I have a question concerning bullet selection in the .257 Weatherby Magnum.

Here are the facts: I have a load worked up using the 115 grain Ballistic Silvertip with a muzzle velocity of 3400 fps (chronographed). It shoots sub-m.o.a. all day long if I am on my game.

Here are the assumptions: I will likely hunt antelope and mule deer with my .257 WM. Don't believe in using it for elk as I think it to be too small and I already shoot a .300 Win Mag at them.

I have been juggling a lot of different bullets through my head that "would do the job better", but I have to answer the latest nagging question. That question is, for the game listed do I even need to worry about changing bullets. Is the bullet I am shooting constructed well enough that my thoughts on changing are a complete waste of time?

What have been your experiences with the 115 grain Ballistic Silvertip out of the .25 caliber rifles...especially high end velocity?

100 gr Barnes TSX.

Ditto on the 100 grs TSX. To me, this is THE bullet for the .257 Wby.
- mike

300winnie I would suggest the 115 gr bullet is a good choice for antelope especially since it groups so well. If you feel it is not enough bullet for mule deer why don't you try the 115 gr Partion bullet? Drop back a few grs and work up carefully. The partion may not group quite as tight as the BST but it will be close and I bet the point of impact for the two bullets will be close as well. It wouldn't take you very long to find out.

My Weatherby Accumark in .257 Wby likes Nosler Partition 115 and 120 grain bullets, as well as the 115 grain Ballistic tip. I shoot the Partitions at game, my grandson having killed dozens of Deer with this rifle. I am starting to shoot the Barnes TSX bullets and they are showing promise. For paper punching the Berger 110 grain is hard to beat. RL-22 is my powder with a Fed 215M primer. Good shooting.

I have a 25-06 AI, and shoot 115 gr NBTs near 3400 fps as well. They group well and kill deer and antelope as if they were hit by a nuclear bomb - dead on the spot. NBTs are excellent bullets for North American game - except for the grizzly where I'd use the NPT.

I've only taken two deer w/ that specific bullet (.257 115 NBT) but, on both it busted through shoulders and killed effectively. I've only toyed w/ Quarter Bores for the past 3 years but, they're growing on me.

I would feel confident in your present load when shooting the lope' but, on the Mulies, I agree w/ the others that the 100 TSX is probably a good route. The only thing I hate about the TSX at Weatherby Velocities is the terrible fouling.

You may want to give the 110 ABs a whirl as well.

Reloader

I have no experience with the ballistic silvertip, but I would guess the ballistic silvertip be an excellent choice. I Have used the 110 grain accubond in my 25-06. Good b.c., offers excellent expasion on the front end while the lower half holds together. I have pulled a lot of these bullets out of the ground behind my targets. While dry clay is not animal flesh, the bullets seem to work as advertised. I also used accubonds on two antelope this past season. One busted both front shoulders and exited (shot about 175 yards). On the other, I made a poor shot. I shot several inches too far back and made a classic gut shot. Fortunately the animal did not take two steps after the shot. I think the rapid expansion of the accubond prevented a bad shot from becoming a bad situation. I sometimes wonder if the tsx would have performed similarly, or if the antelope would have been more likely to run after the poor shot because of decreased fragmentation of the tsx. Don't know. I don't have any experience with the tsx. For deer sized game at velocities of the .257 WM and 25-06, the accubond (or partition) seems to be a tough bullet to beat.

300winnie, my favorite rifle is my .257 wthby. I've taken some african plains game, lots of antelope and elk with it. All with 100 gr barnes xbt and triple shocks. All animals with 1 shot and no bullet failure. I won't shoot anything else.....wapiti7

115 and 120 Partitions would very good choices, as would the 115 X. Nothing wrong with the 100 gr X, though I might worry that it would strip the petals at close range at those high velocities...

100 gr TSX was made for the 257 wby

I'm thinking you should use that new bullet coming out in the near future for deer. It has a muzzel velocity of 60 MPH, has two headlights and a horn.

I used a 120 grand slam on the last couple of Elk I took (neither took a step). It wasn't my first choice, but my rifle didn't like the premiums I prefered. They shot much better than I expected and I couldn't ask for better preformance.