How effective is the 25-06 with either of these bullets?

[CBH Australia]

I was first introduced to to SST bullets by a RSA outfitter. They hand loaded the SST for their 7mm mag rental rifles (Sako w/ Swaro glass). I believe they were 162 gr. My daughter and I had several one shot kills on PG (two kudu, two nyala, two impala, blesbok and zebra). Typically didn't get a pass through, but couldn't argue with the results. I was so impressed with the SST and was also attracted to the high BC, that I tried the Hornady Superformance 130 gr SST in my 270. They were very accurate, so I used that ammo on my Yukon Dall Sheep hunt. Another one shot kill, this one at 234 yards.

In my opinion, the SST bullet is a good one, when used in the right size caliber for the job. I have done a lot of elk hunting and for many years used a 7mm mag. The last few years, I've carried my 338 WM, with Swift A Frames. My Montana elk outfitter lists the 270 as the minimum rifle caliber to carry.

No experience with .25-06 myself but believe it is fast flat and capable.
I hired a similar outfit that 375 Ruger fan did. I shot Kudu Bull, Kudu cow and Blue Wildebeeste. The Wildebeest took a short run but that could be shot placement. But it was dead down and dead when we rounded the corner. All one shot kills with that rifle. 7mm Hornady SST projectiles.
My outfitters sister in law has 2 good size Kudu on display taken with a .25-06, I didn’t ask the details. Just pretty impressed her trophies were on display in the home but not the husbands. Her home really she is an architect so I imagine she had a lot, of input in the design, maybe she skied him. It’s on the game reserve so they live there.
Elk? No idea they are pretty big.
It doesn’t seem like SST is getting a lot of support for elk in the .25 and maybe rightly so.
I do suggest premium projectiles when possible I buy various premium projectiles for different purposes.
I also remember that soft point Bullets have been doing the job for years. They have varying purpose and construction but a soft point Hunting bullet was designed to the game and still works.
My first impressions of my 7mm-08 were with Winchester factory loads shooting pigs and foxes after sighting in. 139gn Hornady sp I believe. They work that kill things and seemed to be quite effective reminding me that a good soft point does do the job.
I won’t suggest others don’t work as I have tried a few and will continue to do so. I suggested Barnes 110gn for low recoils in a .308 after a lot of reading . It seems that will still work at lower impact velocities. I’ve tried Outer Edge and others.
If in doubt I would not hunt with them. The cost is getting there whether it’s down the rd or further afield.
Sounds like a no is the general consensus for the .25cal sst.

 

[Bruce]

My older son uses local ammo, 120g soft points and very successful on kudu, gemsbok and smaller antelope.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Of the two options given in the OP my choice would be the traditional cup & core 120 grain bullet.

Fortunately here in the USA we have plenty more optionsin .257 hunting projectiles. I've been particularly impressed with the .257 110 grain Nosler Accubond from my .25-06 in both flight (G1 BC = .418) and terminal ballistics. Underwood loads this at 3250 fps published muzzle velocity.

https://www.underwoodammo.com/colle...osler-accubond-spitzer?variant=18785712242745

 

[One Day...]

No experience with the SST in .25-06, but in a relevant side note, I had 16 1 shot kills with the 100 gr TTSX in the .257 Wby on plains game in 2019 from Vaal Rhebok to Roan. Every shot was double lung behind the shoulder, every shot was a pass through, and every shot was instantly fatal with zero move by the animal.

I was absolutely amazed at the lethality of this load. See https://www.africahunting.com/threa...ill-safaris-even-better-than-last-year.52376/

Back in Arizona a friend of mine used that rifle and load for his sons to shoot two elks (one bull and one cow) and they had the same results.

I had hesitated a lot prior to the trip between the 100 gr TTSX and the 120 gr Nosler Partition, and I had analyzed that 95% weight retention with the 100 gr TTSX (i.e. 95 gr) would penetrate better and deeper than 60% weight retention with the 120 gs NP (i.e. 72 gr). I would expect the same reasoning to hold true with the 117 gr SST or plain jane SP.

I know that the .25-06 flies a little slower than the .257 Wby (mine clocks 3,570 fps with the Wby factory 100 gr TTSX load, and this may have something to do with its effectiveness) but I would nonetheless think that the 100 gr TTSX at 3,250 fps out of a .52-06 would be absolutely deadly on deer, black bear, pronghorn, etc. and on elk too with well placed shots. I would not shoot an elk length wise with it, but I would have no issue whatsoever with a shoulder or double lung shot.

