257 Weatherby; Opinion ?

As long as you keep the barrel cool during firing, enough that you can keep your hand on it continuously, and don't put a ton of rounds through it, it's awesome. It is a barrel eater.
 
shorttrac said:
Just an update on an old thread. I said I would likely never own a .257 Weatherby . I lied and picked up a Vanguard Laserguard and must say I am really eating crow here. Reformed 7mm brass took care of expensive brass. Biggest thing about this caliber is the unbelievable accuracy. It burns a lot of powder but I am really enjoying shooting my bee.
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Welcome to the dark side. Ive been playing with the 80gr ttsx and 90gr gmx and the velocity is simply amazing. Killed a 300lb black bear this spring with the 80gr ttsx. Hit almost dead center of chest head on and exited at the back hip. Shot was about 80 yards. Never twiched. Struck by lightning again.
 
I don't own one....yet. I've always wanted one, ever since I was a kid. I almost caved and bought one of the Vanguard Lasermark's (I think that's what they're called?) last Christmas, but I held off as I want a 26" barrel or better for this particular caliber.

I can say I've seen many deer fall to the .264WM, and considering how closely they are related, I still don't know why I haven't gotten my .257 yet! BANG flop. The end.
 
I don't have a .257 Wby, but do have a 2506 and a .264win,
Is there anyone on here using the 257 for long range, dialing scope etc.
I know the .257 Wby fast and flat, has 200-250 fps on the 2506 and .264win, but the bullet Bc, isn't the greatest,
Anyone used both the 257 Wby and .264 win in similer rifles and picked one over the other ?
I have had a amazing streak of bang flop, one shot kills out to 350ish Meters, with the 2506 and 110gr accubond.
 
Love my stainless Vanguard 2 with Meopta 6x42 scope. Great combo, nearest I've come to a lazer in 36 years of hunting.
 
southernman said:
I don't have a .257 Wby, but do have a 2506 and a .264win,
Is there anyone on here using the 257 for long range, dialing scope etc.
I know the .257 Wby fast and flat, has 200-250 fps on the 2506 and .264win, but the bullet Bc, isn't the greatest,
Anyone used both the 257 Wby and .264 win in similer rifles and picked one over the other ?
I have had a amazing streak of bang flop, one shot kills out to 350ish Meters, with the 2506 and 110gr accubond.
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I had a Blaser R93 with 264 WM and 257 Wby barrels, so pretty much as identical of a comparison as you can get. The rifle is gone, but I still have an Accumark in 257.
Both the 257 and 264 are pretty much geared toward hunters. I just think the 257 fits the dual role of varmint and deer sized game cartridge better than the 264. There was no accuracy difference between the two and BC really doesn't matter that much at hunting distances, where I'd say the extreme is considered 600 yards or so.

Comparing the 257 to the 25-06 is similar to a 308 vs 300 WinMag comparison.
 
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shorttrac said:
You can kill a moose with a .223, but that does not prove a thing about it being adequate for the purpose just because you've done it. I've seen people kill deer with 22 magnums, guess that's a perfect deer round now? The .257 is a great cartridge if kept within its capabilities but if large critters are on the menu, opt for a better suited cartridge please.
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good to see you finally bought one
 
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naktabar72 said:
Would you consider a 257 Weatherby for your various needs?
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I bought a new Mark V 6 years ago and sold last year. It was an Ultralight and while I found it enjoyable to shoot at the range there were 2 drawbacks:
1. The high cost of the Weatherby ammo as I wasn't into handloading then
2. The length of the barrel was awkward for he kind of hunting I do here on the coast. the rifle was no more accurate than my 7x57s and I always felt that I was not using it to its potential. MAlso, being old school, I preferred a wood stock.. Just had to try one for a time. I took the head off a grouse and shot a deer with it but was not sorry to see it go. A fellow CGNR from Alberta bought it an know doubt he will use it to its long range potential.
JT
 
I don't like Hip-Hop,..but I sure do like Bang-Flop. Can you say .257RoyWeatherby. Weren't these used as a test bed during the development of the worlds first Laser?:d

When new cartridges approach or surpass the .257Weatherby performance, all I can say is, you're way too late to matter.;)
 
I prefer the more temperate quarter bores... the Savage and Roberts... if I was hunting out west my preference might change.
 
If I could only have one caliber it would be the 257 bee. I have killed gopher, grouse, bear, deer, caribou, sheep, goat and moose with this cartridge. Very quick kills. I currently own 2 left handed weebees. An ultalight and most recently an accumark. I run 100 ttsx in the ultralight and 80 ttsx in the accumark. Got a moose hunt comin up in a couple weeks and I think the accumark will be with me. 80 grainers and all. I have a zeiss z600 3x15 on it and its dialed to 600.
 
The ballistics are undoubtedly awesome but for where and how I hunt the 25/06 is what I chose. 117 gr interlock at 3150 fps just works. I load 75 gr Vmax at 3550 fps for varmints and coyotes. Enough energy to flatten coyotes over 600 yards.

I've thought about getting a wby in 257 but I love my 25/06 and it's 22" barrel
 
track said:
It was the "old school" boys who created the 257 wby (1944) and the Nosler partition bullet (1948). Roy Weatherby did not invent the 257 for moose and elk, there were other cartridge/calibers conceived for that purpose. It's prudent to pay heed to the grey haired................;)
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Actually, it was Roy that took an early 257 to Africa with 100 grain partitions to harvest a Cape Buff. He was sucessful!
 
One of the finest cartridges to ever come off the cartridge drawing board, I have never been without one for over 40 years. Currently using 110 gn ABs and RL 25 getting 1/2 moa accuracy and unbelievable velocities. I have taken caribou with one well beyond the 1/4 mile mark, just devastating!!!!
 
The trouble with the .257 is one look at it and you can see that its too small to kill anything. If by some miracle you get past its diminutive size and don't cave in and decide that it must need the stiffest mono bullets around to work, you just might find some of the fastest drops you've ever seen. There's other calibers running at 3500 or so that will have the same result, but you'll probably find they kick a bit.
 
I finnished building a load for my 257 on the weekend. I stopped at 71gr of 7828ssc (no signs of over preasure yet) and a 90gr gmx.my average velocity was 3610fps for 5 shots and just a shade over 1" at 150 yards. What was interesting to me was I started at 65grs of powder and wasnt getting a very good burn of all my powder. As I increased my charge it would get better and my velocitys where much closer together. Im fairly new to reloading lots of learning to do yet
 
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