25-06 Howa question

**A-R** · 14-04-2021, 12:58

Another question thread. A rather nice predicament this time.

My son, currently in matric, recently won a rifle at a local hunters association shoot. Yes, makes me proud when they beat me.

The rifle is a Howa Standard model chambered in 25-06 Rem caliber.

Nothing wrong with the rifle IMO, but the caliber is not too well suited to our typical hunting conditions here in the Limpopo Bushveld.

This is his first center-fire rifle. He already has a decent .22.

I was thinking about unscrewing the barrel and having the chamber shortened by 12mm so the cartridge becomes something like a 25-08, to reduce case capacity and velocity (and barrel throat appetite). Shortening dies and cases I can do myself. Alternatively just sell it while it is still brand new and in dealer stock.

What are all the options? Any suggestions are welcome.

**SASwart** · 14-04-2021, 13:02

What about him selling the gun and buying what he wants? The time and money to be spent on the conversion might potentially just have more redtape and delays?

**414gates** · 14-04-2021, 15:02

Maybe the dealer would be prepared to give you something for it if you buy another rifle from them ?

**Toxxyc** · 14-04-2021, 15:32

I don't see how shortening the case will improve it's hunting capability, TBH. Rather sell it as-is, or have him enjoy it as a range rifle.

**Messor** · 14-04-2021, 16:49

Leave it be, load it with monolithics and let him hunt.

Also, every lad needs a springbok rifle, in time he can buy his own bush rifle.

**driepootx** · 14-04-2021, 17:01

Originally Posted by Messor

Leave it be, load it with monolithics and let him hunt.

Also, every lad needs a springbok rifle, in time he can buy his own bush rifle.

+1

**treeman** · 14-04-2021, 19:21

the 25-06 is my only true dislike cartridge, just so nowhere, too fast one side and too small one step up and what ever it does there is a better cartridge, better and more efficient. I joke about the 30 06 and tease about the Creedmoore boys,but its all in jest - the 25-06 I really dislike.

I am almost certain the sponsor would exchange it for a "wanted" caliber. The dealer would find no difference in sponsoring a 243 or .308, spare a few rands pay in perhaps.
I would think this would be the optimum outcome.

**Messor** · 14-04-2021, 19:34

Treeman, like many things it’s just a cartridge, and the use of said cartridge gives opinions, positive or negative
Soft fragile bullets obviously ruined its reputation, since many bullets probably blew up and or lots of meat damage, this is a fast cartridge after all.

But load it with monolithics below 3000ft/s, and every animal up to kudu will go down easily.
Also, it’s a very sweet plains cartridge when loaded up, it does shoot flat.

**A-R** · 15-04-2021, 20:49

Originally Posted by 414gates

Maybe the dealer would be prepared to give you something for it if you buy another rifle from them ?

No. I have asked. He would be willing to sell it for him, and take a commission.

Originally Posted by Toxxyc

I don't see how shortening the case will improve it's hunting capability, TBH. Rather sell it as-is, or have him enjoy it as a range rifle.

The idea is to reduce case capacity, thus muzzle velocity, and get it more in the range of popular bushveld hunting rifles. The caliber will still be small. But I agree, this is not the best option.

Originally Posted by Messor

Leave it be, load it with monolithics and let him hunt.

Also, every lad needs a springbok rifle, in time he can buy his own bush rifle.

Where you live, the lads start their hunting careers on springbuck, so everyone needs that springbuck rifle, which this is. Here were we live, springbuck are exotic species that the rich guys go hunt in the Free State, Karoo and Kalahari. Here the lads start on duiker, then progress to impala, warthog and kudu, as these are prolific here. Shots are often taken at less than 30m, but the occasional long shots down a fire break could be stretched to 200m or even more, but these opportunities are not very common. The better approach would be to get the bush rifle first and let him buy a springbuck rifle later. This may explain why this rifle became the first prize for the match...

Originally Posted by treeman

the 25-06 is my only true dislike cartridge, just so nowhere, too fast one side and too small one step up and what ever it does there is a better cartridge, better and more efficient. I joke about the 30 06 and tease about the Creedmoore boys,but its all in jest - the 25-06 I really dislike.

I tend to agree with you here, and that simply relates to our similar typical field conditions.

Originally Posted by treeman

I am almost certain the sponsor would exchange it for a "wanted" caliber. The dealer would find no difference in sponsoring a 243 or .308, spare a few rands pay in perhaps.
I would think this would be the optimum outcome.

I would have liked that, but unfortunately not.

Originally Posted by Messor

Treeman, like many things it’s just a cartridge, and the use of said cartridge gives opinions, positive or negative
Soft fragile bullets obviously ruined its reputation, since many bullets probably blew up and or lots of meat damage, this is a fast cartridge after all.

But load it with monolithics below 3000ft/s, and every animal up to kudu will go down easily.
Also, it’s a very sweet plains cartridge when loaded up, it does shoot flat.

This is exactly what I think of it too. Plains cartridge for smaller game like springbuck and similar plains game. So that is where it should be employed.

**Againstthegrains** · 15-04-2021, 21:15

I processed some animals for a friend who hunts with a 25-06. I was amazed to see that half the animal was already minced, before I had cut it off the bone