Sierra makes a 90 grain hollow point game bullet for quarter bore nuts like myself. I was looking at the comments on the Midway site and everybody there seems to think its great !
Both in acuracy and terminal performance.
I have a hard time going bellow 100 grains when i am hunting mule deer, but i would like to hear of any experence you guys might have had with this bullet.
I shoot 2 .257 Roberts a 20" and a 24"and I have a 26 inch 25,06. I bet it would be great for antilpoe and coyots and such, mabye bigger critters to, anybody have any stories , good or bad ? ...tj3006

Tom
I don't have any experience with that bullet on Mule Deer but Sierra's 100 grain SP BT works like a dream on Deer and Antelope driven at top end .257 Roberts velocity. I too have been reluctant to shoot a game animal with a bullet of less than 100 grains unless it were a Barnes X from a 25 cal. That 90 grain hollow point seems to have an agressive opening in the end of it I'm afraid it would rip itself apart but I have no reports on it first hand or otherwise.

I used the 90 grain Sierra BTHP for deer in the 257 Roberts and 250-3000 for about 20 years and had excellent success. I stopped using this bullet and its 85 grain .243" brother about 8 years ago when I had 4 of these bullets fail to penetrate through the rib cage and into the pleural cavity on 4 different 150+/- lbs. whitetails. The bullets penetrated through the hide, but disintegrated between the hide and the thin layer of muscle over the ribs. The wounds were probably 8" in diameter, but very shallow.

Since then, I've switched to the 100 or 115 grain Partitions in the 257 Roberts, the 87 grain Speer HotCore in the 250-3000, and the 95 grain Partition in my 6mm rifles.

Jeff

[QUOTE]I had 4 of these bullets fail to penetrate through the rib cage and into the pleural cavity on 4 different 150+/- lbs. whitetails. The bullets penetrated through the hide, but disintegrated between the hide and the thin layer of muscle over the ribs. /QUOTE]

Similar experience using that bullet in a .257 on coyote. 50 yd. shot just low and behind the shoulder. A big splat ,the coyote did 2 roles and got up and ran away. This was 1974 and he probably hasn't stopped. roger

The only hollow point bullet suitable for elk in 25 caliber is a Barnes X flat base. They won't go to pieces, not in flesh or bone. But you must pick your shot with that small\light of a bullet.

Barnes still have some 85 grain X discontinued on their website.

According to the Sierra manual, the 90gr HPBT 257 bullet is designed as a varmint bullet...

Thanks for the replies guy ! I was going to buy some but I thik I,ll pass ! ...tj3006

Well, TJ,

It ain't over until it's over! First point, the 90 gr. HPBT is not a varmint bullet, it is a GameKing. All my bullet boxes say GameKing. Check it out on sierrabullets.com.

I've used this bullet for many years in my 257AI loaded way over max to incredible velocities. The rifle is my pickup gun. I carry it when I go out to my farm, and need to shoot whatever needs it. I have no hesitation to nail anything with this setup. It is absolutely the hammer of Thor on speed goats. Once I shot a nice big doe antelope through both shoulders with this load at about 150 yards. Broke both shoulders, but did not exit, so some will call that a bullet failure. The goat didn't! This bullet at 3600 fps can be impressive. (Yes, that IS chronographed, not guesstimated).

Once (about 20 yrs. ago) I shot a nice big mule deer buck dead center in the chest with this load at around 200 yds. The buck died instantly, and when gutted, his chest cavity didn't need to be cleaned, just poured out! Don't interpret this as to suggest I think that this bullet is ideal for mule deer, because I sure as hell don't, but if you put the bullet where it's supposed to go, it will do the job!

Not to start a pi$$ing match with any other posters, but I just can't imagine this bullet bouncing off of coyotes! I shoot everything and anything with this load, from prairie dogs on up to antelope. It is a great bullet, and excels on antelope. Anything I've ever hit with this round has died, and very quickly!

Good luck!

mudstud: not arguing with your success...just posting what Sierra has said.


