25-06 or 30-06??? Undecided

[NEUT6899]

Thinking about shooting my new Ruger 25-06 instead of the Savage 30-06.. Kind of brushy where i hunt but i wouldn't be shooting over 50 yards... Whats everyone think?? Shooting 117 grain for the 25-06...Leaving in 2 hours and still undecided which one to take...

[mainbutter]

The question I always ask myself is "why NOT a particular gun?"

I'm more relaxed shooting a bigger caliber, because that's what I learned to shoot when I was in Alaska. I think that YOU think both guns would work just fine, go with whatever you have the most experience with/are most comfortable with.

I'd be taking the 30-06, because I've never shot a 25-06

[bogwalker]

.25 Caliber or .30 Caliber? 30-06 If you are in the woods.

[Boar]

If I was in the woods it'd be the 30 06 in open type country the 25 06

[JeffB]

For a 50 yd shot both are very capable guns. As long as both guns shoot well grab the one that you feel like shooting. Or heck bring them both.

[jay83196]

06 heavier bullet better if hit brush...

[NEUT6899]

BOTH IT IS!!!! I AM OUTTA HERE!!!!

[Black_Bay]

You're probably already chosen and on the road but my choice would be the .30-06, especially at 50 yards. I'd be concerned that the smaller .25 caliber bullet would pass through without much expansion at that range and velocity. A 180 grain .30-06 at 50 yards would be a better choice in my mind. If you were talking 200 yard shots I'd say the .25 but at 50 yards it's the .30-06.

[NoWiser]

I actually would be worried about the opposite happening. With that light bullet and those velocities in the 25-06, I would be worried about the bullet completely blowing up on contact unless it was loaded with a Barnes. Between those I would absolutely choose the 30-06 for close range. If it was in the wide open and you needed a flatter shooting rifle and the bullet had a chance to slow down a bit, I'd probably go with the 25-06.

[walleye365]

25-06 it would be but thats what i shoot and have for over 10 years and iv shot deer from 10 to 275yds.

[NEUT6899]

Well i took both of them with me but pulled the 25 out of the case on opening morning. At 9:40am i see a spike about 50 yards behind me working my way. Let him get about 30 yards out and folded him where he stood. Very pleased with the outcome..

[fishuhalik]

Good choice! Been shooting one for 11 years and it's killed em dead every time. If you ask me, on smaller, thin-skinned critters like deer, the 25 has more knock down power and is more forgiving with a poorly placed shot than larger calibers. There's never been a deer with a shoulder thick enough to stop a 3500 fps 117 gr bullet, and even if you hit too far back the shockwave of the immediate expansion of energy should destroy enough non-vitals and ripple up to the vitals to do the job. Check YouTube for videos of different calibers being shot into ballistic gels and you'll see what I mean. It's absolutely devastating!