I wanted to hear some opinions on the Nosler Ballistic Tips in .257 for hunting sheep size animals. I own a .257 WTHBY and do not reload, so I was going to try the Weatherby factory ammo with this bullet. I have never hunted with a polymere tipped bullet and wanted to know how this particular bullet performs on game out to 300 yards.

Dthfrmbv

The Nosler Ballistic Tips are going to be a bit on the fragile side in your Weatherby. I would suggest that you use either the Nosler AccuBond or another bonded bullet if one is available. But with a rifle like you own to really get the most performance and best bullet selection you’d better think about taking up reloading.

I'd guess that some ammo with Nolser partitions is probably availabe.

Ah and for many $$$$$ there are.

That's why you want to keep that brass and either get some reloading equipment or have one of your buddys who has some help you out.

Swift, Accubond or Partition for the .257 Weab.


Accept no compromise

As a philosophical point rather than actual experience with a loading for a 257Wby I'd agree that the various ballistic tips are probably too frangible....

Don't get me wrong, I like the ballistic tips, they are probably the most consistantly accurate hunting bullets made, but the general guideline I follow is either I make sure that the don't impact moving faster than 2500fps
OR I use a bigger one so that it doesn't mattter if the little bugger explodes or not

they's probably be fine if you were SURE your shot was at 300yards or greater so they can dump some speed, but closer, like 100-200yds? they'd likely behave like little bombs.

Yes, at close range at 257Wby speeds the Partition will probably blow it's nose apart but the partition section will still drive through
and though I've never tried an X-bullet at speeds or ranges close enough to make it happen allegedly when striking fast enough the four "petals" break off and each will create their own lacerating wound channel....

According to the Weatherby Web Site ammo is available loaded with a Partition, the 120gr, and they also offer the 115gr Barnes X.
I think with either of these you'll be fine with anything you dare shoot with a 25Cal.
115 Barnes-X @3400fps $59 box
120 Partition @3305fps $59 box
http://www.weatherby.com/products/ammo.asp?prd_id=3

If it were me? on a Trophy NorthAmerican sheep hunt?
(Something it'd take winning the lottery for me to afford
Restricted to Factory ammo? I'd take the factory load with the Barnes-X bullet. provided it shoots well in your rifle.

BTW, Are you planning on eating this sheep or it it strictly a trophy hunt? Not judging just curious...

AllanD

Let me say at the outset, my experience is with hogs, whitetail deer and sheep. Not elk or dangerous game. However as you are asking about sheep size animals and 257 weatherby, heres my thoughts.
When I first started reloading for hunting I loaded exclusively the nosler ballistic tips. I loved the accuracy these bullets achieved. However as I was hunting in areas that had heavy cover nearby, and was using high velocity chamberings such as 257 weatherby, 7 mag, 300UM or 338UM, I soon made several observations. The ballistic tip bullets are rather frangible, especicially under 30 caliber. This taken with high velocity causes excessive meat damage. If you're a meat hunter you will lose one or both front shoulders or a backstrap. Also hunting in heavy brush I want a bullet that will pass through an animal broadside or end to end. Having a blood trail 10 minutes before dark while tracking on rocky ground or in heavy brush sure helps to recover game. I've had excellent luck with nosler partitions over the last several years. I prefer them to barnes tsx or hornady IB's. The Barnes TSX are super accurate and have great penetration, but leave a tiny exit hole, and little blood, while the Hornady IB' are a little more frangible than I like. The partitions however, exhibit excellent penetration and leave a large enough exit wound to leave a blood trail should you need to track. Just my $.02 worth
GWB

I did see the Barnes X-bullet loaded by Weatherby, but is it as good as the TSX they make?

Allan, I eat pretty much everything I harvest or at least try it.

My Experience hunting with a 25 bore, is 1 buck with a Roberts. In this case I shot my mulie at 102 yards and the bullet left a quarter sized exit hole and the entrance was bigger yet belive it or not. The buck lived about 3 to 5 sconds after the hit.
I used a 100 grain Barnes Tripple shock.
I now have a 25,06 and another roberts and would love to find a load for the 115 grain tripple shock...tj3006

The Barnes X bullet does not have the annular grooves that the Triple shock bullet features. I've had better luck with the xlc coated barnes. However, I have had best and most consistant accuracy with triple shocks of the three Barnes bullets. I don't like to hunt with a rifle or a bullet that I don't have aboslute confidence in. The x bullets can exhibit great accuracy but often after a couple of three shot groups I'll ge a flyer or two, or my groups open up.

