Opinions on 257 Weatherby Magnum?

[roysclockgun]

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

 

[Beruisis]

I recently acquired one. I wasn't really looking for one but a buddy couldn't pay back a loan so I have one.
I'm going to use it as a porch gun in East Tx where shots on deer & hogs can go 450 yards. It'll take the place of the 300 WM. But in the woods I use a short barreled 308.
I just acquired the brass & dies & doing some load testing. It is not an economical round. I'm going to keep it as that cartridge is the only 25 caliber that I haven't owned & Roy W really liked it; was his favorite.
Since you already have it, might as well try it out.
Good shooting!

 

[wvlongshot]

You probably won't like it. Should just sell it to me for same killer deal you got.

 

[CharlieNC]

According to what I have read, it was Roy Weatherby's favorite hunting round for North America. His motto was velocity kills!

 

[JASmith]

That "bird in the hand" will be very difficult to beat!

Go for it!

 

[JRS]

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

 

[msinc]

Several months ago one of my buddies got the same rifle. I am impressed with it. It is very accurate right out of the box shooting factory ammo, and one of the extremely very few rifles I can say this about lately. If I was a serious deer hunter, or any medium sized game really, that would probably be the caliber of choice for me. What I liked the best about it took a little getting used to and that is the lack of recoil. Maybe that's a bad way to describe it...the difference in recoil that doesn't match the muzzle report might be a better way. You absolutely couldn't see this happening when you were the one firing the rifle, but there is a basketball sized ball of white fire at the muzzle when the gun goes off. Yet, there is really no recoil. It is about like a 243 shooting lighter bullets. Probably wouldn't bother normal people, but it took some getting used to for me.
As far as varmints go, I don't know if you have woodchucks where you are, but it does to them what a 223 or 204 does to a prairie dog....guts the thing. We found some in pieces. I haven't witnessed any "terminal performance" on deer, but the thing you can forget about with varmints is "fur friendly". Forget it, it's not there and there is no bullet that will help.

 

[dk17hmr]

I have a Panda with a 257 Bee barrel, I believe whoever built it had rock chucks in mind because the twist is about a 1:14. I really wanted to use 115gr Bergers in it but it doesn't like them, 85gr Ballistic tips at 3850fps is a different story. It will send a pdog 20' in the air and rain body parts in a 30' radius.

257bee would be a great all around cartridge for just about any hunting need. I wouldn't feel bad about using a good quality hunting bullet from it on an elk hunt. I'm working on a 25-06AI with a 1:10 twist right now to be a hunting rifle here in the desert for this fall.

 

[AckleymanII]

Bed the Vanguard, tune the trigger, and reload for it.

71.5-73g of R#22 with a 100g What ever should shoot very, very well. If you add a really good muzzle break, you will see the water vapor fly off the animal when it is hit. 100g Partitions shot 1/2" groups in my rifle.

Keep the copper out of the bore, I can't stress this enough. Clean often as speed with a bullet with a lot of bearing surface builds copper...not a lot...just stay ahead of the build up. I use Montana Extreme Copper Killer with their plastic brushes or their copper cream in an abused rifle(works the same as JB, just easier).

 

[338Lapua]

75 gr V-max 257 wby lol

 

[Gary in MD]

Get that 257 Wby shooting accurately and it will be the closest thing to a laser beam that you will shoot. Mine is on it's third barrel.
Gary

 

[Beruisis]

Gary,
what length barrel do you prefer on yours & what twist have you settled on?
Mine came with 25" tube; 1/12 twist.
Thanks.

 

[Gary in MD]

I would enjoy what you already have but when I had a new barrel installed on mine I ordered a 26" 1-10" twist.
I normally favor the 100 grain bullets for deer with RL22, 4350 also works well. I loaded 115 Bergers this past season but the deer didn't cooperate while I was carrying the 257. I've killed deer with a bunch of different 100 grain bullets.... it really doesn't matter which one, it smokes them!
Gary

 

[Beruisis]

I would enjoy what you already have but when I had a new barrel installed on mine I ordered a 26" 1-10" twist.
I normally favor the 100 grain bullets for deer with RL22, 4350 also works well. I loaded 115 Bergers this past season but the deer didn't cooperate while I was carrying the 257. I've killed deer with a bunch of different 100 grain bullets.... it really doesn't matter which one, it smokes them!
Gary

Gary, I rebarreled my 250 with a select Shilen & it shoots tiny, tiny holes with that Berger 115 gr. If and when I burn out this 257 WM I intend to get a 10 twist select Shilen again.

 

[M-61]

FLAT FLAT shooter. Used mine in Montana for years. Long time ago but I remember a great shot at an antelope a real good distance away. Noise is really up there. Never could sell it even though I no longer hunt. Weatherby MK V made in Japan. Lots of really long shots with it.

 

[D-mon]

I am gona make myself a 6.5-257 weatherby soon, kind of a 257 w updated with better choice of bullets with good BC.

 

[Gary in MD]

I am gona make myself a 6.5-257 weatherby soon, kind of a 257 w updated with better choice of bullets with good BC.

I think Winchester beat you to it by a few years, it's called the 264 Winchester mag. I know some people use 264 Winchester brass to make their 257 Wby brass, it's cheaper.

 

[roysclockgun]

Is the 264 Win. Mag. a barrel burner? Or was it simply abused and thus wore out barrels rapidly?

The 220Swift, early one, got a bad rap, because some gun smiths were using 22cal. rim fire barrels to make barrels for 220Swift. Those 22cal. barrels were never built up to level to accept that sort of speed, heat and pressure, so sure, they wore out fast.

Steven

 

[D-mon]

The weatherby has a longer neck and a sexier contour than the 264 win.
Yes performances will be the same roughly.
If the 264 is a barrel burner, what to think of the 257 weatherby then?
For shooting the odd critter crossing the valley fare away, it should work pretty well.

 

[17VLD]

I remember an article in the Varmint Hunter magazine,the gentleman really loved the 257W and explained why it was so good on everything from varmints to African plains game.I think it was mostly due to the good sectional density and high velocity,lots of good bullet choices for hunting and a few for target.Some of us believe the 25caliber could have been better than the 6.5mm if better decisions had been made for twist and bullets back in the day.I shoot a 25-06 at deer and varmints and it has plenty of power for what I need,if I didn't already have it that article would have had me buying a 257W
Matt