257wby Bullet choice for bigger game

thumper1

thumper1

BANNED
BANNED
BANNED
EE Expired
Rating - 98.6%
69   1   0
Location
Prince George BC
Hi everybody as you probley figured out I have a 257 wby and this is my question. This spring I took a fair sized Black bear (6'6") at 450m with it and it was a 1 shot kill not a problem I credit good shot placement! I was using a 100gr spitzer factory load. What bullet would you use for Griz? Barnes? Nosler?????? 115gr? 120gr????? I know its not the perfect cal for the job but I do know its more then capable of doing the job and will be my back up rifle.
 
Last edited:
If you are bound and determined to shoot a grizz with a 25 caliber cartridge - something I would highly discourage - I would recommend you stick with a monolithic bullet.

Barnes X, Hornady GMX, or Nosler E-tip would be the first three I would try.
 
Drive the meanest, heaviest Barnes TSX at the highest possible accurate velocity, carefully aim your rifle, revise your will and then shot ;)

BTW, I will try my 243 Win using a TSX on moose this year if I can get a shoot within 100m range (I'll use my 270 WSM if the range is higher).

Alex
 
I have some friends who are guides, and, after hearing some of their stories of grizz encounters and hunts gone near-disastrously, I'd be packing a 375H&H or bigger.

KILLING a grizz isn't the problem - I'm sure a 25 cal/TSX will do that - STOPPING one if something goes wrong is a whole 'nuther matter.

Just imagine tracking a wounded grizz into the thick, and not being 110% certain of your caliber and shot placement, and whether he's going to be dead when you find him, or just pissed off
 
Why would you use such a monstrosity of a caliber? Just shoot him in the eye with a Cooey 22 short, seems to be the trend on this site for all the recoil challenged hunters. ;)

Honestly, I'd pick the heaviest, toughest bullet your 257 shoots well and then hope you don't need to use it on grizzly, especially for back-up. I really like the 257, but not for big bears. Got any other calibers?

The internet ballisticians should be posting anytime with comparisons, data and links on how the 325 is actually inferior to the 257. :D
 
choices

Really what this or any other caliber for quarry discussion is about is how well do you shoot your 257?
I knew an old fellow in Montana been a bushman most of his life and shot 2 grizzly bears, his favorite gun was a 243 and his only shot was a neck shot. Told me about it like it was just another pack trip to the mountains, No big deal. FS
 
Any monlithic bullet will do as stated, that 257 will work just fine on moose/elk and if you HAVE to bear. However that being said it's not ideal. IMO the ideal is the Ruger Alaskan 375Ruger.
 
I think a 257 is adequate for a grizzly bear hunt.

If I were hunting a coastal grizzly it wouldn't be my first choice.

I've seen a few mountain grizzlies and contrary to popular belief there aren't 1000 pound grizzlies roaming the mountains.;)

I've seen one bear that I thought would push the 750 pound mark, he was roaming around a salmon bearing stream.

Never seen a coastal bear but I hear they are a tad bigger.:D
 
Pickles said:
I think a 257 is adequate for a grizzly bear hunt.

If I were hunting a coastal grizzly it wouldn't be my first choice.

I've seen a few mountain grizzlies and contrary to popular belief there aren't 1000 pound grizzlies roaming the mountains.;)

I've seen one bear that I thought would push the 750 pound mark, he was roaming around a salmon bearing stream.

Never seen a coastal bear but I hear they are a tad bigger.:D
Click to expand...

Poking a grizzly on the side of a hill from 200 yards is one thing, but if your bear gets into the willows, I wouldn't want to be going in after him with a quarter bore.
 
The caliber wouldn't be my first choice, but if I had to it'd be an A-frame or TSX.

For all the ink that got spilt over the years on the topic, I'll wager that the total amount of bear hunters in the modern age that got clobbered by grizzlies could sit in a modest liveing room to tell their stories.
 
I just finished a grizz hunt and was tempted to take my 257. I didnt as I also have a 325. I feel a 115 x-bullet would cleanly take a grizz. I actually took my 270 wsm over my 325 on this last hunt. No shots fired. The 257 is my favorite caliber.
 
Mine fell to my .416. I didn't feel overgunned. I've been around tons of bears in the bush. Gizzlies and blacks, not just what I read. Small guns are fine if all goes well. I hope all goes well for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom