Hello folks,
I have just got myself a 257WBY Accumark MKV and so far am shooting what I have left of the 100 rounds of factory WBY ammo I got with the gun.
Am going to reload with Barns 100g TSX's Fed 215 Primers and thaught I would try IMR 4831 first off.
Question is ...... I went to get myself a Lee Case Length Gage for this Cal to be told by the importer here in the UK that Lee does not manufacture one. Anybody shed some light on this and / or recommend a good trimmer to use instead.
Pity as I use the Lee trimmers for all my other calibres.
God bless and shoot safe.
Keith

Keith, nice cartridge. Go easy on the barrel.

The IMR4831 will probably work, but you may also consider going with an even slower powder - e.g. RL22 or IMR7828. Use the search function to see what people here have used.

Lee will custom make you the case length gauge - see http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1186...USTOMCASELENGTHGAUGE.

Otherwise the Wilson is the best (low volume) trimmer around, and the Forster is quite serviceable as well.

- mike

Recent 257 Wby thread from the reloading forum

This thread will help.

Definitely go easy on the barrel.

Mike,
Was at work so left a few things out.
I will get onto the case trimmers as soon as I can , thanks alot for that, real big help.
Reason for the IMR powder is the UK market is so pathetic that the "agents" could not order enough powder from Alliant, so there is none litrally in the country and none forcast to arrive for 3 months yet!!!!
I worked for the biggest gun shop in this country for 14 months and gave up on the guntrade entirely as I was so embarrassed with "what we did not have in stock".
I have been trying to get myself a Tub of RL22 for 10 months now, told repeatedly that its expected in a few weeks.My 340WBY is not used now as I cannot get the powder it likes, first I could not get the heads!!!!
IMR powders have just come back on the shelves after a 14-24 month abscence!!!!!
You can buy a gun, but good luck trying to develope anything, you buy factory ammo and thats it.Everything here is a whinge and a whine on how much it costs to run ..... ie Weatherby cases are too expensive to re-load, majority of the conscensis is... "I will stick to my .308" as a vast majority know no better really, thats fine if you only shoot on the Island, I live in Africa (Rhodesian born and bred) and here in the UK and Visit home on a regular basis.
As far as the Agent for Weatherby in this country goes....... well all I can say is shocking! If a representative from weatherby could just ring up the agant and ask for any basic info on any weatherby product I think they too would see that the level of service on their product is very badly represented.
What you can buy a box of 257 ammo in the US for ,tripple that and thats what we would pay here litrally!
I by no means profess at all to being a "pro", hell there are far too many of those on this little mud island without me becomming one!
Trust me, I have read and read and re-read and read again all the posts I can find here on the 257 WBY , but would have just liked a bit of re-assurance on my choice as I really value other experienced shooters opinions. IMR seemed the next best avenue for me, and searches on the Load library on this site have it mentioned as a featured load as well as other posts I read on here, it seems to come up as a favourite with the Barns Bullet. Barns have been a real mission to get hold of as well!
Thanks for your input buddy, I will continue my search , expanded now by your recomendation.
God bless and safe shooting
Keith

quote:

Originally posted by LWD:
Recent 257 Wby thread from the reloading forum

This thread will help.

Definitely go easy on the barrel.

Mate thanks alot, I am obviously not useing the search function correctly at all as I have not seen that post. Thanks alot.
God bless and safe shooting
Keith

Keith, there are a couple of 100 grs/IMR 4831 loads listed on Reloader's Nest. As this is (largely?) unverified data (?), make sure you work carefully up from below.

Btw, please don't get the impression the UK is the only place where powder (e.g Alliant) is unavailable, or where bullets and ammo cost an arm and a leg. We are in exactly the same situation in Continental Europe, so we can have a good cry together . In fact, in terms of availability and prices on shooting related items, the entire world outside the US looks decidedly old...

If you can't locate RL22 powder, see if Norma powder may be available to you. MRP is a close cousin to RL22 - in fact it comes from the same factory in Sweden. You can normally substitute MRP for RL22 numbers, provided you work up carefully from below.

Good luck.

- mike

quote:

Originally posted by mho:

......Btw, please don't get the impression the UK is the only place where powder (e.g Alliant) is unavailable, or where bullets and ammo cost an arm and a leg. We are in exactly the same situation in Continental Europe, so we can have a good cry together . In fact, in terms of availability and prices on shooting related items, the entire world outside the US looks decidedly old...

