Opinions on 257 Weatherby Magnum?

[StevenDzupin]

I needed another rifle, like I need another hole in my posterior!!

That said, from an acquaintance, I got what I believe is a killer price on an un-fired, in the box, Weatherby Vanguard 257 Weatherby Magum. He bought the rifle because he had a western coyote shoot planned and cannot go. He feels that he'll never shoot the rifle.

The only thing that I have read of this caliber, is that it is a grand coyote rifle. I really do not have a spot in my battery of hunting rifles, where I need this rifle. I have 22-250 Varminter, 243Win. heavy bbl. Varminter, 7x57 Mauser, 7mm-08, 280Rem., 7mmRem.Mag, on either end of what the 257 Weatherby Mag can do.

In your opinion, is the 257 Weatherby Magnum enough of a great cartridge that I should keep it and hunt deer using that rifle. Or, as I am thinking, will it end up being a "safe queen" after I work up loads and have ammo ready for it?

If I decide on the latter and not use it, I will sell it.

What do you think?

Best,
Steven

Steven, the barrel life is short on this over bore cartridge < 600 rounds.
Much shorter if your after varmints and do rapid fire.

Best of luck what ever you decide.

Regards,

Steven

 

[roysclockgun]

I put it for sale on GunsAmerica for $599 NIB with mounts and rings included.

 

[AckleymanII]

257 Roy with zero freebore = 100g at 3850 shooting sub 3/8" groups with 100g within 30 rounds fired with R#22. Stuff is just dead, very dead on bullet impact = ZERO runners, I do not know how to stress this fact enough. Old tec rules in this case.

I actually got 1/2" groups with 100g partitions.

If you feel like a wild man, go 6.5-257 Weatherby AI. 120's at 3600 is normal. PTG has the reamer. All I care about is accuracy, and stuff not running off.

 

[nakneker]

257 Weatherby is a killer. It's just one of those calibers that is devastating on game.

 

[justme]

I've got a bit over 1000 rounds out of a 25 SAUM, Lilja 1x10. It is still going strong. 110 Accubonds near 3300. It's a fun rifle to shoot. It's startling how fast that bullet gets out to a long range berm.

 

[2506]

The 257 Bee will last as long as most any other over bore mag. It is all in how you treat them. If you sit down and shoot 600 rounds yes your barrel will be gone. But if you don't heat it up and keep it clean it will shoot accurately for way more than a few hundred rounds.
As has been said the 257 Bee is a deer size game SMOKER. Matter of fact every 25 cal. from 250 Savage up to the 257 Bee that I have used on deer are drop them in their tracks killers.

 

[Eric Leonard]

I am still hoping that Berger will do a 130-132 gr VLD Hunting bullet in .257,,my 25-06 shots the 100 NBT at 3420 fps with IMR4831 in bugholes but past 500 yards the .397 BC starts slowing down really fast,,

from 1977 to 1998 the 25-06 was my only rifle and I really like it but with a 130 VLD bullet at 3,000 it would be at another level,,

 

[JRS]

I am still hoping that Berger will do a 130-132 gr VLD Hunting bullet in .257,,my 25-06 shots the 100 NBT at 3420 fps with IMR4831 in bugholes but past 500 yards the .397 BC starts slowing down really fast,,

from 1977 to 1998 the 25-06 was my only rifle and I really like it but with a 130 VLD bullet at 3,000 it would be at another level,,

Good luck talking Berger into producing the jackets

 

[warbird2006]

257 Roy with zero freebore = 100g at 3850 shooting sub 3/8" groups with 100g within 30 rounds fired with R#22. Stuff is just dead, very dead on bullet impact = ZERO runners, I do not know how to stress this fact enough. Old tec rules in this case.

I actually got 1/2" groups with 100g partitions.

If you feel like a wild man, go 6.5-257 Weatherby AI. 120's at 3600 is normal. PTG has the reamer. All I care about is accuracy, and stuff not running off.

Holy smoke, 3850? You must like not to reuse your brass
I am shooting hot 100 gr Sciroccos at 3600 and no one can stand beside me, 1/2 shooters under the steel roof at our range goes instantly deaf. Hahahahahaha. The muzzle break makes her shoot like 22.

 

[AckleymanII]

Warbird, there are 8 chambers on this reamer now, they all shoot bug holes with Pac Nor, Shilen, Lilja, and Brux barrels, no kidding.

It is hard for most to imagine the flat trajectory of a 100g at 3850, remember this is a hunting rifle. When you start off with zero freebore, barrels last longer than factory barrels that start out with a country mile of freebore.

257 Wea. is one of the easiest, most accurate big game rifles a guy can build, and the zero freebore is absolutely the way to go!
26" bbl-10T
100g at 3850
115-3600

Expect groups sub 1/4" on the 100's, about .300 on the 115's

I had the partitions shoot 1/2" at this speed in 100g!

I killed deer with 100g Hornady Flat base, btsp, Nosler ballistic tip, and partitions...all flopped on the spot. I shot two does on a power line one morning. Killed the first one, then a second one came out and started licking the first one, stacked them both on top of each other. If you like head shooting does, sight in at 200, then just put the cross hair on the top of their head at 300.

My pard killed 6 big bull elk with 120g partitions, then a guide told him it was not an elk rifle. Another friend bought the rifle from him, then he had bulls starting to run off with him with the larger caliber...never before with the 257 Roy.

