Just picked up a 257 Weatherby. The chambering is new to me so any load suggestions or personal experiences with this caliber would be appreciated.

THX

mARK

Nice caliber, shoots flat as a banjo string with very little recoil. Not particularly gentle on barrels or meat. I personally like 100 grs (TSX) bullets. Loaded with powders as slow as RL22, the cartridge offers amazing muzzle velocity (3600 - 3800 fps). Some .257 owners prefer 115-120 grs bullets - a Nosler Partition seems a popular choice, or the TSX again, because you simply can't rip those bullets apart.
- mike

I own a WBY 257 and load my own I use the slowest powder that can be used for the WBY 257 and gives the highest velocity RL25, If you can't get that I'd use RL22. That will get pretty close to what RL25 can do. I also use nosler 100 gr bullets they stay together pretty good at high velocity.
Good Shooting to ya

72 grains of rl22 with a 100 Barnes TSX. I haven't chronographed it yet, but I would guess around 3500 fps. Shoots 3/4 MOA.

J Stevens: I tried that load with disappopinting results. What OAL are you seating your bullets to? thanks, jorge

i used the same as jstevens and got the same results. fantastic accuracy. fed 215 match primer also. no chrono but similar experiences have seen 3700fps.
3.250" oal. i tried going up and down but accuracy sucked. standard weatherby chamber.
woofer

A fantastic Deer rifle, my grandson swears by my Accumark. He takes 8-10 Deer each year with it. My best powders are RL-22 and H-1000. Best target bullets are Berger 110 grain and Nosler Ballistic tip in 115 grain. My hunting load is 70 grain RL-22, Fed 215M primer and 115 or 120 grain Nosler Partition which chronys an average of 3500 fps. I shoot the target bullets on up to 3750 fps with no problem. I mounted a 6 X 24 Burris Signature scope on my rifle and enjoy it's utility. Good luck and good shooting.

I tried the 3.250" OAL and got pressure signs as in ejector markings on the case. No prblems if I seat them to factory specs (Hornady Spire points) but then accuracy falls off. The rifle is a tack driver with 100gr HDY factory with either H-4831 or MRP, but so far no dice with XXXs. I'll keep working it because the XXX is PERFECT for the Weatherby velocities. jorge

I also just got one. So far, mine seems to like the factory 120NP's.

I'm getting an average of 3585 fps with 4 of the six shots in the string exceeding 3600 fps out of a vanguard ss 257 wby 24 inch barrel. This is using the 100 gr TSX barnes bullet, and RL-22 at 72 grains. I can go alittle higher but settled on this as my standard load. I get accuracy under an inch at 100 yards.

Mine shoots factory 120 Nosler Partitions with extreme accuracy. I have no reason to try anything else.

J Scott

I also have a load using the 115 TSX , Fed 215 M match primer, RL-22 with 68 grains. Havent chronyed it yet, but it is accurate.

With both of my TSX loads I am seating the bullets longer than the 3.250. Typically with a weatherby and it's freebore, you seat out as much as your magazine will allow. This can improve accuracy. So far, everything I have shot thru the vanguard SS is under an inch at 100 yards. I just can't ask for anything better than that for a reasonably priced production rifle. I believe the Vanguard is a very good production rifle, barring perhaps it's trigger. But most factory triggers need tweeking anyway.