257 Weatherby About to Erupt
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- Опубликовано: 6 окт 2024
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Check out my latest video on the 257 Weatherby! You can get even more info on the 257 Weatherby here - www.ronspomero...
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Who is Ron Spomer
For 44 years I’ve had the good fortune to photograph and write about my passion - the outdoor life. Wild creatures and wild places have always stirred me - from the first flushing pheasant that frightened me out of my socks in grandpa’s cornfield to the last whitetail that dismissed me with a wag of its tail. In my attempts to connect with this natural wonder, to become an integral part of our ecosystem and capture a bit of its mystery, I’ve photographed, hiked, hunted, birded, and fished across much of this planet. I've seen the beauty that everyone should see, survived adventures that everyone should experience. I may not have climbed the highest mountains, canoed the wildest rivers, caught the largest fish or shot the biggest bucks, but I’ve tried. Perhaps you have, too. And that’s the essential thing. Being out there, an active participant in our outdoor world.
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.
Produced by: @red11media
Disclaimer
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not modify any cartridge or firearm beyond what the manufacturer recommends. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.
I only had the pleasure to sight in only 2 Weatherby s in my life a 240 and a 257 . Love the accuracy of the 240 tested with one of my hand loads. The 257 was factory loads with 117 round nose.. Shot around 1 inch groups . Only shot two 3 shot groups. The 4x Ziess scope that was mounted on the rifle was more impressive than the rifle. This was back in 1982. Made my 3x9 Leupolds look bad. Had great vision back then and a crack shot . The rich business men that knew me in my profession would have me sight in their deer hunting rifles. The owner of the company I work for would pull me off the job before deer season to do it. That was the good old days for me.
Nicely done Ron. Recently picked up a 257 Weatherby, can't wait to try it on speed goats this fall. Who cares if it burns barrels, you're right. Shooting is fun, so the more you shoot the fun you have. If someone is worried about burning out a barrel, get a bow and a hand full of arrows.
Cheers, Jeff.
If you buy a Ferrari, you don't ask the dealer about MPG! -- life is shirt, if you live shooting FAST BULLETS. Okay, figure a new barrel every few years!
LIFE IS TOO DAMN SHORT! Go enjoy your passion!
Well I have to say this Ron I've never killed ab animal with the 25-06 iam having a weatherby built can't say why u haven't used the cartridge for hunting guess have to give O'Conner credit ice use the 270:for 50 years ther us nothing the 25-06 can do the 270 can't do yes I've owned several 25-06 but never fired one always replaced the Barrell for some other caliber but have high hopes for the 257 weaterby coming my way
The 257 is the only Weatherby cartridge i would consider. I just have no need for the power level of the larger bores. But i would mostly load it fown to 25-06 levels anyway. So i might as well get a 25-06, in which i have long been interested- cheaper brass and smaller powder charges. In the last few yeara i have read a few print articles about long, high- BC bullets in the 25. Looks promising. It will be interesting to see how things go over the next year or too. It eould ve easy enough to have any rifle in the 30-06 family rebarreled to 25-06 with a fast twist barrel (1:8.5" probably?) and a minimum spec chamber. Always liked the idea of a Bob too, but i really only "need" 1 quarter bore. All of it will have to wait until i have room to load anyway. And the next thing on the list is a good 7mm-08. Great info as always, Ron. Thank you
I bought one years ago when I did a lot of crop damage control.
I bought 3 cases of the 87gr factory loads and 2 cases of 100gr factory loads.
I was going to use the 100gr for hogs.
The deer,hog,and coyotes all dropped to the 87gr just fine.
I could hold on the the animals out to 400 yds.
Over the years I sold the original rifle and bought another.
Its a grate round. Over crop fields.
Has one of the flatest trajectories of any rifle cartridge. One awesome long range shooter!😎👍
Tanks Ron for another great video. When I lived in Wyoming I used the 257 for everything and never had to take a second shot. I never had to do a lot of tracking after the shot either. Speed goat to elk the 257 just put it on the ground with great authority. It is a relatively easy round to shoot as well. I never took shots much past 400, I know my own limitations. The 257 shot so flat it took all the guess work out to around 400 just put the cross hairs on fur and it was going down. I now live in the mid west and use the little 7-08 for the most part. I bought the 7-08 for my son when he was starting out. After seeing just how well that little round performed. I grabbed one for my self in light weight handy rifle. I have a big safe full of all kinds of calibers from 22 to 458 but I do 99% of big game with the 257 and 7-08. The other with a 300 Weatherby only if I am in big bear country.
Much like you s green, the 257 Roy is my go to caliber for Idaho deer and elk. No goats in N. Idaho, but a S. Idaho hunt is on my bucket list. I also have a. 250-3000 model 99a that was given to me 50yrs ago as my 1st rifle, killed many deer and pigs without any issues!
The 100gr Barnes TTSX is by far the most effective bullet for me, drops elk and deer in their tracks.
75.5 gr of H1000 @3.270 oal, Federal 215 lrm match primers at approximately 3525 fps. Work up carefully as this is max load. Works great in my Vanguard ll.
what is a good zero distance for the 257 weatherby
@@Hondayo77 I use 200yds as my zero, out to around 250yds just hold dead on and fire.
Also I know my ballistics and use Strelok.com ballistic app, which I find to be very accurate.
I have a 257 Roy and LOVE it and this was a well presented history of the 257 class of cartridges. While it is good to hear that bullet makers are offering 25 cal bullets with higher BCs, I prefer the 100g Barnes TTSX which has a much lower BC but shoots like a laser beam out past 300 yards.
I have no problem shooting elk using Barnes 100gr TTSX. Absolutely floors em!!
