Trying to decide if want a new 25-06 or try 257wby.any input be great thanks Steve
25-06 or 257
- Thread starter trader steve
- Start date
2506 great round, 2506 ai a little more work and fire forming, for me worth the effort, have fired 257 wby little more horse power a bit more cost,
When 2506 ai barrel went south I wanted to do a final build,
I looked 257 wby but I'm not a fan of belted case, look at 25 Wsm to close to 2506 ai, so now I'm waiting on 25-26 nosler
2506 or 257 wby = 2506. if you like reloading 2506 ai. all capable to 500 yrd I mainly shoot pigs/goats /deer
300-400 max
Good luck !!
When 2506 ai barrel went south I wanted to do a final build,
I looked 257 wby but I'm not a fan of belted case, look at 25 Wsm to close to 2506 ai, so now I'm waiting on 25-26 nosler
2506 or 257 wby = 2506. if you like reloading 2506 ai. all capable to 500 yrd I mainly shoot pigs/goats /deer
300-400 max
Good luck !!
I've owned a .25-06 for 40 years, it's a great cartridge. Very versatile and flat shooting. I've used mine for hunting groundhogs in OH using bullets of 85/90 gr. It is a very hard hitting cartridge for varmint hunting at some pretty long distances.
Over the time I've had my rifle it has gone varmint hunting, deer hunting and bear hunting in Canada. Bullets of 100 gr work great on deer while 110 to 120 gr are good on bigger animals. Never felt the need for a bigger cartridge, it was my only centerfire rifle for 20 years.
I passed on .257 Weatherby or an AI as the .25-06 worked so well for my use. I like the .25-06 so much that a few years ago I had the rifle re-barreled with a new Krieger. With a lot of other choices offered in the new barrel I went with .25-06 again, it was an easy choice for me.
Over the time I've had my rifle it has gone varmint hunting, deer hunting and bear hunting in Canada. Bullets of 100 gr work great on deer while 110 to 120 gr are good on bigger animals. Never felt the need for a bigger cartridge, it was my only centerfire rifle for 20 years.
I passed on .257 Weatherby or an AI as the .25-06 worked so well for my use. I like the .25-06 so much that a few years ago I had the rifle re-barreled with a new Krieger. With a lot of other choices offered in the new barrel I went with .25-06 again, it was an easy choice for me.
Shot a 25-06 AI years ago. I never really thought the effort of the AI gave me enough benefit for the extra work either. I didn’t anel so cases didn’t last long.
I have worked up loads for a few straight up 25-06s that would shoot great. Shot some really good groups with one at 500 meters.
I have 3 friends that shoot the Weatherby. Two of them have never been able to get hand loads to shoot as well as the factory loads. I can’t honestly say how hard they worked at load development but went back to factory loads. The factory loads are expensive. I double checked sight in for one of them a couple of months back and the price on box of shells was 89.00. Now I know you can get them cheaper buts that’s what happens when you forget shells and buy them from a local shop in a hunting town lol
I have worked up loads for a few straight up 25-06s that would shoot great. Shot some really good groups with one at 500 meters.
I have 3 friends that shoot the Weatherby. Two of them have never been able to get hand loads to shoot as well as the factory loads. I can’t honestly say how hard they worked at load development but went back to factory loads. The factory loads are expensive. I double checked sight in for one of them a couple of months back and the price on box of shells was 89.00. Now I know you can get them cheaper buts that’s what happens when you forget shells and buy them from a local shop in a hunting town lol
Depends on what you intend to do with it. A deer you shoot could not tell the difference between the two out to around 500 yards. 25-06 is cheaper to load and most often will be more accurate due to the design. The Weatherby has a very long throat and that it not conducive to glint edge accuracy. I have shot the 25-06 for over 30 years and a couple buddies have had 257 Weatherby's. They now have 25-06s so that tells you something. Had another friend that had a custom 257 Weatherby built WITHOUT the long throat thinking it would be more accurate and he could not get much more velocity out of it than a standard 25-06 before running into pressure but it was pretty accurate. If you want the higher velocity of a 257 Weatherby and increase your ability to take game at 500+ yards more reliable and with much better bullet flight get a 264 Win mag with at least a 26" barrel and longer is better.
Gary in MD
Gold $$ Contributor
The 25-06 is a fantastic hunting cartridge but given an accurate rifle, I love the 257Wby. It’s everything the 25-06 is plus some. You are shooting a 100 grain bullet as fast as a 22-250 is shooting a 55 grain. I have smacked quite a few deer and vaporized a few groundhogs and foxes with mine, now on it’s third barrel.
The 257 Wby was fast before being fast was cool!!
Gary
The 257 Wby was fast before being fast was cool!!
