Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters how accurate can the 257 wby be?

ahhh, but a decent gap around the barrel has no impact on the float.
it may not look the greatest, but , it's a huntig rifle, not a queen.

as long as the action is bedded, and the bottom metal fits properly. the flimsy forearm should make no diff.
even with a bipod on, the float should be sufficient for any movement.

I have no safe queens, but I like my rigs to look good to me as well.

sure, i do too. but, a 1/8" more gap under the barrel makes no ugly gun.

hmmmm

Two from my 257s, a MKV Ultramark and a standard Vanguard, both with 100gr TTSXs:




Hope that covers it...

I have a Mark V in wood. Living in an extremely dry area the stock moved a good bit over a 2 yr period as it slowly dried down. Floated the barrel and eventually bedded both ends of the action and it's a damn fast nail driver. A great pronghorn unit. I'd certainly replace it if it was lost.

Naaa they aren't accurate....

"Match accurate"?

No.

Plenty accurate enough to kill schit WAY out there?

Yes.

You only have to decide whether it's more important to you to punch tiny groups in paper, or punch holes in critters.

The accuracy guarantee is a stock rifle, with FACTORY fodder.

Find out what Remington, Ruger, Winchester, etc., say is "good enough" for their rifles and the same... (hint: pie-plate @ 100 ish).

1.5" @ 100 with factory fodder, in a stock rifle, has a nasty habit of leading to FAR better with decent handloads and a tweaked trigger.

I agree, my vanguard tuperware SS was accurate before, and after I put it in wby's aftermarket stocks. My Rem Model 700 Stainless is also a tack driver.

I forgot to mention that I have also been shooting a NULA Model 28 in .257 Weatherby for a while now. It shoots into around 3/4" inch with the best loads--at 200 yards. Pretty good for a 6-3/4 pound rifle.

By the way, re. Wby's accuracy guarantees... the old Vanguard was 1.5 in. All of the new models will have a sub-MOA guarantee with factory ammo.

My original Vanguard .257, which began life with the tupperware stock, was sub-MOA out of the box. I installed a Timney trigger and a Fiberguard stock, and it remains one of my all-time favorite rifles.

If I'm not mistaken, that 1 & 1/2 inch group is the worst that Weatherby guarantees from the factory and thats with factory ammo. Most are well under that 1 & 1/2 inch guaranteed maximum.

I have a 1995 Weatherby Mark V Weathermark in .257 Weatherby. It's one of the near to last Mark V's manufacured in Japan with the weathermark tupperware stock without the fancy high comb the Weatherbys are noted for. Here is the test target that came with the rifle from the factory, 3 shot group with factory ammo and I measured it with my caliper at .584 so I think 1 & 1/2 inches is the worst that leaves the factory.




I know an inch & 1/2 is not average, as I have 3 of those Weathermark Mark V's from Japan, the 257, a 270 Weatherby magnum and a 30-06 and the worst of the 3 factory targets with factory ammo still measures just a hair under an inch.

And there is princess Lee.... Your time is coming son....

In my opinion, the best thing that can be done to a tupperware stock is to Piller bed it.

I get consistent groups in the .3s with my Mark V and Weatherby's now-discontinued 115-grain Barnes X load. Luckily I have about 25 boxes of it.

What bullets must one use for deer with this cartridge? I say must because when I had a 6-284 some bullets would disintegrate on the way to the target. Also my experience with the 6-284 was that Berger VLD bullets did not like to be driven fast for best accuracy. So I am guessing one would want to use Ballistic Tips, Accubonds or Barnes TSX or TTSX bullets. Any other high BC bullets that would stand up to 3600 fps accurately?

Thanks for all the info. A 257 wby is definitely in my future. Most likely I will buy one of the new Coopers chambered for this round.

I have to get my new ER Shaw in 6X284 on order first and the 257 will be next.

Oh man, I hope that's not true on the Bergers, I shoot them in my 308 and my 6.5-284. Granted neither are fast cartridges but I get 1/4" groups out of both of my rifles with them.

I'm building a custom 257 Weatherby right now and have 100 TTSX, 110 Accubond and 115 Bergers on order for load development. I'm really hoping the Bergers shoot well out of it.

Specs on the build:

Stiller TAC 300 Action
McMillan BDL stock, pillar bedded and skim bedded
Kreiger #6 Sporter contour barrel, fluted, 26"
Jewell Trigger
Leupold VX-7 4.5-18 x 56 optics