.257 weatherby moose 120partition or 100ttsx?

Looks like mono is the winner. I still have some on hand, they’re already sighted in, and shoot in the rifle so that’s one less thing to worry about.

Have a new possible option, go old school, picked up some hard cast big meplat 305grain rounds for the 44mag. It’s pretty thick up there so range might not be much of an issue. I have zero experience with shooting game with cast, or aiming for bone. Always been a behind the shoulder guy. Got 4 months to do some research still.
 
Jimbobob08 said:
Looks like mono is the winner. I still have some on hand, they’re already sighted in, and shoot in the rifle so that’s one less thing to worry about.

Have a new possible option, go old school, picked up some hard cast big meplat 305grain rounds for the 44mag. It’s pretty thick up there so range might not be much of an issue. I have zero experience with shooting game with cast, or aiming for bone. Always been a behind the shoulder guy. Got 4 months to do some research still.
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44 Mag in a rifle would only be a choice for me if it was going to be REALLY close. Shot placement should still be behind the shoulders. Shooting for bone only ruins meat.
 
Jimbobob08 said:
Looks like mono is the winner. I still have some on hand, they’re already sighted in, and shoot in the rifle so that’s one less thing to worry about.

Have a new possible option, go old school, picked up some hard cast big meplat 305grain rounds for the 44mag. It’s pretty thick up there so range might not be much of an issue. I have zero experience with shooting game with cast, or aiming for bone. Always been a behind the shoulder guy. Got 4 months to do some research still.
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I almost lost two big whitetail bucks because of those 100 grain Barnes bullets. I guided for 8 years and heard many horror stories from my clients about those damn bullets. Best of luck, I hope you're a good tracker.
 
I have a buddy who has shot a 257 Weatherby for over 25 years . He has trapped and guided his whole life and he is pushing 80 now.
About 15 years ago i asked him what he used for moose and deer .
This was the conversation we had
This guy is a hunter not a hand loader or gun nut.
"A 257 Weatherby"
" nice cartridge! What load are you using?"
" I dunno, my son loads it for me , I just put the crosshairs on whatever it is and kill it , never needed a second shot with it either. Best dammed rifle I ever owned !"
I spoke with his son a few days later and he loads 120 Partitions for it with IMR 4831
Cat
 
I’ve used the 257 Weatherby more than a little, and my son has been hunting with his since he was 11. In those years we had basically unlimited free mule deer tags in certain areas, we could shoot a heaping truck load most days. He used a Mark V that a friend sold me cheap (has 2 moose to its credit, factory Spirepoints) , and I used a 700 LSS in the same caliber because he suspicious that I was tricking i to using a kid gun :)

Anyways I had two loads that shot to the same POI in both rifles, 100 grain Ballistic Tips and 100 grain TSXs. The kid could switch back and forth at random and did. After a bit of this he turned to me and asked why when he shot out of 1 box the deer were typically flattened and when he used the other box they ran just about every time? I explained the difference between a fast openng practically explosive bullet at that velocity and a mono that could probably shoot through 3 deer, but he could use whatever he wanted. He decided he would use the ones that worked:)


I used the .257 cullling a bit in Australia with various bullets, one of which was the 80 grain TTSX at 3950 fps. After a bit of that it pretty obvious that one bullet stuck out as the worst and that was the Barnes. It sucks hard enough to suck the chrome off a trailer hitch. It would be a good bullet for shootng things that you wanted to die somewhere else though.

I did a write up on another forum on the results. 115 grain NBTs and 100 grain Sciroccos were really good, with the Swift being a penetrately bugger and the 115 faster killling. My shooting partner used only 120 grain NBTs at warp speed in a 7 WSM. 500 animals on that little test.
 
I have never shot a moose with a 257 weatherby but these stories of runners specifically related/blamed on a Barnes bullet is arguable. Depending what the bullet hits, determines how far it will run ime. I have killed a decent sample size of game and had bang-flops and runners with both Berger and Barnes bullets. If I had a 257 and a moose tag I would shoot either bullet mentioned by the OP and prepare to recover the moose within 75 yards of where the lungs were initially destroyed.
 
Of the two I would choose the partition. I personally use a 110 accubond. Moose arent all that hard to kill as long as the bullet is put in the right place. Im sure the 100 grain barnes would work well also, I just dont have any personal experience with it. I prefer lead core bullets over mono metal bullets.
 