Sierra manual, 4th Edition:
pg 75: Referring to the HPBT GameKings:

"We also produce .224 diameter 55 grain, .243 diameter 85 grain and .257 diameter 90 grain
HPBT's which despite their GameKing nomenclature are intended for
varminting

So, Why don't we all start hitting up sierra with E-mails and or letters and phone calls asking for a 105 or 110 grain hollow point game king ? The 120 is gret for the 25,06 but a little heavy for the Roberts or the savage.A 105 or a 110 Shold be great in a Savage Roberts or a 25,06,. Even the .257 Weatherby. When usinfg a bullet, in open country, I like to be up around 2900, to 3200, Fps, and the 100 grain Roberts is good, but another 5 or 10%of bullets weight with acuracy and A good BC would be very nice indeed...tj3006

Thomas, for one thing HP bullets have always been a mediocre choice for Big Game due to inconsistant terminal performance, at least so far as conventional construction lead/copper jacket goes. Sometimes they work, sometimes not. Specifically, that has been my experience with the Sierra 90 grain BTHP, and the 165 grain(IIRC) in .308 caliber. I have no desire for further experimentation. Spitzer and round nose designs are far more reliable, and as far as my experience goes, more accurate as compared to the Sierra 90 grain BTHP...at least in my guns. Others have better results, many say much the same as myself and others posting above. Outside the Barnes X bullet designs(which I do not use) there is little reason to use HP designs for anything other than paper and varmints.

quote:

Originally posted by mudstud:
Well, TJ,

It ain't over until it's over! First point, the 90 gr. HPBT is not a varmint bullet, it is a GameKing. All my bullet boxes say GameKing. Check it out on sierrabullets.com.

Not to start a pi$$ing match with any other posters, but I just can't imagine this bullet bouncing off of coyotes! !

FYI! The Sierra manual that I was using in 1974, and still have, did not use the term Game King. If they had ,based on the contemporary understanding of that bullet construction the game we would have used it on would have been Varmints.

Your bullets bouning off coyotes surprised me. Never had that happen. Fact is the bullet may have just penciled through that coyote.

I notice that Sierra has a .224 FMJBT listed as Game King. Well Mud Stud what game would you recommend we use that bullet on? roger

Roger, et al;

OK, OK! Guess we can blame Sierra for having confusing nomenclature! Nevertheless, I have had great success with this bullet on antelope. On the other hand, many people I know consider antelope to be nothing but vermin! So, I will concede the point as follows: The 90 gr. HPBT is a varmint bullet, useful for varmints up to, and including, speed goats! (-:

Now I'm going to get really heretical! The throat on my Ackley is about gone, and accuracy is starting to suffer. I've been considering rebarreling the long-action 700, but upon further review, I've been thinking about just going to a 25WSSM for my truck gun! The WSSM would be considerably shorter than a long 700, thus handier to carry in my outfit. And it oughta shoot those 90 gr. varminters plenty fast enough! What do you all think? (-:

I tink i would just have the barel on your AI set bqck a turn or 2 and see hoe that works for you. ...tj3006

MS:
As the owner of a 25WSSM FWT, I can confirm that it's a light, handy little rifle that should serve your purpose. But I don't think you'll get 3600 fps.

TJ: have you considered the 110gr Accubond or the 115gr Partition?

Long action? No bolt modification if you go with the 25-06 IMP. Roger

I have shot the 110 grain acubond in 3 rifles and my new roberts does seem to like them prety well.
I called nosler and asked the Tech what they use in there factory load with the 110 acubond. I did not think he would tell me he did.
They use VIT-N550. And recomended 42 grains. I can't find any of that powder or I would have tried it allready, the claimed velocity for the Factory nosler is 3100 fps.
The Partitions I have not tried yet. They are great bullets and I might try them, but the barnes have better BCs having more energy at longer ranges.
So far the 110 grain nosler is doing prety well with IMR-4350, think I will drop some IMR 4064 under a few ...tj3006

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
[QUOTE]I had 4 of these bullets fail to penetrate through the rib cage and into the pleural cavity on 4 different 150+/- lbs. whitetails. The bullets penetrated through the hide, but disintegrated between the hide and the thin layer of muscle over the ribs. /QUOTE]

Similar experience using that bullet in a .257 on coyote. 50 yd. shot just low and behind the shoulder. A big splat ,the coyote did 2 roles and got up and ran away. This was 1974 and he probably hasn't stopped. roger

I didn't get into this thread as I have not used the 90gr, but this is rediculous!

I've been using a .257 Bob for quite a while, and have been using the 75gr Hornady HP for coyotes. I load them at max and have never hit a coyote with it that didn't flop! Now I'm to believe that a bullet that's 15gr heavier will not even penetrate the ribs of a coyote? Hogwash!

I don't know about recommending the Sierra 90gr for deer, so I don't. I have used heavier HP's from Sierra and Hornady with good results on deer, and wouldn't hesitate to use them again.
I do know a bit about killing 'yotes, and if you can't drop one with a 90gr HP out of a Roberts, a bigger or better bullet wasn't going to help. My 7 year old took his first 'yote at Christmas with a .22 Mag and a 30gr HP.

I personally would probably NOT use the 90gr HP on deer, as there are so many other choices. Seems to me there was a guy posting here whos' Grandmother has been using a .250 Savage with 90gr HP's for deer for 30+ years and she wouldn't try the new "better" ammo he bought for her.

I've thought the whole "premium only" mantra was a bit much for big game, and now I'm hearing about bullet resistant 'yotes.

I suppose I've got a lot to learn as I've only been hunting for 30 years.

quote:

Originally posted by BigNate:


Similar experience using that bullet in a .257 on coyote. 50 yd. shot just low and behind the shoulder. A big splat ,the coyote did 2 roles and got up and ran away. This was 1974 and he probably hasn't stopped. roger

I've been using a .257 Bob for quite a while, and have been using the 75gr Hornady HP for coyotes. I load them at max and have never hit a coyote with it that didn't flop! Now I'm to believe that a bullet that's 15gr heavier will not even penetrate the ribs of a coyote? Hogwash!

""" Quote Roger.With what little I know about this shooting game I would have to agree with you. You did read my follow up that the bullet might have penciled through? The fact is the bullet ,I'm sure , hit the point of aim and after some seriuosly quick acrobatics the coyote ran away. IT HAPPENED.""" end quote roger

I suppose I've got a lot to learn as I've only been hunting for 30 years. [/QUOTE]

QR"""And I hope you hunt another 30 years + and learn as you go. roger

ok Roger you win!

I hope I do continue to learn till I die. I would be surprised to have one pencil through, but like I said I have not used that bullet. I have used many others in the Roberts and have never seen a 'yote yet that didn't drop.

As many crazy things as I've already seen I suppose it's possible.

I was curious about this bullet as my middle son is coming up & just started shooting the Bob this past winter. He's shot 75gr and 100's, he didn't mind the 100's but said they kick quite a bit more. We loaded some 75's together and he was quite proud of shooting his own loads. That was cool. I wondered if the 90 would be enough for deer. I'll probably set him up with slow Nosler BT or Hornady SP's and keep things mild for a couple years.

I wasn't trying to step on toes, it's just that lots of claimed poor bullet/cartridge performance is actually a poor shot. If you were sure of the placement then you were sure. It just sounds like it'd be impossible.

