Looking at the Weaver Rifles web site, you will notice that a lot of the game harvested by my family and I was done with a 25-06 Imp. I get a lot of questions regarding the cartridge and why I use it so much.

 

I was first introduced to the awesome 25-06 Imp when I was just twelve years old. My cousin John bought a used custom 25-06 Imp built on an ‘03 Springfield action. The rifle had a Shilen Barrel and a Bishop Stock. I can recall the memory of the first time I held this beautiful straight walled, sharp 40 degree,  shoulder cartridge, like it was yesterday. I was intrigued by how you could simply fire a regular 25-06 and form this thing of beauty. As luck would have it, I was with John when he tested his new rifle on his first buck. As I recall, the deer was standing at a 30-45 degree angle and 250 to 300 yards away. With one shot, John dispatched the buck with ease.

 

It would be 10 years before I could afford my first custom rifle and without a doubt it was chambered for the 25-06 Imp. I had a Shilen Barrel fitted to a commercial Mauser Action.  I put a Richards Micro Fit Stock on the barreled action to complete my dream rifle.

 

The first hunt that my new pride and joy accompanied me on was also my first sheep hunt. I ran over 100 rounds through the rifle the months before the hunt. My pet load was 55 grains of IMR 4350 with 117 grain Nosler Partions. This load would constantly produce sub minute five shot groups at 100 yards and around 2-3 inch groups at 300 yards. I was ready for that big ram.

 

My brother Ken and I spent a cold and sleepless night on Pikes Pike and when the sun came up that September morning, the mountain was covered with a fresh dusting of snow.  We spotted two rams feeding in a large basin on the east side of Pikes Peak, just below the Summit House. We had started down the mountain to get a closer look when we spotted eight rams feeding just below us. One of the rams was very dark and had a ¾ or better curl on the side that was visible. The rams spotted us as soon as we had spotted them.  They were walking up a small ridge, single file, when the dark ram moved to the back of the band. Ken said, “that is the big old dark ram we have been watching all summer so you better take him before he gets to the top of the ridge”. Just as he reached the top, I sent a 25caliber,  117 gr Nosler to meet him. That quick, my sheep hunt was over.  From then on, my 25-06 Imp has had many more memorable moments.

 

I attended Trinidad State Junior college to learn gunsmithing. When the time came to build a project rifle, I chose the 25-06 Imp. It seemed fitting to build a classic Ackley Cartridge when attending a gunsmithing school Mr. P.O. Ackley started. Since then, I have built over 100 custom rifles and 22 of them have been 25-06 Imp.  Not one of the clients has been disappointed with their choice or about the performance of this fantastic cartridge.

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin's Custom-06 Improved. The metal work was done by Bob Schrewsbury and the stock work by Kevin. Kevin has used this rifle on nearly every living thing in Colorado and it has performed great.

 

 

 

Load Data:

Rifle used is a custom 25-06 Imp., with a Mauser Action, Shilen 25” Barrel. I used a Match Grade JGS Reamer ground to minimum tolerances. Chronograph placed 15’ from the muzzle.

 

Powder            Charge                        Bullet                          Velocity         

 

RL22               63gr                 Nosler 100gr                3563

RL22               60gr                 Nosler117gr                 3313 pet hunting load

 

IMR4350         57gr                 Hornady 100gr 3420

IMR4350         55gr                 Hornady115gr              3304

 

H4831             58gr                 Remington 100gr          3489

H4831             56gr                 Reamington120gr         3320

 

IMR 4350        58gr                 Berger 87gr                  3637 great coyote load

 

Here are Kevin's favorite 25 caliber bullets. L-R 87 Gr Berger, 100 Gr Old Nosler, 100 Gr round nose Nosler, 115 Gr Nosler, 117 Gr Nosler.

All load data should be used with caution.  Always start with reduced loads first and make sure they are safe in each of your guns before proceeding to the high test loads listed. Since Weaver Rifles has no control over your choice of components, guns, or actual loadings, neither Weaver Rifles nor the various firearms and components manufacturers assume any responsibility for the use of this data.