This is by far my favorite barrel burner. Would not give up my 257 for anything.
what would be the expected round count before your barrel burns out?
@@adolfo206 800 to 1000 depending upon how hot you load it. If you use milder loads it will last longer than that.
@@erictiry6483 Thank you Eric, this is means " new rifle at least every other year"
@@adolfo206 if you shoot more than the average person. The current 257 I have now I have had for three years. I only put about 150 to 200 rounds through it a year. the biggest thing is if you are shooting from the bench space your shots and clean it after about 10 shots. this has worked very well for me with the other hot rod cartridges i have.
Whoa. Two Ron Spomer videos in a week? This is a treat.
Life’s good
The .257 has always intrigued me, but I’m a 25-06 fan brother. Its my go-to cartridge.
Well, what can't you do with it? 👍
Yep I have to agree, Have owned the 25-06 for over 40 years and killed everything from fox to elk with it, but I also enjoy my 257 Weatherby, and my 257 Roberts, all great rifles.
I've been running my 257 wby since 2014. Absolutely love that round.
I like my 7x57 Mauser ! It has all the punch I need !
Bought one of the Remington 700 CDL-SF with the 1/10 twist barrel. Using the Speer 120 BT/RL-25 powder I'm getting .3-.4 MOA and well under MOA at 600 yards...at 3200 fps... As to "burning out a barrel"...this is a hunting rifle, not a range toy or prairie dog gun.
Exactly. How many rounds do you expect to fire in a year? You'd have to hunt 24/7 for many years before burning out the barrel . . . unless, of course, you're using it as a range toy or varmint potter.
Overbore to the point of stupidity, IMO.
@@jacqueslefave4296 I would agree except there is nothing else that can really surpass it...
@@projectredbeard2199 The 25-06 accomplishes nearly as much with less powder in a conventional action. I suggest saving the expensive magnum actions for Grizzlies and African giants.
@@jacqueslefave4296 not sure you understand the drastic difference in performance from increasing velocity 300-400fps.... 25-06 is a fine cartridge but it's not close to the 257 weatherby.
I've shot many different calibers but my favorite is my .257 Wby. I've taken many deer, usually in the 300-320 range. I've also taken elk using the Nosler Partition bullet. It is much more pleasant to shoot than my 25-06, .270, 6.5 creedmoor or my husband's .260 Remington. I love how flat it shoots. I'ts been my favorite ever since I bought it back in 2003.
HOW can it be more pleasant to shoot than lesser powered cartridges ??? Makes NO sense.
@@johnkoenig496 stock design
Wimp
My fantasy rifle would be a Mark V Deluxe in one of the Weatherby chamberings, .257, .270, maybe 7mm, with a quality Leupold scope.
Yeah, that’s a rifle I wanted to have since I was a kid. A couple years ago ( at 58 ) the stars aligned just right, and I bought a Mark V Deluxe in .300 Wby. Mag. at a local gun show. Lovingly used in 98% condition, it’s a beautiful rifle! I mounted a Leupold VX-R 3-9x 40 mm, CDS drop turret, side focus, with the Firedot reticle.
It will shoot 1/2 to 3/4 MOA groups with Weatherby factory ammo with 3 different bullets, 180 Sierra BT, 180 Trophy Bonded Bearclaw, and 180 Barnes TTSX.
Save up and get the Mark V you want as soon as you can. It’s worth every penny!
I just got a Mark V Deluxe with an Stainless Fluted Accumark Barrel in 257 Mag last year (2020).
I actually spoke to one of the Weatherby’s when calling Customer Service, regarding barrel break in. (pretty cool they were working the phones)💯
Awesome round, Awesome rifle💯
Thanks for doing a video on the 257 Weatherby!
I love my .257 Weatherby magnum (and my .340 Weatherby magnum). It is extremely accurate even at distances beyond 1,000 yards. It is my go-to rifle for deer hunting and I would not hesitate to use it for elk hunting at reasonable distances.
My dad gave me his 257 mark V back in the early 80s. I still have it. He loaded 120 grain bullets using 264 Winchester brass.
My 257 Wby MK5 RC is my favorite rifle I own...1/2” or better if I do my job with the 100 grain TTSX or TSX... it dropped EVERYTHING I ever pointed it at... 1 and done ✅
The best thing about my 257 mag is that I have faith in the rifle and cartridge. Since I don't reload, ammunition availability and price are the only downfall.
James, the price is really reasonable, I mean compared to 7mm Rem or RUM or my STW or my other 10 Weatherby's it is the cheapest of the lot and I buy Weatherby for the Norma Brass and the Accubond Partition scream of the my Rifle with deadly accuracy. I've bought them as cheap as $40/box and no more than $60/box,.. shop around, you can find them pretty cheap. My RUM and STW's are over $100/box.
.257 Wby Mark V, shooting 115 gr Ballistic Tips, riding 70 grains of RL25. This is a drop dead accurate, high velocity (3200 f/ps) rig. Not worried about burning the barrel out. I have more than one rifle, and I don't expect to shoot my .257 Wby Magnum to the point that its accuracy will be hampered. It's a great round pushed through a wonderful rifle.
Sounds like you have it down pat! Nice going!
@@briangable1037
Thanks. Guns, hunting, shooting, and handloading have been my passion for over fifty years now. The only thing I enjoy as much is playing bass. Been doing that for over fifty years also. I'm seventy now. The way I got it figured, if I get ten more years outta the deal, or no more...I can count it all good! [Laffin😄]
It’s a clown 🤡 cartridge, like all weatherbys.
