Help Select My New .25 Cal. Cartridge

[Desertdoc]

So, as I am recoil sensitive and have always been infatuated with the .25 rifle cartridges, I am considering buying one.

Use would be 90% Blacktail and 10% Elk in CA.

Platform would be Remington 700 Long Range and Weatherby Vanguard RC.

Cals. considered thus far: 25-06, .257 Roberts, .257AI, and .257 Weatherby.

I handload so no problem there.

Ok, before it starts, I get that the .25's are on the small side for Elk, but I can place the shot where ever I want, yes a well placed, properly loaded projectile will do just fine. Shot placement with a cal. you can shoot is far better than a round you cannot shoot due to excessive recoil. So, that should head off 90% of that debate.

Then about post 10, I am going to add a curveball in the mix.

So, show of hands via the poll, who likes what?

Thank you all for your time.

[russ69]

The problem with 25 cal is limited bullet selection. I think even a 6.5 has more choices.

[deadcoyote]

I can only contribute I always though the .25 was a bit small for larger game. I dated a girl way back when who's dad had killed an amazing number of elk, moose, and black bear all with a .25-06.

[k1dude]

If you're recoil sensitive, you don't want a .257 Weatherby. They kick like a mule. It's basically a .375 H&H Magnum necked down to .283.

[E Michael]

other : 25 auto

[Jimmy's]

257 Weatherby is great! 25-06 Ackley is just under.
Other options are
25 Souper/308 based
250 Savage Ackley
25-284 Norma/Winchester
25 WSM is a crap shoot but the 25- 270 WSM is cool.

[heavyrecoil]

My vote's for .25-06. An extremely versatile cartridge + decent selection of guns & commercial ammo, will probably meet your particular needs as well as anything else on your list ...or, to give a real CalGuns answer, just buy one of each!

[Desertdoc]

Now the curveball...

With the upcoming switch in CA to copper projectiles in the next 2 years, how do you like the smaller and faster .25 projectiles that are at this point not advised to be driven as fast as their lead core counterparts?

[sigstroker]

You're swimming upstream with a .25. Just go .264, they're better in every way. Plus Creedmoor, etc are in short actions.

[Desertdoc]

Ok so far two saying shoot the 6.5's. I just to happen to already shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor for long-range precision. Tons of Norma brass, load data and I already know what the round will and will not do. Plenty of energy to 300 for Elk and I have no qualms about passing on shots farther than that. Not what I want to hear as I wanted something in .25, but it makes sense to stay on the Creedmoor path and build a sporting rifle.

Thank you all for your thoughts thus far.

[Divernhunter]

I have all of them but the 257AI.
For least recoil and still do the job get the 257Roberts. They just plain work and do not have much recoil.
My daughter has shoot one for years. She has taken deer, pigs and African plains game.
She has never needed more that one shot and no tracking.
In Africa she took Zebra, Red Hartebeest, Blue Wildebeest, Kudu, several Impala 6-8 warthogs at ranges from 135 to 410 rangefinder yards. All spot and stalk off sticks. The 1st four on that list are noted for taking lead and keep going. I have no doubt she could cleanly take an elk with the 257R and 120gr Swift A-Frame bullets.

I have load test dat over my chrono and for accuracy for a number of hunting bullets for all the cartridges you list(except257AI) so PM me if you would like any of it.

HANDS DOWN THE 257ROBERTS!
Even though I love my 257W and the 25-06 is good. I have taken game with all 3 and there was no real difference. Besides once you get dead then there is little more to do/want.

The 6.5's I have are great(6.5X55 and 264win mag) but the 257R kicks less. I started my daughter on hers when she was about 6 years old with reduced loads. She shot it so much, she shot the barrel out of it. I had to put a new Douglas SS barrel on it before we went to Africa. It will place 5 shots into one hole at 100 yards using hunting bullets.

[MrOrange]

paging QuarterBoreGunner....


I voted for the .257 Roberts, just because I think it's a classy cartridge and like Divernhunter said it'll get the job done. Like many other shooters, I've noticed as I get older my desire for whiz-bang Eargensplitten Loudenboomers drops precipitously.

[hambam105]

If the OP is hard on 25 caliber...

Then I'd suggest a good circa 1980s Raven chambered in 25acp and work on those mentioned brutal recoil sensitivities.

[sigstroker]

Ok so far two saying shoot the 6.5's. I just to happen to already shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor for long-range precision. Tons of Norma brass, load data and I already know what the round will and will not do. Plenty of energy to 300 for Elk and I have no qualms about passing on shots farther than that. Not what I want to hear as I wanted something in .25, but it makes sense to stay on the Creedmoor path and build a sporting rifle.

Thank you all for your thoughts thus far.

Well, that's the sensible decision.

But if your only justification for going for a .25 is "I wanna .25!", go and do it. This is America, almost. Sort of. Kinda.

That Roberts mentioned earlier sounds okay, but I would leave it at home for elk and take your Creedmoor.

[russ69]

paging QuarterBoreGunner...I voted for the .257 Roberts...

I would support that for a hunting only gun.