257 Wby
- Thread starter army_eod
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ozarkhillbilly
Member
If you get one then post pictures of it and then of your first kill with it.
CptnAwesome
Member
What rifle are you looking at? I doubt you'll regret it if you get one. Especially for whitetail. Flat shooting and super fast. Delivers massive shock on impact. Weatherby select ammo is fairly inexpensive and if you reload it's all the better. I've never had a problem finding brass or factory ammo.
GooseGestapo
Member
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- Jan 6, 2003
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- 6,154
I bought one back in ‘07. Weatherby Vanguard.
I had a dozen range pickup cases, and bought three boxes of Norma 100gr.
Even made some cases by reforming 7mmRemMag cases.
Also bought some once fired cases.
I now have a lifetime supply of brass. Having shot/owned a .257Roberts for decades, I have a generous supply of bullets of various weights.
It didn’t take long to find some loads the rifle liked. Mostly, I looked to extracting the highest velocities with decent accuracy.
Some general observations:
Use only Norma/Weatherby brass. It’s VERY good. It also holds 2-5gr more powder than either Federal or Remington brass.
Use Federal #215 primers.
Forget seating the bullets out to touch the lands. Weatherbys have 0.375” of freebore. Just seat to approximate the length of factory ammo. I use a max of 3.250” with Sierra, Speer, Nosler BT bullets. 3.175” with Hornady 100gr FbSpt.
Norma 100gr Spt ammo used to be cheaper than Weatherby boxed NUFB! It runs 3,400fps from my 24” Vanguard. (Normal, factory velocities are quoted from 26” barrels). I’ve gotten consistent 1/2” groups from my rifle with it. Never have used it to hunt with however.
My favorite load is 74.0gr of RL25 under a 100gr bullet. Gets 3,700fps at 90degF. My rifle isn’t picky about accuracy. I suggest a premium hunting bullet. However, factory Weatherby ammo has always been loaded with Hornady bullets. They just work. I bought 1,000 100gr blems about 12yrs ago. I don’t think I’ll ever get around to using them up. The 117gr Interlok is probably the best non-partition type bullet.
I don’t suggest using a Ballistic Tip for shooting big game. I had a 115gr Nosler BT blow up on a ~120lb doe. It got away, coyotes got it. Bullet blew up on shoulder, threw shreds of meat up to 20’.
I’ve got a load using WC860 and the Speer 120gr BTSPT. It gets 3,300fps at ~85gegF, but at 40deg drops to 3,150fps, so I can’t recommend it. But, it’s still is sub moa.
The only modification I made was to substitute a Timney trigger for the Weatherby trigger. It was horrible. Adjusting to minimum it still had a 7lb pull. The Timney is disappointing as it only goes down to about 4.5, but I can live with it.
For the most part, I’ve only shot deer with the Hornady 100’s. They shoot like laser beams. 1”high at 100yds for a 200yd zero, -4” at 300yds. +2.5” at 100yds for a 300yd zero, -8” at 400yds. I’ve only recovered one. It weighs 67.5gr. Broke a shoulder and ribs. Lodged under hide.
Recoil is about like a .30/06. Trajectory like a .22-250!
I got my rifle for $250 out the door in ‘07 used. No one wanted it due to $35/box of 20ammo. I only gave $200 for my Savage M110 in .300RUM for same reason.
But as stated by OP, ammo is available!!!
I had a dozen range pickup cases, and bought three boxes of Norma 100gr.
Even made some cases by reforming 7mmRemMag cases.
Also bought some once fired cases.
I now have a lifetime supply of brass. Having shot/owned a .257Roberts for decades, I have a generous supply of bullets of various weights.
It didn’t take long to find some loads the rifle liked. Mostly, I looked to extracting the highest velocities with decent accuracy.
Some general observations:
Use only Norma/Weatherby brass. It’s VERY good. It also holds 2-5gr more powder than either Federal or Remington brass.
Use Federal #215 primers.
Forget seating the bullets out to touch the lands. Weatherbys have 0.375” of freebore. Just seat to approximate the length of factory ammo. I use a max of 3.250” with Sierra, Speer, Nosler BT bullets. 3.175” with Hornady 100gr FbSpt.
Norma 100gr Spt ammo used to be cheaper than Weatherby boxed NUFB! It runs 3,400fps from my 24” Vanguard. (Normal, factory velocities are quoted from 26” barrels). I’ve gotten consistent 1/2” groups from my rifle with it. Never have used it to hunt with however.