@@p.p.8624
That comment doesn't even warrant a response. By the way, looks like no snow again this year for Christmas...[Laffin'😄]
My 257 wby is my deer/antelope rifle. I love the rifle since my dad custom made it for me, based on a savage long action. I enjoy the sentimentality of a rifle made for me, but my wallet would be way happier if I owned a .25-06 instead. Pre-pandemic: the least expensive,suitable factory ammo produced was 59.99 for a box of 20. Same retailer carries it now for $84.99
I can understand your logic, when I bought my 257wby the only factory rounds I could find was HSM loaded with Berger 115 vld hunting bullets.
They were superbly accurate, but crap bullets.
That's when I started reloading. I also stockpiled components and today have plenty. Most rewarding is when you take an elk or deer with a round you researched and developed by yourself following instructions to the letter and never exceeding the listed capabilities for the cartridge. Reloading has opened up a whole new world in my shooting abilities and understanding of why things work, or dont work.
Hopefully the panic buying and price gouging will stop soon and more people will get into hand loading, forcing ammo companies to offer more reasonable prices on components since they're not selling as much ammo. Try it, you'll love it !!
Handloading is very justified when owning a Weatherby. It can cut the cost to below the cheap 25/06 factory loads.
Amen brother!
Nothing wrong about collecting all the 25 caliber rifles.
Love the Blackjack bullets , higher BC than the 140 gn 6.5 caliber Berger bullets and I'm running them at 3368 fps in my.257 wby, with N570 powder. 1/2 moa passed 1000 yards. For PRS , i shoot them in a .25 Sherman SST
I have a 25 06 and love it. 117 to 120 grain going around 3000 ft per second will kill anything in the deer and antelope family. Ammo is readily available and half the price of weatherby.
I'd love to have a .25-06. I've always been a fan of the .243 and .270 Winchester, so I can imagine the .25-06 would be pretty awesome. Might have to be my next purchase
@@willrowell3218 It does alright on antelope...Just kidding. It's a great choice for open country hunting. If you get one, keep the bullet weights at or above 110 grains so as to avoid excess meat damage.
True. It has great MPR and since most shots on deer and antelope are within 300 yards, it is really a better choice.
I started reloading when I bought a .257Roy just for the fact that quality hunting ammo is so expensive! Drove me absolutely nuts until i finally settled on a 100gr Barnes TTSX at 3525 fps and 1/2 in groups at 100yds. Never looked back, I've killed scads of deer and elk and have a good supply of "other bullets" to plink with.
Smart choice.
Just like the 27 just got revamped, once they start investing in 25 cal bullets, it will take off. No diameter is inherently efficient, they just need to put the research in and chamber and twist barrels right. Nailed it Ron.
Blackjack bullets 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
AMEN BROTHER. Twist barrels properly and don't leave any caliber behind...lol. The 257cal and 277cal have been treated like bastar× children long enough. Above all LISTEN TO HUNTERS AND SHOOTERS who use the stuff on a daily basis.
@@stevepuyear2738 couldn’t say it better myself. I’ll give it 5 years though, the marketing department doesn’t want to overwhelm the masses.
It worked for the .223. A number of bullet manufacturers now put the recommended twist rate on boxes of bullets.
FYI Berger now makes 133 gn hunting bullets for the 25... it’s happening boys
I wish Ron would talk about the great 264 Mg it's a great gun using the Great Barnes bullets
They are the best
I like my 340 Weatherby Mag moving the air out of the way at more than 3000 feet per second and with impact weight behind it.
I think it's funny that the 338 Lapua is the greatest thing to come along since sliced bread, but the 340 has been doing the same thing since the 60's.
In my opinion (which may not be worth anything), you've made a wise choice. Over my lifetime I've owned 50+/- high-powered rifles. Two have been spectacularly accurate right out the box. One was a Remington 700 VS SF2 in .22-250. I don't know what the best load was because I could have dipped the cases in a bowl of the appropriate powders and it would break less than 1/2 MOA and while I might have been better than average shot, I was never that good. The other rifle was a .340 Weatherby Euromark. I bought it in 1987 mainly because it had a beautiful stock. I asked the seller if he had the test target in the box. He did-it was one hole 3/16" at 100 yards. I snickered and laughed and called BS immediately, saying no factory rifle could do that. It could and did! In my load development, I could push a 225 grain at over 3000 fps with which I was able to duplicate the test target three times and I never had a group over 9/16" with the 3.5-10x Leupold I had mounted. Good scope but hardly bench-rest suitable. Sorry to ramble, but you gave me a flashback with a huge smile. Thanks much.
@@aubreysteele4466 Great information. When I was a teenager in the 60s, I studied ballistic charts and dreamed of what to buy one day. I thought it would be a Remington 7mm Magnum. Never bought the rifle for 30+ years, but did look occasionally at the charts and knew the real sleeper that most people failed to recognize was the 340 Weatherby Magnum. I was fortunate in finding a brand new Weatherby 340 at a price so low it was next to unbelievable. An older gentleman with money bought the rifle from the dealer and shot it five times. He brought it back because the kick was too much for him. He literally gave the weapon away. I sent it back to Weatherby to install their “boss muzzle device”. The stainless barrel looks great too. I am a left side rifle shooter force to use mostly right handed bolts. I happened to be in the right place at the right time to buy this outstanding weapon. Your comments are appreciated and understood well.
I have had 3 257 wea mags, 2 Weatherbys and 1 Blazer. ALL, shot the 120 grain Nosler Partitions at under 1 inch…. That is with Weatherby Factory Ammunition, not custom handloads.
