257 WBY vs. 300 WBY

[257 Wby Mag]

No disticnt advantage Josh? Its about like shottin a 300 Roy against a 30-06 near as I can tell. Eats distance a hellava lot better, noticeable"sound" differance when it hits the silouttes too. Thats MY observation BTW. As far as recoil, I wouldn't let the old lady hunt with it, but thats me. 243 would be a much better choice for a lady. IMO

Never put turrets on it, thought about, but never have. Killed bucks at over 500, coyotes over 400. Practice up with it if you get it, its a perty easy cartridge too "learn".

[JoshT]

I'm just saying I didn't notice the difference in the field... and I've run many thousands of .25 caliber pills down range. It's more like the difference between an '06 and the H&H... about 200 fps with any bullet weight... but one needs a 26" pipe and 20% more powder to get it done. There's an advantage... but it's much smaller than one would be led to believe. I shot mine side by side... for about a year... and the Roy didn't do anything magical with a two-bit slug that couldn't be done with the .25-06. It was flatter... but it's not like the .25-06 at 3400 is hucking rainbows.

[Mike450r]

mike450r what bullets are you shooting in the 257 that is wrecking meat?

120 gr partitions,  And I wouldn't necessarily say wrecking meat as I am a heart/lung shooter but the shock of 120 grs hitting at 3000 fps has bloodshot all the rib meat which there isn't much I suppose but tends to bleed into the front shoulder area pretty bad.  Substantial exit wounds though (fist size) on the 2 deer I have shot with it especially for a .25 caliber.

[bearpaw]

If you have a 300 or larger and you don't like the recoil, take it to any good gunsmith and have them put a limbsaver recoil pad on it......all my big guns have one.....30% -50% noticeably less felt recoil.......my 300 mark v feels like a 30:06......anyone who shoots them are surprised by the way they shoot with a limbsaver.

[257 Wby Mag]

Ok, for arguements sake. Fifth Edtion Nosler. I know every rifles differant, chron'os, etc. I know guys have there pet loads, 3400 with the 25, 3700 with a 257, both shooting 100 grain boolits. Heres some data.

25/06 hottest load
IMR 4350 51.0 grains 3352
257 Wby Mag
AA3100 68 grains 3602
250 fps 17 grains
30/06
RL22 61.0 grains 2872
300 Roy
RL19 79.0 grains 3198
326 fps diff 18 grains+/-

So, 75 fps off, thats why I said "about". I know there are better loads for all of em. I know with Rl 25 in a Mark V 257 you can touch 3700fps. I don't think the writer was talking about "efficency"? There are trade offs through out life, fast and flat is one of em. It all come down to what a guy wants I reckon. My money is on the 257.......

[Hillbilly270]

i dont mean to butt in but do you guys honestly think a deer cares how fast a bullet is going when it hits them?

[Intruder]

i dont mean to butt in but do you guys honestly think a deer cares how fast a bullet is going when it hits them?

.... well said

[257 Wby Mag]

I've seen em holdin chronographs before Hillbilly!!! grin. I like the velocity cause it makes killin a little easier. Also like the SHWWWAAACK it makes when it hits meat!!

[Bofire]

 :)run a few of those loads thru a chronograph. I have.
Carl

[257 Wby Mag]

So have I Carl. Norma does a pretty good job of loading factory stuff.....

[jackelope]

anybody have good results with a factory 257roy load for deer? i don't reload at this point.

[257 Wby Mag]

Factory 100 grain Hornady Spire Points always made meat for me Jack.... Shot like a sumbitch too...

[JoshT]

Apples to Apples... or 24" barrel to 24" barrel... it's 200 fps... maybe. But, using your (Nosler's) numbers:

250 fps (a 7% increase)... using an extra 17 grains (30% more powder)... and increased blast and recoil... all for 5" less drop and 2" less wind at 500 yards (32" vs. 27"... & 18.5" vs. 16.5")... both using a 200yd zero??? Drop back to 400 yards and the difference is about 3"... and at 300 yards the difference is less than an inch. "Flat shooting" is only relevant to about 350... then you better have a rangefinder... and if you have a known range... then it doesn't really matter how "flat" your round is... provided you have the experience, data, and where-with-all to make the shot.

To put it in the words of the great Tom Jackson... COME ON MAN. I like the Roy, it's an awesome killing machine... but not any better than the .25-06 in my experience. I'm a quarter-bore whore... and I'd not sell one to get the other... but to me... the .25-06 does everything one can reasonably expect to do with a .257 cal bullet.

[257 Wby Mag]

Apples to Apples... or 24" barrel to 24" barrel... it's 200 fps... maybe. But, using your (Nosler's) numbers:

250 fps (a 7% increase)... using an extra 17 grains (30% more powder)... and increased blast and recoil... all for 5" less drop and 2" less wind at 500 yards (32" vs. 27"... & 18.5" vs. 16.5")... both using a 200yd zero??? Drop back to 400 yards and the difference is about 3"... and at 300 yards the difference is less than an inch. "Flat shooting" is only relevant to about 350... then you better have a rangefinder... and if you have a known range... then it doesn't really matter how "flat" your round is... provided you have the experience, data, and where-with-all to make the shot.

To put it in the words of the great Tom Jackson... COME ON MAN. I like the Roy, it's an awesome killing machine... but not any better than the .25-06 in my experience. I'm a quarter-bore whore... and I'd not sell one to get the other... but to me... the .25-06 does everything one can reasonably expect to do with a .257 cal bullet.

This is where it gets funny. I remember when the vanguard came out in 257. Layne Simpson did a article. According to his testing, the vanguard, with 2'' less of snout, beat the mark V by 30 fps. Marketing scam? methinks. Have I tested it? Nope. Have I shot a 25/06 next to a 257 enough to know? Yep. I'm a Roy whore though Josh. Got a 240 and 300 Roy Ultra lightweights on the way.

[jackelope]

if we ever get together for a shootout, my 257 is a vanguard with a 24" barrel...anybody's welcome to see what it'll do next to the markV