87 gr. HP TNT ....... is fine a fine coyote scrambler ....... if you like them scrambled! And I do!

We marked the location and back home triangulated on Google Earth ...........

......... 435 yds.

I don't phoo phoo a 22" barrel anymore.

Three 44s
 
I have finally chosen.

Tikka T3 stainless.

Now, where to find one? None of our local shops or big box carries them. Any advice on where to get one? I have never bought a gun online.
 
Good choice! Great Caliber.

Check with a few of your local gun shops, they should be able to get one from their distributor in a few days. If you go gunbroker you will need a local FFL to ship it to and do the paper work unless its a seller in state and you want to take a drive.
 
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