I wonder if they changed the design at some point? Did it go from varmint to big game, or vice versa? Are they too tough for varminting? This thread seems to indicate a very mixed opinion. I've seen heavier for caliber HP's work well for game. This weight in this caliber is definately in the middle, and may not be perfect for either. Nate

Nate I can not answer all your questions about the history of this bullet but with regard to finding an adequate lighter recoiling bullet for the .257 I would like to suggest the 87 gr. flat points used in the 25-35 at reduced velocity. In my earlier years I have had success with that combo on mule deer. It has reduced noise and recoil levels. I doubt if I would use it much beyond 200 yds. roger

I have a few 25 WSSM rifles and have been working with the 75 grain VMax, 75 grain Sierra HP, and 90 grain Sierra HPBT. From what I have seen, I don't think that you can safely get 3600 fps with a 90 grain Sierra HPBT in a 25 WSSM with a 22" barrel. Maybe 3400 fps, but not 3600 fps. Since USRA stopped making Winchesters, the prices on the Win 70s have gone up so much that is would probably be cheaper for you to get a new barrel for your 257AI.

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by mudstud:
Well, TJ,

It ain't over until it's over! First point, the 90 gr. HPBT is not a varmint bullet, it is a GameKing. All my bullet boxes say GameKing. Check it out on sierrabullets.com.

I've used this bullet for many years in my 257AI loaded way over max to incredible velocities. The rifle is my pickup gun. I carry it when I go out to my farm, and need to shoot whatever needs it. I have no hesitation to nail anything with this setup. It is absolutely the hammer of Thor on speed goats. Once I shot a nice big doe antelope through both shoulders with this load at about 150 yards. Broke both shoulders, but did not exit, so some will call that a bullet failure. The goat didn't! This bullet at 3600 fps can be impressive. (Yes, that IS chronographed, not guesstimated).

Once (about 20 yrs. ago) I shot a nice big mule deer buck dead center in the chest with this load at around 200 yds. The buck died instantly, and when gutted, his chest cavity didn't need to be cleaned, just poured out! Don't interpret this as to suggest I think that this bullet is ideal for mule deer, because I sure as hell don't, but if you put the bullet where it's supposed to go, it will do the job!

Not to start a pi$$ing match with any other posters, but I just can't imagine this bullet bouncing off of coyotes! I shoot everything and anything with this load, from prairie dogs on up to antelope. It is a great bullet, and excels on antelope. Anything I've ever hit with this round has died, and very quickly!

Good luck!

As you are learning, many posters here give an opinion without having any actual field experience.
The only mule deer kill that I personally witnessed that was shot with the above mentioned bullet was shot by Jim White, a highly respected member here and at the shot the deer bounced off the ground!Deader than a door nail.
In case you haven't come across it yet, i've been called a liar for posting 3,607fps with a 100 gr. Sierra in a lowly .257AI, how could that be, after all it doesn't say Weatherby on the barrel(something wrong here)
The person that called me a liar was offered a round trip airline ticket if my rifle didn't achieve the claimed velocity, I didn't even get an answer.
Arm chair ballisticians with their quickload or whatever program have the BALLS or ignorance to call someone a liar because the reported velocity doesn't match the program.How can it be that a .257 Ackley Improved can drive bullets as fast as a .257 Weatherby on 15-17gr. less powder, DUH, it's called efficiency, the proper case size for a given bore size, read on.
Roy Weatherby was a marketing genius, Parker Ackley was a realist, if you've ever had the pleasure to read Ackley's Handbooks you have noticed the mention of "Bore Capacity" numerous times. What that means to those who don't know is that a given bore size will only burn a certain amount of powder efficiently and when the case size goes up, the barrel life goes down as does flexibility.
Have you ever wondered why weatherby's rifles all have a generous(free bore)throat?
That is so the bullet can start to move before the extreme(excessive) charge of powder reaches it's pressure peak thus preventing(masking) noticable pressure signs while merrilly eating the throat out of the barrel.
I hope the weatherby people out there didn't take this personally as it wasn't intended directly at weatherby, it's just that quite often my .257AI is measured against the .257 weatherby by the unknowing.
I'm just taking up where Parker left off, this time with modern powders.

Stepchild

So your .257AI has a long throat, a tight chamber and is at the ragged edge of catastrophic overpressure? Great. The Weatherby pressure issue is your issue too, the relationship of pressure to velocity i.e. for one to go up the other must also is unchanged given a fixed expansion ratio. Abnormally high velocity indicates abnormally high pressure. Case design does have some factor in that as does bore size and burn rate of the powder, not that much effect though.

Since my new roberts is built on a low numberd springfield, I have little intrest in going much over book loads. I hope for 3000 to 3100 with the 100s and 2950 or more with the 110 grain nosler and with 115 to 117 grain bullets I think 2800 or so would be fine, don't think I will go with 120s in this rifle but you never can tell. If I need more power I will go with a 25,06 270 or 7mm STW...tj3006

I would respectfully suggest that POA was not a "realist" in the least. He was a shameless promoter who promoted POA and POA's ideas about cartridge design.

If an equally good wildcat cartridge wasn't appended with "AI", POA reviewed it in a negative light. See for example the 250AI vs. 25 Souper. Approximately the same case capacity, so approximately the same performance, but the AI design get lots of love and promises performance that can't be safely reached without a long barrel and danger level pressure, while the 25 Souper got "ho-hummed" by POA.

POA was only able to get away with selling people "sizzle" because there weren't many chronographs available in those days and people who spent $$ to have their rifles rechambered to AI configurations convinced themselves that they were getting meaningful velocity increases, after all, they paid good $$ for velocity increases didn't they?

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by 260remguy:
I would respectfully suggest that POA was not a "realist" in the least. He was a shameless promoter who promoted POA and POA's ideas about cartridge design.

If an equally good wildcat cartridge wasn't appended with "AI", POA reviewed it in a negative light. See for example the 250AI vs. 25 Souper. Approximately the same case capacity, so approximately the same performance, but the AI design get lots of love and promises performance that can't be safely reached without a long barrel and danger level pressure, while the 25 Souper got "ho-hummed" by POA.

POA was only able to get away with selling people "sizzle" because there weren't many chronographs available in those days and people who spent $$ to have their rifles rechambered to AI configurations convinced themselves that they were getting meaningful velocity increases, after all, they paid good $$ for velocity increases didn't they?

Jeff

Jeff the only thing you have going for you is reason, logic and truth. Trouble is you are bad mouthing a dead saint who can't fight back some will say and they will threaten to excommunicate you. It is almost a guarantee that you are now in deep do-do. roger

I think, with a few exceptions the AI cartridges give only a rather small velocity increase. The rounds where they show the most generaly are ones witch the SAMMI specs of the origional round are low ,do to age and strength of the action.
Te best AI,s I can think of off hand are the .250 svage AI, the Roberts AI the 280 Remington AI, All rounds that are below the normal 52000 or s CUP levels of most modern rounds.If you load the 280 up to its potential based on a strong action rather than the auto loader it was designed for it will be prety close the an AI with all bullet weights. same with the 250 and the Roberts. I will probably do an AI one day just to see how I like it, But to AI a 7mm08 or a 260 seems silly to me, if you are getting much of an feet increase you are most likly over preasure.
I read one guy claiming a 300 FPS increase with I think it was a 308, AI.
I bet if he used the same rifle and barrel and started poring in more powderinto the stadard case before he improved it he could have gotten 200 to 250 FPS of the gap, closed. He would have been over presure but it likly would have worked.
Some AIs make sence for other reasons like the 35 Whelen AI has a much better shoulder than thee standard round, for head spacing.
And if you have say a Roberts that has an eroding throat, might as well have it AI,ed
There is nothing wrong with AI,s I think its kind of cool, but if you are increasing your velocity over a standard round by much over 100 fps you are probably hotter than you think you are.
1 rond I will make an exception for is the 30/30. You can really move that shoulder forward and make room for more powder.
Just one mans opinion...tj3006

Is it possible that, over the years, Sierra has changed this 90 gr. bullet so that it was considerably tougher 20 years ago than it is now?

quote:

Originally posted by 260remguy:
I would respectfully suggest that POA was not a "realist" in the least. He was a shameless promoter who promoted POA and POA's ideas about cartridge design.

