Have any of you formed 257 wby from one of the other belted mag cases? Are there any commercially available form dies out there for this job? Finally what are your thoughts on what would be a good case to start with? I'm thinking 7Rem mag.

Thanks for your input!

264 Winchester or 7mm Remington will work fine. Remember these headspace from the rim and not the shoulder. Run them through a full length sizing die, trim them and your in buiness. The first firing should be considered fire forming.

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Are there any commercially available form dies out there for this job?

Just run the brass thru any full length sizing die. One can also reform the .270 weatherby if he chooses. Watch the case lengths as they can grow in the forming process.

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264 Winchester or 7mm Remington will work fine. Remember these headspace from the rim and not the shoulder.

30378-

I believe these are belted rimless cases that are meant to headspace on the belt, since there is no "rim"

Just curious why not just buy brass with the correct headstamp. Yes I know it cost more. But, by the time you add a forming load you have eaten your savings not to mention saved time and wear on the barrel.

My 257 has never seen a factory case. 264 Win cases can usually be found @ sale prices and as several have mentioned once through the size die and your ready to load. Just one word of caution!!! Win or Rem brass is heavier than Wby brass and will have slightly less internal capacity. Therefore the max load with Win or Rem cases will be a couple grains less than with the Wby case. a max load in the Wby case will have excessive pressure in the Win or Rem cases.

Ramrod,

Not to sound like I'm being a real pain here, but with the prices I've been finding on the weatherby brass I can put the cost of the fireforming load in and still come out WAAAAAAAAAAAAY ahead on cost. Maybe I'm missing a cost effective source of the wby brass, but I've been seeing around a $1.00 a case and my fireforming load isn't going to come even close to that. Not to mention that I don't mind shooting the fireforming loads. Usually make for some fun plinking and in many situations are accurate enough for game. Thus I don't really consider them to be a waste.

Thanks to everyone on the advice!

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WAAAAAAAAAAAAY ahead on cost

Hey to each his own. Let's see bullets $.14-.20. Powder $.17-.18 primers $.02-.03. So between .33 and .40 not counting time and the one extra firing of the brass. So yep you are saving $.30-.25 per case. For my big case rifles I usually get 60-80 and they last the life of the rifle.

If it works for you and you are happy with it I'm not one to argue. Looking at the cost of a rifle, scope, dies I just choose not to worry about the cost of brass. Given a choice I will buy Norma or Lapua even if Win or Rem is available. Different strokes for different folks. Since you have the belt to headspace on you might try bullseye and COW. Cut your forming cost to nothing. I form most of my wildcats this way.

Have a good one.

I have taken new winchester brass in 300 Win and first run it into a 7mm rem die then to the Wby die of choice. The shoulder comes out with the radius just like the Wby. I dont think they change when fire formed. I have formed these on a little RCBS partner press with imperial sizing die wax.Of course they must be trimmed.
Using 264 or 7 rem cases they come out about .050 in short

Lyle

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I have taken new winchester brass in 300 Win and first run it into a 7mm rem die then to the Wby die of choice

Do you run into a problem with the necks being to thick?

All this discussion interests me as a 257 Weatherby will be my next rifle caliber. I too lament the price of factory brass (let alone loaded ammo).

Question for anyone: What would be an appropriate fire-forming load?

Reverenddan With my 257 I started with normal starting loads when I first started load developement. Once I had found the most accurate load for my rifle, I just load that into new not yet fireformed brass. I see no difference in accuracy.When I size the cases I like to feel a little resistance on the last bit of bolt travel when closing the bolt so I make sure I run all new rounds through the chamber before taking them hunting.Any that are a liitle too snug go to the range.

Snowman, thanks for the heads up.

I am looking forward to this caliber for Antelope. I guide a few hunters every year and inevitably there is always one dork that shoots a leg off of one and it runs to 600 yards at which point I hear "you finish it off for me and I'll give you $."

I have used my trusty Tikka 06 for years but I found the load data for the 257 Wby and was amazed at how flat it shoots. It should really help with the game of Kentucky windage. And when I found you could go to WallyWorld and get one for about 400 I was sold!

I intend to put a Burris Ballistic Plex scope on the gun and should be in business for some loooong range cleanup. Prarie poodles are starting soon and I should get enough practice in with them to feel comfortable this fall.

I'm really pleased that 7mm Mag brass will work since I intend to shoot it a lot and didn't want to spend over a buck for each empty factory brass.

Reverenddan,

You might find this interesting and helpful.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?C...arch=true#Post582677

Browse through this thread. This is what got me started.

Thanks for the link. I found the 24hourcampfire website recently. I hadn't checked anywhere else about the 257 project.

I am excited to go home and try forming some brass. I have a ton of 7mm Mag brass and I just found some nice 257 Wby dies so I am set.