Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 257 Weatherby...

Had my mind all made up on a 7RM for this particular a FN (Browning) mauser action languishing on hand with a mag bolt face--then started thinking about the Bee the other day...

Hunt big woods for whitetails as a rule, but have a place in the midwest to hunt, a farm, but the problem it has is fences. They have to drop inside the fence and there is no grace given.

Shots taken generally have been between 200-400yds with a possible 500yd sit but I normally don't sit it. Rolling fields. Was pondering 100g. Overall rifle weight concern isn't a factor there really, so was thinking around 8 1/2 pounds all up--which would be heavier than anything else still around. Mild to shoot is appealing. There is a S&B 8x56 that will do.

Would like to hear some from users, please, on your builds or factory rifles. Have never messed with a mag smaller than a 7, but imagine the 257 adequate and most here realize that where the bullet goes is what counts.

Also started thinking about the 264 Win Mag & 120s as an alternative...:)

Grim. There is no cure, so I am living with it. Knives may be worse.

tomk,
My .257 Wby is a Fibermark, made around 1983, that I have owned close to 30 years, and hunted with extensively. Of course, it wears a 26" barrel, and is kind of heavy, but it has done the job nicely on several truckloads full of deer, pronghorns, caribou, sheep, and elk.

Go-to load is a 100 gr. Barnes TSX, at 3700 fps MV, with sub-MOA accuracy. It currently wears a Leupold VX-3 3.5-10 x 50 scope, mostly for its low-light capability. Until you have owned, and shot, a .257 Wby, there's no real way to describe just how flat it shoots, usually with spectacular results on deer-size game.

If I were to build a .257 Wby, it would wear a McMillan Edge stock, probably a 24 or 25 inch barrel, and on a lightweight action and #2 barrel contour so as to keep overall rifle weight, with scope and rings, at 8 lb. or slightly less.

Do indeed like the sound of "spectacular"...:)

Yeah, have an older MPI that once had a #2 Douglas in it mated to the FN. Weighs 26oz ready to go.

Was thinking 25" and would rather go 24" if it doesn't cut into the fps too far.

Imagine if PTG produces that aluminum mauser bottom metal, it would go 8#.

I'm thinking Roy Weatherby got it right, nearly 70 years ago-
the .257 was reportedly his favorite Wby cartridge. It's not hard to see why!!

As for myself, there is a reason this one is the longest-enduring rifle in my gun safe.

I got a semi-custom Remington 700 with a Krieger #5 at 26" it's heavy but so am I. I shoot the 80 gr ttsx and I have killed at least 20 some deer with it. If I do my part nothing gets away. I wouldn't say it's magic but it's flat as all get out. I can hear the bullet slap really fast.

I hope to be able to tell you better about the .257 WBY in a couple days, however, having considerable experience with the .257 Roberts and .25-'06, I don't expect disappointment in the "flatten some [bleep]" category.

I recently picked up a 700 CDL SF in .257 WBY, dropped it in a synthetic stock made from a High Tech Specialties blank, and topped it with a custom shop Leupold 6.5-20X (standard fine duplex, 1" tube, 40mm objective, AO .. the "custom" part was the addition of a vertical CDS knob).

I haven't fired a shot. I've got 25 rounds loaded up with 75 grain VMAXes over what I hope is a decent starting load of H414.

Brass is hard to find. I made some from WW .264 win mag cases. It will have short necks but as long as there's enough to hold a bullet, it'll keep me going 'til I can get "real" brass. My guess is the WW brass will work fine for longer, heavier hunting bullets though I'm going to want full length case necks go get closer to the lands with light varmint bullets.

Dunno. Hope it behaves. This could be my long term [bleep] around rifle project. If I find the accuracy I hope for, it should work out for wandering sage brush country looking for antelope, coyotes, and an occasional jack rabbit. Maybe someday a deer. If it doesn't behave, it'll become something else. That's how [bleep] works in my gun safe.

tom

tomk, for my money I would stick with the 7mm..I like .25's, but for killing at 400 yards, I like the 7 better..Just my experience..

Had one years ago in a Weatherby EuroMark. Killed a blackbear at 40 yards with a 100 grain Nosler ballistic tip. Wasn't supposed to hold together at that range/velocity but it made a perfect mushroom. I killed some coyotes with it. Lotta horsepower for a 25 caliber bullet. I later shot a Sako 75 SS in 25/06 and preferred that. Something about making brass and a lot less boom. The Bee is ALOT.

tomk,

Before going the custom route, take a hard look at the Weatherby Mark V Accumark in .257 Wby mag. That's a hell of a nice rifle and with "custom rifle" features at a bit of a discount. I have a .257 Wby mag in a Super Big Gamemaster platform (predates the Ultralight) and it is a shooter! Like 5 bullets in less than an inch all day long shooter!