If an equally good wildcat cartridge wasn't appended with "AI", POA reviewed it in a negative light. See for example the 250AI vs. 25 Souper. Approximately the same case capacity, so approximately the same performance, but the AI design get lots of love and promises performance that can't be safely reached without a long barrel and danger level pressure, while the 25 Souper got "ho-hummed" by POA.

POA was only able to get away with selling people "sizzle" because there weren't many chronographs available in those days and people who spent $$ to have their rifles rechambered to AI configurations convinced themselves that they were getting meaningful velocity increases, after all, they paid good $$ for velocity increases didn't they?

Jeff

Jeff,
What convinces me are the numbers on my Oehler and the fact that i'm still using cases that were purchased when the rifle was built.

I'm thinking you've used the wrong name in your shameless promoter comment.

Stepchild

quote:

Originally posted by Planemech:
So your .257AI has a long throat, a tight chamber and is at the ragged edge of catastrophic overpressure? Great. The Weatherby pressure issue is your issue too, the relationship of pressure to velocity i.e. for one to go up the other must also is unchanged given a fixed expansion ratio. Abnormally high velocity indicates abnormally high pressure. Case design does have some factor in that as does bore size and burn rate of the powder, not that much effect though.

I didn't say my rifle has a long throat or a tight chamber, where did that come from?

You state that abnormally high velocities indicate abnormally high pressures and in most cases I would agree, however factor in reduced bullet friction(polygon rifling) and it changes the parameters as does a 27.5"barrel and Norma MRP.

I've been hunting with this rifle since 1980 and so far I haven't encountered anything resembling catastrophic over pressure.

Stepchild

I can give you 100 fps for a really fast barrel, and another 75 for the long barrel so I can give you 175 fps on the barrel over a "standard" .257AI, that still isn't faster than a .257 Weatherby at normal pressures. That no signs have shown is where I get the tight chamber and long throat guess, and it is a guess, from. Still given the case volume and expansion ration you must be running higher than "normal" pressures, which may be safe in your gun. One cannot expect that from a .257 AI as a rule. For speed to go up, pressure must also go up. That one's a keeper, a magic juxtaposition of factors.

Not sure i agree with the notion that if speed goes up preasure goes up, unless you are talking the same cartridge bullet and same powder.
If I am am shooting a particular cartridge, say a .270 and I shoot a 130 grain bullet lets say IMR 4350 gives me 3000 fps and H-4831 gives me 3100 I do not think the faster load necisarily gives higher preasure.
If you want I think i can find out from a better source than myelf I will reserch it now as a matter of fact...tj3006

Taken from the hodgdon page, and a 130 grain Hornady 270.The fastest load shown is with 64 grains of H-1000 it yields 3025, and only 48100 CUP.
While H-4895 with a 45 grain charge gives 2922 and 51000 Cup, so a rais in presure of almost 3000 LBS nets a negative 103 FPS in velocity.
mabye I am missing the point but clearly there is no direct corilation beetween velocity gain and preasure...tj3006

Indeed Tom you are. That's where case volume and expansion ratio enter the equation and why we have different burn rates to match them. Slower powders need larger charges to generate those speeds. Nosler for example lists 52.5 grains of AA3100, a 93% case capacity load as max giving 3216 fps, 24" barrel, 100 grain bullet in .257AI (40* shoulder), The powder listed by stepchild is 3 powders slower on the rate chart than AA3100 which is already at 93% capacity and max pressure, can those 7 percentage points yield 400 fps when you run out of capacity and SAAMI pressure limits? Not without excess pressure the math would say It takes 68.0 of that same powder to drive the same bullet 3600 fps in a .257 Weatherby. The math just doesn't work out.

