Favourite .257 wby powder?

[Calvin45]

Hi all, I have a new to me .257 Roy I'm itching to get loading for and I've read a ton of data on it but want first hand input from people who handload for one. What's your favourite powder and why,

Which do you find gives highest velocity (that is what I'm after, it's a weatherby and not a true long range kind of rifle, my new lightweight walking around max point blank range gun - not to say I don't care about accuracy but an honest 1 moa is just fine)

 

[madman]

Mine likes 7828ssc with a 110gr accubond. It will usually shoot very well if I do my part. Velocity checked about 2 weeks ago was just shy of 3400 out of a 24 inch barrel.

--md

 

[oldfamily]

It would help to find out what bullet you were looking at using.

 

[Lee7588]

Imr 7828 ssc under a 100 gr Barnes tsx Chrono says 3550 fps

 

[Calvin45]

It would help to find out what bullet you were looking at using.

Don't have any yet, just shootin the breeze (and not shooting much else at the moment )

 

[Calvin45]

Encouraging feedback so far as I actually have 2 unopened pounds of IMR7828 ssc. In these times it's always nice to hear that the best one is the one you have haha

 

[Calvin45]

It would help to find out what bullet you were looking at using.

I am wanting to start out experimenting with a 100 grain bullet of some flavour to start.

 

[Lee7588]

I am wanting to start out experimenting with a 100 grain bullet of some flavour to start.

I hunt whitetails and pigs with mine it hits like a freight train and rarely do the animals take a step

 

[cantfixstupid]

I shoot the 129 through 135 GR pills in mine and Retumbo is the secret elixir for all of them, when I shot the 100 and less Gr bullets 7828 was the elixir. You need a 7.5 or faster twist for anything over 120 Gr.

 

[oldfamily]

I had good luck with imr 4350 behind 100 grain ballistics tips. They were hot, and you would have to work up a load to see what your rifle likes.

 

[Calvin45]

I shoot the 129 through 135 GR pills in mine and Retumbo is the secret elixir for all of them, when I shot the 100 and less Gr bullets 7828 was the elixir. You need a 7.5 or faster twist for anything over 120 Gr.

Yeah mines a standard 10 twist vanguard so that's out. Cool tho!

 

[Calvin45]

I hunt whitetails and pigs with mine it hits like a freight train and rarely do the animals take a step

Yeah I like the old belted magnums but my other two are quite heavy and long, a 300 win and .358 Norma…this new 257 is a lightweight in comparison (still a standard sporter, vanguard s2 stainless) and there's a lot to love about the cartridge. Kicks like a .270 MAYBE, by all accounts hits like a .30-06, shoots much flatter than a .243…all good things

Here's a pic of the three "belted ballistic brothers" i shared on a diff thread.

 

[Lee7588]

Yeah I like the old belted magnums but my other two are quite heavy and long, a 300 win and .358 Norma…this new 257 is a lightweight in comparison (still a standard sporter, vanguard s2 stainless) and there's a lot to love about the cartridge. Kicks like a .270 MAYBE, by all accounts hits like a .30-06, shoots much flatter than a .243…all good things

Here's a pic of the three "belted ballistic brothers" i shared on a diff thread.

My load is 72 gr of 7828, and mine is an old Weatherby vanguard Sub-moa with 24" barrel. Mine is going to get a new barrel soon. Just have to decide which barrel to go with

 

[Calvin45]

My load is 72 gr of 7828, and mine is an old Weatherby vanguard Sub-moa with 24" barrel. Mine is going to get a new barrel soon. Just have to decide which barrel to go with

That 7828 is good stuff but hard to find now at least where I am. It even shines in my boring old .270 with a 22 inch barrel. Honestly I do appreciate the potential for higher velocities with double base and the advances in temp stability as a Saskatchewanian haha, but if I had to be stuck with just the imr original single bases for some reason I'd be just fine.