Interested in a all in one rifle for western hunting. Can you shoot it all day long? Or do you check the zero a couple times a year and leave it at that? I want a 270 Wby but not in the market for a MK V. Thoughts?

My 257 Weatherby is fun and I could shoot it all day. In fact, I can shoot my 300 Weatherby all day. I can shoot my 378 Weatherby a lot but all day might get a little tiring.

As far as checking my zero, I haven't used my 257 Weatherby barrel in over a year having given preference to my 300 Weatherby which, with it's Leupold Mark 4 scope has never gone out of zero though I still check it occasionally.

If you want a 270 Weatherby but not a Mark V, I would suggest a Blaser.

I would not call my 257 WBY fun...but it effective. It has alot of muzzle blast, and is long, loud and heavy for caliber, but does shoot flat as a pancake, and puts holes in things a hell of a long ways out!!! I would call my 22 mag, 6BR,22 hornet...fun not the 257 WBY mag.

Ed

I like my 257Weatherby and have taken pronghorn with it at moderate and very long range.

Recoil-wise you could shoot it all day. Heat-wise you better bring your oven mitts, or hook up a garden hose.

Awesome cartridge for deer antelope and coyote (if you don't want the fur). I have shot numerous antelope and a few deer and coyotes with nine, mostly using 100 grain ballistic tips. If you have a good rest, anything inside 400 yards is a chip shot.

Fantastic open country deer rifle, but no real need to stop there. 100 grain Ballistic tips are lightning on big Saskatchewan Whitetail and mulies, and 120 grain Nosler Partitions at 3300 aren't going to bounce off of much.

I lost my first one when my boy claimed it at age 11. I had to buy a second one, then lost that one to an insistant fellow who gave far more than it was worth. Went a year without one of my own, then replaced it with one of the Cabella's edition Lazerguards. Liked that one enough that one week later a Lazerguard in .300 Weatherby joined it. And this comeing from a guy who preached oil finishes on wood.

I've got 3 Mark Vs and 7 Vanguards. I'd take a high-end Vanguard over a Mark V.

Are you asking about the .257 or the .270? The title says one, and the text another.

quote:

Originally posted by BighornBreath:
Interested in a all in one rifle for western hunting. Can you shoot it all day long? Or do you check the zero a couple times a year and leave it at that? I want a 270 Wby but not in the market for a MK V. Thoughts?

I once observed a friend (long since passed away), attempting to shoot ducks on a pond about a half-mile down a mountainside, with a 257 Weatherby. He was happy just to hit the pond, with another friend spotting. Earlier in the day he'd shot a coyote with it, and was having a good day...

just MHO, but the reason to own and shoot a 257 Roy is velocity. I had the accumark in that chambering for a number of years. Loaded the 100 gr. Partitons @ +/- 3,650 fps.
Under 200 yds. on a whitetail you'd have jelly for about 8" around the bullet hole. Can't imagine the damage a ballistic tip or Hordady SST would do.
Conseqently as I'm a short range meat hunter, the 257 roy is no longer in my quiver.

Best

GWB

quote:

Originally posted by Geedubya:

Under 200 yds. on a whitetail you'd have jelly for about 8" around the bullet hole. Can't imagine the damage a ballistic tip or Hordady SST would do.

GWB

'Bout the same,this one was under 100 yards, though that short of range is very rare in that exact locale.




100% agree on the velocity, without the speed its just a fat .243.

Most impressive killer I've eve used. Not one deer, EVER moved after the shot. I used the 100gr Hornady for years and did have significant shoulder damage (who cares it's deer meat). Switched to TTSXs and it still kills, but with less damage.

To shoot any of the Weatherby's alot, you either have to be rich or reload.

Loved my 270 WBY and my 7MM WBY mag. Both real killers and dead accurate too.

I stood several years ago on the crossroads in taking a decision on my custom pre-64 winnie. A 257Wea or the .270Wea. I choose the .270Wea because I felt the .257Cal with max bullets weights up to 120grain was just a small game gun for very long ranges, where the .270Wea and max bullet weights up to 180grain were "the move" unto big game and yet very very flat shooting. In my book the .270Wea offers everything the .257 does but the .257Wea does not offer everything the .270Wea do.

