Two rifles which can and have served dual purposes. Either cartridge could serve just fine as a "swing over" rifle round, and both have been doing so for quite a few years.
77 International chambered for the 250 Savage, and it was a very accurate and handy rifle, although I never got the chance to see how it worked on game. I have had several rifles chambered for the 257 Roberts, as well as the Ackley Improved version, some of which have been heavy-barreled dedicated varmint/predator rifles. Likewise, I have owned several 25-06 and 25-06 Improved rifles in both light- and heavy-barreled configurations. One of my all-time favorite deer
This is the author’s pet 257 Roberts-chambered game and predator killer. A connoisseur of fine rifles wouldn’t give it a second glance, but it is one fine hunting rifle, having proven itself on both coyotes as well as running whitetail.
A Ruger M-77 Mk II Varmint/Target rifle factory-chambered in 25-06. The fact that this rifle sells well enough to remain in the lineup, despite being the only long-action VT example, might indicate that its purchasers are using them both as a varmint rifle and as a “bean field” rifle for deer and hogs.
(although it certainly would suffice!), simply because of the barrel becoming excessively hot after a very few rounds. Still, there are no less than three
commercial 25 caliber cartridges which will admirably serve our two purposes. The 250-3000 Savage, the 257 Roberts and the 25-06 are all out there wait- ing for buyers. While the 250 is only rarely found today in a new rifle, with Savage being the only company that I know of to offer it in a production rifle, the 257 Roberts continues to hang on in a few factory guns. (Kimber’s
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M-84 in this chambering is a beaut!), and the 25-06 is available from many makers. Then, too, we cannot discount the many Improved versions of any of these, particularly the 257 Roberts Ackley Improved, which has been made in hundreds if not thousands of custom rifles over the years. In fact, this particular wildcat is a standard offering by Cooper Arms of Montana in their Model 22. Other wildcats like the 25/284, one of my favorites, also exist and are viable choices.
Years ago I had a Ruger Model
stalking rifles is one that would receive very little attention from a rifle cog- noscente. It is a Model 1893 Mauser-ac- tioned featherweight 257 Roberts. With a 1.5-4.5 power Thompson/Center Recoil Proof scope (remember them?), it weighs less than seven pounds and comes with a pretty good walnut stock with nice checkering. Light and quick, it is very accurate with both the 100-grain Barnes TSX – an oft-proven deer slayer – and with an 85-grain No- sler Ballistic Tip (the varmint version, not their hunting bullet of the same weight), it also has proven itself to be a good coyote slayer. Incidentally, even though I am not primarily a pelt hunter – normally being quite satis- fied to simply eliminate any coyote I can – the 100-grain Barnes bullet does not make a very large exit hole in a sideways coyote, even though it does expand quite well on a whitetail deer. I also would not hesitate to use it on a somewhat larger critter. And, if you are a dedicated pelt hunter, Barnes also makes a very pointy 90-grain Banded Solid bullet! So, how does this “swing-over
rifle” concept work anyway? Are we to be expected to carry two different loads with us when deer hunting? Or perhaps we are to load the top round in the magazine for deer but keep the sec- ond round as a coyote killer? Well, we could do that, but I prefer just to know I can take the same gun out, regardless of what I am hunting. I usually would have an 85-grain loaded round in my pocket if I am deer hunting in case another red coyote shows himself far enough away that I have time to si- lently open the bolt and load it for the shot. Primarily, however, I simply like being able to pick up my “deer rifle” after the season is over, go out into the woods and try to call in a song dog
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