 

[Beruisis]

Warbird, there are 8 chambers on this reamer now, they all shoot bug holes with Pac Nor, Shilen, Lilja, and Brux barrels, no kidding.

It is hard for most to imagine the flat trajectory of a 100g at 3850, remember this is a hunting rifle. When you start off with zero freebore, barrels last longer than factory barrels that start out with a country mile of freebore.

257 Wea. is one of the easiest, most accurate big game rifles a guy can build, and the zero freebore is absolutely the way to go!
26" bbl-10T
100g at 3850
115-3600

Expect groups sub 1/4" on the 100's, about .300 on the 115's

I had the partitions shoot 1/2" at this speed in 100g!

I killed deer with 100g Hornady Flat base, btsp, Nosler ballistic tip, and partitions...all flopped on the spot. I shot two does on a power line one morning. Killed the first one, then a second one came out and started licking the first one, stacked them both on top of each other. If you like head shooting does, sight in at 200, then just put the cross hair on the top of their head at 300.

My pard killed 6 big bull elk with 120g partitions, then a guide told him it was not an elk rifle. Another friend bought the rifle from him, then he had bulls starting to run off with him with the larger caliber...never before with the 257 Roy.

Ackleyman, in your opinion, are the 100 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips stout enough for the speeds & impact of the 257 Bee? I get nice groups with them but not yet certain how well they'll hold up on deer & hogs.

 

[AckleymanII]

Stay off the shoulder with the ballistic tips. 100g hornady flat base shot real well and so did the 100g partition...10 twist.

 

[singleshotfan]

Thinking about rebarrelling my 257 WM. Will the zero free bore cause pressures to spike?
Thanks, Richard

 

[BD100]

Thinking about rebarrelling my 257 WM. Will the zero free bore cause pressures to spike?
Thanks, Richard

Very possible. Work up your loads carefully. The purpose of the freebore is to flatten the pressure curve, in essence mitigating spikes.

With zero freebore you'll also find your max load well below published book. This is because book loads are developed using the standard Weatherby freebore of .378. Not sure if you ever plan to shoot factory loads or sell the gun to someone who might, but eliminating all of the freebore will not allow you to do so. Zero freebore would generate dangerous pressure.

Of the custom 257's I've had built, all were reduced to .250 freebore. This still allows the firing of factory ammo if needed and generates superb accuracy and velocity.

 

[AckleymanII]

Jeez, read my posts, I am not a novice at this

Hunting rifle with sub 3/8" groups...where is the down side?

My buddy killed 6 bull elk on guided hunts, bulls flopped. Then a guide told him it was not an elk rifle...now elk are running off...he is not the best shot, and he chose a caliber with not so much hydrostatic shock.

You absolutely can not believe the killing power of a 100g bullet with a MV of 3850 on a 26" barrel on deer, and 115s at 3600 on elk...low tec stuff still works.

to heck with the brass life, this is a hunting rifle..verify zero...go hunt....

 

[Sitsntree]

I shoot 100gr NBT at 3525fps out of my 257wby its a deer hamer but 100gr NBT out of my 257stw at 3800 fps is Thor's hamer!!

 

[RW]

While not a Wby I shot a lot of hogs with a25-06 that had 87gr Ballistic tips screaming!! I believe a long time ago the 25 cal ballistic tips were 87 gr and not the 85 gr. as they are today. I had a friend that was a butcher who would cut and wrap my hogs and he knew I had and shot a 300 win mag and he said to me I had better start shooting some thing other than that as I was shooting such big holes in them where as my hunting partner laughted and said I was using 25-06 and 87 grain ballistic tips!! Ron

 

[bullseyeshtr]

I actually set up a weatherby vanguard wilderness in 257 wby. with a zeiss terrra 4-12 for tournament yote rifle.
Load is: 80gr TTSX, 75gr RL-23, 215M, Hornady brass. Can't remember COAL. But velocity is 4070fps and 1/2" 100yd groups. No pressure signs pretty much fill up the case and shoot.

Barrel life will suck but I don't plan on shooting it a ton. You won't be disappointed by the results of a fast hard hitting round like this.

 

[langenc]

The 257 Weatherby is a great deal more than a "grand coyote rifle"

Not if you hunt for hides, necessarily. Might need to get a sewing machine to sew em up.

Didnt Roy shoot buffalo w/ the 257??

I got mine free from Bank of Boulder back in the 70's, rifle, brass, scope & Buehler mount and beautiful leather case and sling.

I see some discussion about brass. There was a time where Midway was selling once fired brass from Weatherbys sight in program. I got a 100 of those for less that $50. Buddy suggested maybe Id want more and 2 days later they were all gone.

 

[Swampbuck]

For me it would entirely depend on where I lived. As stated above the 257 weatherby is not economical at all. It's hard on barrels and brass etc is expensive for all weatherbys. But to each his own. I know that I would use the 7mm rifles more for deer.

The reason I say it depends where I live is because I live in Mississippi and long shots are not the norm in the southeastern woods. Calibers like the 257 and 25-06 work great out west for long flat shots where deer can run and die in thin cover but slower and larger bullets seem to work better in the woods delivering more kinetic energy. The 25-06 and similar seem too fast and the deer run farther and are harder to retrieve in dense cover.