257 Weatherby or 264 Win Mag next rifle build

[Jerrywoo]

Lmao..I also have a very extensive selection of friends that shoot both the 2506a improved and the 257 Roy..you are looking at around 100 to 150 fps difference however you cut it..be it with a 1 in 9 twist and a heavier bullet with more bearing surface or a 100 gr nosler and 1 in 12 twist..they are very similar roeunds..so similar that I don't see the necessity of owning the 257..the 6.5 saum?..I've never even seen one..I know they have the same powder capacity as a 2506 and push 2 to 300 fps faster..at least that's what they say..idk..but for obvious reasons the 264 is the choice of many big game hunters and also varmint plunkers..the 264 is superior to the 257 in that aspect

 

[Quintus]

I think you CAN compare the 257 with the stock 10 twist. Everything on the planet doesn't need to be converted to an 8 twist and shoot spears. For a re-barrel with a .532 bolt face there are many better cases than the 257 or 264 for killing stuff 1000 or 1200 yards away. I think the OP has that covered. If I'm wrong on the intent then the OP would be better off running the 26 Nosler and just forgetting about the quarter bore all together.

 

[Double Dropper]

I like the 26 Nosler, don't get me wrong, brass in Canada is over $100 for 25 count, that's ridiculous, and an affordable rifle....well I can build anything on a magnum action. Keep in mind the original criteria, anything larger than small deer I prefer to use my custom 300 Win Mag, deer are large up in Alberta and a mule deer can hit 450 pounds on the hoof. This is a coyote and antelope rifle.

 

[Jerrywoo]

Lol..mule deer..I shoot mule deer elk and antelope here in my home state of nm with either a 300 Savage or 243.. both chambered in the 99 Savage lever action..if I go bighorn sheep hunting I break out the 7 mag..while we are on the subject a friend of mine uses the 257 Roberts exclusively for all game in new Mexico..I've got a plethora of magnum rifles that never get used some shoot standard ammunition..some shoot wildcats that only I know how to assemble..I guess it all comes down to what you feel comfortable shooting..and you are absolutely correct about the 264..it's a game Slayer but the 7 mag is also. I'm back and fourth on the 264 and 7 mag..I have dropped more moose and carabou with both of those rifles than I can count..one thing is for sure though..my 3006 will do the same job

 

[Double Dropper]

We could do this all day Jerry, I have a beautiful inherited 30-06 BAR, Belgium made, that shoots very well, I love the 06 and it does not get enough credit for sure, this issue is typical of my last mule deer hunt, one minute your walking in the coulees and the 243 would be fine, the next minute you crest the top and its open country for miles, I had to make a 700 yard shot on a large Muley and sorry the 300 Savage and the 243 would be inadequate. In this same area we have moose and elk, again in maintaining a 1600 ft/lbs limitation for elk the 6.5 PRC runs out of energy at 450 - 500 yards and calibres like the Creedmore @ 350 yards. My 300 carries out to 800 yards with 200 grain loads. Point is if it gets serious and you're willing to shoot 700 yards, suddenly many calibres are inadequate. This goes back to a small game choice, what would best compliment my existing main hunting weapons, a very accurate 35 Whelen (225 grain Accubonds @ 2800 fps) for mid range and bush country hunting, a custom 300 Win Mag for open country where larger game could be on the menu, and I already own a Winchester XPR in 243 as well as a Savage in 25-06, both very accurate. So the question would be based upon what is in my locker, 257 Bee? 264 Win Mag?

 

[TX Badger]

Go with the .264 Win Mag. Way way way more bullet options and bullet options that are here to stay. You say the 6.5 PRC is the flavor of the month, but the 131 Blackjack is really the fad lately. I wouldn't build a rifle based around one bullet that's basically a Sierra MatchKing, but could disappear tomorrow because it's still so new. The .264 WinMag has been around for half a century and won't be going anywhere.

I don't think heavy for caliber / High BC Bullets are a fad. Blackjack was just one of the first to jump in here. They took the chance and I think they deserve the support of the shooting community. With 257 Weatherby velocity I think you could get away with 1/8 twist and that might be easier on lighter bullets if you ever decided to go that route. I like the 264 Win Mag idea a lot but can't get away from the 257 lazerbeam idea. As mentioned, you have bigger rifles, this would round out your selection more.

 

[Jerrywoo]

We could do this all day Jerry, I have a beautiful inherited 30-06 BAR, Belgium made, that shoots very well, I love the 06 and it does not get enough credit for sure, this issue is typical of my last mule deer hunt, one minute your walking in the coulees and the 243 would be fine, the next minute you crest the top and its open country for miles, I had to make a 700 yard shot on a large Muley and sorry the 300 Savage and the 243 would be inadequate. In this same area we have moose and elk, again in maintaining a 1600 ft/lbs limitation for elk the 6.5 PRC runs out of energy at 450 - 500 yards and calibres like the Creedmore @ 350 yards. My 300 carries out to 800 yards with 200 grain loads. Point is if it gets serious and you're willing to shoot 700 yards, suddenly many calibres are inadequate. This goes back to a small game choice, what would best compliment my existing main hunting weapons, a very accurate 35 Whelen (225 grain Accubonds @ 2800 fps) for mid range and bush country hunting, a custom 300 Win Mag for open country where larger game could be on the menu, and I already own a Winchester XPR in 243 as well as a Savage in 25-06, both very accurate. So the question would be based upon what is in my locker, 257 Bee? 264 Win Mag?