One of my favorite rounds. But my next will be a 270 Weatherby.

I've got an Accumark in .257. Handloads using IMR 7828 and a 115 gr. Barnes TSX will shoot into just about an inch at 200 yards. It's very comfortable to shoot and kills very well on deer-sized game (never shot anything larger with it), but it's not a rifle that you shoot all day because the barrel heats quickly. Generally, I'll shoot five well-spaced shots, then put it back in the rack for the barrel to cool while I shoot something else. So if your definition of "fun" is one rifle that you can put a couple of boxes through in a single short session, the .257 is not fun. If your example of "fun" is a rifle that can keep its shots inside of a 1" square at 200, and leads to a lot of DRT kills, then the .257 qualifies.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by wapiti22:
To shoot any of the Weatherby's alot, you either have to be rich or reload.
QUOTE]
New Remington brass in 300 Wby cost about $0.80 each. I've reloaded some 5 times and they're still good. The bullets and primers are the same as I used in my .30-06. The 300 Wby uses about $0.10 more powder per shell to load than a .30-06.

Reloading is the only way to go.

I enjoy shooting my 300 Wby as much or more than any of my other rifles.

Weatherby factory ammo in .257, .270 and .300 has dropped to prices in line or lower than other premium ammo.Same price for all three. That isn't at every retailer,(Cabellas is one) and isn't for every bullet style but it does get the most popular Weatherby cartridges into a price range that non reloaders can afford to shoot.

Ironically, in my home town a box of .257, .270, or .300 Weatherby costs less than a box 20 .257 empties. And considerably less than Weatherby brass in .270 and .300. That puts me in the position of buying .270 Weatherby and pulling the bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by Coyotehunter4:
One of my favorite rounds. But my next will be a 270 Weatherby.

You won´t regret it!!.

130 grainers at 3400 ft/sec.
180 grainers at 3012 ft/sec

Whamo..

I have a custom built .270 Weatherby. I've killed deer, pronghorn and mountain goat with it so far. I am very pleased with it. It a lot like a .257 Weatherby only able to shoot bullets with some BC which has always been the weakness of the quarter bores. They just don't make decent bullets for the little bugger.

I like shooting my brother's, it's a complete lazer!

I had a 257 WBY for a while. It was very accurate. I killed deer with the WBY factory loads with the 100gr bullet[I think it was the Hornady bullet], the 100gr Nosler Partition bullet, and the 120gr Nosler Partition.

It did not kill deer any better than the ones the wife and I killed with a 243.
Now that is not a cut on the 257 WBY Mag, as we were hunting Texas deer in the hill country [smallish bodysize] and we never shot them over about 225 yards, most under 150 yards and you can only kill a deer so dead.

I think the 257 WBY would be an excellent choice if you need to make shots commonly at 300 yards or beyond.

I do know one thing, when I shot at targets at 100 ayrds when you pulled the trigger, you INSTANTLY saw the hoel in the target through the scope.

Now I did use the long range capability of the 257 WBY one time. I was hunting in a tree, and saw some doe deer about 425 to 450 yards away, out inthe open.

I fired a round over them to see if I could get them to come closer.

Welll it worked they actually ran and went right under the tree I was in. [I had picked it because it was right on a deer trail].

I shot one of the does at about 20 yards.

The 257 WBY has the trajectory of a 300 Magnum, with the recoil just a little over a 243.

Pretty good combination for long shots at deer and antelope, IMHO.

I also had a 264 Win Mag at one time, same goes for it as well.

Thanks for the info. Who's taken elk and black bear with the 257 Wby and what were the results?

And just to clarify if money wasn't an issue I'd got with a 270 MK V but it is an issue so I'm looking at the Vanguard in 257. Thanks.

I used to have one in a custom Mauser. And a few observations -

It was OK in accuracy but not real good. My 06s are better.

