The 25-06 Remington takes its design from a marriage of the quarter-inch bore and Charles Newton’s .30-60 Springfield cartridge. This necked-down version of the .30-60 has existed as a wildcat cartridge since its inception around 1920, introduced by the A. O. Nidner. The cartridge came at a time when the conditions encouraged independent gunmen to experiment with it. This, and the release of the IMR 4350 in 1940, which greatly improved the performance of the .25-06 case, increased the popularity of the wild-cat cartridge. Thus, the natural occurrence was its commercialization which occurred in the late 1960s by the Remington Arms company.
A factory load of 100 to 117 grains can be easily propelled at a muzzle velocity of 3200 fps, generating energy levels up to 2500 ft-lbs. The .25-06 is a flat-shooter that is effective over 350 yards (with nothing more than a 5-inch difference above or below your aiming point) as well as 50 yards. The flatness minimizes range-estimation errors and provides quality shot placement, making it a fine cartridge for hunting anything from coyotes to large deer.
Lighter weight bullets are used in this cartridge, giving it lower recoil than its counterpart, the .30-60, in a similar weight rifle. This kick is bearable, but shoot for a long time at a stretch and the recoil begins to turn unpleasant.
If you have got a bolt-action or a single-shot rifle, you will notice that most often than not it offers, as its standard chamber,.25-06. It still remains a top experimental cartridge, which can be hand loaded (or reloaded) to the users' satisfaction.
