Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 257 weatherby or 6.5X284 for western deer/elk rifle

I have parts to build a light weight version of each, but attention span only for one.

If you built the 6.5, what dies, brass, loads? It woul dbe built on a Rem 700 action in a ti stock with a ti take-off 260 barrel rechambered.

the 257 would be an SPS stainless.

Pros? Cons? Would be both high/long range, and low/short range.

Dang, thats a tough choice...........but since I'm a well known 6.5 slut, you know the route I'd be going......but that .257 is one heck of a round.

with elk on the menu i would vote the 6.5.... hell. build a 264 win mag

woofer

If it matters, I think that your Remington 700 parts gun in 6.5-284 would probably be a little lighter and shorter than a 700 SPS.

While the 257 Roy will have a flatter trajectory, the 6.5-284 is certainly capable out to any range that I'd personally shoot game. Since I have rifles chambered in 6.5-284, I would load some 140 grain Partitions and go shoot an elk. My general ROT in 6.5mm bullets is to load the 95 grain VMax for varmints and small deer, any of the 100 grain BT or Partition, 120 grain BT, 125 grain Partition, 129 grain Hornady SpirePoint or SST, or 130 grain AB for anything in the deer/antelope class, and the 140 grain Partition for anything that might require deeper penetration or to break bigger bones.

I use Redding dies if they are available, if not, usually RCBS.

I've used Winchester/Olin 284 brass to feed all of my 284s and 284 based wildcat, probably more than 7K rounds, without a hitch.

My 257 Roy experience has not been as good as my 6.5-284 experience, so my personal bias may have influenced my recommendations.

Jeff

David, there is no wrong answer, either will work but you prolly
have a 308 or 30-06 laying around that would serve you better.

The 700 SPS 257 Roy is 7 lbs even with the factory stock. Add talley lightweights and a 3-9 scope and you're at 8 lbs. IMO if you want lighter, probably have to go with the 6.5-284.

I LOVE my .257 WBY, but I am with woofer here in that a .264 Win Mag will work great on the same action size as a 6.5 /06 and ould be a superior Elk rifle. For me, I have separate rifles for deer and Elk. 25 ROY for deer type stuff and a wildcat .340 for Elk. Sometimes a 300RUM which also works terrific. More rifles be more fun!

a friend of mine here killed 12 bulls with his 257 Roy before someone told him that it was not an elk rifle.

If you go the custom route, find a gunsmith that has a 257 Roy reamer with zero freebore, and you will get 3700+ with the 100's and chomping on 3600 with the 115's.

400 is a chip shot with the 257 Roy with the velocities above.

I just got a Roy myself

after re-reading your original i forgot to add the 22" 6.5 takeoff... oops......

ss roy and a ti takeoff would be a sweet ride......

woofer

I don't agree with "no freebore" for the 257 Roy. It needs some but not the full amount that Weatherby uses. Having shot a few 264 win mags I believe its short freebore hinders its full potential. I had Dave Kiff make a special Roy reamer with a .200" freebore. I'd do the same if I made a 264 win mag.

I think the two above chamberings are a better choice for hunting rather than the 6.5-284. Drag out the reloading books and consult a ballistics program and compare.

At what ranges do the 257 Roy and 264 Win Mag become "a better choice for hunting" then the 6.5-284?

If you do a cost/benefit analysis, both of them drive bullets faster/flatter, but at the cost of heavier/longer/more recoil. Out to 400+/- yards, I can't see where the benefit of faster/flatter trumps lighter/handier/less recoil.

Jeff

the 6.5 is the easiest by far on both the wallet and the shoulder.

load development could happen on the [bleep] reading any BR info..... walk to bench. load rounds. go shoot. brass is sweet if you want to pony up... 6.5 @3k will offer more punch everywhere on the board.... and, you have all the parts for less

do it....


woofer

David didn't mention a distance. I figured when he said Western deer/elk a bit more power would be useful. If 400 yds and under that is a different arguement.

I have taken 8 elk with my 284 at distances from 50 yds to 300 using mostly 140 partitions so the 6.5 would certainly work.

On the other hand shots at deer at 500-600 the Roy would be my choice with a 115 Berger VLD. Less drop and drift.

How many people are really good enough shots, under field conditions, to make consistant 500 to 600 yard shots? Maybe if you practice, alot, and shoot pdogs on a regular basis, but for 99.99% of the people who buy tags, 500 to 600 yard shots are a low (to the 10th power) percentage shots.

Remember, 440 yards = 1/4 mile, 500 yards = .28 mile, and 600 yards = .34 mile. Regardless of how you measure it, anything beyond 440 yards is a heck of a long shot for most people, particularly under field conditions.

Jeff

Split the difference: 6.5x257 Weatherby

On a serious note, I'd personally go with the 6.5-284 in the Ti takeoff as it'd be lighter. No flies on the 257 Roy but, I'm lenient towards the 6.5 caliber. I think a 120TSX, 130AB, or 140PT would just about perfect for deer/elk.