I find myself in serious want of a 25 caliber but i am wondering if I wouln't be better off with a 25-06. What do people in the know think. I am not really concerned about the cost of ammo as i reload. I have shot my old buddy's 25-06 and i loved it

I own a 25-06 at this time and it’s a great round but I do love the 257 Wby. I think every 25-caliber fan should own at least one 257 Wby in their lifetime.

I've owned three .257 Roberts, three .25-06 and two .257 Weatherbys and the weatherbys are gone.....

The .25-06 is at least the equal to the weatherby in the field.....maybe not on paper but in the field they are equal..... The .257 Roberts however is right there with them and gets used a lot.....

I highly suggest the .25-06 as the more practical of the two you're looking at!

I own three 25-06's Tikka, Remington Sendero and Browning SS Stalker with BOSS. I did own a .257 Wby, but I can say the differences for me was the Wby. kicked a lot more, did not kill any deader, every thing cost a lot more and I am pretty sure it would burn a barrel up a lot faster( not really a factor). I can find 25-06 ammo in a pinch a lot easier( not really factor either, but a fact). And I do reload. Outside of that the 257 Wby. is okay!

I have a Remington 700 and a varmint model Ruger No. 1 in 26-06. I really like the round. It is hard to get past the 100 grain Hornady spire point. It works very well on deer and ground hogs. I am trying to work up a 75 grain groundhog load, but am having problems doing better than my RL-22 100 grain loads.

Never shot at 257 Weatherby. Plan to purchase a Howa one day chambered in the same. Bought the Ruger with the intention on making it an ackley improved but have not gotten around to it. It is my favorite deer round for shots over 100 yards, but I usually hunt up close and use a 350 remington mag loaded with 180 grain single shot pistol bullets. stay away from shoulder shots.

What are you planning to use the rifle for and how much do you want to spend?

It usually takes quite a bit of $$ to get into a good shooting 257 Roy, while a Marlin XL-7 or Stevens 200 in 25-06 can be bought for around $300. My 2 tries at the 257 Roy both failed, a Howa 1500 and a Ruger #1, as neither rifle would group well enough beyond 400 yards to take advantage of the greater case capacity. As soon as the Marlin XL-7 are available in 25-06, I'm going to buy 1 to play with.

Jeff

I have both, an older Rem 700 ADL 25/06 and a custom Sako action 257 WBY. I like both, but shoot the WBY a lot more, but that's partially cause it is a much nicer rifle.
If I could have only one 25 cartridge, in any gun, I'd probably go with the WBY.

quote:

Originally posted by 870:
I find myself in serious want of a 25 caliber but i am wondering if I wouln't be better off with a 25-06.

I've owned one since 1971. First one, a Rem 700 BDL was stolen in '81. A Colt\Sauer since then. I think you'd be better off with the 25-06 Rem. Unless you're the kind of guy who needs the fastest bullet, harsh muzzle blast, and bone-jarring recoil. Then the over-the-top overbore of the 257 Roy is for you.

My old Ruger 77 that I paid $137 for new (last century) is my go-to rifle for whitetails and it has never failed me. From the outset, it shot W-W factory loads (120-gr Positive Expanding Point) under .75" for 100-yd 3-shot groups. After I started reloading, I finally arrived at an equivalent load using the Hornady 120-gr HP and IMR 4831, which shoots as well, and most of the time, shoots .6" and under. Is it any better than my 7mm Mag for wt deer or my .22-250 for coyotes and feral hogs? No, but life would be boring without choices.

870 ----- I have shot many 25-06's and 257 Roberts for several buddies. I had never owned either and wanted a .257 Caliber rifle in my shooting collection. I opted for the .257 Wby and was and still am amazed at what it can do. My accurate bullets are 115 and 120 grain Nosler Partitions. They are super accurate and chronograph at 3450 and 3400 fps respectifully in my Weatherby Accumark with a Burris 6 X 24 Signature scope. My grandsons think it is beyond compare for Whitetail and they shoot several each year with it. Super flat in trajectory that takes all the guessing out of where to aim from distance. You might consider it when you make a dicision. Good luck and good shooting.

can you make 257 wby cases out of 7mm cases??

My friend uses a 25-06 on deer and has only had one go anywhere. I don't think it is worth the extra powder, noise, cost of brass, etc. to shoot the Weatherby for the gains you get. If you want a big step up, a 257 STW with custom bullets 120+ grains.

quote:

Originally posted by 870:
I find myself in serious want of a 25 caliber but i am wondering if I wouln't be better off with a 25-06. What do people in the know think. I am not really concerned about the cost of ammo as i reload. I have shot my old buddy's 25-06 and i loved it

The 25-06 and the 257 Wby are overbore for the caliber. They both have the ability to wash out the throat of a barrel in quick order depending on powder and bullet choices (the 257 Wby is the worst of the 2).

