257 Weatherby

[MT257]

I have a Remington 700 CDL that is fluted and blued chambered in the 257 Weatherby caliber. I have developed some loads for this rifle with them being roughly 1". I was wondering if any of you have any suggetions on how to bring that size of the groups down, I have tried 110 accubonds, 115 partitions and triple shock. I would prefer to keep the bullets 110 gr or bigger.
Thanks!

 

[JRS]

You have a factory Remington barrel. Don't expect much more accuracy than you are witnessing. Bedding and trigger work might prove to be an asset.

The bullets you are using are not designed for pure accuracy. For that, call Randy Robinett (BIB). He makes a great 110 GR BT bullet.

 

[MT257]

I did replace the trigger with a Timmney.

 

[Preacher]

The 115 Berger VLD should do you better than that...

 

[MT257]

I've even tried the 115 VLD bullets, it is hard to get them to shoot because of the weatherby free bore so I cannot find the lans of the barrel.

 

[Preacher]

Seat that bullet with the base of the bullet right at the base of the neck and see how that will do...

 

[JRS]

Seat that bullet with the base of the bullet right at the base of the neck and see how that will do...

+1

 

[greenwood]

I have a Remington 700 CDL that is fluted and blued chambered in the 257 Weatherby caliber. I have developed some loads for this rifle with them being roughly 1". I was wondering if any of you have any suggetions on how to bring that size of the groups down, I have tried 110 accubonds, 115 partitions and triple shock. I would prefer to keep the bullets 110 gr or bigger.
Thanks!

My 257 WBY is a custom. 115 Berger, H1000, 0.03 off lands, 3,300 mv, 0.16 moa.
Will not shoot Accubonds as well. Shoots approximately same moa 0.005 -0.03 off.

 

[MT257]

Seat that bullet with the base of the bullet right at the base of the neck and see how that will do...

I will try this but can you explain to me how this should in theory work.?

 

[MT257]

My 257 WBY is a custom. 115 Berger, H1000, 0.03 off lands, 3,300 mv, 0.16 moa.
Will not shoot Accubonds as well. Shoots approximately same moa 0.005 -0.03 off.

You must have removed the freebore when you had yours custom built?

 

[Gary in MD]

I have a Remington 700 CDL that is fluted and blued chambered in the 257 Weatherby caliber. I have developed some loads for this rifle with them being roughly 1". I was wondering if any of you have any suggetions on how to bring that size of the groups down, I have tried 110 accubonds, 115 partitions and triple shock. I would prefer to keep the bullets 110 gr or bigger.
Thanks!

What powders have you tried? Are you using magnum primers?
In my 257 WBY with a 26" Hart barrel, I have received the best results using Federal 215 magnum primers with any powder used. The powders that have worked the best for me are RL22; IMR7828; and last but not least IMR 4350. Start low and work up but you may not get your best accuracy until you start getting to your faster loads (higher but safe pressures). I just got some of the 115 Bergers to try myself. I have been using the Barnes 100 ttx, they are very accurate and deadly.
Gary

 

[MT257]

What powders have you tried? Are you using magnum primers?
In my 257 WBY with a 26" Hart barrel, I have received the best results using Federal 215 magnum primers with any powder used. The powders that have worked the best for me are RL22; IMR7828; and last but not least IMR 4350. Start low and work up but you may not get your best accuracy until you start getting to your faster loads (higher but safe pressures). I just got some of the 115 Bergers to try myself. I have been using the Barnes 100 ttx, they are very accurate and deadly.
Gary

I have tried 7828,100v, RL25, H1000, H4831. I have found a group with 115 partitions,110 accubonds and 115 tsx that are just at or over an inch. Maybe I am being too picky and not accepting acceptable loads. I've tried some 115 VLD and nothing smaller that 1.25''. So I am gonna try the method listed earlier. I aslo use Fed 215M primers.

 

[wboggs]

I wouldn't try to get target rifle accuracy out of a factory 700. The throat is very long. You may have to load them long and start over with the loads with a reduced powder charge. If the rifle is built on a LA 700, you will have plenty of room in the magazine. This is a hunting round, pure and simple. If you want accuracy and LR go with a 6.5 or 7mm with a good barrel throated properly and forget about the WBY. case. Many good choices here.
Barrel life on the .257 Wby with full loads is limited.
Bill

 

[Gary in MD]

I have tried 7828,100v, RL25, H1000, H4831. I have found a group with 115 partitions,110 accubonds and 115 tsx that are just at or over an inch. Maybe I am being too picky and not accepting acceptable loads. I've tried some 115 VLD and nothing smaller that 1.25''. So I am gonna try the method listed earlier. I aslo use Fed 215M primers.

Well.... If your rifle were chambered in something else... 223rem; 243win; 308win; etc.( not that dreaded inaccurate Wby) then you would be getting advice.
Has the rifle been glass bedded? Are the action screws tightened to specs? What about the scope and mounts? Surely they may affect accuracy.
If you are getting groups close to 1" then with some tuning, 3/4" should not be out of the question.
Gary

 

[MT257]

Well.... If your rifle were chambered in something else... 223rem; 243win; 308win; etc.( not that dreaded inaccurate Wby) then you would be getting advice.
Has the rifle been glass bedded? Are the action screws tightened to specs? What about the scope and mounts? Surely they may affect accuracy.
If you are getting groups close to 1" then with some tuning, 3/4" should not be out of the question.
Gary

Action screws torqued to 40 in/lbs., rings and bases are torqued to recommened amounts that the wheeler fat wrench says. Not glass bedded.

 

[Tommie]

You own a 700 in 257 Wby that shots 1" groups with hunting bullets. You're already ahead of the curve. Why burn the bore up while punching holes in paper to find more accuracy than this combination was intended for? It's time to book an antelope hunt!

 

[AckleymanII]

I have a Remington 700 CDL that is fluted and blued chambered in the 257 Weatherby caliber. I have developed some loads for this rifle with them being roughly 1". I was wondering if any of you have any suggetions on how to bring that size of the groups down, I have tried 110 accubonds, 115 partitions and triple shock. I would prefer to keep the bullets 110 gr or bigger.
Thanks!

I have had MUCH better luck with 100g bullet than any other bullet, 72-73g of R#22, Fed 215 call it done. Keep the copper out of the barrel, cool the barrel with 50/50 water and rubbing alcohol inbetween groups, rag dripping wet.

 

[timeout]

Berger VLD's can have a sweet spot way off the land's. On a hunting rifle start .010" off the lands and then make .040" moves. When you determine the best load area, fine tune seating depth .002" at a time. I have 2 rifles that shoot the VLD'S best way off the lands. One is a 25-06 shooting 115 VLD'S .118" from the lands. That being said, I'm using a fluted LV custom barrel, not the 700 Rem factory barrel. I went through boo-coos of bullets and never could get the factory barrel to shoot. It patterned like a shotgun at 300 yards. It now is a hammer with the custom barrel and Berger VLD's. Long story short, save all the wasted $$ for components and buy a custom barrel.

 

[JRS]

If this is primarily a hunting rifle, enjoy it as is. Bedding the action can't hurt anything, and will most likely help.

 

[timeout]

If this is primarily a hunting rifle, enjoy it as is. Bedding the action can't hurt anything, and will most likely help.

With all due respect, IMHO, making good shots in hunting situations is no less a desirable result than on a line during a paper punching competition. I demand that my hunting rifles shoot