New Rifle Suggestion

[RockChuck]

I am looking for a new rifle I live in Eastern Wa I need to hunt Mule deer and Elk with this rifle I am currently hunting deer with a 25-06 I want something a little bigger and still shoot flat at distance what are your suggestions?? Thank You.

[CAMPMEAT]

308

[Huntbear]

300 wsm.  Will knock elk down at 400 yds.  Shoots very flat.  

[Bob33]

A 25-06 is just about perfect for mule deer!  I can't suggest anything better unless you want to step up to some serious recoil like a 300 RUM.  A 25-06 is on the light side for elk, although with good bullets and good placement it's fine. It has killed lots and lots of elk.  A 30-06 is tough to beat for an all around caliber if you want to go up a notch.  However, your 25-06 is simply a 30-06 case necked down to shoot a smaller bullet.

You'll hear lots of recommendation in the 270/7mm range.  All good, but really not buying you a whole lot more than what your 25-06 will do with the right load.

[RockChuck]

 Also looking for a bullet drop graph of different calibers.

[high country]

boy, you need to get into the super magnums to shoot flatter then a 25-06. any of the 7, 308, 338s will be an increase in energy.....how bad do you want it o buck, or do you want a heavy gun?

[Phantom Gobbler]

Would not rule out a 300 Win Mag either.  Recoil is managable in most rifles.  Good long range for Mulies or Elk.
 

[Skyvalhunter]

take a look at the .270

[ICEMAN]

take a look at the .270

For deer and elk; 300 RUM.

[RockChuck]

Not looking for flatter just a heavier bullet for elk and close to as flat, I have a 308, been thinking 300 0r 30-06. or am I not gaining enough with 30-06?

[Bob33]

Not looking for flatter just a heavier bullet for elk and close to as flat, I have a 308, been thinking 300 0r 30-06. or am I not gaining enough with 30-06?

A 30-06 is a 308 plus 100-150 ft/second.  Not too many elk will notice that.  If I were you I'd find a good load your 308 likes, practice with it, and take your wife out for a nice dinner with the money you'll save.

[high country]

my ref to 308 was purely for bore diameter. I would choose a weight you want to carry, a weight you wish to shoot and start from there. the gains get pretty slim pretty fast once you pass the 75ish grains of case capacity in 308 dia.

[high country]

Not looking for flatter just a heavier bullet for elk and close to as flat, I have a 308, been thinking 300 0r 30-06. or am I not gaining enough with 30-06?

A 30-06 is a 308 plus 100-150 ft/second.  Not too many elk will notice that.  If I were you I'd find a good load your 308 likes, practice with it, and take your wife out for a nice dinner with the money you'll save.

x2

[ICEMAN]

....  If I were you I'd find a good load your 308 likes, practice with it, and take your wife out for a nice dinner with the money you'll save.

If I were you, I would find a nice fancy new rifle that will make you feel like a new man. Your  wife will definitely like you better for it... 

[RockChuck]

My wife just got a new laptop what is a safe distance you would say a 308 will make a clean kill? I am comfortable shooting out to 4-500 yards with my 250-06 but think the 308 comes up a little short, am I wrong?

[dscubame]

30-378 you cannot go wrong.

[high country]

My wife just got a new laptop what is a safe distance you would say a 308 will make a clean kill? I am am comfortable shooting out to 4-500 yards with my 250-06 but think the 308 comes up a little short, am I wrong?

yes. spend the loot on a good scope and lots of ammo. with practice you can be deadly to ranges nobody thinks a 308win can go anymore.

[Bob33]

My wife just got a new laptop what is a safe distance you would say a 308 will make a clean kill? I am comfortable shooting out to 4-500 yards with my 250-06 but think the 308 comes up a little short, am I wrong?

At what distance are you confident of hitting a 8" circle every time on the first shot, under field conditions?  There's your answer! 

I would guess that 99% of the shooting population will run out of accuracy before running out of sufficient energy.

[RockChuck]

So would you suggest I carry the 308 over the 25-06 for deer also?? My 25-06 has a heavy bull barrel and wide stock, it gets quite heavy after carrying it all day and hard to keep steady offhand.

[high country]

the art of rifle is not about buying a round so fast you do not have to ever worry about holdover. it matters not if it is a 300rum, 30-378 roy.....or 308, wind is what is gonna kick you butt. take a rifle you like to carry, shoot it at the distances you want to shoot and use a bullet that you trust.....now do it often.

that is how you become a rifleman.

[C-Money]

270win, or a 30-06 will treat you just fine!

[CAMPMEAT]

So would you suggest I carry the 308 over the 25-06 for deer also?? My 25-06 has a heavy bull barrel and wide stock, it gets quite heavy after carrying it all day and hard to keep steady offhand.

I've got a Savage Model 10. It has a 20" bullbarrel with a 4.5x14x42 Pentax scope on it. Accu-trigger too. Kind of heavy, but not too heavy.

[RockChuck]

At what distance are you confident of hitting a 8" circle every time on the first shot, under field conditions?  There's your answer!  

I would guess that 99% of the shooting population will run out of accuracy before running out of sufficient energy.


25-06 out to 400 is my limit 500 is a LONG shot  I would not take either on an animal if everything was not perfect.