GREAT vid yet again. My dad gave me a German Weatherby Mark V Deluxe .257 for my birthday back in the 70s in Dallas (I was I my 20s). I now live in SW Colorado and really appreciate long range cartridges. But the one elk I shot with the .257 Weatherby Mag was at 38 yards (yes, 38) - an average 5x5 bull. The 117 Sierra totally destroyed the near side lung (after centering a rib on entry), totally severed the heart from all attachment (it literally fell out when field dressing) and mostly destroyed the far side lung. The bullet did not exit. I found about half of the jacket under the hide on the far side - perfect performance/ total energy dump. The bull went about 25 feet and fell over stone dead when it hit the ground. The ONLY reason I went back to the .300 Win Mag (and/or my trusty .270) was that the bull did NOT bleed externally at all and would have left no blood trail had it been necessary to track. It was in a herd of about 60 and traversing a heavily travelled trail, so print tracking would have been impossible. That said, I still believe it is totally adequate for elk (I hunt on a large private ranch) and perhaps the best deer/antelope cartridge out there. With good A-Frame or Partition bullets I think I would have had a bleeding exit wound. One other comment - that Weatherby rifle taught me that having a comb that cants/rakes forward GREATLY reduces felt recoil as it pulls away from the cheek on firing! I've re-stocked a .30-06 with a similar stock and it was amazing to feel the difference. THANKS LOADS for your excellent content, history and future predictions for one of Roy Weatherby's greats!!! Please keep up your excellent work.
Thanks Ray. And thanks for the bullet performance reports. You are so right about those negative slope combs!
I was going to get a 25-06 but just couldnt find anything that fit my needs without spending 5k on a custom. Found this cartridge and now this is what Im going for. Weatherby makes a great rifle and they are available. THIS is the ticket for me. Thanks for all your vids on the quarter bores that youve done.
I ran many load develement powder through my 257 wby accumark. I chronograph them all and settled on two powders. Bullet choice with the 257wby is important.
I was using 110gr accubond on thin skinned animals that gave me erratic kill results, they tended to whistle strait through, the old sierra spire point lead tipped bullets gave spectacular results on varmint.
Thanks Ron I own a 257 WM and I consider it the best all around rifle one can own. Stories abound about R. Weatherby bagging a Rhino in Africa. My hunting days are just about over but I still visit the range or the woodland around my house for target shooting.I enjoy your video's and your enthusiasm.
Had a 257 wby made by westley richards years ago. Excellent for smaller deer and antelope, but not for larger stronger antelope. Buffalo with a solid perhaps but not with soft nosed ammunition. The latter tend to break up on impact with bone a bit too quickly and will not penetrate thereafter. Went back to the 300 h&h and never regretted it. The 300 will easily deter a charge of a big cat and one cannot carry 3 rifles without unreliable gun bearers. For long range shots on larger antelope 300h&h or 300win mag if you please. The 257 wby is superb for mountain goat and sheep for obvious reasons. My hunting grounds are now reserve forests and national parks and all hunting has been banned in my country but I’m sure I shall return to the happy hunting grounds sooner rather than later !
I'm new to the channel and I must say I am thoroughly enjoying the highly informative content. Sending love across the ocean from England
I had a 25-06 and fell in love with the quarter bore. So I sold it and got the .257 "Bee" and never looked back. :-)
I've been saying this for years. I even reached out to Hornady and Nosler at one point talking with them about higher weight bullets. Glad to see it catching some movement. I'm looking at having one of my rugers re-barreled in 25-06 with a 1/7 twist.
Hay! I have a 25-06 ruger m77 on lay a way... (pawn shop find) when she comes home in 2 months, If it's barrel is shot out, I want to get a new 1-7 twist... how did yours turn out?
I also have a old FN MAUSER 98 action in 30-06, maybe converting her to a 1-7 twist 25-06... thoughts?
RON, MY DAD HAD A 257 MAG. IN WEATHERBY MARK V DELUXE WITH A LEUPOLD. WOW!!!! WHAT A GUN IT WAS. NOTHING, I MEAN NOTHING GOT AWAY AT ANY RANGE OUT WEST!
Try some of those Hammer Bullets in that 257WBY, I'll bet they'll do a number!!!! 😉😉😉
Love my 25-06 Rem and can't wait to get on some deer with it this fall. Good luck and stay safe.
I’ve wondered why the 25-06 and other 25’s weren’t more popular. I believe you answered that question for me.
Thank you.
If you hunt and only shoot a few rounds a year they'll last a lifetime.
My .25-06 has at least 2600 rounds down the barrel. I cannot find much throat wear at all. I do feel that the 25-06 is pretty much max horsepower for the bore size. The Weatherby in my opinion is definately overbore and certainly can burn barrels in decent time.
@@kearneydillon4803 well, you know what they say about opinions?
@@kearneydillon4803 Agreed . This reminds me of an experiment that John Barsness did a few years back . He wondered if the velocity advantage that the .270 Wby had over the .270 Win was due to the 26 inch bbl . So he put a 26 inch bbl on a Mdl 700 action worked up loads for both they were pretty much even . I think it would be safe to bet that the .25-06 vs. .257 Wby would yield the same results
The Ruger #1 is currently being offered in a limited run of .257 Wby with a 28" barrel. That much barrel should wring all the velocity out of that cartridge.
Too bad Ruger stuck with a 1-10 twist.
That is a grail gun for sure!
@@chrisdolan9515 whats wrong with a 1-10 twist barrel. I consider myself a gun nut but don't really know a lot about the barrel ratios. I've looked at ruger no 1's as well and see good reviews on them.
Also do you know how long ruger will make the 257 weatherby magnum this year?
@@masontruex5762 1-10 twist won't stabilize really long for caliber (super high ballistic coefficient) bullets. That's what makes the 6.5 cartridges so appealing, the 1-8 twist which allows for stabilization of super high BC bullets.
Your video for the 308 win popped up in my recommended. Boy am i glad i clicked it. Your videos are the most enjoyable videos i have seen on cartridges. Thank you.
