I'm left handed so finding a gun in a chamber I want is getting harder all the time. I've been thinkin of getting a LH Model 700 and rebarreling it to a .257 weatherby when someone told me a 6mm-06 would be just as effective, but cheaper to reload. As i don't know much about either, i'ld like to get a few opinions on here.
I'm going to be using it out west, on mule deer, antelope, and possibly a big horn in a couple years. Thanks

I'd sure stick with the .257 of the two you mention, and the use you intend. I'm not shot with the 6mm bore size, though many are, for big game. If you insist on the 6mm 06, you might look at the .240 Weatherby as it's about the same thing.

Since you are cooking this up from scratch, I'd consider moving up to the .270 Weatherby. Same case as the .257, lots more punch with heavier bullets, easy to shoot, nearly as flat as .257.

If you can afford an out of state bighorn hunt, the difference in reloading costs should not be on the radar screen. I feel your pain in the lefthanded realm. A lefthanded 270 restocked would fill the bill nicely.

Why would it need to be restocked?

I'd get the .257 Weatherby.

Because factory tupperware sucks. I concur on the 257. The numbers are real.

The 6-06 should burn about 8-10 grains less powder. I don't think you can buy factory 6-06 brass. You have to make it. I paid $26/20 for weatherby brass, which is a lot, but I decided that I wanted correct headstamp. Some on the board here have made .257 brass out of .264 Win or 7mm rem brass and report good results. (the neck will be shorter than spec, but that shouldn't hurt anything. The weatherby brass has long necks to begin with.) .257 brass made from either will need to be fire formed, but fire forming loads generally perform just fine.

Should you decide to sell your rifle, it will likely be easier to sell a .257 as it is a factory round, albeit not a very common one. Should you take a reloading hiatus, lose your ammo, or pass the rifle on to someone who doesn't reload, factory ammo can be bought for the .257. It isn't cheap, but it's available. Remington was supposed to be making .257 ammo, but I haven't seen any. All ammo maker makers have been running behind since the ammo salesman in chief was elected, so maybe that's why. If rem ever starts making ammo, they should start selling brass as well, making it a lot cheaper.

If you're all that concerned about being practical, just get a 25-06 or a 270 win.

Of those two I would pick the .257, but have you considered the .25-06? It is right on the heels of the .257 without the high cost of Weatherby brass. I make .25-06 brass from .270 cases from a friend who doesn't reload. Weatherby brass costs as much as loaded .270 or .30-06.

As do all plastic stocks. That's why God created trees.

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/left-Hand/

You're the reason God created Abortion.

+1
Ingwe

I was gonna say that God didn't create abortion, but then I remembered he created you.

If you ackley improve you're 25-06, it will be nipping at the heels of the weatherby. You can still shoot off the shelf 25-06 ammo in it.

Another one that should have been swallowed.

I'd run a 257 Roy, whilst we are on the subject.

Somedays this is almost as good as comedy central. Go .257 and don't look back. If possible, try the 7 rem mag w/ 120 gr. pills. 26" bbl will let em' scream. It's not as kewl as the Roy, but it's easier to fund and find.

nut

One of my old bosses was fond of saying,"Opinions are like A-H____, everybody has one!" I have all of the above chamberings
25-06, 257 Roy and 6mm-06, and being a true rifle loonie I love them all. That said there is a real POWER difference as you step up to the 257 Roy as a 120 Partition at 3400 really allows a good shot to go after larger game. The 6mm-06 and 257 Roy will both be better served with a 26" barrel, my 6mm-06 does 3660 with a 85 TSX while I get 3670 with the 100 TSX in the 257 Wby.This means more blast and kick, but not too much recoil.I think the 25 calibers with their heavier bullets allow you to go beyond the whitetail, small muley level to the 400-500 lb animals with the surgical precision these rounds allow, proper application of premium projectiles... NICE!

Funny you mention that, The gun i'm thinkin of buying to do this with, is a left hand 7mm Rem Mag, because it has the magnum bolt face...Might keep it for a while. By the way I already have a 270wsm A-Bolt. I've just always wanted a 257 until this other round was brought to my attention.

LJ don't shoot the donor, you may never get the Roy out of it!

LJ your thought on the 7 mag was exactly my plan! Take MagMarc's advice. The 7 has stayed and am now looking for the 257 Wby. Shooting the donor only increases the cost of the project.

GreggH

If you want the best and going to build, then go with the 25 STW , this is one of the best long cal i have used . Rel 25 and the 100 gr Barnes TSX . 25 STW is about as flat a shooter as you can build and kills deer on the spot.

I have used the 6/284 on deer and varmints which is a short action 6mm/06 but have shot a lot more with the 257WBY and consider it to be the better of the two on our rather large bodied mule deer at long range. 100gr TTSX's at 3600 or a bit more are the real deal. With my 27.5 inch lapped PAc Nor bbl and moly on the bullets I am running them at 3800. A 6mm / 06 or similar is not going to get into this kind of performance.

257!
HaNds DOWN!
BeSt Cartridge i know of for huntin here in the west

The Remmy Link kills me ... they advertise LH rifles and go to show a lefty shooting a RH rifle ... kills me.

It is Remington after all.

BiNgO !

Comparing a 6mm to a 25 is kind of apples to oranges. That being said, I have never been a fan of the 257 Roy. Actually, never been much of a fan of a 25-anything. Too large for serious varminting, and not large enough for serious big game. I would opt for a 7mag, if you really want a magnum. You can still drop down to 120's.

I've used em both quite a bit, and have gravitated to the 6/06. Now part of that could be that I work with the big 7's quite a bit and now that I run a 6/06 and a 7 I just don't see a need and or a want for a 257 Wby.

The 257 will send 120's down range @ 3300 (on top end) and I can do that and then some with my 7. And my 23" .270's will send 130's down @ 3150 so I don't see much value to the 257.

With my 6/06 I've had two tubes (but have worked with 5 others) and I've found that they'll send the 85 TSX down the tube @ 3500 to 3600 lot of powder depending. This is with a 25" tube on my 6/06, and my work with the 257 Wby has shown me that 3500 is pretty darn standard with the 100's and I can get it to 3600 but that's about the end of the game.

Tween the two I've been able to discern no diff in killing power and ability from big to small in regards to big game.

Now I am a believer of fast and slow tubes and I've no doubt that a fast 257 tube will go over 3600 with a 100 but not by much. Same with the 6/06, my first tube would run a 95 NBT @ 3500 with R25 and R22.

But IMO those kinds of speeds are not the normal, more like abby normal...

Guess I'd look for an action and if you found a standard bolt face I'd build a 6/06 and if I found a magnum action I'd build a big 7 of some sort...grin

Lastly, when I built my 6/06 I really had long range yote run in my mind and it's done very well at that for me. And it's taken deer out to 634 yds with no issues as well as an ark or three of deer/lopes and various other critters.

I also sorted out that the lil 55 NBT @ 4K+ worked very well on called in yotes during the prime pelt time. Incredibly pelt friendly, now the 70 NBT is another thing. The 70 is what gave my rifle the name "El Gato". When my buddy shot his first yote with the 70 NBT in the spine he remarked, man you could pull a cat thru that hole.... .

Best of luck to you, either choice will do you very well.

Guess I'd also consider what else you have for bigger guns in the stable. If you have .270's, 7's and such then I'd go 6/06 for sure.

Dober