I acquired some cheap Speer Hot-Cor 120 grain bullets for my 257 Weatherby. Any load suggestions for RL22 or RL25?

I don't have anything specific. What I found in the small amount of testing I did with a 257Wby that I got very little velocity gain from RL25 over Rl22. Just burned several more grains to get there.

Coyote My 257 likes RL25 but what Ramrod has said is exactly what I found as well. I got less than 50 fps increase with RL25 compared to RL22. I did get an improvement in accuracy. With120 gr bullets max load in my rifle was 72 grs of RL25 when using WBY brass. If you use 264 brass necked down I would suggest the max load will be 2 to 3 grs LESS. I would suggest you start about 67 grs with WBY brass and work up.

I have shot the .257 Wby for years with my Weatherby Accumark. It is a real shooter for several grandsons. My tried and true loads are with RL-22 and Fed 215M primers. I use 70 grains RE-22 for 115 and 120 grain Nosler Partitions and get 3425 fps up to 3500 fps. I also get excellent groups and 3675 fps with 71 grains of RL-22 and the Nosler TTip bullet of 100 grains that has no lead. I also shoot a lot of RL-25 powder but find the RL-22 does best for the .257 Wby. Good shooting.

67.0 grains of RL 25 with the 120 gr Speer shoots into 1 inch inmy Mark V with no excess pressure signs..

Try 63.0 grains RL22 with the same bullet but work up slowly

Good luck

Paul

I'd say start with whats in the manual and work up with both powders and see what your rifle prefers. RL22 is really hard to beat in the 257 and 270 weatherby cases.

I picked up a pound of RL 25 on Tuesday, so I think that I am going to give it a try and see what happens. Thanks to everyone for their input.

After shooting one quite a bit, I think this caliber is made for 100 TSX's. Those Speers at high velocity will be meat destroying bombs, IMO. I've always thought they were at least as soft as Sierra's, Hornadys I could live with.

IMR-7828 is "THE" brew for a 257 Wby.

Any cup and core from 200 yards or less will make soup from the bee, but I have found that the 90 grain BTHP GameKing is as tough a C&C as there is in the 1/4. Sierras soft points are a diffrent story.

quote:

Originally posted by 30378:
IMR-7828 is "THE" brew for a 257 Wby.

I agree about the IMR-7828. I get 3550 fps with 117 gr Hornady SST and excellent accuracy. Shooting a Remington 700 CDL SF. The further I shoot the better it performs.