- mike

I agree 100%

wilson makes a good trimmer, however lee will make custom trimmers as well

Mandebvu, I believe that Vithavuori powders should give good results in both the 257 and 340 Weatherby and are almost certainly easier to get in the UK and cheaper than US powders. For instance, Vith. N165 and N560 should be a good choice.

Thanks again to you all,
Just heard from a good friend in America that Federal will no longer be supplying 205 and 210 primers!!! joy , so looks like I will have to start with Rem and CCI on further load developments!
vit powders are available and will try them after IMR 7828.
Sorry about the bitching and thanks for the input.
The Fallow and Roe Bucks that I am takeing at the moment are sure eating through what ammo I have left!!! But I am loveing it. Nearly 2 dozen Roe now and several Fallow bucks and the season just opened!Happy days.
Again many thanks to you all, comming on this site and being able to chat to like minded people from all over the world is a real breath of fresh air!
God bless and safe shooting
Keith

I tried for three years to get a Wby Ultralight to shoot without success. Blew off over $ 400 of factory ammo in the process. Finally rebarreled and tried Rl22, which every reloading book recommended for best accuracy. Now, at the time there were no Federal 215M primers available, so I used Win primers.

I had terrible results. I eventually found a load of Federal 215M primers and a fellow at the range suggested IMR 7828 and my groups shrunck from 4" to .5". I am not saying RL22 is not good, which I plan to test, but use Federal match magnum primers for both IMR or RL.

Thank you Joe, can you reveal what weight heads you were useing please?
I want to use 100g Barnes TSX as I have researched alot and many seem very happy with them, but they are not redily available over here! Nosler 100g BT is my best redily available option so will give that a go too.
God bless and safe shooting
Keith

Mandebvu, IMO Nosler BT is not the best choice for a powerful cartridge like the 257 Weath.; at 3200-3300 fps, you risk to have violent expansion, with huge meat damage. Nosler 100 gr. Partition is, for instance, a much better option.

Hey Mandebvu, It's nice to find out about people on the other side of the planet shooting and enjoying the same thing as me. I love my 257 weatherby (ultralite) and 7828 should be just fine and maybe even ideal. Don't know how big roe deer are so I don't have an opinion on btips but they should work and partitions would be perfect.
Maybe you could tell us a little bit what hunting around there is like and what do you do with all the meat?
Thanks

quote:

Thank you Joe, can you reveal what weight heads you were useing please?

Sorry for leaving out important details. I assume by "heads" you are referring to the bullet used. I am shooting 115gr Barnes Triple Shok. My best group with RL22 so far has been 68.5 grains. At 69 grains I was blowing primers out, so work up to 68.5 if you go with RL 22. With IMR 7828 my .5" group was with 67.6 grains which produced a measured average velocity of 3350 fps. My accuracy started to drop above 67.6gr and incremental velocity was minimal.

My next test is RL22 @ 68.4, 68.5 (to verify my earlier results) & 68.6; and with IMR 7828 @ 67.5, 67.6 (to verify my earlier results) & 67.7 all with Fed GM 215M primers. Loaded up and ready to go.

My max OAL with the 115 gr Barnes TS is limited by the magazine @ 3.225".

I personally would never use Ballistic Tips on big game, which I am confident others will disagree with, for which I have no rebuttal, other than I have seen melon sized holes in the off side of whitetails shot with them. To some that may be a good thing, but not my choice. Partitions would be my second choice behind TS and I wonder if the Hornady Interlock would hold up to the Wby speeds.

Hope that helps and wish you success.

I don't shoot he .257 weatherby,
But I am .257 bore guy, and your choice of the 100 grain TSX would be a good deer bullet for the weatherby.
I took a little mule deer buck with that bullet from a Roberts with a muzzle velocity of 3100 , and it did real well.
...tj3006

quote:

Originally posted by 40-65:
Hey Mandebvu, It's nice to find out about people on the other side of the planet shooting and enjoying the same thing as me. I love my 257 weatherby (ultralite) and 7828 should be just fine and maybe even ideal. Don't know how big roe deer are so I don't have an opinion on btips but they should work and partitions would be perfect.
Maybe you could tell us a little bit what hunting around there is like and what do you do with all the meat?
Thanks