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[Ray B]

I have used Hornady bullets in .257 and any of the 100-120 grain bullets were fine for deer but too lightly constructed for elk, other than possibly a spike with a broadside shot. For deer one of my favorites was the now discontinued 120 gr hollowpoint. It's performance of deer was very similar to the old Winchester OPE 130gr 270 bullets. These were fired from a 257 Ackley so performance was very close to a 25-06.

 

[CoElkHunter]

This thread has really been enlightening! I no longer have to ponder about which rifle or caliber I should bring to Africa to hunt PG and go through all the expense and airline hassle to bring a firearm into Africa? I’m sure every African Safari concession and their cousin would have a rifle which shoots at least a 100gr bullet or larger for rent? Maybe even a Savage .250-3000 (apparently stout enough for everything in Africa?) One logistical problem solved! Thanks!

 

[Rick Cox]

This web site has Terminal Ballistic information on most cartridges. You will find the discussion around projectiles for the 25-06 interesting.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.25-06+Remington.html

 

[brettp]

I am having a debate with a mate downunder as to the 25-06 performance with the below factory loads.

On a bull Elk say broadside in the middle of the shoulder? I am interested in the personal results of the Wapiti hunters.

Hornady superformance
117 GR SST

Or

Federal
117 GR Soft Point

Those are both really soft bullets. I am a big hornady defender and I happen to think that the SST is useless on anything larger than a deer. I have had terrible pentratrabtion even on Hartebeest sized game with a 338 and 225gr bullets.

 

[Tbitty]

This thread has really been enlightening! I no longer have to ponder about which rifle or caliber I should bring to Africa to hunt PG and go through all the expense and airline hassle to bring a firearm into Africa? I’m sure every African Safari concession and their cousin would have a rifle which shoots at least a 100gr bullet or larger for rent? Maybe even a Savage .250-3000 (apparently stout enough for everything in Africa?) One logistical problem solved! Thanks!

COElk- unless you have a big reason to tale your own firearm, I would encourage using a rental/loaner for any Plains Game hunt. Your PH wants you to he sucessful, and as such will provide an accurate rifle and ammo suitable to the task at hand. My PH provided me a Ruger American .308 that I enjoyed so much that I bought one when I came back.

 

[DHH45]

Can't help you with either of those loads. I have shot a 25-06 since 1976. Burnt the bbl out of my 1st one. Shot a bunch of Deer and a bunch of Black Bear with it. Have shot 9 Elk with 120gr. Nosler Part. None made it to 100yds. All single shots except for 2 who stuck around long enough for a second. Most of the Deer and Bear were Win 120gr PEP.

 

[Ryan]

Sir, I'm pretty certain @CoElkHunter was in a facetious mood at that moment. Very facetious.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Sir, I'm pretty certain @CoElkHunter was in a facetious mood at that moment. Very facetious.

Ryan,
Yes, I was being kind of/a lot facetious with my post. I’ve used a .270 Winchester with 130gr bullets for pronghorn and deer for many years. I’ve never considered using anything of a smaller caliber or bullet weight for animals of that size. I guess I was mistaken with reading here about the success of hunters using smaller calibers and bullets? I need to rethink this entire PG hunting rifle caliber choice? I’ve read a lot of threads/posts here on African PG hunting rifle choices, and many have suggested .30 and up with MANY magnum calibers suggested. Yet, some hunters are using .25 with 100gr bullets? Apparently, there’s no need for anything in any magnum caliber for PG and certainly no need for a CRF actioned rifle (heavier) for PG? For me, I believe a rented rifle and ammo is the way to go?
CEH

 

[Ray B]

It's about getting sufficient damage to an organ that is immediately necessary for the life of the animal. To cause damage to the specific organ generally requires making access through skin, muscle, fat, bone and "other" matter. Since the impediments to the vital organ vary from animal to animal as well as the animal's state of mind varying amounts and types of bullet/energy are needed. Each cartridge has it's parameters of excellence and also it's limits of ability, so depending on the users expectations and accepted limits several cartridges will be acceptable.

 

[CoElkHunter]

COElk- unless you have a big reason to tale your own firearm, I would encourage using a rental/loaner for any Plains Game hunt. Your PH wants you to he sucessful, and as such will provide an accurate rifle and ammo suitable to the task at hand. My PH provided me a Ruger American .308 that I enjoyed so much that I bought one when I came back.

