# I'm going to cut the barrel on my 25/06



## dusty80 (Dec 2, 2008)

I have a Ruger M77 25/06. It the one with the 26" semi-heavy sporter barrel. I don't do any long range shooting and when I deer hunt with a riflr my shots are always inside 200 yards. Most time less than 100 yards. Can I cut the barrel back to 22" with out losing to much velocity. I know that all has to do with what kind and how fast the powder is burning. I have always toted a shorter gun and I really like this one but the thing feels like a telephone pole when I have it on my back...... hanging up on everything.


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## RWK (Dec 2, 2008)

25-06 performes best with a long barrel.


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## Twenty five ought six (Dec 2, 2008)

> 25-06 performes best with a long barrel.



Yep.  You are dealing with an overbore cartridge, and it needs some space to get hauling.

Now you will still be able to kill deer with it, but you are seriously affecting the value if you ever want to go to sell or trade it.

With the .25-06 I'd expect to lose 100 fps per inch.

If it bothers you that much, and you like .25 caliber look around for a .257 Roberts takeoff barrel.  M77 comes in .257 Roberts.  You will have better performance, and you won't be crapping up a good barrel.


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## Hammack (Dec 2, 2008)

I'm with twenty five.  I'm guessing around 50 fps for every half inch as well.  I would pull the barrel and either replace it with a 257 Roberts or another caliber better suited to short barrels


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## germag (Dec 2, 2008)

In addition to the above, it sounds like you're planning to do it yourself.....unless you know how to re-crown a barrel you will not only lose velocity, but you'll lose all semblance of accuracy too.


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## ScottD (Dec 2, 2008)

*cut it*

Cut it.  Its not like it is a collectors item.  Yes you will loose a little velocity, but inside 300 yards you or the deer won't notice.

By the way....this is not a hacksaw job.  The crown is very important.  It needs to be done by a competent person on a lathe - cut straight in relation to the bore...not the o.d. of the barrel.


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## sodbusterman (Dec 2, 2008)

Thread it and put a muzzle break on it. Makes it real loud.


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## Buzz (Dec 2, 2008)

I've seen a .25-06 with a 22" tube and the muzzle blast was horrendous from the unburnt powder.  I'd want at least at 24" tube in the .25-06.    

If you really want a shorter gun, I'd just sell it and buy something else - most likely a short action round.


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## Eddy M. (Dec 2, 2008)

as already stated 25-06 needs the long barrel to burn that powder behind it  better off selling / trading for what you want-- cutting the barrel would really decrease the value of that gun--- but if that doesn't concern you have a G'smith cut it and re-crown--- expect increased muzzle flash and probably more muzzle blast---personally I'm a short barrel NUTso I know how you feel


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## dusty80 (Dec 3, 2008)

I know this aint know hacksaw job! I wasnt planning on doing it myself. I was just wanting to how short I could go. I am also not worried about it losing value. As long as the accuracy isn't affected I am fine with chopping it.


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## CAL (Dec 3, 2008)

I understand your desire to have a shorter rifle in the 25-06.With that being said,I would contact the manufacturer and ask why the original gun is not offered in a shorter version and what effect could you expect  with having what you want done,done.I'm just suggesting this before you possibly make a several hundred dollar mistake.No harm in doing this.I have a friend with a carbine version of a 742 Remington in 30-06.It has a 18 in.barrel.I do know the muzzle flash late in the afternoon is blinding.
Good luck with what you are doing.


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## Hammack (Dec 3, 2008)

You can go as short as 18.5" if you want to.  The effects will be on average 50 fps for every half inch you remove, and the muzzle flash will probably be awful.  The accuracy of the rifle will not be effected if it is re-crowned correctly, but with the resulting muzzle flash and raring of the barrel may make it more difficult to shoot accurately.


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## Twenty five ought six (Dec 3, 2008)

> > I know this aint know hacksaw job! I wasnt planning on doing it myself.



By the time you pay a gunsmith to cut and crown the barrel, you could pay him to replace the barrel with a more suitable caliber.  You would have the cost of the barrel to add, but on the other hand you would end up with a valuable barrel that you could either keep or resell to recoup some of the cost.

