Does anyone have any experience shooting the factory Weatherby ammo with the 115 grain Barnes X-Bullet? I was wondering about accuracy and game performance.

Dthfrmbv,

I have no experience with the factory loads, but I do have limited experience with handloaded Barnes 115 X-bullet in the 257 Weatherby.

I used them one year a few years back and that sesaon I killed 5 bucks and lost one with the X-bullet. The first 4 of the shots were either frontal or raking from flank forward. The results exactly what I was looking for, excellent penetration and nice sized exit. The 5th buck was broadside at 200 yards. Off he went for the planted pines with no blood trail. I found him about 75 yards away with only slightly larger than caliber exit wound. 2 days later I shot another nice buck standing in the same tracks I shot buck #5 and didn't find him. No blood trail. That's my experience with them. I think they would make a better elk sized bullet than deer bullet.

When I was hunting with the 257 weatherby, I killed close to 40 bucks with it. Tried different bullets. The Nosler 120 Partition offered lighting kills but only caliber sized exit wounds. All bloodless kills. No blood on me, 4 wheeler, or truck. The last 2 bucks I shot with the Partitions were "pay back time". Only pinhead sized drops of blood about every 20 feet or so and hands and knees tracking. One went over 100 yards and the other around 200 yards. No fun.

At that time, the 120 grain Speer flat base proved to be my favorite bullet for the 257.

The other day I picked up a box of the Nosler 110 grain AccruBonds. May get the 257 out of the safe again.

Joe A.

I've shot factory ammo when I first got my Wby 257. I didn't shoot any barnes 115 bullets tho.I shot 100 gr bullets and some 87 gr bullets and some 120 noslers. But sence that shooting, I reload my own and shoot Serria 117 gr bullets and I shoot speers 120 gr bullets and Hornady 100 gr bullets and 87 gr bullets.

Can I turn this around and ask about the factory Weatherby 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips? Or, how do the Ballistic Tips work on deer size game?

I had good performance with my 115 grain Nosler
BTs loaded to best I can remember to about 3280fps on broadside shots. Complete pass thru with good exit wound. But at much of an angle thru ribs to get to heart and lungs, they would run out of steam. Too much bullet break up. Like I said, on broad side shots, they worked great.

If someone loads one of the new bonded bullets in a factory load, I beleive that would be a good bet for all around turn out the lights power and penetration.

Joe A.

I wish they would Joe or should I say I wish Weatherby would, since they are the only loaders of .257 WTHBY Mag ammo.

Dthrmbv,

I just searched for 257 Weatherby factory loads thinking maybe Federal, Win, or Rem. may load them but I was wrong.

I did fine a factory loading for the 257 Weatherby by Nosler using the 110 grain Accubonds. Retail price is a bit pricey at over $65 per 20. Glad I reload.

Joe A.