Effective Range of 257 Weatherby mag.

[Gondini]

I have a .257 weatherby mag 24" barrel I am shooting 115 vld. I read in the book"hunters guide to long range shooting" you need 1200 lbs of engery for elk and 600lbs for deer. I ran this through my I snipe program after running the numbers I get 500 yards for elk and about 900 for deer. But I also read some where else that the bullet must be moving at least 2000 fps to expand moving my range in to about 600 yards? What is more important speed or engery.

P.S. My effective range is about 350-400gun) but each time to the range I am getting more and more but I do not want to waste time or ammo at a range the Bullet will not preform.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

We have had no problem shooting 100 grain Barnes ttsx bulets through deer and antelope out to 600 yards. All shots have been complete pass throughs. If you hunt elk with the 257 wby you need to go to the Barnes or swift bullets. The barnes bc is higher than listed.

 

[Gondini]

Thanks for the info 600 yards sounds good, a little out of my range but I might get their by hunting season.

 

[midwesthunter]

P.S. My effective range is about 350-400gun) but each time to the range I am getting more and more but I do not want to waste time or ammo at a range the Bullet will not preform.[/QUOTE]


Your not wasting time by practicing farther then your bullet will perform on game. The farther you get good, can make the closer shots easier. If your good at 800 you will be great at 400

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

The problem I found with the 257 wby and 257 stw is at those extreme velocities all the bullets except the premium controled expansion ones blew into a zillion pieces on contact. People out here are having good succes on long range deer and antelope with the 115 berger vld. But up close at wby and stw velocities there is where the problem is.

I just wanted to add that over 600 yards with the 257 the highest bc you can find would be best. We pretty much call it at 600 or so yards with the 100 grainers. Beyond that they just fall off the table with the low bc's. The wind out here takes them for a ride once you get over 600 or so yards. A good shooter can guestimate it to about there.

The Swift Scirroco 100 grainers have a good bc and shoots well long range in an excellent controlled expansion bullet.

 

[436]

We have had no problem shooting 100 grain Barnes ttsx bulets through deer and antelope out to 600 yards. All shots have been complete pass throughs. If you hunt elk with the 257 wby you need to go to the Barnes or swift bullets. The barnes bc is higher than listed.

+1….. The 100gr bullet in a .257 Wby is a surprising long range killer of both game and varmints. Heart, Head, Neck, Spine or Lung to Lung... as far out as you can ethically put rounds on target; it well "do" the job. I am and have always been a big fan of Roy Weatherby and you really can't be a big fan of his, without being a fan of the .257 Wby Mag. I've been very pleased with my MkV's {right now the) .257 Wby Accu-Mark.... but they have to have a 26" inch barrel in my book to make them work.
Just my .02
436

 

[Gondini]

Your not wasting time by practicing farther then your bullet will perform on game. The farther you get good, can make the closer shots easier. If your good at 800 you will be great at 400.

You are right If I am good at 800 i will be great at 400.

 

[roninflag]

gondini- you don't say where you are? Elk - are you hunting cows or bulls??a 257 accumark is next on my list.

 

[Gondini]

I am going to try the 100 TSX Over the 115 vld my gun likes the 100 grainers best.

 

[Gondini]

gondini- you don't say where you are? a 257 accumark is next on my list.

I live in UT, I also hunt in Ca & Nv.

 

[bigngreen]

Without velocity you can not deliver the energy that you potentially have so you need to keep the velocity high enough for the bullet to do it's work, especially in smaller cals.

 

[Bully]

We have had no problem shooting 100 grain Barnes ttsx bulets through deer and antelope out to 600 yards. All shots have been complete pass throughs. If you hunt elk with the 257 wby you need to go to the Barnes or swift bullets. The barnes bc is higher than listed.[/QUOTE

Long ranger I have had problems with barnes in the past, but hear the tipped tsx are alot better ,do you find this true? And do you like the 110 nos AB in the 257 wby?(need to pick your brain one day, on my 7mm lazz. Firebird.)

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

In the past I would not put a Barnes bullet in my rifle. Tried them years ago and I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from in the barn. Accuracy was horendous and they had problems opening up at lower velocities. With the ttsx I shoot now in several calibers the accuracy is as good or better than any bullet on the market and the performance on game is also best. Every bullet is exact weight so I don't even weigh them out any more into groups like I have to with all the others. Also the bc's are coming in way higher in some instances from posted bc's. I never trust company bc's so always do drop tests and shoot over two calibrated chrono's. Ten years ago I was giving barnes grief over their bullets. Now I am their biggest fan. Just last hunting season I shot grizzly, dall sheep, caribou, elk, deer and antelope all with perfect bullet performance.

I have never hunted with the lazzeroni but had guys come by my range shooting them. I have quite a few 7mm's that I really like to hunt with. My favorites are the 7mm STW and 7mm-300 wby. I like the 7mm dakota but already had so many when it came out I just stick to the ones I have. The lazzeroni gave great ballistics on my range.

 

[Gondini]

Most likely cow elk.