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- Thread starter antelopedundee
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antelopedundee
internet bum
Yep. I'm a portsider. Meant to add more info.
Just got that back yesterday from an old smith who prefers to remain anonymous. So just snapped some quick pix late last night. Started with a Rem 700 stainless LH long action. Cheaper than buying a rifle for parts. Did the usual blueprinting and added a 26 inch Hart Magnum sporter barrel with Remington contour. Chambered for .25-06. Stayed with the factory trigger with a nice 3 # pull, otherwise I'd have added a Jewell. The stock is an older H-S Precision that I had laying around for years. Picked up the trigger guard, mag and follower from Brownells or eBay. Was wanting one of those stainless PTG trigger guards and floorplates, but $280 or so from Midway was a little too pricey for me. Grabbed a nice Leupold VX-2 6-18 x 40mm with AO from Optics Planet. Had the Leupold 2 piece bases and Redfield rings scrounged from somewhere. Too bad one can't use a quarter to tighten those ring screws onto the base; the slot is a scosch too thin. Have a crapload of old .25-06 stuff to get rid of, but nothing to shoot it in. This gun was something of an impulse project while the smith was working on a similar project for a 6.5 x 06. Got that barreled action back with this one, so now I'm just waiting for a Richards dual grip thumbhole stock which should be here late next week.
Actually that H-S stock was on the rifle pictured below [6.5 x 06 Ackley Imp 40 degree] when I took my first antelope with it near Newcastle, WY in 1987. The stock on it now is a Richards dual grip thumbhole in grade A fancy California Claro walnut.
Just got that back yesterday from an old smith who prefers to remain anonymous. So just snapped some quick pix late last night. Started with a Rem 700 stainless LH long action. Cheaper than buying a rifle for parts. Did the usual blueprinting and added a 26 inch Hart Magnum sporter barrel with Remington contour. Chambered for .25-06. Stayed with the factory trigger with a nice 3 # pull, otherwise I'd have added a Jewell. The stock is an older H-S Precision that I had laying around for years. Picked up the trigger guard, mag and follower from Brownells or eBay. Was wanting one of those stainless PTG trigger guards and floorplates, but $280 or so from Midway was a little too pricey for me. Grabbed a nice Leupold VX-2 6-18 x 40mm with AO from Optics Planet. Had the Leupold 2 piece bases and Redfield rings scrounged from somewhere. Too bad one can't use a quarter to tighten those ring screws onto the base; the slot is a scosch too thin. Have a crapload of old .25-06 stuff to get rid of, but nothing to shoot it in. This gun was something of an impulse project while the smith was working on a similar project for a 6.5 x 06. Got that barreled action back with this one, so now I'm just waiting for a Richards dual grip thumbhole stock which should be here late next week.
Actually that H-S stock was on the rifle pictured below [6.5 x 06 Ackley Imp 40 degree] when I took my first antelope with it near Newcastle, WY in 1987. The stock on it now is a Richards dual grip thumbhole in grade A fancy California Claro walnut.
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antelopedundee
internet bum
Always liked the Weatherby styling, but didn't necessarily want to buy a Weatherby to get it. The Richards dual-grip thumbhole gives me the next best thing. Back in the mid 70s, left hand rifles weren't very common and those that were available were limited to just a couple calibers in long actions .270; .30-06 and 7 mm mag IIRC. So my first rifle was a Rem 700 BDL in .30-06 LH. Eventually rebarreled in .25-06 and after that the pictured 6.5 x 06 Ackley Imp [smithing, bluing by Shilen]. So over the years I tended to amass stuff suitable for the long action, .30-06 case. I do have a Rem 700 short action LH chambered for the .25/.284 and fitted with a Richards stock.
I do note that .25-06 brass seems to be in limited production by Winchester, Remington etc. I did snag 100 of the Serbian Prvi Partizan cases from Graf & Sons. After deburring the flash holes, when it comes time to try it, I'll just seat a bullet and see how it goes.
Nowadays it seems like the .25-06 has indeed lost some shine. Too bad tho, it's a pretty good round altho I've never taken anything but prairie dogs with it. The 6.5-06 is the cat's meow for deer and antelope IMO.
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Rooster 50
New member
The 25cal has been my go to caliber for Antelope for over 50 years. Took my first 10 or so with a 257 Weatherby that my Dad bought in 1962. I still have it and recently sent it back to them to be rebarreled. They also changed out the trigger and bolt shroud. I can't wait to pass it on to my 2yr old grandson.
I still hunt them with either my Model 700 in 25-06 or my Savage Model 110 in 25-06 Ackley. The 700 shoots 3/4 moa all day and the Ackley is around 1/2 in with 115 Berger hunting VLD's.
I still hunt them with either my Model 700 in 25-06 or my Savage Model 110 in 25-06 Ackley. The 700 shoots 3/4 moa all day and the Ackley is around 1/2 in with 115 Berger hunting VLD's.
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antelopedundee
internet bum
It's basically a .25-06 in a short action. Since I got into it the big brother 6.5 version has been quite a hit. Didn't used to be brass available. Now 6.5/.284 brass is somewhat common. I use it as a single shot. The fatness of the case makes it somewhat incompatible with standard magazines, tho I'm not sure how serious it is. Then again, a 120 grain .25 cal bullet going 3,000 fps doesn't much care what fired and a deer or antelope certainly wouldn't know or care either. There's zillions of wildcats, but within a narrow range, most are more alike than they are different IMO.