My favorite load is 74.0gr of RL25 under a 100gr bullet. Gets 3,700fps at 90degF. My rifle isn’t picky about accuracy. I suggest a premium hunting bullet. However, factory Weatherby ammo has always been loaded with Hornady bullets. They just work. I bought 1,000 100gr blems about 12yrs ago. I don’t think I’ll ever get around to using them up. The 117gr Interlok is probably the best non-partition type bullet.
I don’t suggest using a Ballistic Tip for shooting big game. I had a 115gr Nosler BT blow up on a ~120lb doe. It got away, coyotes got it. Bullet blew up on shoulder, threw shreds of meat up to 20’.
I’ve got a load using WC860 and the Speer 120gr BTSPT. It gets 3,300fps at ~85gegF, but at 40deg drops to 3,150fps, so I can’t recommend it. But, it’s still is sub moa.
The only modification I made was to substitute a Timney trigger for the Weatherby trigger. It was horrible. Adjusting to minimum it still had a 7lb pull. The Timney is disappointing as it only goes down to about 4.5, but I can live with it.
For the most part, I’ve only shot deer with the Hornady 100’s. They shoot like laser beams. 1”high at 100yds for a 200yd zero, -4” at 300yds. +2.5” at 100yds for a 300yd zero, -8” at 400yds. I’ve only recovered one. It weighs 67.5gr. Broke a shoulder and ribs. Lodged under hide.
Recoil is about like a .30/06. Trajectory like a .22-250!
I got my rifle for $250 out the door in ‘07 used. No one wanted it due to $35/box of 20ammo. I only gave $200 for my Savage M110 in .300RUM for same reason.
But as stated by OP, ammo is available!!!
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For deer, I shoot a near maximum load of IMR 7828 SSC, Sierra 117 gr. PH bullets, and Federal Large Rifle Magnum Primers. Hornady brass, and Norma brass. This combo seems to work really well. Haven't needed a second shot yet.
It is very flat shooting. 2.75" high at 100 m is about the same at 200 m.
These rifles are really at home 250-400 yds on deer sized game.
It is very flat shooting. 2.75" high at 100 m is about the same at 200 m.
These rifles are really at home 250-400 yds on deer sized game.
Captcurt
Member
I had a Vanguard in 257 that shot very well. I bought 3 boxes of Weatherby ammo that had 100 grain Norma bullets It was cheaper that buying brass. I used it for practice and then loaded 110gr Nosler Accubonds. I believe I was pushing them with IMR-4350. They worked very well on deer. I've had 3 Vanguards. The 223 was the most accurate rifle that I have owned. Don't know why I got stupid and sold it.
I got a stainless Gen 1 Vanguard 257 back in about 2009. I actually traded in a blued 257 Vanguard which was not as accurate and had a crappy trigger. You adjust it where you want then the safety wouldn't work. That was also a gen 1 Vanguard. SO I took it into a Cabelas and said what do you have in 257 Weatherby? The guy said well I have a new stainless one in the back. I said OK and gave them around $265 difference. Took it home, put a Warne rail and some PRW rings on it. Never took it out of the stock, just cleaned the bore and bolt and went shooting. The scope is a VX1 4-12 LRD Leupold from that time. Outstanding scope. I took it out to the range to sight in with factory Weatherby 100 gr. Spire point. First shot was a little low but dead center (dead center). The trigger broke like glass at a light weight. I was like "Wha??" A Vanguard with a great trigger oit of the box? So adjusted the scope up. And the second shot was right about where I wanted and again DEAD Center. One final adjustment and shot and all three of those shots made a straight vertical line. This thing was not varying left or right at all. So I was getting a good feeling. Out at 200 yds was a steel gong, but this one was turned sideways. Just looked like a metal sliver in the scope. I settled in and squeezed the trigger ... BANG. I have not messed with that rifle other than to clean the barrel. Never even put a screw driver to any of the action screws. It has never been out of that stock. I am kind of superstitious about it now. Great deer rifle.
Aletheia
Member
Have spent only one afternoon "playing" with a friend's, and it impressed me. That particular one shot well, and it was fast enough that I got a real impression that it was fast enough. However, I do have to say that I have never walked through some gun stores and then bought a gun based on the number of boxes of a particular ammo I saw. If I was going to get one, I would do so only if I had a plan to reload my ammunition, because I HAVE walked through a gun store and noticed the prices of factory ammo.