I have a 257 weatherby Accumark. It loves 100 gr. partitions and 120 gr sierra HPBT gamekings.

Two of the biggest hogs I've ever shot were killed with one shot to the head w/ the 120gr sierras.
GWB

I spent two seasons hunting whitetail and hogs in Texas with a 257 Roberts loaded with 100gr NBTs. At 3000fps they would not exit a heart lunged animal. They got to the vitals and would destroy everything then the core and jacket would seperate. They killed the heck out of things but they are not a tough bullet. I am currently using TSXs and Accubonds. I switched for the sole purpose of more penetration if a quarting shoot called for it. Both have excellent accuracy and shoot through stuff after tearing up everything in the path.

Perry

I don't use them. I use Nosler partitions, Hornady bullets and Speer 120 soft tip bullets. I wouldn't shoot ballistic tip bullets in any of my guns because they make the exit hole bigger.

I shoot a custom remington 700 in 257 WBY 27.5" barrel and I shoot 100&115 gr. nosler B/T in it and have yet to have a western white tail run more than 10-15 yards if not drop right on the spot.I'm shooting these at 3500&3300+ FPS and the exit hole isn't any more than anything else I've tried.They shoot sub moa in my rifle.For what its worth just my personnel experience with them.

Hoeram

Go with the 120gr Nosler Partition. As far as expensive, you knew that when you went with a Weatherby.

I used the 100gr ballistic tip out of my 257wby to take a couple of pronghorns and several of our large bodied canadian whitetails.They are absolutely devastating if lung shots are taken,and in most cases the animal drops on the spot.However if heavy bone is struck,they destroy a fair amount of meat.If I still had the 257wby today,I would try the 110gr accubond or the 100gr tsx.A friend used the accubond in his 25-06 last fall and the results on deer were impressive.

I've used them in my Roberts for deer and they were quick to die.

That said the velocities were no where the Wby can reach. Given this I'd recommend a Accubond, Interbond, or Swift Scirocco over the standard Nosler BT. If you do use the standard version aim for mid lung right behind the shoulder. It'll make soup inside the ribcage. They are accurate as anything I've ever used. Nate

I agree with Allen's statement at a distance they are great , but up close it is like a bomb. I have never had a deer run away from a BT and we have shot them from 25 yards to 400 yards. The 25 yard entrance hole looked like it should have been the exit, but the deer dropped in its tracks and that is what mattered. I have not shot the accu bond into an animal yet, I did not get enough time prior to season to test properly. If I can get the desired accuracy it should be an excellent choice in a 25. One bullet you might look at is the 100gr Hornady it is very tough and shoots through on most deer. I have never yet had a bullet failure on deer with any 25 cal bullet but, anything is possible.

I've used BTs in all my quarterbores.....and including a pair of .257 weatherbys. They worked very well on whitetails and pronghorns but I got to the point when I wanted exit holes as it made trailing the animal much easier in the rare cases they didn't drop in their tracks. Yes...most often the animal was a bang/flop.

I'd still use them for western hunting for pronghorns but have discovered premium bullets and they perform well and increase my chances of an exit hole.

Today I use A-frames (or now Northforks) for all my big game hunting and the supplies of BTs are relegated to varminting.

While I wouldn't take BTs after sheep they might work fine for you, but I'd like something bonded for better penetration.

The 120 grain Nosler Partitions (Weatherby factory ammo)did not shoot well out of my rifle. I will try the 115 grain Barnes X bullet next. My buddy just mentioned a goat hunt this year and I hopoe this cartridge will do the job if we go. Weatherby also loads the spire point bullet, but I'm not too sure of that bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by Dthfrmbv:
I wanted to hear some opinions on the Nosler Ballistic Tips in .257 for hunting sheep size animals. I own a .257 WTHBY and do not reload, so I was going to try the Weatherby factory ammo with this bullet. I have never hunted with a polymere tipped bullet and wanted to know how this particular bullet performs on game out to 300 yards.

Since you don't handload and Weatherby brand ammo is already expensive, you might contact Superior Ammunition and have them load for you. You could either try their sample pack or send them your rifle and let them build a custom load for you. Something like the 100 grain Barnes TSX would be ideal, I think.

http://www.superiorammo.com/index.html

Has anyone shot the 110 accubond out of a 257 wthby? What kind of performance are you getting? I shoot TSXs now in about everything.