.25-06 or 6.5 Creedmoor Thoughts? Pros / Cons

[DJ 17]

Thinking of buying a Weatherby vanguard series 2 in .25-06 or 6.5 creedmoor.  Not because its a "need", just a would like to have. I am also toying with the idea of a 257 weatherby mag but I think its overkill for what I need, plus it is obviously more expensive to shoot. Anyone care to chime in?

[skipjack]

If you do not reload 2506. Creedmoor is hard to come by.

[DJ 17]

I will reload eventually, just looking for opinions on versatility of caliber.

[JAG]

I have a Savage with accu-trigger in 260 Remington factory installed Nikon 3x9 scope. 1 inch groups at 100 yds using the lead sled. I believe the 260 is very close in performance to the creedmoor. So my vote is for the 260 Rem.

[Chas0218]

i might be wrong but 25-06 might be a barrel burner. The velocities are thru the roof i think. Not that its a bad caliber but longevity is what i look for in a gun/caliber. Vanguard is a nice rifle, and the Tikka is comparable if you havent looked at one. I want to get my hands on a howa. I have been throwing around the idea of a 25-06 myself. 

[DJ 17]

Chas,

The 25 is fast that is one of the main reasons I am looking at it as a multi purpose rig.  With light bullets its wicked coyote medicine, and with 120's its a good deer gun as well.  I will not have to worry about burning out the barrel as I won't get to shoot it as nearly as much as I would like.

 

I have a howa 22-250 thumbhole with a heavy barrel and it is a tack driver, but it is HEAVY.  Other downside is its a 1:14 twist so it doesn't shoot heavier bullets well. If I were to buy another 22-250 it would definitely be a lighter sporter style. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another howa either. 

[justtracytrolling]

DJ

My son and I both shoot 25wssm which has identical ballistics and we love the caliber. I have several other deer and varmint rifles and 25 is my favorite. The 25 cal is a great long distance choice with little felt recoil...The weatherby vanguard is however not one of my favorites. They stock has too much flex on the forearm and the barrel isnt floated. I bedded and floated mine and it was better but i sold it as soon as i got it shooting decent. Stick with a model 700 or 70 or the savages with accutriggers are solid and reasonable.

[skipper19]

In 6.5 I like the Creedmoor but as mentioned hard to aquire ammo. Would make a nice sporting rifle round. Also in 6.5 for a bolt action is the 6.5-284. Great supersonic balistic coefficient out over 1000 yards.

Nothing wrong with the .25-06 either. Pro for that round is available ammo and brass. A quality barrel will make any of those rounds a tack driver and last longer if floated and shot with adequate time for heat transfer. Flutes might help a bit, but haven't an opinion on that.

Mark

[DJ 17]

I'm making it harder on myself!  Now im throwing the 7mm-08 as a candidate  It seems to have more versatility. I'm also buying it as a gun my kids can use in the future.   Thoughts??

 

Justin,

I'm surprised to hear that about that rifle.  I have heard nothing but positive reports.  Did you have the original Vanguard or the newer Series 2?  The S2  is guaranteed MOA out of the box.

[justtracytrolling]

Mine was guaranteed too....after spending $100's on different ammo that weatherby recommended it still was almost 2 moa till i bedded and floated it....the action is junk compared to the action of their good rifles and a mod 70 or 700. I got it to shoot but it isnt the gun i wanted. The new ones might be better but im not a might be kinda gun buyer....7mm 08 is a fine caliber for whitetails but not in my top 10 for yotes or a multi purpose but i do like the short action and it certainly isnt gonna wear a barrel.

[justtracytrolling]

The barrel still isn't floated and the stock still has no comb and no iron sights. Not sure why any gun with no iron sights doesn't have a comb suitable to line your eye with at least medium rise rings. Put a nice scope with a big objective lens on a vanguard and you will have trouble getting comfortable behind the scope...well priced entry level firearm is what I'd call it even with the s2 upgrades.

[Chas0218]

DJ

My son and I both shoot 25wssm which has identical ballistics and we love the caliber. I have several other deer and varmint rifles and 25 is my favorite. The 25 cal is a great long distance choice with little felt recoil...The weatherby vanguard is however not one of my favorites. They stock has too much flex on the forearm and the barrel isnt floated. I bedded and floated mine and it was better but i sold it as soon as i got it shooting decent. Stick with a model 700 or 70 or the savages with accutriggers are solid and reasonable.

The vanguard wasn't free floating? How old was the gun, was it a first run model? The ones I have seen are all free floating.

I was trying to decide between the vanguard and Tikka and went with the Tikka. The only reason because it felt nicer in my hands.

I have shot 2 different savages and they all feel like junk when I shot them. One was a .300 win. mag. and the other a .270 winchester don't get me wrong they looked good but wasn't impressed with the way they shot or the actions.

Sent from my thinking chair...

