[Don L]

Folks,
Thanks to the people on this board and other sources on the internet I've
pretty much decided on the 30-06 for my desired cartridge. However
another cartridge intrigues me...the .257 Weatherby magnum. I was
wondering what was the biggest game it could take.
Thanks in advance,
Don

 

[Coalcracker]

Varmints to deer. Shot placement is more critical with deer.

 

[RMLamp]

Folks,
Thanks to the people on this board and other sources on the internet I've
pretty much decided on the 30-06 for my desired cartridge. However
another cartridge intrigues me...the .257 Weatherby magnum. I was
wondering what was the biggest game it could take.
Thanks in advance,
Don

That was Roy Weatherby's favorite caliber, do your part with proper shot placement and bullet choice you can use it on anything in North America short of large bears.

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Ammo looks like it's around $3 - $4.50 a pop depending on how fancy you want to get...

Alan

 

[Coalcracker]

They way rifle ammo is priced these days. Im thankful i took up reloading.

 

[Caveman Jim]

They way rifle ammo is priced these days. Im thankful i took up reloading.

Same here! It’s been insane the last few years or when the Democrats are in the WH).

 

[Don L]

Varmints to deer. Shot placement is more critical with deer.

So I note you didn't mentiion elk or moose. Are they a no go with this cartridge?
Thanks for the response.
Don

 

[Don L]

That was Roy Weatherby's favorite caliber, do your part with proper shot placement and bullet choice you can use it on anything in North America short of large bears.

The round intrigued me because, (and correct me if I'm wrong) it has less recoil than an 30-06. I've got a picture of Roy Spomer with a black bear he'd taken with a .257 wm
so I take it your talking about grizzly.
Thanks for the input,
Don

 

[Wag]

Keep in mind that just because you COULD take a certain game animal with that cartridge doesn't mean it's advisable in common practice. One of the biggest grizzly bears ever killed was taken with a .22 caliber bullet. It was only because of the expert marksmanship of the shooter, very close range and probably a ton of luck that it happened. But I'd never go hunting grizzlies with a .22 rifle. Or deer or elk or moose or even coyotes, for that matter.

Just because you've seen a picture doesn't mean it's necessarily a good idea.

That said, you do you. If you intend to shoot larger game animals, I suggest a larger .30 caliber, higher powered round but using a smaller round might cause you some grief.

--Wag--

 

[Zhills]

You will be limited in bullet weight, 120gn max. This is a good deer, pronghorn cartridge. One of the first belted magnums and fast, but as already pointed out ammo will expensive and hard to find, even reloading will a challenge. The 06 is a really good choice for an all-around NA hunting round. Yes the recoil can be stout but it can be migrated some with a good pad and shooting stance. But if you want a good mid-range cartidge look at the 6.5 creedmoor or .260 Remington.

 

[Don L]

Keep in mind that just because you COULD take a certain game animal with that cartridge doesn't mean it's advisable in common practice. One of the biggest grizzly bears ever killed was taken with a .22 caliber bullet. It was only because of the expert marksmanship of the shooter, very close range and probably a ton of luck that it happened. But I'd never go hunting grizzlies with a .22 rifle. Or deer or elk or moose or even coyotes, for that matter.

Just because you've seen a picture doesn't mean it's necessarily a good idea.

That said, you do you. If you intend to shoot larger game animals, I suggest a larger .30 caliber, higher powered round but using a smaller round might cause you some grief.

--Wag--

Appreciate the info, Wag.
Don

 

[Don L]

You will be limited in bullet weight, 120gn max. This is a good deer, pronghorn cartridge. One of the first belted magnums and fast, but as already pointed out ammo will expensive and hard to find, even reloading will a challenge. The 06 is a really good choice for an all-around NA hunting round. Yes the recoil can be stout but it can be migrated some with a good pad and shooting stance. But if you want a good mid-range cartidge look at the 6.5 creedmoor or .260 Remington.

As I said in a previous thread, I used to shoot a 30-06 without a recoil pad as a teen. I could handle it but it wasn't necessarily pleasant. Thought if I could reduce that...oh well.
Thanks for the input, Zhills.
Don

 

[gvaldeg1]

When it comes to shot placement, W. D.M. Bell (Karamojo) regularly took elephants with a 7x57 MM (.275 Rigby). It was one of his favorite guns.

 

[Stamps6]

I’ve never felt that the 06 had a stout recoil. We shoot 12 ga slugs in Jersey and that got a stout recoil. Your pushing an ounce of lead at 1400 FPS and that produces recoil. Yeah the 06 kicks but it’s nothing to complain about if you’re a regular shooter.

