25-06 vs. 280

[shootsome]

Not on your list, but a lot of folks use .270s. Pretty much splits the differance if your undecided. Lots of ammo and components available.

A guy in my party used one on an antelope hunt a few years ago, with good success, very accurate, minimal recoil.

I just pressed my .300 mag elk rifle into service with 150gr BTs. Just a bit of overkill, but it worked.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Well!!!
I was going to say a 7MM RUM but the 280 AI seems to be the cartrige of choice. So all I can say about that is (I want one) I will be hunting prarie goats with a 30-378 because I can only take so many rifles afield
and it will back me up for mule deer and cow elk but sometimes I can only aspire to greatness. Wait a minute. I'm trying to buy a Ruger #1 in 450 Lott. I will have the perfect antelope rifle. I will just need to get closer. Much closer!! I wish I could use all the calibers I have now but, I cant spend that much time hunting because I'm still working. I guess I'll just get a bigger gun safe. Then I can buy more guns :grin:
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

 

[roysclockgun]

280 of those two, would be my choice. 280 is much more versatile. 280 should be the choice of a one rifle hunter, way over only owning one rifle that is chambered for the 25-06. The 7mm bullets of the 280 are superb flyers and very accurate at all ranges. 280 can be loaded down to create less recoil and meat damage, when those are called for. Conversely, 25-06 cannot be loaded up to perform like a 280.
My own personal choice, now that I have tried to get down to only one hunting rifle, is 7mmRemMag.

 

[nomosendero]

which would you pick for a dedicated deer and antelope rifle? Why?

Sometimes when the thread gets over a page long we lose track of the question.

 

[cloverleaf]

Well- not saying that the 25-05 will out due the 280, but IMHO we will never know the difference because there arent as many bullet options for the .25. I have a 25-06 on Lay-away and Dad has been shooting a 7MAG for 40 years. Both of those options will killl a deer dead as a doornail. and likely an ELK although I would be vey careful with the 25 and would take the 7 if available. Theres another thread going on around the board as to whether or not the 7mm-08 is enough to kill an elk. Dont know how that compares to the 280? Again I have an affinity for the .25's cause I shoot a 250-3000 Savage. Until I see an 85 or 90 GR AccuBond or Partition in 25 we wont know all it is capable of either. Good conversation but we are comparing an apple to a slightly smaller apple. Both are sweet! CL

 

[jtoews80]

Well, as the question was: which would make a better designated deer/antelope rifle? the 25-06. I think highly of both rounds, however the velocity advantage under 500 yds is hands down to the 25. If you are going farther with a 280, I doubt you're using a conventional hunting rig.
I think that is great too, but it's a different take on how one hunts.

Personally, I'm a 6.5mm guy. I would think that a 6.5-06 or 6.5-06AI would be great for deer & antelope, and Elk with a 140 grn PT. That is me, I love my 264 wm's. I have one and should be finished building a second target/Varmint rig this fall. I'll have to find a better deer load for the 264 before I can call it a perfect deer round, something a bit less destructive.

A 6.5-06 or 264, well you have to handload for it or it's not worth it.

Back to the 25-06 & 280. I've shot perhaps a box of 25-06 and mayber 5 rounds from my brother's sako 280. The 280 seems alot like the old 7X57 mauser(souped up a little), a mild disposition, but a very versitile, potent round. Th 25-06 is also a serious deer rifle, accurate, no recoil, flat shooting. Both will work fine, just depends on you. I know I can't outrun either of them.

CC.

 

[jtoews80]

Looked a little closer at the BC's, the 25-06 would lose out around 275 yds, not 500. 6.5-06 with 130 AB, BC.488 @ 3100fps could be pretty lethal.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

25-06 w/115g NBT or .280 w/140g NBT will both kill deer 2x farther then the average joe can shoot. I woudln't worry about either one as both are fantastic deer rounds. I prefer the 25-06 out to 500-600 yards or so, but after that, the higher BC of the 7mm bore starts to take over so would go with it if your planning on shooting much over 600.

 

[FOTIS]

As I stated before if elk is in the equation then by all means go 280.
That said I must declare that I have killed more big game animals with the 25-06 than any other cartridge.