If ammo cost is no problem and barrel life is of no concern, and you feel the need for ultra speed, regardless of accuracy, than the 257 Wby is your round. If you want a fast, flat shooting Deer / antelope / black bear round (that can bring down an elk), that is cheaper to reload, then the 25-06 is your choice. The 257 Roberts kills a number elk every hunting season.

In MHO neither one of these rounds are a serious varmint round. They are not “plinker†rounds either. Use them as what they are, small caliber big game rounds.

If you want to “plinkâ€, get a 22LR.
If you want to hunt varmints, get a 17, 20, 22, 243. (The 243 is a true varmint/deer round).
If you want to down an antelope at long distances, a big 25 cal. works just fine.

Yes you can make 257 brass from 7mm mag. They come up 0.049 short meaning you probably never have to trim brass. The problem comes from having established loads with Wby brass and then swithcing to 7 mag brass. There is a huge difference in internal capacities. Wby brass will hold a lot more powder. I would go as far as to reduce loads in manuals by 5% when using 7 mag bass.

The 257 AI appears to be right there with the 25-06. Can any users confirm this?

quote:

Originally posted by WY:
The 257 AI appears to be right there with the 25-06. Can any users confirm this?

According to the manuals I have, with bullets under 100 grains, the 257 AI produces about the same velocities as the 25-06. With bullets of 100 grains and more the 257 Roberts AI starts falling behind (Sierra lists as much as 200 fps behind).

case capacities:

257R = 55.8
257AI= 59.8
25/06= 66.1

the '06 has 11% greater capacity. If you adhere to the 4-1 rule, it would have about 3% greater velocity potential. At 3000fps, a 3% increase would be about 80fps.

IME the AI will equal 25/06 factory ballistics, but you can get a little more from '06 handloads.

As some may recall---I have several .25s IE: 250 Sav AI, 25 Souper, 25-06 and a 257 WBY [there may be a few more lurking around somewhere]. In my experience-- A 257 WBY will take over if you want to launch the biggest 25 cal bullets like the 120 etc but is not a whole lot better than a good 25-06 if you stay in the 100 gr area like I do. Sure the 257 WBY will out-perform about anything but at what expense? 2-4" more barrel, a H$$l of a lot more powder not to mention noise, recoil etc,etc! I do like the WBY but hardly ever shoot it anymore. My own 257 WBY is based on a 700 action and I use a custom SHORT THROAT reamer to get over the "Weatherby Leap" but this ALSO means cutting back on the powder a bit so????? What is the real gain? Go figure! My best to you and your quest for a 25. Personally? 25-06 or if you are wanting a wildcat? 25 Souper.
Aloha, Mark

Considering with similar sized bullets ( 100 and 120 grainers), a 260 will pretty much equal a 25/06 for velocity...considering the 257 Weatherby isn't that much faster than the 25/06 unless handloaded...I'd happily take a 257 AI and be done with it...and just live with the longer barrel life, and the burning of less powder to get the same velocities.. I know it is a sacrifice, but you can handle it once you get use to it...

I love my .257 Wby, but if I had to purchase commercial ammo, I'd own a .25-06. I do reload, and my .257 is an extremely accurate, high energy long range gun. The .25-06 is a great gun, too. But I'd take the .257 over the .25-06.

In the field, both the 25-06 and 257 Wby. are excellent rounds of similar capabilities. That being said, I tend to favor non-belted cases, so I default to the 25-06.
My hunting buddy now owns the last 25-06 I had, and he still thinks it is the Hammer of Thor, and he is right.
Thanks, Doug

Just bought a 257 Wby this weekend. It's just a cartridge that I've wanted for a number of years. I reload so the ammo cost is not really an issue. Yes, I'm sure it will erode the throat quicker but hey, it's just something I wanted. The 25-06 is a very popular round and you can't go wrong. They're both fast and flat but if it's speed you're after, the 257 Wby is a screamer.

Ken....

You will tend to get better accuracy over a wider range of bullet weights with the 25-06.

I do have both though.

I have a 257 WBY and that is one sweet rifle. My next deer hunting trip I'm going to take it along. No rifles alouded for deer hunting In this state just shotguns [ Flat State ]

Cost of ammo not a concern?

it should be.

257Wby brass might as well be made of sterling silver and sold by Tiffany & Co when you compare it in price to 25-06 Rem brass.

The 25-06 can usually be tweeked even in a cheap rifle to shoot one hole groups, doing so with a weatherby is oftentimes just not possible (that long freebore is a PITA)

the 25-06 is a true "dual purpose" cartridge (Deer/Antelope and varminting)
the 257Weby is a specialized cartridge that is primarily intended to drive the heaviest available (115, 117 & 120gr) bullets as fast as possible.

