Weatherby Vanguard .257 Magnum Questions

[Geno]

I had a Wea Mark V Deluxe in .257 Wea Mag. It had the 26" barrel and was very accurate. It is worth noting that the .257 Wea Mag was one of Roy Weatherby's favorite. He used it to harvest cape buffalo and other dangerous game.

You need to reload. Try AA3100 powder, with Federal 215 primers and a 100 grain spire point, boattail. Reloader 22, I have heard, is also good, as is H4831.

Geno

 

[GooseGestapo]

I think you'll find the Redfield a good pairing with the Vanguard.
Try RL25 with the .257Wby. It's the fastest powder listed I've found. Accuracy is also quite excellent. Sub-moa with most bullets I've tried. Definitely use Federal 215primers. Don't forget to try some of the surplus powders from Jeff Bartlett at www.gi-brass.com. You can then load the .257wby for less than you can a .250Savage !!! I've gotten good results from WC-860. Only caveat with that powder is that it's very temp. sensitive. At 90degF. loads that run 3,500fps- have run 3,000-3,100fps at 35degF. About like similar bullet weights from the .257Roberts or .25/06. RL22 is good. Factory ammo was for many years loaded with IMR4831. I'm sure that Norma is using MRP or something similar in the current factory loads now.

Again, I'll state that I was unable to adjust my "Factory" trigger to an acceptable pull weight and consistency. It was either 7-10lbs or "nothing". The Timney was a dramatic improvement.

RE: Remington 120gr Corlokt... I wish we could still get this bullet in component form. I bought a box back in the early '90's and killed a lot of deer with that box of 100 bullets. It was a guarenteed complete penetration on deer from the .257Roberts at 2,800+fps. IMO it would be an outstanding bullet in the .257Wby.

Other bullets I can recommend are the 117gr Hornady BTSpt "Interlok", the 117gr Sierra GameKing and ProHunter, and the 120gr BTHP GameKing, as well as the Speer 120gr flat-base "hot-cor", and 120 GrandSlam. These would not work as well on Elk as the Nosler 115 and 120gr Partitions and 120gr Swift A-Frames.

 

[zeke]

As always work up load carefully. I use Norma (wby) brass, Fed 215 primer, 69.0 grains RL-22, Old style blue coated 100 grain Barnes or 100 grain partition. Loaded as long as mag allows minus a safety factor. This gets about 3500 fps from 26 in barrel. Used to use the max loads from an older Hornady manual, but then ran into a fast batch of RL-22.
The newer Hornady manuals have decreased their max 257 and 270 wby loads substancially.

Have an older Japanese made synthetic stock. Free floated the barrel to keep the accuracy past 3-5 rounds. The high velocity loads can can leave alot of copper, and helped to break in the barrel. Bought the rifle used, and cleaned out a mess of copper and powder fouling just ahead of the chamber throat. Am quessing the first owner thought the barrel was "shot out". A good cleaning was required to get the accuracy potential.

 

[natman]

just looked at the Barnes TTSX Ouch 35 dollars for 50 bullets. I want to find a good uncoated bullet for this cartridge that will perform inside of 150 yds with good penetration.

Somewhere along the line the entire point of the 257 Weatherby has been missed. It's designed for light big game such as deer and antelope at long range. The high velocity that creates the laser trajectory so useful at 300+ yards is wasted at 100 yards and causes more problems with bullet performance than it's worth. If you want to hunt them under 150 yards, there is a large selection of cartridges that fill the bill that cost less to feed and are easier on bullets.

If you insist on using the 257 at close range premium bullets are a must. Otherwise you'll risk having a bullet blow up on when it hits 500 fps faster than it's designed velocity.

 

[SwampWolf]

If you insist on using the 257 at close range premium bullets are a must.

natman, which specific "premium" bullet would you recommend for relatively close range (say, 150 yards and closer) shooting with the .257 Weatherby? Whereas I plan on a western hunt for antelope and mulies "someday", as I noted in an earlier post, most of my hunting is for whitetails in environs that involve shots much closer than 300 yards. Should I be loading Nosler Partitions or Swift A-Frames?

