That might be true about the 257's origins, John. But by the time it got "factoried" it was seen and marketed as a big game round. Marketing guys often see things other than designers do; witness the 250 Savage. That little darling was "supposed" to be a big game round based on a 100-gr bullet. But the marketing guys were on fire to have the first 3000 fps round, so they kept trimming back the bullet weight a grain at a time until they got to 87 grains and that magic muzzle speed. The only problem was that an 87-grain bullet was neither fish nor fowl. If they had just loaded it with a 75 and also a 100, they'd have had a true multi-purpose round. But they didn't. Note that when the 243 came along in those two exact bullet weights, it took off in popularity.
Marketing weenies; sheesh!
