Cartridge for long commercial Mauser action.

[std7mag]

I've come into posession of a "Firearms Co, Alpine" commercial long action Mauser currently chambered in "7.62X2.49", ala 30-06.
The "bluing" looks more like black paint.
The stock is a beauty!

Since i'm a fan of 25 caliber & 7mm, the 25-06 & 280AI are 2 cartridges i want, but don't have yet.

What say yee?

 

[howl]

25-06 is in the sweet spot for deer, and has yet to be outdone for balance. 280ai, I would not say the same unless you just really hate belted cases.

 

[VikingsGuy]

For pronghorn and deer I would go 25-06. If you need/want to add elk and moose to the list I would go 280AI as it is great for all 4. But I do love my 25-06.

 

[44hunter45]

A couple of years ago I mentored my a friend on Whitetails. He is a longtime shooter and rifle collector, but had never taken a deer.
He came out with a Mauser in .25-06. I was really impressed. It was just a laser. He took a buck with an off hand shot at about 200 yards with it.
Dead Right There.

 

[std7mag]

I already have large to small covered.
Currently have three 25 caliber, and three 7mms.

This is a case of, i don't have, but want.

 

[Don Fischer]

I think before choosing one you should figure out what you want it for. If it larger than deer the 25-06 will work if you do your part but if I had something bigger for elk I'd use it. BTW I do have a 25-06 and killed a lot of deer with it. My elk have all been killed with either a 30-06, 308, 7 mm Rem Mag or my 6.5x06. If all I had was the 25-06 and was going elk hunting wouldn't bother me a bit. How you use what you have is up to you. Seeing as I already have the 25-06 and I reload, I'd go with the 280AI. Not for any reason in particular but just because I've never had one!

 

[ImBillT]

1) 280 Rem is the obvious standout. A 280AI is a better cartridge in my opinion, but I’ve always been a little reluctant to start removing metal from a Mauser to make it feed. A 270Win is just about the perfect case capacity for a .277” bore, but when going up just .007” gets you all the amazing 7mm bullet options, I can’t see why you wouldn’t bump on up to 7mm. So, the top slot goes to 280Rem.

2) 280AI is better if you want to do the action work and don’t mind that the action will forever be optimized for a cartridge with almost zero taper.

3) 26-06 aka 6.5-06. It is for all practical purposes a 25-06. The primary difference being that your bullet options and availability have been increased by an enormous amount

4) 25-06 it’s a fantastic cartridge for deer and antelope, and a few new offerings are now available in bullet weights and sectional densities that a lot of people would consider suitable for elk if you were shooting a .270Win or 7mm-08. I don’t see any logical reason to choose a 25-06 over a 6.5-06 if you’re starting new and don’t already have a pile of components that you want to use. That said, I want things that aren’t logical all the time, and there’s nothing wrong with doing what makes you happy.

 

[44hunter45]

A couple of years ago I mentored my a friend on Whitetails. He is a longtime shooter and rifle collector, but had never taken a deer.
He came out with a Mauser in .25-06. I was really impressed. It was just a laser. He took a buck with an off hand shot at about 200 yards with it.
Dead Right There.

Forgot to add he was shooting 117 grain Interlock BTSP Hornady American Whitetail factory ammo.

 

[std7mag]

Forgot to add he was shooting 117 grain Interlock BTSP Hornady American Whitetail factory ammo.

Well, in this case, it's a moot point. I reload for all my firearms. And some i don't even own. Lol

I have a good selection of 25 caliber and 7mm bullets.
I have nothing for a 6.5mm.

And i'm not at all concerned about opening up the feed rails if need be.

I already have a 280 Rem. Along with 284 Win & 7mm Rem Mag. Which covers the legalities should i ever draw a PA elk tag.

For deer and other game i have a 250 Savage, 257 Roberts & 257 Roberts AI. If legal, i would have little reservation on using the latter two for elk.

 

[Dan O]

Looks like you have the 25's and 7mm's covered so go with the 6mm06 and have it all covered from coyotes to deer.

 

[p_ham]

Well, in this case, it's a moot point. I reload for all my firearms. And some i don't even own. Lol

I have a good selection of 25 caliber and 7mm bullets.
I have nothing for a 6.5mm.

And i'm not at all concerned about opening up the feed rails if need be.

