Author Topic: Barrel length for 25-06 (Read 732 times)

-06 · « **on:** March 05, 2006, 12:33:16 PM »

I have a Mod. 70 featherweight -06 that I'm going to rebarrel to a 25-06!!! What would be you choice for barrel length and what brand would you buy Thanks -06

strut64 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2006, 01:00:50 PM »

For a 25-06 I would like a 24" barrel. I have heard some good things about Pac-Nor in the northwest( Washington State I believe). I personally like 25-06 and would like someday to have one barreled but so far I have not gotten the one I have to wear out. In my experience a 25-06 doesn't seem to be overbored and hold up pretty well. I think you will enjoy any good brand of quality barrel and there are many out there. I can't speak from personal experience. If cost is an issue you can probably buy a good sporter rifle for about the same price as doing a custom barrel job. From my own looking into the issue, be prepared to spend about $600 Plus to get a good premium barrel fitted with the right action trueing and fitting plus blueing.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2006, 07:40:52 PM »

The old timers didn't have much luck with the 25-06 until the slower powders came along..it's just too over bored. It really does great with the 24 inch barrel but if I were doing it I'd go with the 26.. Douglas is a favorite barrel of mine but Shilen is fantastic. I heard good things about Pac-Nor but have no direct experience. To limit the overall length, I built my 25-06 on a Ruger No.1..

Coastwatcher · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2006, 06:52:38 PM »

What does it mean when you say the 25-06 is overbored?

gunnut69 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2006, 07:29:42 PM »

That's a loaded question and there are multiple meanings. I'm refering to the ratio between the capacity of the bore versus the case capacity. A small bore cartridge like the 25-06 has a lot of case capacity compared to the bore that powder gas must excape thru. Slow burning powders take advatage of the extra case capacity and allow use of powders that burn for longer times. Sort of spreadin the push out over a longer period of time. This keeps pressures sane and allows more velocity for a given bore. In practical usage all bottle necked cases are overbored to some extent so the term has come to be applied mostly to those where the situation is fairly extreme. The 25-06 is extremely overbore.

Coastwatcher · « **Reply #5 on:** March 29, 2006, 05:14:19 AM »

Thanks. The Super Short Mags probably fall into the same category I guess. When I looked at them I figured them to be throat burners. Does the .25/06 have a tendecy to erode the throat as well?

gunnut69 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 29, 2006, 07:34:56 AM »

Any overbore cartridge can erode a bore with some doing it easier than others. I would bet that in a modern weapon the 25-06 is no worse than a 220 Swift or 300Ultra.. If loaded to high pressures the throat will be damaged faster with a cartridge using more powder than another using less. The actual case capacity has almost nothing to do with the problem other than it provides the ability to eat up the bore quicker. If you need the extra speed or just want it go ahead. When the barrel goes bad replace it. It will likely have lasted all the normal shooter would want it to. As to the WSSM etc I am far from an expert in internal ballistics but most have little or no gain over an existing cartridge. They produce 25-06 ballistics in a short action(super short action??) rifle. That's supposed to make the rifle handier and shoot better because it's stiffer. Hogwash!! An action shorter by even a half inch is meaningless and shortening a barrel to shorten a rifle is likewise meaningless as it refers to the cartridge. There are folks who say the rifles produce more velocity with less poweder and less recoil at the same (or greater) velocity levels of the older rounds. Once again that's hogwash!! Recoil is a function of the weight of the ejecta(bullet + powder) and the velocity.. If the rifles weigh the same and the bullets exit at the same velocity they will kick the same.. physics! I've read a lot of theory concerning the internal dynamics of the shortfat rounds and can't really comment with any certainty on their veracity, but If the case shape alters the powder efficiency why not create a round that has twice the caapacity of a 300 winmag in a short fat format. It should generate as much velocity as the 300 ultra with less recoil than a 300WinMag. Instead we get cartridges that duplicate existing rounds, just in a slightly altered form. New rifles have to be bought and my guess is that is the ENTIRE reason for the existance of the new genre of cartridges.. Please forgive me if I hurt any feelings but those are my opinions... Now I'll shut up and get off the soapbox.. Please excuse the length!