Favorite .257 bullet

brybenn

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As my next project will be rebuilding a 2506 I was curious as to everyone's favorite bullet for deer and black bear sized game. So 100gr and up. I'll be going with a proper 26" barrel this time. I have high hopes to find 1 load for use with wolf and bear and possibly deer if I get the chance to hunt in a centerfire zone
 
The 100 TSX is very accurate and kills well.

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At one time I had 2 similar rifles in 25-06. One shot the 100 grain very well, and the other shot the 115 better. I used Nosler partitions in both of them. The one that likes the 100 grain has been used on deer or both types and elk with no issues. Any well constructed bullet will work very well in the 25-06. It is more effective than most would think.
 
100 grain Nosler BT and 115gr Berger VLD
Tried lots of others, but those two stood out as the very best at killing deer.
Now if moose or elk were on the plate, I might go to 115gr BT or partition.
Found TSX to be less than stellar, but thats just my 2cents
 
I loaded 25-06 for many years for a friend of mine. Started with the 100gr Barnes XLC, then the TSX, eventually the 100gr TTSX. All work well on game, he took moose and elk, sheep, and deer with no problem. Around 57 grains H4831sc did just under 3300 fps (24" brl)

Barnes now makes a 101gr LRX , might be worth a look if you can find some. The BC is about 12% better than the 100gr TTSX and it likely has a lower velocity threshold for full expansion
 
The LRX 101gr, but just discovered it. Keeps the speed up and a nice profile, just right weight wise for a .257 Roberts. I’ve been leaning to the lighter end on monos, been a slow progression that way, and always trying to find the best weight / BC compromise for trajectory as I advocate long zeros. This 101gr LRX, if you can find them, strikes a near perfect balance if you want lead free like I do.
 
I used to load the speer 120-grain flat base bullet. which is now discontinued. tried the boattail version my rifle didn't like those at all.
 
find that thread on 24 hour campfire where a few guys took some 257 bees over seas to a culling shoot for a couple weeks and shot hundreds of animals from small deer to cow elk size and recorded the differences, from 80gr ttsx up to 100/115's of more traditional construction...it's a great read ;)

edit, found it https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/12175865/all/257-weatherby-culling-results

That post on the cull hunt bullet test is from none other than CGN's "Dogleg."
 
Never shot the .257 Bee, but have loaded and shot .25/06, .257 Roberts and .25 Souper... settled on the 115 NBT driven as fast as they would permit. Only a number of WT's taken and possibly a bear (memory fails), predictably favorable results. I am completely out of the quarter bores with no plans to.go back... over invested in 6.5's and 7's at the moment.
 
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