Which rifle

[spook jr]

Hi im new to the site but not to hunting or shooting well maybe the shooting yall do. I shoot good out to 400yards with my 243 and 270 but im looking for something new.I want to be able to shoot to about 600yards for fun and still use the rifle for deer and hog hunting to 400 to 500 yards. I dont want a real big caliber because im going to try and get my girl friend shooting. Im stuck on the 257 Weatherby Mag but was wondering what yall would think? I dont reload dont know if that helps or not?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Hi im new to the site but not to hunting or shooting well maybe the shooting yall do. I shoot good out to 400yards with my 243 and 270 but im looking for something new.I want to be able to shoot to about 600yards for fun and still use the rifle for deer and hog hunting to 400 to 500 yards. I dont want a real big caliber because im going to try and get my girl friend shooting. Im stuck on the 257 Weatherby Mag but was wondering what yall would think? I dont reload dont know if that helps or not?

Spook...you're already on the right track!

I have a Weatherby Accumark .257 Wby Mag. with a Carl Zeiss Conquest 3-12x56 scope (30mm tube).

I would highly recommend that caliber....and that setup.

It's perfect for some long range shooting.


However, I don't know how well it will work for hogs.....For hogs I usually use my Smith & Wesson 629 - 6.5" PowerPorted .44 Mag.

That Hornady 300gr. XTP/JHP just Monkey-Stomps 'em everytime!!!

I'd recommend the .44 Mag. for Hogs...I've never had one run! It's always...Click...BOOM!!!...WHACK!!!...Fall.

It's just hits them like a ton of bricks!!!

I shot a small one (about 100 lbs.) with one, in the shoulder...and it actually blew him off his feet, sideways...and he hit the ground dead as a door-nail!


BTW...don't worry about reloading...I DON'T either.

The best factory-produced round that I've found for the .257 Wby Mag. is the Weatherby (brand) 110-grain AccuBond.

It will probably run you between $60-$70 / per box of 20.

 

[spook jr]

Thanx for the info Slayyer22, does anybody have any other calibers in mind that would be better or even close with cheaper rounds?I would like to keep something around 100gr. What about a 25-06 is this a good round for what i want?

 

[Goathead]

your 243 is a great shooting round, but probably a little light for hogs. Why not consider a 308 or a 300 WM..Or even a 300 WSM. I shoot a 243 WSSM out to 600 yards no problem. Im sure it would go a lot farther, but i havent had wide open spaces to test it out.

 

[spook jr]

I didnt want to go to big because i want my girl friend to shoot the rifle and for what im going to use the rifle for a 300 or a 7mag would be over kill. I have 25acres and can shoot out to 500yards behind my house.The deer we have in my area are only 100-140pounds on the hoof so i dont want anything to big. And when i go to the lease in south texas i use my 270.Im going to get ether the 257 Weatherby or a 25-06 which do yall think is the best for an all around gun?

 

[trueblue]

spook jr,
Looks like you already have a perfectly good caliber in your 270 Win.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I didnt want to go to big because i want my girl friend to shoot the rifle and for what im going to use the rifle for a 300 or a 7mag would be over kill. I have 25acres and can shoot out to 500yards behind my house.The deer we have in my area are only 100-140pounds on the hoof so i dont want anything to big. And when i go to the lease in south texas i use my 270.Im going to get ether the 257 Weatherby or a 25-06 which do yall think is the best for an all around gun?

Spook,

Both the .257 Wby & .25-06 are excellent deer calibers for close or long range.

I would recommend the .257 Wby, if you are looking for something to have a little more "pop" on the business-end of things.

It may not be the most "wallet-friendly" round to shoot...but I guarantee, if you buy a Weatherby Accumark in .257 Wby, you will NEVER go back to your .270, again!

You will fall in love with caliber and gun, as much as you are with your girlfriend!!!

Roy Weatherby said one time, that in his opinion, the .257 Wby, was the greatest all-around caliber that he EVER produced. And that it was HIS personal favorite caliber for hunting anything & everything!

So, that in-itself should tell you about how good the .257 Wby is.


Hope this helps?

 

[Kevin]

Lets see, no reloading, relatively low recoil, and hogs up to 600 yards......I would get a .308.

 

[rtv900]

The 270 that you have is a nice round. If you want a new one and you are deciding between the two cals you mentioned I would go with the 25-06. I have had one for a year or so now and I really like it. It is a nice cal to have.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Hey Spook,

Both are excellent calibers for what you are wanting to do with them.....with the exception of the hogs...b/c they're pretty tough little SOB's!

I would use one for deer, and have one for hogs/large game.

For deer I would recommend the .257 Wby...only because it's a little flatter shooting caliber.

Both calibers (.25-06 & .257 Wby), shooting a 115gr. projectile @ 500 yards would be devastating to a deer!

However I checked a professional ballistics table...and if both calibers were side-by-side shooting @ 500 yards, both using a 115gr. bullet.....

The .25-06 would be shooting @ 51.4" low.

The .257 Wby would be shooting @ 35.2" low!!!

The .257 Wby is gonna be a flatter-shooting bullet...and since it has a flatter trajectory, it will hold more energy when it impacts!


I personally shoot the Weatherby (brand) 110gr. AccuBond loads for whitetail, here in Alabama...A guy I know who OWNS an outdoors store (so he pretty-much has his pick of ANY guns out there)...hunts everything from Whitties to ELK with a custom-built Dakota rifle ($ 6,000 gun ) in .257 Weatherby!

So, I took his suggestion, and tried it...and I LOVE it!

It has become one of my favorite calibers of all-time...and I don't think I'd trade it for anything!

 

[spook jr]

I have made my mind up and the 257 sounds like the caliber for me. Thanx for all the info, this has to be the best site on the internet for info. Now im going to bother yall a little more.Do yall think i should go with the SUB MOA or the Accumark and what do yall think about the Vangaurds?
Thanx again for the info!!!!!!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Spook,

Go ahead and get the Accumark...it IS worth the extra money!!!

The Sub-MOA is a good shooter, from what I've heard, and I, personally, wouldn't get a Vanguard.....that's just my opinion....there's nothing wrong with them.....But if I was gonna be getting as accurate a caliber as a .257 Wby....I would want the most accurate gun to go with it!


It all comes down to your budget.


I went ahead and spent the money on my setup...and am thoroughly pleased with the outcome!!!

My Setup:

1.) Weatherby Accumark .257 Wby.

2.) Zeiss Conquest 3-12x56 scope (30mm tube)

3.) Leupold 30mm Rings & Bases (matte black)

4.) Butler Creek flip up covers (for Zeiss Conquest 3-12x56 sizes are: 21 & 48.......I think???)

5.) Harris BiPod 6"- 9"

6.) Butler Creek - Comfort-Stretch Sling

7.) Weatherby (brand) 110-grain AccuBond



I went and shot mine for the first time Friday afternoon....and I LOVE it!!!

Even in extremely low-light conditions the Zeiss worked EXCELLENTLY!!!

And the 110gr. AccuBonds are a very accurate cartridge! They produce very nice, close groups....and are probably capable of grouping better than they did....if the shooter was better! Hahaha!!!

All-in-all, I'm thoroughly pleased with my decision!

I hope some of this info helps you with your decisions, and helps to lead you towards the right path?

I hope you will LOVE your .257 as much as I do mine!