High BC 25 caliber bullets and barrel for 257 Wby

does anyone have early reports of the 135 Bergers on game yet? @lancetkenyon i know you mentioned above that it does a number on game. Hoping so - getting 3250 fps out of my 25 prc
 
I just built a 1:7.5 twist 24" barrel 257 weatherby getting 3350fps with H1000 shooting half MOA with 131 Blackjacks. I wanted to have a small bore 1000+ yard rifle. I just picked up some 135 Bergers but also eagerly awaiting the 133 Bergers. I thought about the 128 Hammer but the real joy about this set up is what happens with a high bc bullet. The 135 Berger is .334 G7 vs .244 G7. The additional velocity with the Hammer would be interesting to see what would happen at 1000+ yards. Anyone have any experience with Hammers at that distance?
 
For folks pigeon-holed by 1:10 twist barrels, I'm having excellent accuracy success with 95gn Badlands BullDozer II projectiles in a 257Wby. 25" 1:10 3-groove Lilja #3. I had the rifle built almost 15yrs ago when 1:10 was a great plenty to stabilize every .257 projectile commercially available. The 95gn .257 Badlands is listed @ .425 G-1 BC. No issues at all w/seating depth in a 3.34" Winchester M70 mag box. I'm about a mile off the lands which is typical with the normal freebore for nearly any Wby chambering.

I've used Ramshot Magnum powder in this rifle essentially since it was built (early 2008). I tested 100gn TSX projectiles w/R-22 and Magnum. Magnum gave better velocity, better accuracy, and lower ES/SD, so, I continue to use this powder with the 95's as well with equally good accuracy, velocity, and ES/SD results.

I'm NOT having very good luck drawing tags, so, any practical terminal performance data is going to have to wait a bit. I have 1 deer tag for this fall and my intent is to use a BadLands Super BullDozer .277/140gn projectile to fill that tag. I will have the .257Wby along as a backup if necessary though.
 
does anyone have early reports of the 135 Bergers on game yet? @lancetkenyon i know you mentioned above that it does a number on game. Hoping so - getting 3250 fps out of my 25 prc
Last month, I took what is believed to be the first caribou with the 135 Hybrid and the first with the 25 SST. The hunt was so bad that I haven't been able to bring myself to post about it yet (note the smile on my face in the pic), but the 135 performed great. The shot was at 300 yds and the bull didn't take a step, just turned slightly. The first shot was broadside through the shoulder and the second (completely unneeded) was in the base of the neck just in front of the shoulder. I have shot mulies, whitetails, pronghorn, coyotes, and prairie dogs with the 7mm 180 gr Hybrid with great results as well. The 135 showed similar results. I used the 131 gr Blackjacks to take the free range aoudad in my avatar in January, great performance as well.
 

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Last month, I took what is believed to be the first caribou with the 135 Hybrid and the first with the 25 SST. The hunt was so bad that I haven't been able to bring myself to post about it yet (note the smile on my face in the pic), but the 135 performed great. The shot was at 300 yds and the bull didn't take a step, just turned slightly. The first shot was broadside through the shoulder and the second (completely unneeded) was in the base of the neck just in front of the shoulder. I have shot mulies, whitetails, pronghorn, coyotes, and prairie dogs with the 7mm 180 gr Hybrid with great results as well. The 135 showed similar results. I used the 131 gr Blackjacks to take the free range aoudad in my avatar in January, great performance as well.

awesome and thanks for the update! Glad to hear the 135 is performing well on game!
 
I believe it's been said that the "match" version of the Berger bullets has a thicker jacket than the hunting version. If so that's probably not a bad thing to use the match bullets at the velocities of the 257 Wby.
I'll be interested to see how the 133 EOL performs in comparison.
 
Last month, I took what is believed to be the first caribou with the 135 Hybrid and the first with the 25 SST. The hunt was so bad that I haven't been able to bring myself to post about it yet (note the smile on my face in the pic), but the 135 performed great. The shot was at 300 yds and the bull didn't take a step, just turned slightly. The first shot was broadside through the shoulder and the second (completely unneeded) was in the base of the neck just in front of the shoulder. I have shot mulies, whitetails, pronghorn, coyotes, and prairie dogs with the 7mm 180 gr Hybrid with great results as well. The 135 showed similar results. I used the 131 gr Blackjacks to take the free range aoudad in my avatar in January, great performance as well.
Congrats! I love the patriotism on your rig. Thanks for sharing.

Ed
 

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