257 weatherby long range whitetails

jbarent

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Joined
Jun 2, 2009
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I shoot a custom built 257 weatherby, and was wondering what you guys think max yardage should be. I shoot handloads of 73 grs of imr 7828 behind a 117 hornady interlock, I get 3500 fps out of a air gauged douglas barrel. Accuracy out of this rig is outstanding, I shot an 1 1/4" group @ 300 yards off of a bipod from the prone, needless to say the wind was 0, and thats incredible here in Nebraska! I shot a 2 1/2 year old 5x4 on the last day of season last year at 517 yards and the bullet opened up nice exiting the far side of the buck the size of a 50 cent piece the deer folded where it stood!
 
Most 25 caliber bullets do not have the BC for long range shooting. I have one that shoots 100 grain barnes at over 3800 fps with several 1" groups at 400 yards. My son took a deer with it last year at 318 yards dropped in its tracks. I consider it a 600 yard rifle because of the poor bc it just drops off the table beyond that.
 
Wildcat Bullets makes (will make) some 130 HP RBBT high BC bullets. They might stabilize in a 1-10 or they might not. I have a 1-8 twist 30 inches long.

Left to Right
1. 257 Wby with 130 HP RBBT
2. 200 gr HP RBBT 7mm
3. 142 HP RBBT Wildcat
4. 130 HP RBBT Wildcat
5. 115 HPBT Berger 243

Wildcatbullets2.jpg
 
Long range long timer, gun)I appreciate the post I was hoping for 800 but maybe thats pushing the envelope. The bullet I've been shooting has a BC of .391 and at 3500 fps beats the old 30-06 out past 800 yards as far as trajedory is concerned, just thinkin might not have enough energy at that range... I don't know, thats why I'm here asking questions.
 
I measured them and used a BC calculator that works off of simple forms and weights to get a G1.

I have only done a limited amount of testing with the 130 grain bullet out to 1000 yards and there is conflicting information. I am not willing to post a BC based upon the data I presently have. Suffice to say it is better than anything on the market even if I am off by a significant amount.

My opinion is that it will kill really big mule deer out to about 1200 to 1300 yards. I should be able to kill elk out to 800 with ease even when having to break shoulder bones. That is the benefit of shooting high BC heavy bullets real fast.
 
THANK YOU! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer some of my questions, now I really hope those 130's will stabilize out of my rifle!gun)
 
jbarent:

I shoot the 130's and they stabilize in my factory mark v. The best accuracy was found at 3280 fps. I can push them faster, but the accuracy went away.
 
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