 

[SwampWolf]

A couple of more notes on the Vanguards, just in case you aren't already aware. They are built in Japan by Howa.

One thing I found interesting about the Weatherby vs Howa in terms of differences is that the Howa's two-position safety allows the bolt to be opened while on "safe", while the Weatherby requires you to place the safety on "fire" before you can open the bolt to unload the rifle; the bolt remaining locked in the "safe" mode. I'm probably in the minority here but I much prefer a bolt-action rifle to have the bolt locked on a two position safety when on "safe" (as is my Weatherby and every other bolt-action rifle I own, to include Rugers and Savage). The last thing I want is for the bolt handle on a bolt-action rifle that allows the bolt to be opened while on "safe" to be dislodged while hunting, thus precluding any chance of a shot at fast-moving game.
No doubt the best safety is the three-position ones, as found on the Winchester Model 70, the Savage Model 110 and the Ruger MKIIs.

 

[natman]

natman, which specific "premium" bullet would you recommend for relatively close range (say, 150 yards and closer) shooting with the .257 Weatherby? Whereas I plan on a western hunt for antelope and mulies "someday", as I noted in an earlier post, most of my hunting is for whitetails in environs that involve shots much closer than 300 yards. Should I be loading Nosler Partitions or Swift A-Frames?

Either would be a good choice. IMO the Swifts are tougher, but the Noslers would be a good choice for all around.

IMO the 257 is one of the most specialized rounds out there. It's extremely good at what it's good at. If I were going to build an all out, cost is no object antelope rifle, it would be a 257 Wby. However, for hunting whitetails at 150 yards I'd much rather have a 257 Roberts.

Or 308, 6.5x55, 7mm-08, etc, etc.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Unfortunately, we can't always choose what range we engage a target at.
The first deer I shot with my .300RUM is a good example.

I was hunting a fire-break/property line the evening after I had bushhogged it. I'd seen several deer standing in the break watching me while I was working. I returned about a half hour before dusk to wait for the deer. I was on a hill top watching a heavily used crossing approx.225yds from my promotory position. As luck would have it, a large doe stepped out, 27paces in front of me.

It did prove that the 180gr Corlokt at 3,250fps (105gr of WC860, Fed215primer, Rem. case) was indeed a worthy bullet for the .300RUM. The wound cavity was suprisingly narrow, and the exit out the transected deer indicated that the expansion was sufficiently controlled. About what you'd expect from a Swift A-frame. Not bad for a bullet that at the time cost me the same for 500, as 100 of the A-frames.

For my "all around" deer bullet and antelope as far as you might be tempted to shoot at one, the Hornady 100gr Spt is it. I bought a large quantity of the MidwayUSA "Blems" and they are excellent.

As I stated, the Interlok feature of the Hornady's work as advertised. If the 100gr seems a little light, try the 117gr. It works, too.
So far, my longest shot with the .257has been at 168yds. On an airport, where I "could" have shot as far as 1,000yds or beyond.
Go figure!

If penetration means nothing, but a reasonably assure Bang-flop is, then consider the 115gr Berger VLD-Hunting. Nothing has a higher B.C. in .25caliber, and they are truly devastating for lung shots. My rifle dosen't particularily shoot well with them, but my Ruger M77 .257Roberts thinks they're "candy". It shoots well under MOA and 45.0gr of IMR3031 delivers them at 3,000fps m/v. I see no reason the shoot them from the .257wby personally, as the Vanguard much prefers the 120gr Speers.

 

[trex1310]

Academy has the Weatherby Vanguard for $399.00. I bought one in
.243 just before Christmas.

 

[pwillie]

My model 70 is chambered in 257 Weatherby,all stainless Hart match grade barrel,with the original "Boss" system.Very accurate and reliable.Three point safety,and trigger set @ 2.5 lbs.MCMillan stock,and topped off with a 4X16X50 Swarovski TDS. Great deer rifle,and I use Norma (Weatherby) ammo,numbered boxes.Yes its expensive,but its worth it.115 BST. The rifle has taken many deer and head shots @ 2 hundred yds is easy.Turkeys,neck shots @2 hundred yds..custom rifles are great,if you can afford them.