Thank you Travis. glad you enjoy them.
I've always loved my 25-06 even though most of my range buddies have never heard of it.
25-06 was not obscure at all before the wsm and wssm calibers showed up. I think the 30-06 case is just right for a whole lot of great cartridges, as is the 308 win. case.
I like all offshoots or the 06 but I went the other way to a 35 cal. in the 35 Whelen.
One would have to be pretty much a 'rifle newbie' to have not heard of the .25-06!
@@mdd1963 exactly. These guys i shoot with have only heard of 9mm, .223 and .308
It's a barrel burner!!!
Proceeds to smile like a kid in a candy store when talking about how fast it is.
Luckily, they make new barrels every day! Just slap a new one on as needed.
Pay to play! If you want speed there are always drawbacks. How fast do you wanna go?
Great video as always!. Most people will never fire enough rounds through a 257 Wby to ever burn out their barrel, so to me, that's a moot point when looking at rifles.
Thanks 404nitro. I agree that too many shooter unnecessarily fret over barrel wear.
@@RonSpomerOutdoors I just see it as a good excuse to buy a new barrel!
@@redrock425
Unless you are a competition or benchrest shooter, or only own one or two rifles, all that barrel burner business is pretty much a non-starter. Particularly for those of us who have owned, collected and shot many different rifles for well over fifty years!
You never hear the average hunter who owns a number of rifles pissin' and moanin' about Weatherby Magnum, or other high velocity cartridges for that matter, spreading doom and gloom, and crying wolf about that issue. I bought my first Weatherby Mark V, a .340 Wby in 1992. It is still as accurate today, as the day I first sighted it in. I've taken a number of mulies, whitetail, pronghorn, and hogs with it.
I have never shot any one magnum rifle that I own enough to even give the matter a second thought; and, I've developed tested, and sighted in a myriad of high velocity handloads, for thirty years. I've also successfully hunted and taken big game virtually every season, in five different states since 1965!
To the naysayers; do the math for relevancy context, before you start trying to sell, "the sky is falling" rhetoric, on the subject of high speed cartridges, old or new:
(barrel life [yrs])=x rounds annually, [for most hunters that amounts to less than twenty-five rounds per hunting rifle] /into maximum estimated number of magnum rounds [600-800-plus] before accuracy noticeably begins to wane.
It also depends on a number of other factors such as barrel break-in, adequate cool down and cleaning intervals between shot groups when load testing or sighting in, proper care, maintenance, and rifle storage. There's a reason why these are all recommended by the gunmaker owners manuals, for any rifles I've ever owned...well?😕
I shot 2000 rounds through a 270 Weatherby Magnum and it still had first class accuracy. Roy Weatherby himself tried to wear out barrels with his Magnum cartridges. He said he quit after 3,000 rounds.
You can get a barrel with any twist that you want.
Way back when..a 2535remington pump..fast forward 100+yrs. And here we are..
The fact that the entire world is back to camping in conversion vans gives me faith that one day our 740 and 760 collections will be cool again. Until then we will just have to stack deer like firewood in our own little niche.
Had my.257 weatherby since 2015 and absolutely love it. Currently reloading it at 62.5 grain of powder and 120 grain speer boat tail bullet. Getting about 2900 ft per second but hit deer like a freight train.
How much would you say it costs to reload a 257 weatherby rounds that way?
I got one for my birthday almost ten years ago and have never been able to afford it through highschool and college.
@@joeflood7426 if you know someone who has a reloader it cost me $150 for the die the powder the brass and bullets
Mr Spomer I also have one of these that I've never shot. I can't afford the ammo. Before I retired from trucking for 50 years I bought a 257 wthby mag and bought some ammo but only 1 box of 100 grain. Now they are $110 so I'm not going to waste any. I bought it new and my friend sighted it in only using 4 or 5 shells.
Hi Ron great video as always, ever thought about doing a video on the 8*57 mauser, thank you look to hear from you soon.
Thanks Alex. 8mm Mauser isn't at the top of my list, but I might get to it.
100gr bonded onyx bullet works great for me. Short or long range. In crop fields or power lines, the 257 weatherby is my favorite.
I've been hunting with mine for a few years and I love it!
The hydrostatic schok i think is real. The first deer i took with the 257wb with the 87gr factory loads. The deer came out way closer than I expected. Under 50 yards. I shot it in the shoulder. The stomach and first intestines were busted.
We flowed the bullet path. It went nowhere near the stomach.
Some thing had to bust it and it wasn't the bullet.
I have seen first hand the hydrostatic shock and damage a .257 Weatherby will do. Like a mini R.P.G. sometimes, lol. Nasty!! However, the animals never knew what hit them.
The times I have used the 257 Weatherby it look like the animal EXPLODED!
My Brother and his neighbor/friend have 25 WSSM rifles. Those are hot rounds. His friend reloads so next time I see them I'll see if they are playing around with these new bullets.
BTW: My Brother says after 6 rounds (not rapid fire) the barrel on his 25 WSSM is too warm to hold. Those are factory loads (Federal, I think).
Mr Spomer,a true gentleman.God bless u sir.
Thank you kindly
High B.C. coupled with higher S.D. makes a great long range hunting marriage. Thank you for taking us back to our earlier years when the .250/3000, .257 Roberts and the .25-06 were pretty popular. Everyone wanted to be the speed king. If I were to live my life again I think I would have been a gunsmith trying to cook up the next exotic and popular round of the day and sell the rifles around them, custom built, of course. I would make sure every buyer would get new barrels only I could turn and button. I wish gun makers like Winchester or Ruger or Marlin offered this service to shooters and hunters who would like to rebarrel their rifles. Ron, I always enjoy your posts. They are fun and informative.