I'll stick by my opinion of the POA's motivation and the safety, or lack there of, of his published reloading data and velocity claims. I'm not selling anything and have no personal connection to POA. My AI experience is limited to the several AI'd rifles that I've owned, including 2 in 257AI that I still have. The "truth" that I have come to believe is that the 1 to 4 rule of thumb, a 1% increase in velocity for each 4% increase in case capacity, has shown up in my reloading experience over and over again. Therefore, it is my personal opinion that there just isn't enough case capacity increase in most AI applications to produce the velocities promised by POA, at least not at safe workng pressures. There are people who reload to pressure levels that I would consider dangerous, just like there are people who drive at speeds that are significantly above the legal limit. Some even do so in poorly maintained vehicles with severly worn tires and live to tell about it. Can it be done? Yes, it can. Is it smart to do so? Probably not, but different people are willing to accept different levels of risk to achieve their objectives.

Your experience with a single rifle is too small a sample size to infer that the wider universe will achieve like results at safe working pressures. As I am sure that you know, statistically speaking, the minimum sample size to reflect the general universe is 30.

An illustration of this is the 3 rifles that I currently have chambered in 6.5-284. The rifle with the shortest barrel, 22", gets a higher velocity out of the same load than either of the 24" barreled rifles. Why? Maybe it is just a faster barrel. Maybe it has a longer throat the provides a degree of free-bore. Who knows? So, based on this small sample, we could infer that a barrel length of 22" is a better choice in the 6.5-284 than a 24" barrel.

Freedom allows us to each believe whatever we want, so you can believe in POA and I'll believe in the results that I have seen in person. It is, after all, just a potato/potahto sort of thing, just don't ask me to squeeze the trigger on your reloaded ammo.

Jeff

260remGuy,
First off, let me say that i've been squeezing the trigger on this rifle for 26 years now and it hasn't come undone yet, so I think i'd be safe to say that it probably won't.

Speer, you know, the bullet people, the people that print the reloading manuals,the people with the ballistic lab/with pressure barrels,etc, listed the .257AI @ 3,410fps using the same basic load that i'm using(I guess they must be nuts too, ya think), their barrel was 22"and mine is 27.5 with polygon rifling. If you or anyone else on this board believes it or not doesn't matter to me at all.
I don't have a death wish and if I saw any serious pressure signs, i'd back it down. Still have both eyes and all of my fingers and toes too.
Here's another little tid bit for ya, this rifle was originally a 25/06! and built using off the shelf(Brownell's) parts, Shilen Barrel, Clymer reamer, etc. To say that I was pleased with the results would be an understatement and while i'm sure this rifle is the exception rather than the rule, it works for me. And probably more surprising to lot of people here is the fact that no where does it say Weatherby on it!
The come and see it perform offer is open to anyone, contact me and i'll give directions or airport pick up is also available! Until then the subject is closed, at least for me.


Stepchild

Which Speer manual are you citing data from?

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by 260remguy:
Which Speer manual are you citing data from?

Jeff

Number 8 Page 168 100gr data. N205 57Gr. 3,410fps.

Stepchild

Who makes N205? I'm aware of Norma 204, but could not find a reference to an "N205" powder. I figure 257AI case capacity at 58 or 59 grains of H20, which is 7 or 8 grains less than the 25-06's case capacity. 57 grains of N205 must be a compressed load to even into the case with a bullet seated on top of it.

From what I read, you are claiming greater than or equal to velocity than the data that I can find for the 25-06, a cartridge which has approximately 10% less case capacity. Even with a couple extra inches of barrel length, you have got to be running very high pressure to achieve your objective. That may work in your rifle, but could be a bomb in another rifle. As I have noted previously, different people are willing to accept different levels of risk/danger to achieve their objectives. I am of the opinion that, with very few exceptions, the AI concept is more "sizzle" than "steak". I know that Steve Timm is a big 250AI guy and I think that the 250AI is the worst feeding cartridge that I've ever had. I much more into the 284 based wildcats, but Steve has trouble getting them to feed, something that has never happened for me. 2 guys, same cartridges, totally different experiences. Happens all the time.

Good luck!

Jeff