Dogleg said:
I’ve used the 257 Weatherby more than a little, and my son has been hunting with his since he was 11. In those years we had basically unlimited free mule deer tags in certain areas, we could shoot a heaping truck load most days. He used a Mark V that a friend sold me cheap (has 2 moose to its credit, factory Spirepoints) , and I used a 700 LSS in the same caliber because he suspicious that I was tricking i to using a kid gun :)

Anyways I had two loads that shot to the same POI in both rifles, 100 grain Ballistic Tips and 100 grain TSXs. The kid could switch back and forth at random and did. After a bit of this he turned to me and asked why when he shot out of 1 box the deer were typically flattened and when he used the other box they ran just about every time? I explained the difference between a fast openng practically explosive bullet at that velocity and a mono that could probably shoot through 3 deer, but he could use whatever he wanted. He decided he would use the ones that worked:)


I used the .257 cullling a bit in Australia with various bullets, one of which was the 80 grain TTSX at 3950 fps. After a bit of that it pretty obvious that one bullet stuck out as the worst and that was the Barnes. It sucks hard enough to suck the chrome off a trailer hitch. It would be a good bullet for shootng things that you wanted to die somewhere else though.

I did a write up on another forum on the results. 115 grain NBTs and 100 grain Sciroccos were really good, with the Swift being a penetrately bugger and the 115 faster killling. My shooting partner used only 120 grain NBTs at warp speed in a 7 WSM. 500 animals on that little test.
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I recall that write up. Ive always read the 115 NBT was too soft for reliability at weatherby speeds on whitetail/black bear. After reading of your experience up to red stag I purchased some for future deer/bear hunting after the mono’s are used up. Maybe by spring bear 24’.
 
I have tested both bullets in my 25-06the 100 TTSX penetrates well and is very accurate. It generally blows the petals off and loses about 15% mass....The Partition loses it's front core and loses about 40% mass and penetrates less well with a bigger front half wound channel. I'd say both are marginal on moose. The 100 grain bullets only have an s.d. of .216. The construction helps but there is only so much work such a short bullet can do. The 120 Partitionhas an s.d of .260 but I find it a little "soft" sometimes the rear core squirts out and it loses over 50% of it's mass. In the higher velocities of the 257W this problem would get worse. I'd look at other choices.

I know it isn't in the original choice but 115 TSX bullets penetrate really well in my 25-06 (The best penetration of any bullet tested) but need to be pushed fast to stabalize as they are quite long. Would be a good choice IMO in the 257W. Also 120 A-Frame bullets are super reliable and out penetrate and out-tough the Partition while make bigger wound channels than the TSX or TTSX bullets while penetrating about 80-85% as far. Not super accurate in my rifle but entirely moose-worthy. You have very little mass in the 25's for moose and I wouldn't give any away by dropping down to 100 grainers off the get-go... though the TTSX would be one that might work.

And don't worry too much about being under-gunned, just make sure you are very disciplined regarding your shot and place your bullet well as you have a bit less margin for error than with a larger caliber. The 257 W will work well if you place that bullet where it needs to go. 120 Swift A-Frame would be what I'd use, with 115 TSX being a close second choice.
 
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it may have been on Alberta outdoorsman but member might be here, not long ago a desert bighorn was taken with the 257 weatherby and warp speed 80 gr ttsx at a very typical distance 200-250 yards from recollection, and he showed the damage, the lack of damage in this case, hide pulled back pictures etc. shot placement was great and ram died obviously but after the witnessing I don't think that combo will get used again by those who saw it...was it marky mark? did he post that here as well? sounds like he joined me on the banned list over there lol...welcome to the club buddy :)

would be good to see that ram if trying to decide on bullets and still somehow leaning towards barnes despite all the good reports for everything else
 
The Weatherby cartridges made their reputation with decades of Nosler Partitions and Hornadys. They have been loading Partitions about as long as Nosler has made them. An argument could be made for not fixing what isn’t broken.
 
Can’t go wrong with either bullet. Yes there are better cartridges for the job but the 257 will knock a moose over no problem. I shot my first moose with a 6mm Remington. Dropped in one step.
Your thinking is right on the bullets so put one where it needs to go and you will do fine. Pick your shots
 
Dogleg said:
The Weatherby cartridges made their reputation with decades of Nosler Partitions and Hornadys. They have been loading Partitions about as long as Nosler has made them. An argument could be made for not fixing what isn’t broken.
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That is 100 percent true.
I had an acquaintance show up at the range years ago with a German built MKV and some really really old Weatherby factory loads.
He had been gifted the rifle from a old timer who no longer hunted.
The bullets were 180 grain partitions that had the tool marks from the lathe showing on the jackets.
Those slugs were likely turned out when Nosler was a one man show.
 
Jimbobob08 said:
Looks like mono is the winner. I still have some on hand, they’re already sighted in, and shoot in the rifle so that’s one less thing to worry about.

Have a new possible option, go old school, picked up some hard cast big meplat 305grain rounds for the 44mag. It’s pretty thick up there so range might not be much of an issue. I have zero experience with shooting game with cast, or aiming for bone. Always been a behind the shoulder guy. Got 4 months to do some research still.
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If you want a good chance of going for a walk and dragging a moose out of a place you’d rather not, try the .44 hard cast. Stick with the .257 Roy from those two, I’d go TSX personally but I don’t like lead in meat I’m eating. Can’t fail to admit the Partition at speed is a hell of a drug.
 
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