Thanks Mark.
I have a 25-06 in a weatherby vanguard and it is one of my favorite rifles I own. It is one of the best deer - elk killing guns out there. And you mite be thinking” there is no way that a 25-06 can kill a elk” it is called bullet placement. And that goes for every gun out there.
Big fan of 257 Roberts, I kinda compare it to 243win with it's loading options from 🐇 to 🦌
Obviously now days 243 has TONS more load data and components but 257 is a very respectable shooter
I'm really starting to value this channel alot. Thank you sir for the fantastic content.
Faster twist rate 25's? Yes, please! I think we're about to see the rebirth of the 25's that have been sitting on the back burner as 6mm and 6.5's have been taking off.
I think if the gun manufactures would make a 257 caliber barrels with a 1 in 7 twist rate and chambers for the longer bullets I think the 257 Rbts. will beat the 6.5 Creedmoor at it's own game
Shot the barrel out of my 25-06 so I had it rebuilt as a full custom in same caliber for my son as a gift when he gets out of the military. Many great memories together with that rifle. Then I bought me a 257 weatherby and discovered that the 25 caliber could be even better. Load em up and take em down, that’s what it does best.
Thanks Ron,
Would love to see a 325WSM review some day.
Good idea. I've enjoyed 325 WSM performance.
The 325WSM is a “true hammer”. 🔨
I have a 325 WSM in a Browning White Gold Medallion. I’ve killed 2 Black Bears with it, and 1 White Tailed Buck.
I shoot a 220 grain Accubond, everything hit with that round fell in their tracks. The damage done to the bears went through both shoulders and exited.
The White Tail, was “totally wrecked”. I hit the front shoulder, and the bullet actually twisted the front half of the buck; destroying the opposing shoulder.
Recoil on the 325 is heavy, and at times it’s feels like the fillings will rattle out of my teeth.😂💯
I no longer carry the 325 for White Tails, but for Bears only.
I now carry a Weatherby Mark V in 257 Weatherby Mag.
The 257 hits hard without any felt recoil.
I hope this helps you😀👍
@@RonSpomerOutdoors .338 Federal?
Not the most speedy round, but magnum energy without the barrel burn. Any review on this one?
always love listening to this guy
This is probably my most favorite of all hunting calibers. I own several deer rifles in various calibers and chamberings. But I have yet to get my hands on both, the 257 Weatherby and a 25-06. The 257 Weatherby will be the favorite as for now, if I had to choose. But the 25-06, even with the 1 in10 twist, will send a 117 Hornady SST out at 3110 fps and has over 1200lbs of energy @ 400 yards. That's much more than adequate for any of all my available shots. But here is the real KICKER for all the die hard 6.5 caliber fanatics out there...
The .257 caliber... is a 6.5 mm!!!!!
Seriously, it is so funny how gun manufacturers decide what to call their new creations. Choosing to fudge the numbers, and leave the truth to then become rounded out, in what ever direction best suits their ear's desired taste for the sound of the bullets futuristic potential. As the .264 caliber touted as the 6.5mm, is ever so popular among the ranks today, it is actually a 6.7mm!!!
So whenever the .257 comes back in town, maybe he can reclaim, or just "claim" the title as being, "The Original - 6.5"
Since the .257 caliber is actually 6.53 inches...
The New and Improved .257 will actually be the Original 6.5
Here is his slogan: Accept No Substitute
Because that .257 is one cocky old dude
Let me tell you a secret: the 7.62 NATO Isn’t actually a 7.62😱
The difference comes from how you measure. Lands vs grooves
For instance a 7.5 swiss actually uses a .308 or 7.62 bullet. It's how you measure it
@@bullseyepete8367 You are absolutely correct sir. For most caliber-chambering creations, this is usually the case. But certainly there are some very popular choices that have titles chosen just because they could be. Two of which are siblings to the 257 Weatherby. The 240 and the 340 Weatherby. But I have always said that if anyone has spent the time to create something worthwhile, they can name it what ever they choose. So, my dig towards any creator who has done so, was merely a caffeine-fueled, facetious rant, actually out of respect for them doing so. While the main focus was towards the 6.5 caliber, because of all it's loyal followers. So, I do not hesitate to say, I am also one.
My 6.5 Creedmoor is a sweet little ride!!!
@@jamesbolfing8109 makes sense. Kind of like whoever wins the war gets to write the history
I just finished up my 257 Weatherby on a current model 70 Supergrade with a 9 twist barrel. I'm getting an average 3274 with an SD of 6 with the 135 Berger. Can't wait to try it out on a coyote.
Ron, your videos are EXCELLENT & very educational, and I thank you for them, BUT theres one cartridge I haven't seen on your channel that I REALLY need to know more about & that is the
.264 Win Mag,,,, I have one in inherited and know nothing about.....
Also I'm proud to be they owner of a .250-3000 made 01/16/1916,,,,, & love it.
Thanks Jerry. So many cartridges, so little time! I'll try to get to the 264 WM soon, but requests from our Patreon members are first in line, so hand in there. Tjhe 264 WM is another round that's improved by modern bullets and powders.
One hundred and five year old rocket ship. Giddy up!
Just took possession of my new Schilen stainless 26” barrel in 257 Weatherby. This one has a 1-9” twist. I have a brand new Savage 116 FCSS in 338 Win Mag that is to be the recipient of this barrel. Should be fun.
