257 Weatherby bullet recommendations?

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Hi folks, I just picked up a new Weatherby Vanguard S2 in 257 roy and need some bullet ideas from those who have used it. I'll primarily be hunting deer, close range out to 450 or so. As well as a few hunts for elk. Ideally Id like one load good for both and to minimize meat damage on closer shots. Ill be loadin for it so factory options not much concern. Im not limited to lead free ...yet.

Whats worked for you?

 

[TJAY]

I use 100gr. Barnes TTSX bullets in my 257 Weatherby Vanguard. You can start them at 3500 fps and at 500 yards they are still going over 2100 fps so they open quite well.

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Thanks Tjay. What powder do you like in yours?

 

[jmd025]

115 partitions and IMR 7828
117 Sierra pro hunters also

 

[Dosh]

WB, both of mine like the 115 Berger VLD Hunting with H1000, Wby brass and 215M primers. Great for deer placing the shot behing the front leg/shoulder for heart-lungs. Never tried it on elk, I use a 30/378 on them. My deer hunt starts this Friday and the 257 Wby is my primary. Good luck

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Jmd,
Please tell me about the sierras and how they work for you. What do you use em on and at what ranges? Thanx

 

[jmd025]

Deer at any range I can get . No elk around here but if I was going after them with a 25 I'd stick to partitions and limit the range .
My rifle likes flat base bullets so the pro hunters work for me . I tend to shoot a lot of sierras , out of habit . My dad was a hardcore Sierra fan .

 

[Edd]

I don't have a 257 Weatherby but if I did and if I wasn't shooting long range, I would use Swift A-Frame 120 gr bullets.

 

[RT2506]

Out of the 257 Roy most any bullet except the mono's like the Barnes at under 200 yards is going to be a meat shredder. If you keep them behind the front shoulder in the bowler room you will not be messing up eatable meat but hit the shoulder and kiss it good by. I have used the 117 Sierra Pro Hunter for a looooooog time in a 25-06 at 3000 fps and it ruins the shoulders no matter what distance you shoot them at. It is a real deer killer though. Bang Flop most of the time. My buddy shot them in his Roy and they sure were accurate and deadly but the shoulders were used for dog meat. The 117 Sierra Pro Hunter is my favorite deer bullet but if I was going after elk I would choose a tougher bullet. I have some old style 120 Speer Grand Slam bullets stuck back just in case I ever get the opportunity to go on an elk hunt and need a back up rifle to my 264 Win mag. Those bullets a TOUGH and will shoot through a deer from any direction and keep on trucking from my experimenting with them. I used to help do crop damage control and got to try a lot of different bullets and calibers and learn a lot about bullets.

 

[Wachsmann]

That's what I was thinking is the 120 grand slams for elk. I used the 115 ballistic tips for deer and antelope with my 257. At 250 the 115 did aswome but they were behind the shoulder. Exit holes so the bullet was not recovered. At 400+ I found the bullet just under the hide completely mushroomed out.

 

[cacsrx1]

115 grain Bergers and H1000 work great for me.gun)

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Great info guys! Keep em comin.
This is my first magnum rifle for big game so its new territory. Of course I expect some additional meat damage with bone hits but which bullets do what is a BIG help. I have a lot of respect for the Speer Grand Slams and wish they and the A Frames were a tad more ballistically inclined haha. I may end up trying either for Elk. Incidentally I limit my range on elk to 3-350 to hit em a lil harder.
The Sierra PH info is very helpful 2506 and jmd! Thats one bullet i intend to try, for deer and as a practice load. Anyone know what the 120 HPBT does?

Also anyone use the 100 Partition much?

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Them Bergers sure seem to kill fast, not my thing but I bet theyre lightening fast in this caliber!!

 

[TJAY]

I use Reloader 22 but have also used IMR7828, Rl-25 and H1000. If starting over now I might give Rl-23 and Rl-26 or 7977 as these are more temp resistant.