Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 257 Weatherby Ultralight load recipe request

Please share any recipes with this rifle ONLY. I have several 257s, but this one seems a little pickier about what it likes to eat. It's the older gray and stainless/black model, if anyone thinks that matters. Thanks.

All rifles are different so you'll not find the holy grail here you'll need to find it at YOUR reloading bench

What have you tried? I have loaded for 3 257 Wbys and they all shot 100 gr Barnes tsx and 71 gr RL 22 well.. Start with a clean barrel Barnes bullets and play with seating depths.

Mine shot 72 grs of rl22 and the 100tsx very well. As said, play with depth. I recall it being quite a jump.

I'd wager it might be properly shooting a light weight rifle that's part of the issue

IMR 7828 also seems to be a laying on of the hands for several Weatherby cartridges up to the 300's

I'd mention Ramshot Magnum as that's what the Widowmaker sings with ...
but it isn't a Weatherby Ultralight so never mind

I'm at 72 of r22 and a 100ttsx and it's shooting sub 1/2" groups and going 3720fps but in a crappy Rem 700 so I digress

Did yours have the speckled paint?

If not I'm uncertain as to whether my loads would be of use....

My .257 Weatherby is an Ultralight, from New Ultra Light Arms. Would that count?

John,

Your current 257 Weatherby Mag. is it a Arms model 28 that Melvin Forbes built?

Fwiw.... I have one of the early 300 Weatherby ultralight and it was made by saco defense for weatherby when they first came back to United States. I think I half wore out the barrel trying to find a good load for that gun.... and it shot almost every bullet and powder combo poorly. Then I started seating the bullets very deep into the case and I couldn't believe how the gun came back around....it's now moa and under.
If I had one recommendation for the original poster I would say try different seating Depth's, especially those quite deep. I've never seen such a swing in accuracy for doing that in my life.

Rem 700 26" Pacnor BBL. this is a max load in my gun so as usual work up.

72 gr. RE 22
CCI 250
Norma brass
100 gr. TSX


3716 FPS. Very accurate

YMMV

Leonten,

Yes, it's a Model 28 NULA that Melvin built, with a 24" #2 contour Douglas.

You mention it in the Nosler reloading guide number eight.

Yes. Same results with a 257 here. I initially took bullets out to the extreme such that running them through the action would induce run out. Had to load those single shot. Given Weatherby's free bore, one cannot reach the lands. My thoughts are that the deeper seating depth generated more consistent pressures at ignition.

+1

When I started reloading 100 TSX's for the 257 a lot of people were encouraging the whole kiss or near kissing thing and my 2 or 3 257 Roys actually liked em seated deep, like .10 deep. I figured this out when the factory rounds were bug holeing and my reloads weren't. Put the comparator on the factory rounds and was shocked how deep they were seated. Made the adjustment in depth and groups tightened right up.

Absolutely agree.

I have been using 70 gr IMR 7828 behind a 117 gr Pro Hunter Sierra since it became available in the early 80's. Deadly accurate in my standard weight MK V 257. I have taken many animals with this combo.

ALrifleman,

My Ultralight MK V shoots .750 with 120gr Nosler Partitions stoked with 71.5gr of RL-25. I use only Wby brass and Fed GM215M primmers. I follow the Nosler manual on the COAL. I learned early on, to give ample time between shots. The bbl flutes are cut deep to shed weight, but it does not cool to quickly(depending on ambient temp)! They tell me that Weatherby cartridges have "freebore"! I have never cared enough to measure it out. I view mine as a hunting rifle, so once I found a good grouping load with the bullet I wanted......I went with it! I am old school......I believe that a heavier bullet will always deliver quicker kills! Shot placement is definitely a plus....but, there are times when the tight group at the range does not get transferred in the field!

I hope this helps!

God Bless!

B King