Nicely done Ron
I've been shooting a 257 weatherby magnum and other 25 caliber guns such as the 2:57 Roberts 253 thoroughly enjoyed the 25 caliber range all those guns shoot well. I've loaded down to 2950 to match my ballistic scopes and it works great.Nicely done wrong I've been shooting at 2:57 weatherbeam magnum and other 25 caliber guns such as the 2:57 Roberts 253 thoroughly enjoyed the 25 caliber range all those guns shoot well croissant I've loaded down to 2950 to match my ballistic scopes and it works great. I've taken it deer, elk and antelope hunting. I have no complaints My only complaint was not what's the gun but with Nosler discontinuing their 117 grain round nose partition bullet. This was the old swedged bronze with poured lead fore and after.
Again great content I've been watching your channel for a while over 2 yourself and enjoy it immensely thank you for all your hard work......
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one Ron. I have thought about which centerfire cartridge that I would get that would be smaller than my 270 Winchester and the .257 Weatherby Mag keeps coming up as a potential favorite. Or the 25-06 to keep it in the family with my 270. My Dad likes the 257 Roberts, very similar to the .243 that he has. Another one that I have thought about is the .22-250.
I have read multiple forums and they like to call the .257 Weatherby Mag the “Death Ray” since it shoots medium light bullets super fast and flat and packs a punch 🤜🏻.
I love the 257 WBY MAG. I have taken antelope and deer here in the U. S. and Coues deer in Sonora Mexico. Longest shot was 625 yards. I shoot the 115 gr. Nosler ballistic tip at 3,400 fps.
Ron, I have had a number of 257 weatherby customs, 26", Ten and 9 Twists with very short freebore, from zero to .050 freebore. 100g TTSX with 72 of R#22 with fed 215 is 3850 with a 26" barrel. Also, in the 9T, 26", the 110g Accubond and the 115g Berger vld hunting is 3600 shooting groups in the 3/8" length. With a Gentry muzzle break, any young teenager can shoot this round with ease with recoil and muzzle flip being so little that you can see the bullet impact on the animal. 100g Partitions in my Pac Nor three groove, 10T with zero freebore, 26" is 3850 shooting 1/2" at 100 yards. 100g Hornady flat base has also performed well on hogs and deer.
Great stuff Ron! Those new projectiles will certainly make the .25 cal a better proposition for the hunter. I experimented a lot with the .257 Roberts and using 48gns of the now obsolete WIN 785 pushing a 117gn nosler ballistic tip through a freebored chamber to allow for extra OAL managed to achieve MOA groups with ease. I often thought of Ackley improved modifications but was happy enough with results in a BSA monarch hunting rifle.
I've always liked .25 caliber rifle rounds, they seem too be in a fantastic ballistic medium. They're fast, they're flat shooting, they handle cross wind well, and they hit hard.
I agree. After seeing my brother inlaw shoot some groundhogs with his 25-06 I just had to have one. It's a devestating round on everything from Groundhogs to Black Bear. I love shooting Whitetail deer with mine. It's like a sledge hammer when it impacts.
I have a 257 mk v, only have a couple hundred rounds through it. It's so fast and flat that it's like a video game. Instant hits to 350 or so yards, put the crosshairs on the target and it's there. I'm going to develop some new loads now. Great video. Thank you.
You're welcome.
I fondly recall gleaning my Lyman's 35th Edition Redloading Manual. I believe from the '70's. Looking back, maybe I was ahead of my time, drooling over two cartridges, the .257 Wby Mag, and the .264 Win Mag? Don't have a .264, but, bought a Ruger No. 1, in 25-06, never sent a round down the tube in that, but had re-chambered for .257 Wby Mag. Could not ask for a better setup.
I know this is about the 257 Weatherby but i love my grandads 257 Roberts!
Nothing wrong with that!
I love the 257 got a beautiful german mark v never fired
Ron, we need a mix of your great sayings. How you say "its a barrel burner" in this video is gold.
Such a better channel than Backfire. Thanks for the great video!
Much better!
After 50 years of rifle shooting , 3 shot groups and let your barrel cool between groups will let your barrel last for many years ! A hunting rifle is a hunting rifle , treat it that way. A target rifle and a hunting rifle are too different animals , if you want a target rifle then buy or build one. Please don’t wear out your good hunting rifle trying to put holes in paper at distances that you probably will never use hunting !
My choices were the 257 weatherby or the 264 Winchester magnum. I went with the 264. But the 257 is a very interesting round.
Long time 257 Wby fan here. They sure punch way above their weight class. I have taken moose, mule deer and white tails along with coyotes with my Vanguard Lazerguard. Great long range cartridge and NEVER had any animal move more than a step or two once hit in the right spot. Never thought I needed a heavier bullet ( my pet load has ELDX 110 grain bullets) but I will watch what happens. Thanks Ron and howdy from Saskatchewan!
Howdy Tac Man. Sask. Land of the giant whitetails. And mule deer. At least used to be. How now?
@@RonSpomerOutdoors Still is my friend! Big white tails are on the menu here for sure. And some of the best farmland moose you will have ever seen. Unbelievably tasty! Maybe a trip in the future? 👍
Never had a .257 Weatherby but I did own a .25-06 Rem. That gun killed everything I pointed it at. Seems I was using a 117 grain bullet but everything just dropped in their tracks. My wife and I both took elk with that gun. Hers went down immediately and mine managed to walk about 20' and laid down. Those little 25's are super fast, fun to shoot and the recoil is almost nothing. Loved that gun and sorry I let it go.
Thanks, Ron!
Someday It'll round out my 25 caliber collection, just haven't needed more than the '06...still want.
Please move up to the 270 weatherby. I may be buying a custom 270 weatherby from a neighbor.
I second that!
Please move up to a 300 weatherby. 🤣🤣 way more efficient than both.
@@greybone777 progress up the evil Roy ladder one rung at a time.
