Gemsbok hunt

Would you use a 25-06 on an oryx? I just realized my .308 is in Texas, I am in New Mexico - and my hunt is in 2 weeks. Only gun I have here is 243, 25-06, and my lever actions 375, 30-30, and 45-70. I need something that shoots far, which is my 25-06. I know it will drop an oryx - but would you use it, or borrow a gun?

25-06 is fine just use a good built like the Nosler trophy grade ammo in 100gr partition.

My wife hammed her oryx with 257wby with 80gr ttsx.. its chin left a hole in the ground it hit so hard


Know also the vitals are a lot more forward then a deer. Straight up the leg

I would go with a monolithic bullet construction in 117gr (Barnes X, Hornady GMX, etc), and you should be OK. Oryx are tough, and have heavy shoulder bones and thick skin on the shoulder. A 25-06 is a little light, but wouldn't hesitate with the right bullet construction - just be careful of the shots you take, hard quartering away or towards may cause issues.

Personally never been a fan of partitions. They work fine on lighter game, but the front half will be gone if you hit bone, leaving a little 50gr chunk of lead to do the killing.

She also had complete passtru on both shoulder bones.

^^^^^

Right, and a ttsx is not a partition, it's a monolithic, which aligns with what I said above.

I dropped an oryx at about 200 yards with a 257 weatherby 100 grain spire point so I would think a 25-06 would be enough.

25-06 should work fine. Just put a good bullet -- and I certainly include partitions in this category -- in the vitals.

Scimitar or Gemsbok oryx? A very well placed shot with a 25-06 might bring down a scimitar, although its light. A Gemsbok is a different and tougher critter.

With both, the vitals are lower and forward than a WT.

It was said, right up the leg and use a solid bullet like a Barnes , or you are definitely going to be paying for wounding an animal.

My daughter made a SLIGHTLY high shot on a scimitar and it ran back and forth over the ranch for 2 days and we never caught up with it. Was found by our guide dead a few days later. And she was shooting a 165gr .270
And it was a passthru about a hand width high.

So we they say make a good placement, were talking perfect with a 25-06.

She didn't hit any vitals the spine is much lower on all oryx species..pushing all the vitals down

Ok I'll give you that... Even 80 vs 100grains, but fowlerplayer dropped a big bull red stag with a 100gr partition.

I've dropped a big 600lb cow elk in the panhandle with a 25-06 100grain partition at over 300 yards, had a passtru on both shoulders also.

My favorite bullet in is the ttsx, but unfortantly you can get a decent OTC load for it in the 25-06 it's only load by federal and it's to light of a load, but the partition is the next best thing and a whole he'll of a better option then BT, SST, corlok, SG etc.

I personally would not use the 25-06 on Gemsbok. I just shot one last week and drop it with one shot at 225 yards with a 30-06 165 grain SST. I have the 25-06 and have killed some animals with it. I know I could hit the gemsbok in he same way. I would hate to chance having to chase it or make it suffer with not enough bullet if the distance was to far. You got to remember your not shooting off a bench rest and if your shooting off sticks the greater the distance the more chance your shot may not be perfect. To beautiful an animal to chance and in my case that type of hunt doesn't come around that often. JMO

Hornady does a 90gr GMX in their superformance ammo, which is still light, but gets you a couple extra grains. If he had a heavier calibre he could comfortably borrow, might suggest it. My favorite shot on oryx is the square in the shoulder about half way up - you'll bust both shoulders, and either hit the front of the lungs or the spine. I have shot a couple oryx species in Africa and been in on a couple more kills, and they were all tough - the only ones that dropped in their tracks where those taken square in the shoulder. We used 7mm's and 300 wins mostly with barnes-x bullets (back when PMC was the only factory load). The two that I recall having to follow up were a grand PITA, once they get that adrenalin up, they can be especially hard to take down.

Everyone's experiences are different, and I grew up shooting partitions in a .243 @ hill country whitetails - I can't tell you the number of times I found the rear of the partition @ about 50% weight in odd places after it deflected on bone (shoulder or rib). Worked fine on WT, but I wouldn't want the same performance on a tougher critter. I switched to X bullets (or similar constructions) for larger game and won't go back.

Break the animals front end down. Follow-up shot into the vitals. Done deal.

Gemsbuck are so tough, ive seen them go down with a 243 but that was to the neck and complete luck imo. 257 is a very special round with high velocity and it just has that magical punch to it. 25-06 is a little to small in my opinion but if its all you got i would say shoot it until the hunt starts and be ready for follow up shots. just have it ready for longer distances and good luck.

If one can shoot, the .25-06 Rem is plenty. If one can't shoot, the cartridge used doesn't really matter.

a 25-06 will be fine. As we took close to 50 oryx off our place earlier this year and had numerous clients use our ranch rifles in .243 and 25-06 with no problems.