| .25-06 Remington | |
| Origin: | United States |
| Type: | Rifle, Hunting |
| Designer: | Remington Arms Company |
| Design Date: | 1969 |
| Manufacturer: | Remington |
| Production Date: | 1969–present |
| Parent: | .30-06[1] |
| Case Type: | Rimless, bottleneck |
| Bullet: | .257 |
| Neck: | .290 |
| Shoulder: | .441 |
| Base: | .470 |
| Rim Dia: | .473 |
| Rim Thick: | .05 |
| Case Length: | 2.494 |
| Length: | 3.250 |
| Case Capacity: | 65.8 |
| Max Pressure: | 63000 |
| Rifling: | 1 in 10inches |
| Primer: | Large rifle |
| Bw1: | 100 |
| Btype1: | PSP-CL |
| Vel1: | 3230 |
| En1: | 2316 |
| Bw2: | 115 |
| Btype2: | PSP-CL Ultra |
| Vel2: | 3000 |
| En2: | 2298 |
| Bw3: | 120 |
| Btype3: | PSP-CL |
| Vel3: | 2990 |
| En3: | 2382 |
| Test Barrel Length: | 24" |
| Balsrc: | Remington Arms [2] |
The .25-06 Remington was a wildcat cartridge for nearly half a century before being standardized by Remington in 1969.
Its design was based on the .30-06 Springfield cartridge necked-down (case opening made narrower) to .257 caliber keeping a similar cartridge length of its parent case, thus being chambered in standard-length actions. Nominal bullet diameter is 0.257 in, and bullet weights range from 75gr120gr.
Charles Newton necked down the .30-06 Springfield cartridge in 1912 to accept a 117-grain .25-35 Winchester bullet,[3] but the resulting .256 Newton cartridge did not catch on. Newton's early modification encouraged commercial release of a shortened case (from 63 to 49 mm) as the .250-3000 Savage in 1915.[4] Frankford Arsenal developed an experimental .25-06 during World War I; and distribution of surplus United States military equipment through the Civilian Marksmanship Program following the war encouraged independent gunsmiths to experiment with the cartridge.[3] A. O. Niedner of Dowagiac, Michigan, introduced rifles for the .25 Niedner in 1920.[5] Niedner Arms Corporation retained the 17° 30 .30-06 shoulder chambering .25 caliber barrels rifled with one twist in 12inches.[6] Similar cartridges were identified as the .25 Hi-Power, .25 Whelen (analogous to .35 Whelen), or .25-100-3000 (to indicate the ability to achieve 3,000 feet-per-second with a 100-grain bullet rather than the 87-grain bullet used in the .250-3000 Savage). Greater case capacity offered minimal velocity improvement over the .250-3000 Savage case with contemporary smokeless powders.[7] Availability of DuPont's Improved Military Rifle (IMR) powders encouraged commercial release of the .257 Roberts using the 57 mm Mauser case in 1934.[8] Release of IMR 4350 in 1940 and availability of surplus 4831 powder salvaged from Oerlikon 20 mm cannon cartridges after World War II greatly improved performance of the full-length .25-06 case.[9]
Most .25-caliber bullets have high ballistic coefficients without being heavy, which, combined with the large case capacity of its parent .30-06 case, allows relatively high muzzle velocities without heavy recoil. The combination of high ballistic coefficients with high muzzle velocities gives the .25-06 a very flat trajectory as well as retaining kinetic energy down-range.
The cartridge is capable of propelling a 117 grain (7.6 g) bullet at up to 3,200 feet per second (980 m/s) and energy levels up to 2500ft.lbf. Bullets lighter than 75 grains are available in .257 caliber but were designed for the smaller .25-20 Winchester and .25-35 Winchester cartridges and are too lightly constructed for the high velocities of the .25-06.
The cartridge has less felt recoil than a .30-06 in a similar-weight rifle, due to the lighter-weight bullets used. Shooters who are recoil sensitive will find the recoil from the .25-06 easier on the shoulder, contributing to good shot placement. This cartridge is not quite as powerful as the .257 Weatherby Magnum, usually running 200- slower with a given bullet weight, but almost 200 ft/s faster than the .257 Roberts at its hottest loads (i.e. .257 Roberts +P).[10]
SAAMI pressure limit for the .25-06 is 63,000 PSI.
The .25-06 is generally considered to be a good round for medium-sized game such as deer and antelope because of its combination of substantial kinetic energy and moderate recoil. The addition of a flat trajectory makes it particularly popular in open terrains such as plains and mountains, where longer-range shots on game are not seldom, since its flat trajectory forgives range-estimation errors up to 300 yards if sighted to its maximum point blank range.
Bullets of different weights and construction make the .25-06 Remington a fine alternative for hunting species ranging from prairie dogs and coyotes to mid-sized deer and sheep. Although capable of taking heavier game such as elk, many hunters prefer a larger caliber and a heavier bullet for larger species.
Bullets range from lightly constructed 75-grain bullets with muzzle velocities in the 3,700 ft/s (1,130 m/s) range to more robust 120-grain bullets with muzzle velocities in the 3,000 ft/s (915 m/s) range. Most manufacturers of bolt-action or single-shot rifles offer the .25-06 as a standard chambering and factory loaded ammunition is available from Remington, Winchester, Federal Cartridge and most other major manufacturers.