 

[underdog]

Cartridge Review: The Hard-Hitting .257 Weatherby Magnum

For midsized big game, few rifles have all the qualities offered by .257 Weatherby Magnum. Find out why it was Roy Weatherby's all-time favorite.

gundigest.com

Designed in 1944
The cartridge really shines when and where shooting at game over long distances is required.
It is ideal for small to medium-sized deer, pronghorn, and other small ungulates. I have also used mine when hunting predators like coyotes, bobcats, and fox, though because the barrel heats up extremely quickly it is not a good choice where high-volume shooting is taking place.

In fact, care must be taken at the range to allow the barrel to sufficiently cool between groups or you’ll find that accuracy will suffer, and barrel life will be shortened. When going to the range I always bring a jug of ice water and a towel, and use it to cool the barrel after every 5-shot group. I also clean the barrel after every 10 shots.

7mm Remington Magnum

7mm Remington Magnum bullet selection and performance on game

www.ballisticstudies.com

Unfortunately, the current trend towards light weight barrels does not help minimize recoil of the 7mm RM or any of the magnums. Factory rifles are available with either No.2 contour barrels (light sporter) or No.5 Contour (Varmint) as can be found on the Remington Sendero. No.3 and 4 contour medium weight barrels are found only on Sako rifles or through custom barrel makers. Barrel length is also a concern, several manufacturers continue to produce 24” barreled magnums while the optimum barrel length is 26”. Longer barrels (28 - 32”) can display even higher velocities but some portability is lost at these lengths.

 

[Don L]

Cartridge Review: The Hard-Hitting .257 Weatherby Magnum

For midsized big game, few rifles have all the qualities offered by .257 Weatherby Magnum. Find out why it was Roy Weatherby's all-time favorite.

gundigest.com

The cartridge really shines when and where shooting at game over long distances is required.
It is ideal for small to medium-sized deer, pronghorn, and other small ungulates. I have also used mine when hunting predators like coyotes, bobcats, and fox, though because the barrel heats up extremely quickly it is not a good choice where high-volume shooting is taking place.

In fact, care must be taken at the range to allow the barrel to sufficiently cool between groups or you’ll find that accuracy will suffer, and barrel life will be shortened. When going to the range I always bring a jug of ice water and a towel, and use it to cool the barrel after every 5-shot group. I also clean the barrel after every 10 shots.

Thanks for your input, underdog.
Don

 

[Don L]

Cartridge Review: The Hard-Hitting .257 Weatherby Magnum

For midsized big game, few rifles have all the qualities offered by .257 Weatherby Magnum. Find out why it was Roy Weatherby's all-time favorite.

gundigest.com

Designed in 1944
The cartridge really shines when and where shooting at game over long distances is required.
It is ideal for small to medium-sized deer, pronghorn, and other small ungulates. I have also used mine when hunting predators like coyotes, bobcats, and fox, though because the barrel heats up extremely quickly it is not a good choice where high-volume shooting is taking place.

In fact, care must be taken at the range to allow the barrel to sufficiently cool between groups or you’ll find that accuracy will suffer, and barrel life will be shortened. When going to the range I always bring a jug of ice water and a towel, and use it to cool the barrel after every 5-shot group. I also clean the barrel after every 10 shots.

7mm Remington Magnum

7mm Remington Magnum bullet selection and performance on game

www.ballisticstudies.com

Unfortunately, the current trend towards light weight barrels does not help minimize recoil of the 7mm RM or any of the magnums. Factory rifles are available with either No.2 contour barrels (light sporter) or No.5 Contour (Varmint) as can be found on the Remington Sendero. No.3 and 4 contour medium weight barrels are found only on Sako rifles or through custom barrel makers. Barrel length is also a concern, several manufacturers continue to produce 24” barreled magnums while the optimum barrel length is 26”. Longer barrels (28 - 32”) can display even higher velocities but some portability is lost at these lengths.

I also thought this statement in the article about the .257 wm you linked to was interesting:

"The .257 Weatherby Magnum will never be one of the country’s top 10 best-selling hunting cartridges, nor should it be. It is a specialty cartridge designed for long-range shooting at small- and medium-sized big game.
For that task, it is an excellent choice."


"

 

[gvaldeg1]

I’ve never felt that the 06 had a stout recoil. We shoot 12 ga slugs in Jersey and that got a stout recoil. Your pushing an ounce of lead at 1400 FPS and that produces recoil. Yeah the 06 kicks but it’s nothing to complain about if you’re a regular shooter.

Never had a problem with any '06 but my 45-70 pushing 400 GR bullets and my .458 Win Mag shooting 500 GR were a bit stout.