Hey 40-65,
I shoot mainly Roe deer here in the UK with the odd Fallow Buck as and when I can.
I only shoot for the Table so to speak, I live on a farm where a small private bird shoot is run. There is a gamekeeper on the farm but he does not really like to shoot deer much, I am not sure why , but ever since I moved on there and met him he has asked me to carry out all the vermin control as well as shoot the deer.
I make Biltong , which is best described to something you may be familiar with as JERKY. Its similar but not the same.
So far this season I have had 19 young bucks we refer to as Prickets.
Land size in the UK is not very big , even on the farms , your neighbour is never very far away so Safety is emphisized alot.
A partition or Barnes would travel along way IMHO even on the impact on a Roe , which to me puts up alarm signals, most of my shots are neck and head and seldom over 250yds.
I will do actual tests on dead animals with the Nosler BT's before I shoot a live animal. Damaged meat is given to the local Raptor sancutary for the Vultures and the likes so that would not be a problem.
The game keepers brother is a retiered butcher and makes the most amaizing sausages for everyone, including the old age pensioners and local people who have lived in the area for years and they welcome the food.
In winter there is to Roe Doe kull which i do not take part in , but to give you an idea, the neighbouring estate shot over 115 last winter. I do shoot the odd doe , but again , its all for personal consumption.
I will try and put up a picture of what a Roe is.
Thank you all again very much for your input , very much appreciated.
God bless and safe shooting ,
Keith

ROE BUCK, PRICKET

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b322/Kweefa/ROEPRICKET-257WBY.jpg

Hope this works out ok,sorry about the pic quality, used a cell phone.
Keith

Mandebvu,

Try the 110 Accubond if the TSX doesn't shoot for you.

My 257 likes 7828 in the lighter weights and shoots .6 to .7 with the 115 TSX and Re-25.

Bloody great round, mate.

Thanks buddy,
I want to try and keep them light intermediate so have decided on the 100grners.
The Roe are small and I recon that weight over an average distance will be more than enough clap for them.
Will try 115's though when I have found a 100grn load as this beuty will be comming with me to Africa when I go home again.
Many thanks
keith

I'm in the process of working up a load for a customer's Mark V in .257 Wby. I'm using 115 gr TSXs over 63.5 gr of H4831SC and Federal 215 primers.

The first group I shot was .638 (3 shots, 100 yds) and the next three groups were all about 1.5" although one was two in one hole with the other one about 1.4" out. I've reloaded another batch--the first load with variations of + and - .010" seating depth, and the second batch is for two groups of the load that shot two in one hole to see if I threw the other shot. Probably won't get to the range until Wednesday, but will post a report afterwards.

Mandebvu, I agree with the others that the 100 grain bullet weight should be ideal for Fallow.

I am assuming that your 257W has a 10 inch twist barrel, so if at some stage you want to use it on larger game, then you would be able use bullet weights up to about 130 grains.

I base that on my current 25/06AI (Sako L61R, Shilen 24 inch 10 twist barrel) which will stabilise and shoot accurately the 125 grain Wildcat ULD,(about 3,225 fps) and 130 grain Wildcat Bonded core Flat base Hollow point.(3,150 fps)

My current 257W (Rem 700, Krieger 26 inch 7 twist barrel) is set up to shoot the long 156 grain Wildcat ULD (2970 FPS).

However, tests over the last few weeks have shown that my 257W will also shoot accurately the Nosler 115 grain BT (3350 fps) and Nosler 100 grain BT. This surprised me as I expected that the high rpms would disintegrate the lighter 100 and 115 grain bullets.

Last weekend, I worked up to 3,450 fps with the 100 grain BT, but hope to increase that to 3600+ on my testing next weekend. Good luck with your 257W, and hope the above info is of some help. Brian.

Dustoffer, just a standard BRL on a Accumark MK V.
Brian, thanks for the info mate, will try the heavy's when I can shoot the 100gr's, loads will sure be a great help when I get to this stage.
ATB
Axl

quote:

Originally posted by Mandebvu:
Thanks buddy,
I want to try and keep them light intermediate so have decided on the 100grners.
The Roe are small and I recon that weight over an average distance will be more than enough clap for them.
Will try 115's though when I have found a 100grn load as this beuty will be comming with me to Africa when I go home again.
Many thanks
keith

Have fun with it, Keith.