Your choice would be obvious then..the 264..if I didn't already have one..and knew what they are capable of I might add..I would definitely go buy one..the 264 is a game Slayer..Its just as important as my 7 mag when hunting from afar..yes if you have limited yourself to those 2 option go with the 264

 

[Jerrywoo]

And with the 264 I can hunt smaller game also..like I've stated before..my 264 has taken everything Alaska has walking around that you can buy a permit for..it has also taken several oryx here in my home state at ridiculous distances..800 yards or so..you have to understand the geography of nm is close to the same as parts of Canada.. sometimes the game is out there aways

 

[Ace Quackhunter]

Lol..mule deer..I shoot mule deer elk and antelope here in my home state of nm with either a 300 Savage or 243.. both chambered in the 99 Savage lever action..if I go bighorn sheep hunting I break out the 7 mag..while we are on the subject a friend of mine uses the 257 Roberts exclusively for all game in new Mexico..I've got a plethora of magnum rifles that never get used some shoot standard ammunition..some shoot wildcats that only I know how to assemble..I guess it all comes down to what you feel comfortable shooting..and you are absolutely correct about the 264..it's a game Slayer but the 7 mag is also. I'm back and fourth on the 264 and 7 mag..I have dropped more moose and carabou with both of those rifles than I can count..one thing is for sure though..my 3006 will do the same job

I like what you had to say, about the 264 mag & 7 mm Mag. I to hunt New Mexico for Elk & Deer and prefer the 264 Mag over the 7 mm Mag but it come down to choice. The 264 Mag is 12 lbs and is a pain to carry all day, the 7 mm is 9 lbs. and it does not wear out you neck a shoulder either will work. To date my longest shot have been a little over 225 yards so it come down to which one you shoot the best. I just picked up a 03A3 that has been sporterized and I have run some 180 through it and shows great potential. So this fall I might be roaming Mt. Taylor with the 3006 and see what happens.

 

[TX Badger]

FYI. Here is some info I posted on another thread that was pretty similar to this one.

Anyone here fans of the 25-06?

Currently looking for a 25-06 barrel for a Savage small shank....24-26". No joy so far. They are only a phone call and 3-4 month wait away.

www.longrangehunting.com

I was talking about the 25-06AI vs 6.5-06AI, but the premise is the same, just scaled up.

 

[Jerrywoo]

FYI. Here is some info I posted on another thread that was pretty similar to this one.

Anyone here fans of the 25-06?

Currently looking for a 25-06 barrel for a Savage small shank....24-26". No joy so far. They are only a phone call and 3-4 month wait away.

www.longrangehunting.com

I was talking about the 25-06AI vs 6.5-06AI, but the premise is the same, just scaled up.

I've got a 2506 ai..it's a very fast round and when handloaded even faster..the 2506 is a round that has been forgotten almost entirely but still has quite a few followers out there just because it is a very versatile round..I've got an old large ring Mauser action with a 25.? Inch custom Hart barrel in it and it will stabilize heavier bullets so if I remember correctly it's a 1 in 8.65 twist..it's a shooter..I've loaded up to around 3450 fps with good accurate results..no head spacing..no signs I couldn't get more out of it but at 3500 fps my groups started spreading so I backed it back down..ya the 2506 is a contender..and if you have the 6.5 Al 06 it's even better

 

[TX Badger]

What I was driving at is the .257s with the 131s in comparable cartridges will be a flatter, carry energy out nearly as far, and have less recoil than .264s shooting comparable BC bullets.

 

[Jerrywoo]

Ya you can load them however you need them to perform..but the throat degregation on them has limited me from really using my 2506 to it's fullest potential... actually I load easy in my 264 just for this reason..I have stretched both out to see what they would do and both are lethal hunting companions..I honestly just started using my 7 mag with decent production rounds to save the life of both my 2506ai and my 264..the 2506 because it is a special rifle and the 264 because it has earned it's retirement..both are still in good shape but I would rather wear out the 7 mag and rebuild it..

 

[Double Dropper]

Given you have brought the challenge down to 257 Weatherby or 264 Win Mag.. I would go 264 Win. I like both cartidges in this debate but I think the fast twist 264 win would do exactly what you want it to. heavy 264 slugs up to 156 or maybe 160. running a 1:8 or 1:7 twist would make an excellent low recoil long range Elk or whatever you want to hunt. I personally would build a wildcat 270 off the 264 win/7mm rem mag cases. I am a 277 freak so that is what I would do.

A cool idea