Frankly, I think the 25-06 is a superb cartridge with 100gr bullets, but then again I didn't buy a 25-06 to shoot 120gr bullets at the same speed my 30-06 can drive 165's
or SLOWER than my brother's 270Win can drive 130 or 140's.

IF you really want a 257Weatherby don't let my comments slow you down but think seriously of "building one" and having the chamber cut without the typical weatherby freebore.

But do be aware that though all brass is more expensive with the current metals prices Weatherby brass is always atleast twice the price of "standard" caliber brass.
Often three times (or more) the price.

I think a short throated 257 loaded with 100gr partitions
or 100gr TSX bullets would be the ultimate long range scalpel for sniping antelope and whitetails.

But the candle that burns twice as bright....

AD

Personally, the cost of .257 Wthby ammo is not a concern to me. I reload, and so far have not had to throw away any cases. I do not use my .257 as a plinker or as a varmint rifle. It is a dedicated long range deer and antelope slayer, and it works extremely well at that. With a 100 gr TSX at over 3600 FPS, I hold on hair out to 400 yards. I get half-inch groups with that combo, despite the "despised Weatherby freebore" in my Vanguard. To me, the Weatherby is about as much more than a .25-06 as a .25-06 is more than a Roberts.

I shoot my Wthby quite a bit before hunting season at the ranges and from the positions I expect to use during the season. I let the barrel cool completely between groups since I hunt with a cold barrel. This also helps minimize throat erosion.

For practice and varmints, I use .223s, a .22-250, a .243 or even .22 mags. Shooting practice is shooting practice.

I have reduced the cost of ammo even more by necking down 7mm Rem Mag brass to .257 Wby Mag. I just lube the 7mm brass well and use one smooth stroke with my FL sizing die and there you have it .257 Wby Mag brass at a fraction of the cost. It is ever so lightly shorter than standard Wby brass, but it shoots great. I have read of many others doing this as well.

My .257 Wby Mag is the finest long range gun I have ever owned. I can't imagine anything better for really long range deer and antelope hunting.

A 257 WM is an awesome cart, but IMO not worth the expense over the 25-06.

In my current M700 25-06 with a 24" pipe I'm getting 3180fps with 120s safely. There's just not much that will not handle at ranges out to 400+ and when longer range is a concern, a .257 cal wouldn't be my first choice anyway....

Good Luck

Reloader

I would opt for the 25-06, its a great caliber and bore life is much longer as a rule..

I like the 250 savage, 257 Robts, and 25-06, all fine calibers.

I had the misfortune of giving away my rem mtn rifle in 257rbts. I think I will move up to the 25-06 when the time comes. I loved the rbts, but the 25-06 seems to have enough edge to move up to it. the 257 weatherby, is just too much gun for the northeast to justify it. I guess if I was younger and still buying all the time I might like to own one. but practically speaking the 25-06 makes more sense.

Among my .25's at this instant are two .257 Roberts (both Remingtons), a very early Ruger #1-V in .25-06, and a Mark V Weatherby Weathermark in .257 WBY. If I could only keep one of my current 4, it would be the Weatherby.

Why? A few reasons....

1. I only have $400 in the Weatherby, including scope. Bought it at a local gun show for that sum. Could sell the others and replace them fairly easily. Don't think I could do that for the price with this Weatherby.

2. For absolute all out maximum performance, I find it better than even the .25-06. (And I love the .25-06. The first custom rifle I ever built for my own use, in 1959, was a .25-06.) I especially go to the .257 WBY for high SD bullets at long range for antelope.

3. I can always load the Weatherby down to the ballistic levels of the others. Can't load them up to Weatherby level.

4. My particular Weatherby is a genuine 1/2 MOA rifle....one of the very few of such in a factory-built and not tuned hunting rifle I have ever seen in any bore size. And it performs that way at maximum or loaded down to .250 Savage ballistics, regardless which level I feed it at.


If, on the other hand, I was starting out from scratch looking for my first .25 calibre rifle, I wouldn't get ANY of the 3 chamberings I have right now. I'd get a .250 Savage...preferably a really nice condition, early, Model 99 R or H, or a late 1980's Remington Model 700 Classic. Either of those would do pretty much anything I would need it to do, be mild mannered, and cheap to shoot.

My only quarter bore is a .25-06 and I wouldn't want, and couldn't imagine needing, anything else in that caliber.

Flat shooting, as powerful as necessary and very low maintenance.

Love my .257 Wby UL. Free bore shmeebore, it'll put three 117grainers touching each other at a hundred and into 1.5" at three.

Some people need (or want) a V-8 and others are happy with a 6-cyl or even a 4-banger. Choice is a wonderful thing.