I already have a 280 Rem. Along with 284 Win & 7mm Rem Mag. Which covers the legalities should i ever draw a PA elk tag.

For deer and other game i have a 250 Savage, 257 Roberts & 257 Roberts AI. If legal, i would have little reservation on using the latter two for elk.

I doubt you'll have to touch the feed rails, the diameter at the shoulder is a whopping .013" larger on the 280AI than a 30-06.

I'd flip a coin on this one.
The 257AI is maybe 150fps behind the 25-06
The 280AI should fall right between the 284 and 7mm mag.

 

[44hunter45]

Well, in this case, it's a moot point. I reload for all my firearms. And some i don't even own. Lol

I have a good selection of 25 caliber and 7mm bullets.
I have nothing for a 6.5mm.

And i'm not at all concerned about opening up the feed rails if need be.

I already have a 280 Rem. Along with 284 Win & 7mm Rem Mag. Which covers the legalities should i ever draw a PA elk tag.

For deer and other game i have a 250 Savage, 257 Roberts & 257 Roberts AI. If legal, i would have little reservation on using the latter two for elk.

Same here. Why should I limit my man-cave time to only calibers I currently own?

I'm currently squirreling away brass for a build for my granddaughter next year. A couple others too.

Lots of elk have fallen to 24 caliber, I would not think twice about using a 25 on elk.

I shoot both 6.5x55 and .264 WM also, now thinking about 6.5 RPM. I've had good results on elk with plain old "cup and core" bullets, fancy bondeds. Now I'm moving into monolithics.

BTW- Both my Mausers have been fitted with M70 type safeties. I love them.

 

[ImBillT]

I doubt you'll have to touch the feed rails, the diameter at the shoulder is a whopping .013" larger on the 280AI than a 30-06.

I'd flip a coin on this one.
The 257AI is maybe 150fps behind the 25-06
The 280AI should fall right between the 284 and 7mm mag.

I’d be surprised if the difference were that high.

 

[Cheesehead]

Well, in this case, it's a moot point. I reload for all my firearms. And some i don't even own. Lol

I have a good selection of 25 caliber and 7mm bullets.
I have nothing for a 6.5mm.

And i'm not at all concerned about opening up the feed rails if need be.

I already have a 280 Rem. Along with 284 Win & 7mm Rem Mag. Which covers the legalities should i ever draw a PA elk tag.

For deer and other game i have a 250 Savage, 257 Roberts & 257 Roberts AI. If legal, i would have little reservation on using the latter two for elk.

I’m on team 25-06. 1) you need to complete your wonderful collection of 25s, 2) people who have generally love em.
All that said, it’s a fun ‘problem’ to have and no wrong answer.

 

[std7mag]

Looks like you have the 25's and 7mm's covered so go with the 6mm06 and have it all covered from coyotes to deer.

Ground hogs to deer are already covered by my 250 Savage & 257 Roberts.
The Roberts has taken coyotes out to 400 yards.
Just gotta remember to grab the right bullets next time.
The 100gr Ballistic Tips really do a number on the pelts!

 

[Dakotakid]

I think the 6.5x06ai or the 6.5x284 with a 1in 7.5 twist for the longer types bullets. Lapua brass for the later. A little extra room for 156 bullet. But I wouldn’t reject either of your choices.

 

[brymoore]

280ai

 

[ImBillT]

Ground hogs to deer are already covered by my 250 Savage & 257 Roberts.
The Roberts has taken coyotes out to 400 yards.
Just gotta remember to grab the right bullets next time.
The 100gr Ballistic Tips really do a number on the pelts!

Is there any bullet in a 257Rob that won’t do a number on a pelt? FMJ?

 

[ImBillT]

I think the 6.5x06ai or the 6.5x284 with a 1in 7.5 twist for the longer types bullets. Lapua brass for the later. A little extra room for 156 bullet. But I wouldn’t reject either of your choices.

8.5” twist is plenty for the 156 as long as you’re not hunting too close to sea level where you should go to the 8”. Berger was originally going with a more aggressive design, but tamed it down so that it would work in an 8”.

Why not Lapua brass for both? They make 30-06 brass.

 

[Dakotakid]

I have 1in 8.5 in my 264 and wish I would have twisted it faster. 8 may be fine but longer 6.5 seem to be du jour