.257 Weatherby vs. Whitetail Deer

[MudRunner2005]

I have 2 257Wby in Accumarks. I shoot 110 Accubonds in mine and 100 grain Partitions in the other. The Partitions shoot a bit flatter due to their greater velocity but both do a fine job killing deer. My son shot a nice blacktail at about 15 yards Sunday morning and I would have thought it would have about cut it's head off. It didn't. It just dropped in its tracks with a minimal exit wound. His last deer at 158 yards was shot behind the shoulder and exited the far shoulder and we lost about all but the little bit of leg meat on the far shoulder. I have yet to kill a deer with my Accubonds but in different medium they hold together well and pentrate deep. They have a bit more punch beyond 600 yards due to the better BC. I firmly believe the 6.5-20 30mm LRT by Leupold was made for Accumarks. It just looks so right on there.

A 257 Weatherby is the perfect other rifle to compliment a 30-378. It will cover from squirrels through the biggest Whiities, Blackies and any other 'ies you need to shoot. I don't think it needs any heavier bullet. 26" is not enough length to get any reasonable speed out of anything much bigger. Believe me the 100 -110 grain bullets put one heck of a pop to them. I retired my 7mm mag in favor of a 2 gun battery of Accumarks. One 300Wby and the other the 257Wby. Between those two it is hard to justify anything else.

So, you are saying that I should drop all of my hunting rifles....for a .257 Wby Accumark, and a .30-378 Wby. Mag. Accumark.....???

Basically the .257 for anything up to 500 yards...and the .30-378 for anything beyond...correct?


And Charles...you're saying that bigger, is not always better.....correct?

So, basically you're thinking there's no way to load a 140gr. projectile hot-enough to have a decent BC, for maxx 300 yard shots out of a 1 in 10 twist barrel?

What twist would you need to spin a 140gr. out of that caliber.....1 in 8?.......1 in 9?


Basically I just want to know if it's physically possible?

 

[Quarter Round]

So, you are saying that I should drop all of my hunting rifles....for a .257 Wby Accumark, and a .30-378 Wby. Mag. Accumark.....???

Basically the .257 for anything up to 500 yards...and the .30-378 for anything beyond...correct?


And Charles...you're saying that bigger, is not always better.....correct?

So, basically you're thinking there's no way to load a 140gr. projectile hot-enough to have a decent BC, for maxx 300 yard shots out of a 1 in 10 twist barrel?

What twist would you need to spin a 140gr. out of that caliber.....1 in 8?.......1 in 9?


Basically I just want to know if it's physically possible?

There are no absolutes in our sport. Most folks tailor their rifle and loads to distance, terminal performance, and personal preferences. Smaller is not always better either.

I don't believe the BC would be a problem, but more a problem of stability, bullet tumble, and useable accuracy. I would colaborate on the twist rate with the smith building the rifle or rebarreling it. Yes, it is possible with a custom rifle and a excellent smith/ballastician which you can find on this site.

WildCat Bullets offers the following .257 caliber bullets. So someone somewhere is doing something with them.

75grn J-4 8, ULD H.P. Flat
90 J-4 8, ULD H.P. Flat
100 J-4 8, ULD H.P. Flat
120 J-4 8, ULD H.P. Flat, RBBT
130 J-4 8, ULD H.P. Flat, RBBT
142 J-4 ULD H.P. RBBT
156 Corbin ULD H.P. RBBT

 

[MT4XFore]

Hey, Charles B. It's good to see another Mountaineer on here with a .257. I was born and raised in Gassaway and that's where I got started with my Wby. It's great on ground hogs!

Slayer: What Charles B. is telling you is correct. I have shot some of the wildcat 130 gr. bullets. They are difficult to shoot fast enough to stabilize. It CAN be done with a factory twist, but it is pushing the gun to its limits and I'm not comfortable doing that all the time. A 257 Allen Magnum with a fast twist can do it, but you are talking about a complete custom gun there. A fine one too, but a lot more expense. Give up on the idea of a 140 gr. in a factory 257, even if you could make it happen, you wouldn't be satisfied with the results. Any GOOD bullet from 100 gr to 120 gr is all you need for any soft skinned game up to and including elk. I know, I've done it. It is such a good caliber you dont really need to doctor it up any to make it work.
Jim

 

[MudRunner2005]

Hey, Charles B. It's good to see another Mountaineer on here with a .257. I was born and raised in Gassaway and that's where I got started with my Wby. It's great on ground hogs!