This chambering is hell on whitetails! Look into the Barnes TTSX in either 80 or 100 grain for reloads, or even the Cutting Edge Bullets for non-conventionals and you'll have an absolute "death ray" for anything in North America right up to (but not including, unless you have "excess pluck") brown bears and moose.

-John

I've killed more elk and mule deer with my .257 weatherby over the years than any of my other rifles. It a German Mark V deluxe that has more sentimental value than any other gun I own. 24" barell that shoots 120gr Sierra GK's into less than 1" groups. Large rifle magnum CCI primers powered by 72gr RL 25.

My hunting buddies often refer to the .257 Weatherby as "it's like lightning struck". This is one heck of a cartridge. Same goes for the 240, 270 WBY. The 300WBY is a kickin mule.

Grandpa was an early advocate of the .257 Weatherby. Had a Mauser converted by the old southern California Weatherby shop, back in the 1950's.

It saw a lot of range time, a lot of time killin' ground squirrels, and accounted for some drop-right-there deer too. I still remember "helping" him load for it, by seating bullets, back in the early 1960's when I was just a little kid.

My youngest son has that rifle now, and we're slowly working it over, bringing it back, without ruining that old 1950's custom rifle "flavor." I am afraid however that it may well need a new barrel.



I've got some expensive Weatherby & Norma brass. Have learned that it's super-easy to form inexpensive 7mm Rem mag brass to work in the .257 Wby. Grandpa used to cut down, neck down & blow out .300 H&H brass, as there was nothing else avail at the time. We've still got some of his old ammo & brass for the rifle.


Makes my .25-06 not look "overbore" at all!


It's an easy-shooting rifle, with big results downrange.

Regards, Guy

i love my 257 roy. but your remark about game staying inside fences, and long range shooting made me think i'd want something bigger. 264 or 7 mag. you could always make it a switch barrel.

Ed

If you put a 264 and a 257 bee side by side you'll have a hard time calling the 264 bigger by much!

I own 3 .264s and they are good guns. I really think the .257 Weatherby is a better cartridge for long range deer and antelope. The 6.5mm bullets do offer superior BC over the 25 cal bullets. Either choice is a fine way to go. Avoid the 7mm magnum. It's a great cartridge, but why not try the .257 or .264?

After reading an article in the Varmints Hunter magazine about the .257 Weatherby, I called the author and talked with him a while.
He has shot the .257 Wthby for 30 plus years. He shoot cull deer on some of the ranches in his area and has killed over 350 whitetail.
He stated he had more "dead right there" shooting the 85,87 & 90 grain bullet than the heaver 100 and 115, & 117 gr bullets.
He said all bullets killed the deer but deer shot with the heaver bullets tended to run 15 - 20 yds before dying and the deer shot with the lighter bullets died in their tracks. As with any bullet good shot placement is still required.

Hal

That's a boatload of dead whitetail...did he mention the ranges?

BTW, have no desire to buy another rifle, just recycle the stuff on hand. This 98 has also been converted long at one time and the smith wants to check it prior--may be a fly in the ointment for the pressure. Guy's vintage seemed to be holding up...:)

The fence thing nags me, although I understand why things are the way they are--no bitching from me, the hunt is good for its potential.

Thanks for all the info, Gents--appreciate it.

I was Going to put a pic of My 257 weatherby with a North west Per barrel on this forum, but It wont let Me >>> Enjoy!

tom,

Built my 257 on a Vanguard(Howa)action with a 26 in fluted Brux #4, B&C Medalist and a Timney trigger. I throated it skosh shorter at .250 vs the Weatherby standard of .378. I shoot almost strictly reloads, but wanted enough freebore to shoot factory rounds if needed. Also good for resale. Estimated weight 8.5-9.0 pounds with Zeiss Conquest 3x9.

I've played around with 100 and 115 gr bullets and settled on the 115 Nosler Ballistic Tip. I know lots of folks recommend the 100 TTSX for accuracy and toughness, but for long range work, they limit the potential of the 257 because of it's brick-like BC. They run out of steam quickly. If thin skinned game is on the menu, the 115 NBT does fine at Wby velocities, but bucks the wind much better than the TTSX. You'll be impressed at how well the 115 BT works on deer and hogs.

My go to powder for the 115's and heavier is RL-25. It produces the greatest accuracy with the highest velocity. If you decide on 100 gr bullets, look to IMR 7828 or RL22. IMR 4831 is a good powder for the 100's too, but velocity is lower.

Good luck with your build. The 257 is a wicked little cartridge, and stoked with the right bullet, is capable of some pretty amazing feats.

Here is my build...

There is some PMC 257 Weatherby brass for sale in the classifieds which will last 3x longer than weatherby brass, very high quality brass.

The end of January, I'll tell you how a 100 grain tsx works on an oryx.