This thread is of interest to me. I've not owned a quarter bore, but always thought the speed queen 257 would be a great choice for deer.
Recoil wise...rifle weight will play a role in this, but how well are you 257 Wby shooters able to stay on a deer and watch impact? Or at the least - be behind the scope after recoil?
As you mentioned, it obviously has to do with rifle weight. One of my previous 257s was a heavy LSS with a ZC 4.5-14x44 in DDs. That rifle had a really thick Super Cell recoil pad and was an absolute pu$$y cat recoil wise. I wouldn't say I could stay on target for hits like a heavy varmint setup or moderate cart that's braked, but it had recoil that seemed along the lines of a 25-06 or light weight 243 to me. My other 257 was much lighter and had sharper recoil similar to a 8lb 30-06 or 7RM.