OP
OP
army_eod
Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2006
- Messages
- 875
Lol. Yep.
rbernie
Contributing Member
I built a couple of 257 Weatherby on Savage magnum actions, with 1:9" twist barrels, for the current crop of 115gr-120gr ELD/VLD hunting bullets. If anyone ever makes a good 130gr-140gr hunting VLD, I'd happily screw on a 1:8" twist barrel and never look back.
There is no doubt that the Weatherby cartridge designs are pretty old-school, and not as efficient with powder as more-current design trends. But until somebody makes a SAAMI-spec short/fat magnum cartridge with at least 70+ grains water capacity, the 257 Weatherby (84gr water capacity) is what we have to work with.
Dustbowl
Member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2018
- Messages
- 267
Love my .257 Weatherby Vanguard in a wood stock. Original Nikon buck master 4.5-14x. One of the more accurate rifles I own. Shot a doe this year at 280 yards. Shot this buck at 120 yards last year. Never had a deer go more than 40 yards once I put one in the vitals.
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I think the 6.5 prc necked down should get close to the right speeds, the .284 necked down would work. Ruger compact magnum might be a valid option as well.....I built a couple of 257 Weatherby on Savage magnum actions, with 1:9" twist barrels, for the current crop of 115gr-120gr ELD/VLD hunting bullets. If anyone ever makes a good 130gr-140gr hunting VLD, I'd happily screw on a 1:8" twist barrel and never look back.
There is no doubt that the Weatherby cartridge designs are pretty old-school, and not as efficient with powder as more-current design trends. But until somebody makes a SAAMI-spec short/fat magnum cartridge with at least 70+ grains water capacity, the 257 Weatherby (84gr water capacity) is what we have to work with.
There's the blackjack ace 131 and hammer 128 gr...... Just an enabler.
Blackjack claims the .284 case gets 3100 with their 131, with the hammer I think we'd still be in the 2950-3050 range?
Thats a purdy rifle!
My brother shoots a 257 Weatherby Mag Deluxe model. He's killed several deer with it, including a record mule deer in NM. Now he doesn't hunt any more due to age/health related problems and I hope he'll be willing to sell his 257 to me. It's a really fine rifle.
Anchorite
Member
Love the 257 Bee.
It’s like that fling you had in college with the gal you just knew was out of your league....man did she impress when she accepted your date request!
Accurate, lethal, and fast. I’ve had one for years, it’s hell on coyotes, hogs and deer. Buy it. I promise you won’t regret it.
It’s like that fling you had in college with the gal you just knew was out of your league....man did she impress when she accepted your date request!
Accurate, lethal, and fast. I’ve had one for years, it’s hell on coyotes, hogs and deer. Buy it. I promise you won’t regret it.
WisBorn
Contributing Member
I don't have any experience with the 257 Weatherby, but feel that the 25-06 is a great choice for antelope and midsize game. So why not the extra speed and energy from the Weatherby!
I have shot a couple of whitetails with the 25-06 with excellent results.
I would love a 257 Weatherby Mark V if one comes along at the right price. And yes at least you can find some ammo for them
I have shot a couple of whitetails with the 25-06 with excellent results.
I would love a 257 Weatherby Mark V if one comes along at the right price. And yes at least you can find some ammo for them
marksman13
Member
I’ve got a Ruger No. 1 in 257 WM. Really happy with it. I do kinda wish Ruger has made them with the standard 26” barrel instead of the 28” barrel that is on it, but that’s a pretty minor complaint. It kills stuff plenty dead for my tastes and really likes the Hornady Precision Hunter factory ammo.
lastofthebreed
Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2005
- Messages
- 223
I have a Weatherby Mark V in 257. Pull the trigger on any deer size game at any reasonable (read ethical) hunting range and flop! Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! It is absolutely deadly and it was Roy Weatherbys' favorite cartridge, nuff said.
Another happy 25-06 user here, whitetails & feral hogs so far for me. All have dropped at the shot so far, zero tracking required which is how I like it! Hopefully antelope some day, we'll see what 2021 has in store. if I wanted even more range / punching power and didn't mind the additional recoil I'd definitely pick up a 257 Weatherby!
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