Slayer: What Charles B. is telling you is correct. I have shot some of the wildcat 130 gr. bullets. They are difficult to shoot fast enough to stabilize. It CAN be done with a factory twist, but it is pushing the gun to its limits and I'm not comfortable doing that all the time. A 257 Allen Magnum with a fast twist can do it, but you are talking about a complete custom gun there. A fine one too, but a lot more expense. Give up on the idea of a 140 gr. in a factory 257, even if you could make it happen, you wouldn't be satisfied with the results. Any GOOD bullet from 100 gr to 120 gr is all you need for any soft skinned game up to and including elk. I know, I've done it. It is such a good caliber you dont really need to doctor it up any to make it work.
Jim

Hey Jim,

I know what you and Charles are saying...the MAIN reason I was wanting a 140gr. projectile, was because it WOULD slow the bullet down, 'causing more "brute-force" / "smack" on initial impact.

Whitties are faily thin-skinned game, yall know this...I was just wanting to take a .257 Wby, and basically make it have the terminal impact of a .308 Win., when it impacts the deer!

That is why I seem so hell-bent on my ideas.


Everyone on here has been extremely helpful & knowledgeable about answering my questions...

It just comes down to a question of......"Why do I want to do this......???"

Well, my answer is, "Because I can."


I'm one of those non-conforming people, that always pushes the boundaries, and always questions things.......SO please don't get upset if I seem "hard-headed" about some things...it's just a matter of personal knowledge, and wondering of the ability to be able to do something a little different than most...and see if one of my "hair-brained" ideas might actually turn out to be something better than once thought?

 

[Varmint Hunter]

QUOTE: I know what you and Charles are saying...the MAIN reason I was wanting a 140gr. projectile, was because it WOULD slow the bullet down, 'causing more "brute-force" / "smack" on initial impact.

You may want to rethink your cartridge choice. A 45-70 would put a whole lot of SMACK on a whitetail deer. You will hear a distinct whommp when it hits. :>)

 

[MudRunner2005]

QUOTE: I know what you and Charles are saying...the MAIN reason I was wanting a 140gr. projectile, was because it WOULD slow the bullet down, 'causing more "brute-force" / "smack" on initial impact.

You may want to rethink your cartridge choice. A 45-70 would put a whole lot of SMACK on a whitetail deer. You will hear a distinct whommp when it hits. :>)

Oh, trust me...I know...I have a Marlin 336 chambered in .444 Marlin.

The only thing is, it ain't exactly the most "distance-oriented" caliber. LOL!!!



I don't really know how to explain what I want it to do...


I guess what I'm wanting is a faster .308...but a slower, harder-hitting .257 Wby........therefore, drop a heavier bullet in a .257 and you get more M.V. than a .308 Win.......while you get the Energy of a .308 on impact.............right?

Does that even make sense???????

I'm confusing myself......Hahahaha!!!!!!!


I think I'm just gonna get a .257 Wby. Accumark, and shoot 110gr. AccuBond's out of it, and be happy.

Because apparently the .257 Wby. is NOT the "Burger King" of calibers............apparantly I can't "have it my way". LOL!!!!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Hey......

IDEA!!!!!!!!!


Let's create a NEW caliber!!!!


We can call it the .308 Weatherby.


You take a .257 Wby case...and open the neck to accept a 168gr. Barnes TSX!!!!!!!!!!!!


Wouldn't that be SWEET!!!!!!!!


That is MY idea...and I expect recognition if it becomes popular!

And possibly some royalties??? LOL




Is it possible to do?


If so, that would be one BAD-*** whitetail deer round!!!

 

[Quarter Round]

Slayer me thinks you might be high on chocolate. We already have the .300 Wby. loaded with .308 bullets and way more vicious than your idea would be. Don't spend your royoalty money to soon.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Slayer me thinks you might be high on chocolate. We already have the .300 Wby. loaded with .308 bullets and way more vicious than your idea would be. Don't spend your royoalty money to soon.

Nah...just bored as hell, @ work...

However, the .300 Wby is a great round...but like we discussed earlier...Whitties are a thin-skinned game...however, they're some tough SOB's!