I had some concerns about barrel life with it, based on what all I could learn.

The ammo was wildly expensive and real hard to find, which limited the use to hunting rather than target shooting.

It had an unusual report. Not like an '06. The sound kinda "built" up or something. Others mentioned that too.

Recoil was nothing in my opinion.

It was a certain killer on deer, but no more certain than more common cartridges. It won't kill them any deader or faster than most any high powered rifle cartridge of comparable energy.

It was a flat shooter at longer ranges, but you can do those too just fine with the '06.

Generally I used to prefer a heavier bullet. I used to think a 180 grainer would blow thru a piece of vegetation and not deflect better than a 100 grain. But, then I found out that's not how it works and nothing short of a 12 ga slug would do that. So that part I consider a wash.

I regarded it mainly as a neat, cool novelty at a time when I was in the market for that.

I guess I'm still in that market, as my most recent purchases have been a custom Mauser 416 and a NE 450-400. I have about as much real need for those for deer as I did for the 257. But I just like 'um all.

Btw, you should have seen what the 257 did to a fox squirrel at 20 feet...

Yeah, it's a real "fun" gun, if you've never owned one. I'd go on and try it. But if somehow you could get the Mk V, especially a German Mk V, I'd do it. Much better value retention.

I got a 25-06 last year that I am shooting 80 TTSX at 3690 fps. It starts to be a little harsh on meat (@ 200 yards) but not too bad. I am thinking about going to a 100 grain bullet to slow it down a touch.

I have been very interested in 257 WBY but dont see myself needing more velocity than what the 25-06 already has. I dont like to waste meat...especially deer meat.

One of the best ways to cut down on damaged meat, and the hides of smaller animals is to use a Bonded bullet or a bullet like an X or Failsafe, ie one that does not fragment.

I would have to agree. I hand load 115 NP's at about 3500FPS. A killer extrodinaire...Never has an animal twitch after being hit by my 257: Bang/Flop!

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Most impressive killer I've eve used. Not one deer, EVER moved after the shot. I used the 100gr Hornady for years and did have significant shoulder damage (who cares it's deer meat). Switched to TTSXs and it still kills, but with less damage.

After wanting a .257 for decades finally bought one of the new Remington 700 CDL 26" fluted stainless models...accuracy in the extreme. Have a Shepherd 6-18x40mm ranging scope and it is right on the money drop wise right out to 600 yards.



...working up loads with a Speer 120 BT....



Only have shot one group at 600 but that was 4.5". Very happy with the rifle and hope one day to put a B&C Alaskan Ti stock on it to make it totally weather proof...

Bob

I'm not surprised your Remington is a shooter. I had an LSS in .257 that would shoot enough 1/2 MOA groups to make you want them all the time.

A guy swapped me a cherry .270 Weatherby AccuMark for it even up, and I still wonder sometimes who won that deal.

I think it is fun. My Colt Light Rifle/NULA hybrid is one of my favorite rifles. It weighs 7lbs 2oz all up and has minimal recoil. Load development was my fastest ladder test ever using hBN coated 115gr NBT and H-1000. The rounds just look cool too. The only downside is it is for handloaders/reloaders or the well off.

If you are going to only get one, I too would opt for the 270Wby. That said I really love the 257. It's like that super hot chick that can't cook, clean, or balance the check-book, but what she can do is sooo worth it!

Both great rounds. If you are really going to "shoot all day" you had best plan on a shortened barrel life due to heat. I can't imagine shooting one at a dog town!

I have a Mark V ultralight in 257 and three shots is plenty to generate some heat. I have a Blaser in the same caliber and it can tolerate a few more.

The new 80 gr TTSX would be interesting to try in the 257 Roy. It certaily would not come apart.
I'm getting 3996 fps with it in a 30" 25-06 using Hornady SuperPerformance with sub MOA accuracy.
With the great case capacity of the Roy and a long barrel, who knows ?

I get 3950 fps out of a 24" barrel in the .257 'bee with the 80 gr TTSX. 76 grains of old 7828.