Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Help me with my agony, fast twist 257 weatherby or a 26 Nosler?

I want to build the ultimate point and shoot master blaster and can't decide between these two. I know there are more high BC bullets available in 6.5 mm but the 257 has a few options and the minimal recoil is appealing. This will be for deer and hogs mostly to about 5-600 yards further if I practice more.

I am not a dial-er and with dots or a BDC type scope I think either would meet the demands.

I have other rifles for elk and bigger stuff.

You got ol mike’s endorsement for the 26!

Reason enough for me.

Have not shot the 26 nos. But my 257 wby is very effective on deer size and smaller game out to extreme ranges. If confined to one deer and smaller rifle, it would by my 257wby.

If the recoil of one bothers you, the other won't help any. Weight of projectile, rifle, powder, as well as velocity figure into the equation. I'd look at performance and BC's of your candidates,, and brass availability. 7mm is another good option, but will give more recoil, of course.

How much powder do you have stashed away the Creed Moor at those ranges will make your supply last longer at 42 grains a shot, something to consider in these times.

I think I know what you are trying to do and how you want to do it all.

I would pick the 257 Wby (or 25/06) over a 6.5 "anything"

Real easy and made just for what you want. Of the exotic stuff brass is also easy as you can do as many do with the 257 and 270 Wby and just neck down 7mm Rem brass and load 'em up and go for it.

I am leaning towards the Weatherby as I already have dies and components. The 26 Nosler may be more than I need for this use. The Nosler would overlap with my 7 magnums some where the Weatherby is in almost a class of its own. My other 257 is a Ruger and fairly heavy with the 28" barrel so a medium weight repeater would be a nice addition. I don't think the 26 Nosler is going to disappear but at least now components may be scarce.

"Point and shoot" at 500-600 yds with no turret or BDC reticle... LOL.

You're looking at roughly 3-4 feet of drop at those ranges.

I have both and like both. If I was in your position I’d go fast twist 257Roy aimed at the new 133 EOL Berger. The Bee is quite a bit less finicky to load for, brass is easy to find or make from 264WM/7RM and probably a touch easier on barrels if you care about that. The 133 at 3100-3200 would hang with the 26N way out there....though 5-600 is a poke for point and shoot

I vote 257 Wby... 110 accubond , max speed, brass is easy to make .....

Fast twist 257Wby gets my vote also. Can sling the new Berger’s or a Hammer hunter if so desired also.

With 10" twist I get 1/2" groups 5 shots with 75 gr Vmax
With 10" twist I get 1/2 moa groups with 3 shots with 100 gr NBT
With 10" twist I get 1.5" groups with 5 shots with 115 gr

I don't think I am losing stability with 115 gr, it is just kicking harder.

Mine shoots everything up to the 110s which are the longest bullets tried to date.

I will use a BDC type reticle and shots over four hundred yards would be rare. At 400 I am just making use of the hatch marks on the scope.

I see different information on twist rate, black jack recommends 1-8 for the bigger 25s, Hammer recommends 1-7 for their 128 grain bullet, and Berger recommends a 1-8+ for the 135 gr. Should I go 1-7 to make sure or split the difference?

I have both, I don’t think there is any difference in recoil between the two. Get a 26 Nosler.

Avoid the Wby free bore.
26 Nosler

Dave

If your building it, you can avoid the free bore?

Leaning towards the 257 and I am going to see if I can rent a reamer from Black Jack if I go forward on this. They have tested a couple of different chambers with their bullets.

Hanco do you see a difference in performance between the two? I think at the ranges I typically shoot <400 I won't see a difference. The 26 Nosler would shine past 500 but the point blank range is not much different than the Weatherby.

Yes you can get a reamer that has a normal length freebore for the ,257 .
But if you ever run factory ammo in the short freebore chamber.
Bad things happen.
Real bad.

Dave

I think with the 130+ bullets seated to Max will result in some free bore for the 100-120 grain bullets. Not sure if it is enough to shoot factory loads too.
I think I will see what black jack is using and then maybe have the throat length stamped on the barrel so I don't "splode" somebody after I am dead. I would hope that that would be enough warning for all but the Darwin award candidates.

Go with standard 257 Wby. I got mine for point and shoot to 400, which is as far as I will shoot at game. As far as the Darwin comment it is impossible to underestimate stupidity.
GreggH