Edited September 28, 2015 by Chas0218

[Xxx]

Other than my 35 Whelen in a Rem 760 pump, you couldn't pry my 25.06 out of my hands, I load my own shells. It's a Ruger Teflon coated in gun metal grey, laminated stock, which I swaped out for a composite stock, it was to heavy with the laminate stock which I kept, it's a heavy barrel no bull barrel hade to play around a little but once we found the right recipe what a sweet shooting gun, has enough punch to reach out there and touch the yotes, and a hell of a field rifle for the banana's. Sure you could argue the point there are other cal. that do the same , 300. H&H, WSM, I had a 260 REM in a mountain rifle I won, but to hard to find the right ingredients to be a every day shooter!! Which ever you choose best of luck with it.

[Chas0218]

Just curious, does anyone else have a hard time with the accu-triggers?  I can't get used to pulling a trigger then boom it goes off.  My tikka's trigger breaks like a glass rod (Howa action on Sako barrel) .  I really haven't found any better action my father's 700 is nice but has a little travel before the gun goes off. I want my gun to go off when I put pressure on the trigger, not go off after I start pulling and waiting for it to go off.

 

 

I'm making it harder on myself!  Now im throwing the 7mm-08 as a candidate  It seems to have more versatility. I'm also buying it as a gun my kids can use in the future.   Thoughts??

 

Justin,

I'm surprised to hear that about that rifle.  I have heard nothing but positive reports.  Did you have the original Vanguard or the newer Series 2?  The S2  is guaranteed MOA out of the box.

 

My father in law loves his 7mm-08. What is really nice is that they make reduced recoil rounds in remington cor-lokts for younger generations. It helps them from becoming afraid of the gun.

Edited September 28, 2015 by Chas0218

[DJ 17]

The more I think about it I am leaning towards the 7 08 as a gun for my kid down the road.  Chas reminding me of the reduced recoil helps that case.

 

Anyone have any experience with the browning AB3 hunter?

[Xxx]

I use a gun shop known as Keystone shooters supply, he has a pretty good gun business, and his son is the repair guy/ machinist plus very particular with his end product. For the last 5/7 years he has said that Savage arms has had the best barrels out there, while Remington still hangs tough, the accu- trigger does need some getting used to, but Savage has picked up there game, and there not the bumper Jack handle they used to be. Aiming there business towards the average joe's wallet!!!

[dvdegeorge]

A 7mm-08 recoils more than a 25-06 but not enough to be a deal breaker. Forget about the Creedmor unless you handload now 

25-06 is not a barrel burner,and I alway laugh when someone mentions that a particular chambering is a "barrel burner"

99.9 % of the guys who worry about it don't shoot enough and will never get close to burning out a barrel in their life time.

 

If you don't hand load forget about the .257 Weatherby it will cost you a small fortune to shoot factory ammo and a deer won't know if he been killed with a 25-06 or a 257 Roy

I  have killed with all of the above and for deer now a days I prefer my .22-250 AI with an 8 twist barrel and a 62gr barnes TTSX

Pole axes deer flat out.

 

My 257 Weatherby

 

 

[justtracytrolling]

The vanguard wasn't free floating? How old was the gun, was it a first run model? The ones I have seen are all free floating.

None of the vanguards are floated. None

I was trying to decide between the vanguard and Tikka and went with the Tikka. The only reason because it felt nicer in my hands.

I have shot 2 different savages and they all feel like junk when I shot them. One was a .300 win. mag. and the other a .270 winchester don't get me wrong they looked good but wasn't impressed with the way they shot or the actions.

Sent from my thinking chair...

[justtracytrolling]

Dont know why they aren't floated but none are unless it was after production.

[skipjack]

For what it's worth not every rifle shoots best when fully floated. Most sporter weight barrels like a little pressure towards the tip of the forearm. There are many more important factors in the purchase of a rifle then that. Fit and function. Does the bolt rattle? Does it look like it chambers true. How's the crown? Does it shoulder well? How about the weight? A feather weight rifle will have more recoil then one that's heavier in the same caliber. That will cause flinching in a lot of shooters. What is the main purpose for the rifle? If you do not reload I would stick to the standard calibers. All the ones mentioned are good. When it comes to calibers it's like cannon,Scotty and big John debate.

[DJ 17]

I stopped into bass pro and got my hands on the vanguard and the AB3 Hunter.  The Browning was OK, I was not a fan of how the vanguard felt in my hand.  I know its not a high end gun, but I wasn't excited about it and I believe if I am going to buy a new one that I should be looking forward to the purchase not feel like I am settling.  So the search continues. 

 

I did find a few Tikka T3's at good prices on gunbroker.com but I have no experience with that website at all so I have to do some more checking.  I do like the Tikka T3 so at this point that looks like where I am headed.

[Skidplate]

My buddy just got a tikka 30 06 seems like a good gun for the money and one you have in the truck and not have to worry about messing up the wood but I still love the older guns im looking at a rem 700 bdl in270 and its mint but 800 a lot when I want more fishing stuff lol

[DJ 17]

Yeah I hear you.  I have a couple 270's which I love, 1 was my grandfathers that he bought new in 1947.  It still drives tacks.  I love a beautiful piece of wood but like you said they aren't giving them away.

[dvdegeorge]

Speaking of nice wood Ruger #1 in  6.5x55 Swede 

Great chambering also

 

 

 

[DJ 17]

Pulled the trigger last night on a Tikka T3 7mm-08. Thanks to all who posted info.