The 25, 35 and 44 calibers seem like lost children of calibers, one or two decent projectiles but unfortunately not a grand selection.There is no doubt that those high bc bullets are the ones to use if you are shooting over 500 yards and beyond.
I’m not shooting that far and I like the high velocity and dramatic bullet action.
Where I hunt and shoot (right now) you cannot launch a high bc bullet and let it bounce off the ground and go whining off into the distance.
The 257 wby blows up large varmints and zaps deer sized game.
Speed kills!
Gary
25 WSM versus 257 Weatherby
- Thread starter hoz53
- Start date
The .257 has lots of options. Never realized until I started buying them. I started at 110 grains and up. I think I have around 7-8 different bullets that are ideal for hunting from 100 yards to 800 yards and beyond if desired. There was that time where they were not as plentiful.
What manufacturers? Hornady lists 3 or 4 but mostly not much differences, their old 117 interlock BTSP and the GMX 117 are as heavy as they get.
Don't get me wrong a 117 grain pill pushed from a 25 06 with 63 to 65,000 PSI is a reach out and touch something from a long way combination, a 5% weight increase could add energy at the back end and be under 125 grain. Again there could be magazine and throat issues.
The 131 blackjack, 133/135 Bergers. All for faster twist barrels. Speer offer a couple different 120s. Sierra does too. Also both offer the 117 I believe. Hornady and Sierra offer the low drag 110. Berger also has there long made 115 vld. Nosler makes a 115 Ballistic Tip which are favorite bullets for many .257 fans. Also some solids are offered for the caliber if you want a mono bullet. If I could find some Speer 120 SBT (#1410) bullets, they'd be my go to deer bullet. Just nobody has them. Hornady has some 110-117 grain soft points, SSTs and GMX.
Lots of much lighter out there too. Just listed the mid-heavier range bullet's
Thanks I have a couple action laying around maybe I'll explore COAL for ac25-06with thec130's and build one.
Excellent cartridge. Consider the AI version. Easier on brass and gain a little HP
Kurz
Silver $$ Contributor
One of my favorites for any of the .25 caliber cartridges including the .250 Savage Improved. This is the cartridge and bullet combination I use when hunting the rougher parts of the higher desert. With a 22" barrel I can get just about 3,000 fps which will take care of a Mule deer out to about 400 yards, which is plenty. This load is not NOT for any of the Savage 99 type rifles. It's for the modern bolt action receivers.
I shot a running Mule deer broadside at a measured 270 yards with this load and the deer had to use his nose to get stopped!
How about a .257 Blaser Mag AI?
Kurz
Silver $$ Contributor
The last smallest Blaser cases I saw for sale were the 7mm Blaser.
I've been using the 25 WSM made from the .270 WSM cases. I use this frequently when I'm not using the .257 Weatherby or .25-06 AI. But I dug out an oldy from years back named the .257 Banshee, which is derived from the 6.5x68 case in a simple neck down and clean up.
As I wrote above, I find most of the .25 caliber cartridges interesting from the 25-45 to the .257 Weatherby. Surprise yourself, find some brass to either neck up or neck down to accommodate the .257 bullets.
Enjoy the process!
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
Last year I had a reamer ground for 257 Weatherby with .030 freebore. 110g Accubond and 115g Bergers shoot in the high 2's and low threes at 3590 fps out of a 9T X Caliber barrel, 26" long.
No deer or hogs took a step at bullet impact, nephew and brother were very, very happy. With the Gentry muzzle break, they actually saw the animal collapse at bullet impact.
No deer or hogs took a step at bullet impact, nephew and brother were very, very happy. With the Gentry muzzle break, they actually saw the animal collapse at bullet impact.
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