Regards,

quote:

Originally posted by Mandebvu:

quote:

Originally posted by 40-65:
Hey Mandebvu, It's nice to find out about people on the other side of the planet shooting and enjoying the same thing as me. I love my 257 weatherby (ultralite) and 7828 should be just fine and maybe even ideal. Don't know how big roe deer are so I don't have an opinion on btips but they should work and partitions would be perfect.
Maybe you could tell us a little bit what hunting around there is like and what do you do with all the meat?
Thanks

Hey 40-65,
I shoot mainly Roe deer here in the UK with the odd Fallow Buck as and when I can.
I only shoot for the Table so to speak, I live on a farm where a small private bird shoot is run. There is a gamekeeper on the farm but he does not really like to shoot deer much, I am not sure why , but ever since I moved on there and met him he has asked me to carry out all the vermin control as well as shoot the deer.
I make Biltong , which is best described to something you may be familiar with as JERKY. Its similar but not the same.
So far this season I have had 19 young bucks we refer to as Prickets.
Land size in the UK is not very big , even on the farms , your neighbour is never very far away so Safety is emphisized alot.
A partition or Barnes would travel along way IMHO even on the impact on a Roe , which to me puts up alarm signals, most of my shots are neck and head and seldom over 250yds.
I will do actual tests on dead animals with the Nosler BT's before I shoot a live animal. Damaged meat is given to the local Raptor sancutary for the Vultures and the likes so that would not be a problem.
The game keepers brother is a retiered butcher and makes the most amaizing sausages for everyone, including the old age pensioners and local people who have lived in the area for years and they welcome the food.
In winter there is to Roe Doe kull which i do not take part in , but to give you an idea, the neighbouring estate shot over 115 last winter. I do shoot the odd doe , but again , its all for personal consumption.
I will try and put up a picture of what a Roe is.
Thank you all again very much for your input , very much appreciated.
God bless and safe shooting ,
Keith

Thanks a lot for the interesting information and pics.

No probs at all mate.
I got myself a cracking Roe the other evening, 213yds, head shot with my best buddy with me out on his first stalk ever for Deer. I thaught I was happy with the result , you should have seen him! I don't recon it will be too long before he gets a 257WBY!
ATB
Axl

I did some culling of Red Hartebeest last year with Mike Kibble in Namibia.

He could NOT believe the performance of the 257 with 100TSX loads..........I'm lucky to have got back to OZ with that rifle

quote:

Originally posted by Blair338/378:
I did some culling of Red Hartebeest last year with Mike Kibble in Namibia.

He could NOT believe the performance of the 257 with 100TSX loads..........I'm lucky to have got back to OZ with that rifle

Will hopefully be giving a few beasties a go with it when I go home in November. Looking forward to it.


Can anyone please refer to a Barns Manual and give me their
257 WBY MAG
Max Load 100gTSX
Min load 100gTSX
With IMR 4831
SAAMI C.O.L

Many thanks
Axl

i fail to understand the reson for purchasing a 257 when it sounds like you really want a 45-70.
heavy and slow
light and fast
make up your mind.

Yeah , thanks for your opinion mate.
Very helpful.
Keith

quote:

Can anyone please refer to a Barns Manual and give me their 257 WBY MAG
Max Load 100gTSX (100 gr XFB or XBT) 66.0
Min load 100gTSX (100 gr XFB or XBT) 61.0
With IMR 4831
SAAMI C.O.L Not published in the Barnes manual. Hornady manual says max OAL is 3.3".

Barnes Manual # 3. Barnes has not published separate data for the TSX that I am aware of. They recommend using the data for the X bullet and suggest you will see an increase in velocity and a drop in pressure using the TSX.

From the Barnes website:

TSX Loading Guidelines
1. What load data do I use for the Triple Shock Bullet?

Answer. We recommend that you use the minimum X Bullet load data to start.

To compensate for the reduced pressures associated with the Triple Shock, you may have to work up 1 to 2 additional grains above listed loads to achieve equal pressures. Pressures can jump dramatically; therefore we recommend that you work up in 1/2 gr. increments until you are no more than 1 to 2 grains above the listed max load or until signs of excessive pressure are evident. Whichever comes first. You should watch for excessive case head expansion, sticky bolt lift, flattened primers or shiny spots on the base of the case. If you have case head expansion of more than .0005″ with a once-fired case, this is a sure sign of excessive pressure. You will have to measure your case head with a Blade Micrometer just in front of the extractor groove, or you can use a regular micrometer and measure the belt on belted cases, before and after shooting. When any of these signs appear, back down one full grain and you will have a max load for your gun.

If you do not feel comfortable working up a load, or don’t have the proper equipment, then we suggest following the recommended X-Bullet load data.

Joe,
Many thanks for takeing the time mate. Very much appreciated.
I will let you know how I get on,
Many thanks
Keith