Yes, thanks for this information. I’ve decided this is probably the right choice for me. I’ll leave my .270 or .338 at home and continue to use them for big game here.

 

[Dr Ray]

I am debating a friend that says Yes,I believe myself that they are a NO and he will get the input of the AH members rammed lol.

Depends if you’re using factory or hand loaded ammo.

 

[One Day...]

It's about getting sufficient damage to an organ that is immediately necessary for the life of the animal. To cause damage to the specific organ generally requires making access through skin, muscle, fat, bone and "other" matter. Since the impediments to the vital organ vary from animal to animal as well as the animal's state of mind varying amounts and types of bullet/energy are needed. Each cartridge has it's parameters of excellence and also it's limits of ability, so depending on the users expectations and accepted limits several cartridges will be acceptable.

I entirely agree, and I think that we can safely add that each BULLET has it's parameters of excellence and also it's limits of ability, so depending on the users expectations and accepted limits several cartridges will be acceptable.

There was a time when state-of-the-art military cartridges launched .45 cal 405 gr lead slugs...

Many, of which I am one, believe that the M193 5.56x45 (a.k.a. .223 Rem) 55 gr cartridge was probably a bridge too far from the .45 cal 405 gr 45-70 Government, but few would argue that the .30-06 and 7.62x51 (a.k.a. .308) were not worthy evolutionary steps.

So, I shake my head when someone touts the .458 Lott 400 gr as a great PG cartridge, or when a young South African PH extols the virtues of the .222 Rem as a deadly Kudu round - which, by the way, it absolutely is, but only under BEST case scenario - but the .25-06 (and .27-06 or .28-06, better known as .270 Win and .280 Rem) are in a different category altogether...

And then the bullet...

I was for over 30 years an unwavering proponent of the "heaviest Nosler Partition available in the caliber" when Nosler Partition were the ONLY premium bullet readily available in factory loaded ammo (Federal Premium and Weatherby to be specific), and then even the Partition lost typically 40% of their weight when their front core disintegrated in explosive expansion (by design).

The bonding revolution (preferably partition bonding, i.e. A Frame) and controlled expansion hollow point mono-metal revolution (e.g. TTSX, GMS, ETip, etc.) changed all that.

My 2019 PG safari, referred in the above post, with the .25 cal 100 gr TTSX was undertaken to prove to myself that my analysis was correct, i.e. within generally similar sectional density and ballistic coefficient, a .25 cal 100 gr TTSX that retains 95% weight and penetrates with 95 gr is just as lethal as a traditional .30 cal 180 gr cup & core that looses 50% of its weight and penetrates with 90 gr, or even a Partition .30 cal 180 gr that looses 40% of its weight and penetrates with 110 gr . I am personally satisfied that this is true.

Regarding rifles for hire, keep in mind that it also means ammo for hire...

To me a huge part of the pleasure of the hunt is to use my own rifle(s). So far, the hassles of international flights with firearms have not (yet?) discouraged me. To each their own...

Regarding the cartridge discussion, keep in mind that quite often South African PMP or Serbian PPU ammo will be in camp, both very reliable ammo, but loaded with traditional cup & core bullets, so I would NOT expect a .25-06 PMP or PPU cartridge to deliver the performance of a Barnes Vortex .25-06 cartridge, because they do not launch the same generation of bullet technology. This "detail" is critical....

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Well you never can tell what some people might do. This photo is from Lyman's Guide to Big Game Cartridges and Rifles by Edward Matunas, published December 1993, page 34. It's an impressive (at least to me and the author) crocodile the caption says was bagged with a .25-06 Remington. Doesn't give much more detail than a couple of names. No load, projectile, or rifle specifics, and no specific date or geographic location. Maybe someone here with wider knowledge than me can intelligently comment on the people named in the caption as well as other details?

.25-06 Remington vs

• Mr. Zorg
• May 31, 2020

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Behind the AH logo second line starts with "Susan Piven using a .25-06 Remington". The gentleman's name is Nigel Theison. Not early 20th century but still 20th century.

 

[JimP]

But with hunting crocs the idea is to take a brain shot where precision is needed more than sheer energy

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Which is my general preference hunting anything thus far. Bang-flop CNS shots. And I've been pleased with the performance of my .25-06 Remington rifle thus far.

Do you reckon that croc was brain shot for eradication or for meat, and the photo op was coincidental?