The reasoning I had behind the .308 Wby., was because it has more "smack" to it, than the .257 Wby...b/c of the larger bullet...but it's not flying as fast as a .300 Wby...therefore, it doesn't just pass-through, or cause severe meat-loss from a massively-fast round exploding upon impact @ such short yardage.

I think it would be an awesome...0-400 yard caliber!

What about it don't you like?

 

[Hired Gun]

I think rifles are like golf clubs. A guy needs a special one for every occasion. That why I retired my very capable 7mm. I still have it but just don't use it much. I wanted two specialty game rifles rather than one compromise. If you want a fast 308 then just load 125 grain bullets in one and enjoy. The 257Wby has more smack down ,energy, flatter shooting with 100 grain bullets than a 308 ever will. Shot placement is the key to not destroying meat. I once shot a deer with my 357 mag and when I opened it up it was tore up every bit as bad as my 7mag tore them up. Go for neck shots or nice squared up broadside lower 1/3rd behind the shoulder and you wont loose any meat.

If you are set on 140 grains in 257Wby consider that a 270wby is a 257Wby necked up to .277. There are no flies on a 270Wby shooting 130grain bullets at 3400 to 3500fps. They make 150's for the 270.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Nah...just bored as hell, @ work...

However, the .300 Wby is a great round...but like we discussed earlier...Whitties are a thin-skinned game...however, they're some tough SOB's!

The reasoning I had behind the .308 Wby., was because it has more "smack" to it, than the .257 Wby...b/c of the larger bullet...but it's not flying as fast as a .300 Wby...therefore, it doesn't just pass-through, or cause severe meat-loss from a massively-fast round exploding upon impact @ such short yardage.

I think it would be an awesome...0-400 yard caliber!

What about it don't you like?

Slayer,

I am pretty sure that the 30-06 is right on for what you are talking about. Best all around caliber ever built, imho.

The more bored you get at work the more rifles you have to buy. lol

Steve

 

[shorty]

I've got a Sendero in 25-06 with a Krieger barrel, spec'ed it with a 1 in 9 twist, rather than the factory 1 in 10. I did that so I could shoot heavier bullets and so far am very happy with it.

I haven't had the chance to do all the load development I wanted but will do so over the winter. Anyway this gun prefers bullets of 120 grains and above, is what I used on Antelope in Wyoming three weeks ago.

I took a buck at relatively short range (175 yds) hit him behind the shoulder about 6 inches (one of us moved). Lope had an exit hole about baseball size with nearly all of the stuffin' ahead of the diaphragm already removed. More than enough "pop" in my humble opinion.

Load was developed for my old barrel but worked in a pinch for this hunt: 120gr SGK,
51grs H414, Remington case, Federal LR primer.

My .00002 cents, Buy the 257, you won't be sorry.

 

[RugerM77.270]

Slayer,

I am pretty sure that the 30-06 is right on for what you are talking about. Best all around caliber ever built, imho.

The more bored you get at work the more rifles you have to buy. lol

Steve

My thoughts exactly.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I've got a Sendero in 25-06 with a Krieger barrel, spec'ed it with a 1 in 9 twist, rather than the factory 1 in 10. I did that so I could shoot heavier bullets and so far am very happy with it.

I haven't had the chance to do all the load development I wanted but will do so over the winter. Anyway this gun prefers bullets of 120 grains and above, is what I used on Antelope in Wyoming three weeks ago.

I took a buck at relatively short range (175 yds) hit him behind the shoulder about 6 inches (one of us moved). Lope had an exit hole about baseball size with nearly all of the stuffin' ahead of the diaphragm already removed. More than enough "pop" in my humble opinion.

Load was developed for my old barrel but worked in a pinch for this hunt: 120gr SGK,
51grs H414, Remington case, Federal LR primer.

My .00002 cents, Buy the 257, you won't be sorry.

Well...it's DONE!!!

I wen't Friday Afternoon & did "The Deed"!!!

Weatherby Accumark .257 Wby. Mag. topped with a Zeiss Conquest 3-12x56 (30mm tube) scope, Harris Ultra-Light Bi-Pod, & 3 boxes of Weatherby 110gr. Accubond.

I haven't been able to shoot it yet...but am hoping for this weekend!!!???