[Bob33]

You answered your own question about distance..

Federal offers a high energy load for .308: P308TT4.  It is a 165 grain tipped Trophy Bonded bullet at 2880 ft/second.  At 500 yards it has an estimated 1375 foot pounds of energy. If you can hit an elk in the vitals at that distance, it's going down.

[RockChuck]

I understand that wind is one of my biggest enemies, I am just looking for the best caliber for the area and animals that I hunt.

[RockChuck]

Ok, But what is the drop on that bullet at 500 yards?

[Bob33]

If you are 3" high at 100 yards, probably about three feet low at 500 yards.

[high country]

you will have to look up the bc on it to be sure. the "best caliber" is a loaded question. super 7mm's, 338edge, 257roy.....etc they all take some of the drop out of the mess, but when you get to thinking about it, you are holding over on a deer at 400yds with any of them. what is the diff if you come up 2 minutes or 3? both require a correction to be on target.

[RockChuck]

Maybe i am underestimating my 308 then??  but that does not help in getting a new rifle!!

[Bob33]

Maybe i am underestimating my 308 then??  but that does not help in getting a new rifle!!

That 308 is a worthless piece of junk.  You won't be able to hit anything past 100 yards, or kill anything past 50 with it.

There.  Now go buy yourself a new gun!

[RockChuck]

Thats what I was looking for!!

[RockChuck]

But honestly that is close to the mentality of some people when it comes to the 308. that is why I say maybe I am underestimating it.

[Bob33]

Guns and calibers are rarely the limiting factor for hunters.  Marksmanship, hunting skills, preparation, determination, and fitness are all far more important.  As far as equipment goes, optics are of greater value.  If I had limited funds (well, I do... ) I'd put them into optics first: binoculars - you can't shoot what you don't know is there.

[G.R.K]

300 Win Mag,It's all about shot placement.

[RockChuck]

Guns and calibers are rarely the limiting factor for hunters.  Marksmanship, hunting skills, preparation, determination, and fitness are all far more important.  As far as equipment goes, optics are of greater value.  If I had limited funds (well, I do... ) I'd put them into optics first: binoculars - you can't shoot what you don't know is there.

I agree with all this.

[Crisptrigr]

Here's a fun option if you want a new rifle. Find a good used 30-06 (no challenge there) take it to a smith and have it re-bored and chambered to 338-06. You should check the ballistics on that round, makes a fine elk gun. You can load your own or buy factory for it.
It will up your punch where you want it without magnum recoil, give you a unique rifle not everyone owns, and something new to play with!

[Hyde]

Sounds like you have low and medium sized calibers covered nicely.  Now it's time to kick it up a notch...

300 win mag (or short mag). 338-06 is a good one as Crisptrigr mentioned. 

I might suggest tagging along with friends to the range and firing a few different calibers.  See how much you can handle and go as big as possible. 

[DIGGER69R]

You already have what you  "need"

If you just want a new rifle that is great for deer and elk then get what ever want 270 and bigger.

to me it's not what bullet you shoot it's where you put it.

308 Win 178 gr BTHP Superformance Match
Test Barrel (24") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
2775/3043 2604/2681 2440/2353 2282/2058 2129/1792 1983/1554
Trajectory (inches)
Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
-1.50 1.80 0.00 -7.60 -21.90 -44.00

[McCascades]

Rockchuck, Take a look at the 338'06 Cartridge. It is the 30'06 necked up to .338,  Would be very similar to your 25'06 in recoil and report.  I believe Weatherby and a few others may be chambering for this round.

[longrange7mm]

Rockchuck,

If you are just wanting to add another great caliber  "with a little more punch" to your collection then get a 7mm, 300 win, or 338 win! Right now if you do not reload stick with a popular rounds were ammo is readily available.  .

Now If your not wanting to spend some money on a new set up do your self a favor top either one of your guns with a good quality scope "leupold, ziess, or Swarovski; invest in a range finder and spend some time with your rifle you will be amazed at what both of those guns will do.

I cant stress enough on buying the best optics you can afford. It just does not do a $700 rifle justice to put a $150 cheapo on it.

Next you say your 25-06 is too heavy to shoot off hand? Change your shooting form instead of holding your rifle in the traditional form with thumb on the same side as your face and midway down the forearm; turn your hand over so thumb is opposite your face and just past the trigger guard this will allow you to use your body to support the weight. It feels awkward at first but will greatly improve off hand shooting with a heavier gun I shoot a 7mm RUM that weighs 18.8 lbs off hand and ding the 600 yd plate all day with this rifle.

With my 25-06 with a contour 4 24" hunting barrel I shoot a 9.5" group at 1000 that is less then MOA. Down side is wind with 115 gr bullet 10 mph wind is a killer on that little bullet.
Personally I would shoot the 25-06 over your 308 but your the one that knows how they shoot and its all about what your comfortable with. you can go buy that big 33-378 weatherby but the first time it bites you your gunna spend thousands of dollars correcting the flinch 

Hope this helps

[RockChuck]

Wow I have been researching the 308 and it is quite the round, I never thought it would do what it does. Thank you for all the replies you guys have a lot of great info. I am going to look into the 338 06