It's not so much the absolute value, as the aesthetic of messing up a perfectly good barrel.  As far as value, Ruger barrels are not that easy to come by, and I suspect that your barrel would have substantial value in the resale market.


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## Laman (Dec 3, 2008)

Muzzle blast and flash is not that bad from a 22" 25/06 and with the right powder can be mitigated.  Velocity loss also can be lessened with the correct powders.  At the least you now have a .257 Roberts which is considered an excellent whitetail round.

Also any gunsmith that would charge the same for a cut and crown job as a complete barrel change should be avoided.


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## Jason280 (Dec 3, 2008)

I have a Mauser 96 straight pull in .25-06, which has a 22" barrel.  With 100gr factory Remington Core-Lokts, I am getting right around 2900fps out of my gun.  Now, this load is rated at 3230fps out of a 24" barrel by the Remington folks, but I am nowhere near that velocity.  But I will say this, muzzle blast is not bad out of my 22" tube.

Personally, I would not cut the barrel down.


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## UserNameGoesHere (Dec 3, 2008)

How you gonna do anything to that rifle when it's in the back of my truck?


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## dusty80 (Dec 4, 2008)

UserNameGoesHere said:


> How you gonna do anything to that rifle when it's in the back of my truck?



You bum!! When are you going to bring it back? You are like the neighbor that only comes over when they want to borrow something.......


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## Buzz (Dec 4, 2008)

Jason - I guess it could depend on the powders used.   I have a 24" tube on my .25-06 and I am getting approx 3300 fps with 100g TSX using RL-22 and a shooting bud is getting nearly 3400 fps out of his Ruger #1 in .25-06 with a 26" tube with a similar load.   Even between our two guns, mine has a good bit more flash than his 26" tube.   The 22" Savage 110 I saw in .25-06 was blowing fireballs that looked like it would set the woods on fire.    I can't remember what powder he was using, I think it was either RL22 or IMR 4831.   Sure you could use faster burning powders; however, at a tradeoff of decreased velocity.    There have been some interesting articles about powder speed vs barrel length in Handloader magazine, I'll see if I can find an online article.   In most cartridges the same powders that produce the max velocities in 24" or 26" barrels also produced the highest velocities in 18" to 20" barrels.  The .25-06 can produce some very impressive velocities with powders like RL19, RL22, MagPro, 4831, H1000, etc.

I've just always thought of the .25-06 as a screamer that is best with at least a 24" tube and a 26" would be even better.


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## urbaneruralite (Dec 7, 2008)

Ever seen a centerfire throw unburnt powder out the barrel? I did. It was a .25/06 with a 22" barrel. Think it had something to do with the "different" ideas that guy loaded his rounds, but it is food for thought.

Anyway, the solution to your problem is pretty simple. Instead of removing barrel, remove the sling. If its in your hand it won't hang up on anything. There will be the added benefit of being able to shoot things more quickly because the gun is always already in your hand rather than slung over your shoulder.


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## MItransplant (Dec 7, 2008)

RWK said:


> 25-06 performes best with a long barrel.



ditto. 

don't ruin a rifle buy another one.


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## Yoda (Dec 8, 2008)

I have a Remington 700 BDL built in 1971, I bought it used, some one cut the barrel down to 22" I know for a fact that inside 100yds if your not using a Partition or Barnes the bullets WILL NOT hold together on a hit on a whitetail, 100gr sierra prohunter, turns to dust, and penatration sucks, 117gr Hornady SST, same problem, but you can find the jacket, those 2 bullets will not shoot thu a whitetails neck at 60yds. Last 2 deer I killed with the 25-06 have been with a 24" barreled Encore, this one I chono'ed at just under 3200fps (like 3185) with the 117 SST, in front of 54gr RL22. same results. I don't think I would want a 25-06 with a barrel any shorter than 22" your loosing to much of what that cartridge is designed to do ,,, Bang- Flop  .. for about $300 you could pick up a new Savage/Stevens model 200 in 25-06, if I'm not mistaken that one has a 22" tube, They make a great knock around gun and shoot very. very well.. 
 With that all said, anyone know where a guy could pick up a Remington 700 Take-Off barrel ? 25-06 of course.. that 1971 700 I have is in very bad need of one ...


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