I have had 257, 270, 7mm and 300 wea rifles. The 270 is by far the superior caliber IMO. It is fast, accurate, flat shooting, hard hitting and you do not need to have a muzzle brake on it to tame the recoil. Weatherby used to make the Outfitter Rifle, it was light, a perfect weight for a day in the mountains. You just can not go wrong with the 270, it is just more versatile and better in every way.
25-06 for me.
75gn @ 3500 fps drops anything in my country
Any firearm producing 1000 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards with drop anything in the country.
.257 roberts is fantastic as well as 257 weatherby. I love both!
This was Roy Weatherbys go to cartridge. Did everything with it.
Roy Weatherby, I once read shot a Cape buffalo with his .257, I cant remember where I read that and cant cite my source.
You are welcome to research and reply, I would like to know if I'm dreaming, or its true.
@@Drivapete I think Weatherby has a video on their channel where they mention that. Might find more info there.
@@Drivapete
Your not dreaming. That story is true. I remember reading about it as a boy.
@@Drivapete I don't know if it's true, but if hunters in the early 20th century were taking elephants with cartridges like 7mm Mauser and .30-06, it's certainly plausible.
@@Drivapete it was his 300 wby mag he shot in Africa
Been waiting for this for awhile. Ultimate deer round. I have been dreaming of a fast twist 257 as long as i have been shooting and hunting.
I cronographed several factory Weatherby 87 gr. Hornady spire point rounds. My 26 inch barrel Remington CDL got 4008, 4011 and 4007 fps.
Muzzle blast was so ferocious, it blew my chronograph off the block of wood, I had it setting on. From 17 feet away. I tried to duplicate that factory load. I used 72.2 grs. of IMR 4831.
Which is 2 grains over suggested max load. I got 3877, 3882 and 3874 fps with the Hornady 90 gr. GMX bullet. I couldn't come close the factory Weatherby 87 gr. load.
My rifle wasn't really accurate with any load I tried. I was disappointed with the accuracy of my Remington, chambered in .257 Wby. It's collecting dust in my gun cabinet.
The 25-06 can do everything a 257 Wby can do at half the cost.
i just ordered a Brux 7 1/2 twist 25 caliber barrel that will be chambered in a 257 Weatherby mag. contour 4 that will be finished at 28 inches and put on a Weatherby mark 5 action hoping to shoot 25 caliber 128 Hammer bullets 3400 + FPS . I have also rebarreled a new rifle with a Brux 7 1/2 twist , 7 contour barrel in a 257 Creedmoor that shoots real nice .
Love it Ron! Barrels are just a replacement part anyway!
Thanks for the great info. My Mk V in 257 wtby is an all weather. Only shot factory ammo so far but hopefully when the primer shortage is over I'll be able to try those 133 gr bullets 😊
The 257 mg is a great gun I have one but I hand load for it ammo is very pricey. Just cool the barrel after 3 shoots and it will last along time.
Try one of Weatherby's neck sizing dies - it should shrink your groups to half what they are now, and your brass lasts longer. You're right about letting the barrel cool, the .257 isn't a benchrest gun - I put unknown thousands of rounds through mine hunting groundhogs, but never very many rounds in a short period of time.
Even before the high ballistic coefficient fad I had determined that the .257" bore cartridges needed a faster twist than 1-10". The sectional density of the 115-120 grain .257" bullets is about .250 and is ideal for deer sized game but the 1-10" twist is marginal. Pac Nor finally started making 1-9" twist replacement barrels and settled the matter. Most barrel makers are offering faster twists for the .257" now. Personally I think that most of the high B.C. bullets lack proper expansion properties for big game and dismiss them as inadequate. Shooting at any distance over 300 yards, especially from a field position at big game, is highly questionable unless the hunter is a skilled marksman who knows his rifle/load intimately. Love my .25-06 rifles and the .257 Weatherby is on my "Bucket List". Thanks for a great presentation Ron!
You wont be sorry! I use mine regularly for elk and deer and never had any issues. Range is kept to a maximum of 400yds.
Shoots a Barnes 100gr TTSX at 3525 fps for devastating results!
Actually the higher box bulletd like Blackjack and the new Berger’s will expand better at 300-1000 yards than traditional hunting bullets
@@archer3181 I have seen some spectacular failures with Berger bullets. I don't trust them, even for filling a doe tag. I never heard of these Blackjack bullets until recently but I am dubious of them until I see them in action.
You're welcome, Hillbilly.
I love these video's, That you make. So much info, it slows down my upload.
Thanks Bobby. Glad you're enjoying.
Great round and I reload for it a fair bit. The 10 twist barrels will support up to 120gr bullets as Ron has said. However, be wary of any older 257 that may have a 12 twist barrel. They will not shoot anything over a 100ish grain bullet accurately. The Weatherby 117gr factory ammo uses a 117gr Hornady round nose Interlock, which due to its shape, will stabilize in a 12 twist. 120gr Noslers and the like will not, yielding 3 shot groups over 12" at 100 yards. The reload we settled on for this old 257 with a 12 twist was pretty much a carbon copy of the 117gr factory loading, and shoots consistent 3/4" 3 shot groups.
The musical introduction is excellent.
I looked at the 257 WM years ago, but only hunting whitetail as the largest game, I went with the 25-06. People overlook the 25 cal., but it is wicked. I ordered a Remington Sendaro 26" heavy barrel when they were first introduced approx 25 years ago, before the fluted barrel. Hunted deer for years, never tracked a deer, they literally dropped in their tracks. With my handloaded Nosler 100 gr ballistic tips, it was lethal. Stopped hunting about 15 years ago but I can get that rifle out today with that same load I worked up years ago, it will still shoot a 5 shot ragged hole at 100 yards.