270 Winchester, 6.5-06, or 25-06 Fast Twist Deer Rifle

[Mike Matteson]

280 Remington....didnt mention that in the title. Please let it go, not interested, no interest, dont care, no 7mm no 280 no 280 AI so just to recap because we want to stay on track - fast twist 25-06, 6.5-06, 270 Winchester....no 7mm no 8mm no 6mm

Look at the case dimensions on the 280AI case to the 270 case. I am not saying 280AI rifle but a 270/280AI set up. there a little more room for powder in the case, and with going to heaver bullet I would think that would help. I looking at setting up 25/280AI case for possibilities. I think you can fire form the case from other 06,270,25/06, 7mm and a couple of other. It's the case, not the caliber. Yes you would have to have a reamer built for that. I looking converting a few of my rifles to 280AI case, but in different calibers. Presently I have 6mm/280AI chambering rifle being built.

 

[TX Badger]

I have not had trouble picking up .257 bullets, but I am a little south of you so... If you already have your elk/larger game setups the 25-06 seems like the obvious answer.

-One thought on the AIs- if you can get what you need for the initial setup, brass life will be longer so you will not need to restock as frequently and you can still shoot factory 25-06 ammo in a pinch.

-3000 fps in with the 133 is very conservative, just a thought if you are comparing ballistics

-You said recoil is not a concern, but why take on more when it is not necessary, you have bigger cartridges for that work.

-High BC has been the trend for 15-20 years now. I think we will only see more heavy for caliber selections in all calibers if the supply chain ever normalizes

-the only negative I can see is barrel life if this is going to be a higher volume rifle and you are concerned about having to source a new barrel where you live.

 

[65WSM]

6.5 - 06 Ackley will produce velocity on a par or above 6.5 PRC and just below 6.5 WSM. Use .25/06 cases and you won't have to turn the necks. Reloader 26 is remarkably temperature stable and will produce velocities like 3170 fps with the 143 Berger Hunting with long case life. A personal communication with the trainer and top active US Army shooter, who is a member of our range club, said the 143 Berger Hunting is the most accurate bullet he has ever worked with.

 

[19elkhunter51]

For my two cents, the heavy 25-06 would be the one. I am very strongly prejudiced towards the 25-06 because the one that I have shots .385 or less for five shots at a 100. If I was going to rebarrel (not any time soon) I would get a faster twist to shoot the 133 grain hammer. In my experience, the 25-06 is no worse than any other caliber when it comes to barrel life. Not cleaning and rapid shots with no cool down will burn up any barrel. Little bit of care goes a long way towards a long barrel life.

 

[pburton]

I have a 6.5-06 and really have enjoyed it. Plenty of bullet options and hammers deer. That would be my pick.

 

[California hog hunter]

I live in California so I shoot non lead bullets only. I had a 25-06 shooting 100gr barnes ttsx. It shot great and was a deer killer. I then decided I wanted a 6.5 so I built a 6.5-06 off of the 25. I shoot 120gr maker bullets at 3314 fps. I came across a bunch of 270 brass and haven't ever had problems getting bullets from Paul. On game the maker bullets are awesome. I have shot 270 also but before I was a hand loader. If I was going to build something today using your requirements definitely 6.5-06. I did like the 25 but with my bullet options and availability 6.5-06 is a lot better.

 

[Lionel Boyd Johnson]

Sooooo stuck on this, I have a stock, a trigger, and a 06 length action, looking to install a fast twist 26" barrel for long range shooting and deer. I have a custom 300 for elk works, and a 35 Whelen for a timber rifle, looking at 3 long range options, no I do not want a 6.5 CM or PRC ! not interested, but have an associate with a long range 270 win with the new 170 grain berger. Handloads are mid 2900 fps (very impressive!) and he also has a 25-06 fast twist shooting the new 133 grain Bergers at 3000 fps. The ballistics are quite amazing with these slippery bullets, brass is available and standard, even the 6.5-06 is easy enough to work with.......stuck on cartridge selection. Thoughts? and hoping for gents who have these rifles.

I vote for the 6.5-06. Plenty of excellent hunting and target bullets available. Not so many for .270 or 25-06.

 

[73driver]

I went through this about 12 years ago. Shot a fun local match 600/700/800/900/1000 yards course of fire. Used my REM700 BDL 270WIN with a 3-9 scope. Had fun and did manage some 10 rings at the 1000 yard line. I soon decided to have a rifle built for hunting and this shoot. At the time the 6.5-284 was getting popular but I opted for the 270WIN. I chose the 270 because it was the easy way to go. Using 140 grain Bergers out of a 24" heavy sporter Lilja barrel worked great in a HSPrecision Varmint stock. Shooting in a 60 round prone match I would be a bit sore by the finish of the shoot. For long range matches a milder cartridge would be better, shame to wear out an accurate hunting rig just ringing steel or punching the 10X ring.

 

[choprzrul]

I've been hashing this out lately myself. I finally settled on an early Ruger #1 in 25-06 with the 26" barrel.

I'm planning on using Hammer's 90gr Absolute bullets. It would appear, by all accounts, that getting 3700fps from that bullet in a 26" barrel should be very reasonable.

Where I deer hunt, it's quite unlikely to have any shots past 500 yards, so that is where I calc max distances for my personal use. At 3700fps, that 90gr should be like a laser beam....

 

[mbse20]

I rebarreled a 30-06 wirh a 8 twist 270WSM barrel last year and am happy with it so far. Not to many problems finding bullets or brass. Eldx, tgk, bergers. Plenty of room in the mag to seat them out

 

[mulie]

YUP,. ^^^ either, .280 and .280 Ai are, great "Choices" for, sure !
Sweet,.. 7 MM BC's !

 

[Montucky Roamer]

Sooooo stuck on this, I have a stock, a trigger, and a 06 length action, looking to install a fast twist 26" barrel for long range shooting and deer. I have a custom 300 for elk works, and a 35 Whelen for a timber rifle, looking at 3 long range options, no I do not want a 6.5 CM or PRC ! not interested, but have an associate with a long range 270 win with the new 170 grain berger. Handloads are mid 2900 fps (very impressive!) and he also has a 25-06 fast twist shooting the new 133 grain Bergers at 3000 fps. The ballistics are quite amazing with these slippery bullets, brass is available and standard, even the 6.5-06 is easy enough to work with.......stuck on cartridge selection. Thoughts? and hoping for gents who have these rifles.

If it was my choice, (and it kinda is cuz I have a model 70 30/06 laying around I'm thing about rebarreling also) I'd go with the fast twist 25-06.
I'd do the Ackley version myself mainly cuz I hate trimming brass.
And a HUGE reason for that is looking for bullets...there are far more Berger 25 Cal available than most other. They may make wayyyy more 6.5 but they disappear instantly. 25s have been hanging around. So I'd buy a few hundred or so bullets of a couple weights, and THEN start the build. Maybe even gamble and buy way more bullets first. Can always sell em.

 

[RidgeTop]

Every time I visit my gunsmith he want's to build a 6.5-06 for me..

 

[slm9s]

6.5 - best blend of bullet choices, bc, recoil, energy, etc