Gary
Ive had a 25-06 since 1989 can imagine being without one. If I couldn't have one a 6.5-284 is the same case capacity, as is the 6.5-06. All three of these are so close as to be no different. But I think the bullet chose for the 6.5s makes them a better choice if you could only have one. My 25-06 is on its second barrel and I am wishing I had more accurate 3100 than I have but maybe VV165 is the answer, cause it is in the 6.5-284. I agree with the other poster Weatherby ammo is over the top expensive and I see no need for any extra speed.
you Guys are making me wish that I shouldn't have sold my 25/06 that I got in a trade, and never did shoot...Hmm.... Good stuff you Guys.
I have to agree w/Gary 257 Weatherby is kind of the ultimate. Mine is a lowly Vanguard sporter weight in an original synthetic stock and it is amazing how well it shoots. Have never reloaded for it as I bought 100 rnds of Weatherby ammo from midway of factory and have only shot a little over 1 box. I didn't need it when I bought it but bid on it during the very early days of gunbroker and won it. It had a 6-24 Japanese Tasco on it which I sold on ebay for something over 100 dollars and I only gave a little over 300 for it.The 25-06 is a fantastic hunting cartridge but given an accurate rifle, I love the 257Wby. It’s everything the 25-06 is plus some. You are shooting a 100 grain bullet as fast as a 22-250 is shooting a 55 grain. I have smacked quite a few deer and vaporized a few groundhogs and foxes with mine, now on it’s third barrel.
The 257 Wby was fast before being fast was cool!!
Gary
Like I said I really don't need it but as well as it shoots it has found a home as long as I'm alive.
17VLD
Gold $$ Contributor
I’m very fond of the .25-06,shot my first whitetail buck with a 120 Nosler Partition and he dropped like he was struck by lightning at 100 yards through the woods of upstate New York.Not really a long shot by western standards,but I was very impressed at that young age by that rifle.I have killed a bunch of ground hogs and a few coyotes with it.It will always have a place in one of my gunsafes.Read a very nice article in an older VHA mag about the .257 Weatherby and have always thought it was a good choice if you didn’t already have a 25-06,but since I do I’m set.Now if I was starting from scratch with nothing it might be a tough decision,I am building a center grip XP in .257 Roberts AI as we speak,in the hunting pistol I think it will be enough gun for whitetail.However you slice it,every one should have some type of 257 caliber gun.
Matt
Matt
Ive read a lot of your post, you enjoy long-range coyote !!
I don't shoot coyote , I shoot dingo & wild dogs, 2506 ai 90 hpbt- sbk makes short work of them out to as far as I can hit them !!
You should have tried the 2506 !!
My 2506 ai savage single shot was very accurate !!
No brainer for me - the 25-06 - main reasons - more brand rifles to choose from - cases more easily obtainable - easier to reload - performance is outstanding and good enough for most shooters.
Just my opinion which is like noses - everyone has one - but with all the outstanding standard cartridges available I don't know why any one would opt for one of those Weatherby cartridges unless you are a real long range expert / specialist even then there are standard cartridges that can compete. Also how many shooters can really take advantage of the extra ballistics of the Weatherby cartridges - not very many where I shoot.
Just my opinion which is like noses - everyone has one - but with all the outstanding standard cartridges available I don't know why any one would opt for one of those Weatherby cartridges unless you are a real long range expert / specialist even then there are standard cartridges that can compete. Also how many shooters can really take advantage of the extra ballistics of the Weatherby cartridges - not very many where I shoot.
One of the reasons I never considered the AI version is the .25-06 is an overbore cartridge to begin with. In the AI version you're cutting barrel life plus you have to fire form the brass.
I no longer hunt larger game with mine so I shoot a lot of 85/90 bullets now. From a 24" barrel I see speeds of 3620 fps with the lighter bullets.
With some of the newer powders the .25-06 can really send bullets down range at velocities beyond what I remember. Nosler shows their 115 gr bullets with Retumbo going almost 3200 fps. I could never do that with a charge of IMR4831 when I used to shoot them. I remember velocity was around 2950 fps with IMR4831.
I no longer hunt larger game with mine so I shoot a lot of 85/90 bullets now. From a 24" barrel I see speeds of 3620 fps with the lighter bullets.
With some of the newer powders the .25-06 can really send bullets down range at velocities beyond what I remember. Nosler shows their 115 gr bullets with Retumbo going almost 3200 fps. I could never do that with a charge of IMR4831 when I used to shoot them. I remember velocity was around 2950 fps with IMR4831.
Well I have an old Browning A-Bolt I have been shooting forever and shoot 117 SSTs or 100 TTSXs. The A-Bolts have a lot of freebore and mine can push the 117s to 3250 with RL22. Yes that’s fast but no pressure and it has shot that for as long as I can remember. Yet the rifle is very accurate and that’s with a 22” barrel. My 257 WM stays in the safe most of the time because the A-Bolt is so handy. Hits like a hammer too!
You really need a 26” barrel to get the most from WM although mine is 24”.
Dave
You really need a 26” barrel to get the most from WM although mine is 24”.
Dave
Very interesting to know.hmm
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