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

My GoTo 30-06 still has no recoil pad. I have rarely felt recoil when hunting. Magnum rounds were developed to deliver 100 yard velocities and energies at 200 yards, and so on... Most people, shooting at most game, do so at 200 yards or less. At those ranges, magnum velocities and energy is unnecessary. The only applications I can think of offhand to use or need a small caliber magnum would be Sheep or Goat hunting in the mountains or antelope hunting on the plains... Even then, a 25-06 or a 270 would do the job.

I have a friend who had a custom rifle (257 Wby Mag) made and a load worked up for it as well... He has to go back to the same guy to get ammunition every time he needs some and it's some high quality $tuff... He asked me if I would load some for him, and I told him to buy the dies and I'd teach him how... I'm not in the reloading business, and I'll load for myself and my sons. Too much liability involved loading up someone else's ammo... Anyway, I never heard any more about it...

Roy Weatherby can do whatever he wants (and he evidently does), but the whole proprietary rounds thing kinda turns me off... No doubt they are fine rifles and the rounds are accurate and will kill whatever, but still... There are folks who buy in to that sort of thing...

I am of the belief that rounds in the 30-06 class are about peak for most game animal hunting. Aside from the really big stuff in Africa, Charging lions, tigers, and bears, and big old buffalos of all kinds, the 30-06 will do just fine.

The versatility of the 30-06 in bullet weights and types is unmatched. The 8x57 Mauser is a great round and the 270 Win has more than proven itself over the years.

Years ago I built a 308 Norma Mag. I like the rifle, it shoots well, and does what it's supposed to do... It burns more powder and pushes a 180 gr SPBT fast enough to drop a mature buck at 400 yards... But, that is the exception. The average shot is 100 to 150 yards and the 180 won't even expand unless it hits bone.

The most dramatic one shot DRT shots I've seen have been in the 100 yard range with the little old 30-30 and 150 gr bullets. The bullet is going fast enough to get there and slow enough to expand fully and transfer most of it's energy to the animal...

Fast little bullets may just slide right through without setting up or they may blow to pieces if the hit a heavy bone. Big lumbering bullets may just go right through if they don't hit muscle or bone. Most of the time, a 30 cal 150 gr bullet from a 30-06 or 308 will expand fully and leave a gaping hole on the far side..

Anyway, enough rambling. I fell asleep four times typing this...

Alan

 

[Don L]

My GoTo 30-06 still has no recoil pad. I have rarely felt recoil when hunting. Magnum rounds were developed to deliver 100 yard velocities and energies at 200 yards, and so on... Most people, shooting at most game, do so at 200 yards or less. At those ranges, magnum velocities and energy is unnecessary. The only applications I can think of offhand to use or need a small caliber magnum would be Sheep or Goat hunting in the mountains or antelope hunting on the plains... Even then, a 25-06 or a 270 would do the job.

I have a friend who had a custom rifle (257 Wby Mag) made and a load worked up for it as well... He has to go back to the same guy to get ammunition every time he needs some and it's some high quality $tuff... He asked me if I would load some for him, and I told him to buy the dies and I'd teach him how... I'm not in the reloading business, and I'll load for myself and my sons. Too much liability involved loading up someone else's ammo... Anyway, I never heard any more about it...

Roy Weatherby can do whatever he wants (and he evidently does), but the whole proprietary rounds thing kinda turns me off... No doubt they are fine rifles and the rounds are accurate and will kill whatever, but still... There are folks who buy in to that sort of thing...

I am of the belief that rounds in the 30-06 class are about peak for most game animal hunting. Aside from the really big stuff in Africa, Charging lions, tigers, and bears, and big old buffalos of all kinds, the 30-06 will do just fine.

The versatility of the 30-06 in bullet weights and types is unmatched. The 8x57 Mauser is a great round and the 270 Win has more than proven itself over the years.

Years ago I built a 308 Norma Mag. I like the rifle, it shoots well, and does what it's supposed to do... It burns more powder and pushes a 180 gr SPBT fast enough to drop a mature buck at 400 yards... But, that is the exception. The average shot is 100 to 150 yards and the 180 won't even expand unless it hits bone.

The most dramatic one shot DRT shots I've seen have been in the 100 yard range with the little old 30-30 and 150 gr bullets. The bullet is going fast enough to get there and slow enough to expand fully and transfer most of it's energy to the animal...

Fast little bullets may just slide right through without setting up or they may blow to pieces if the hit a heavy bone. Big lumbering bullets may just go right through if they don't hit muscle or bone. Most of the time, a 30 cal 150 gr bullet from a 30-06 or 308 will expand fully and leave a gaping hole on the far side..

Anyway, enough rambling. I fell asleep four times typing this...

Alan

Appreciate the input, Alan