Loading for the 257 bee

[salmonchaser]

So the rancher I guide for shoots a 257bee. He shoots very well. Last year I witnessed a 350 yard head shot on a cougar, this year 480 yards on a good buck. He shoots factory 120 grain partitions.
He swears he does not have to make any adjustments out to 500 yards. Just point and shoot. It's been years since he checked his zero. A very successful hunter, with an impressive battery of rifles, he is not a gun guy, they are simply tools.
In any event I've talked him into letting me load for the 257 as he has not been able to find his favorite load for less than about 80.00 a box.
Looking for some insight on doing so
Thanks
Don

 

[SJB358]

That is exactly what I did with my little brothers 257.

Norma Brass, CCI 250's and 120 PT's. RL25 worked pretty well for me..

 

[salmonchaser]

A starting point, thanks Scotty. I have some 25, but so far have not found any 120 gr partitions.

 

[SJB358]

Let me know if you can't. I might have some to get you started if you need them.

My brother just dumped about 20 cases on me in Nov, so I've gotta reload them for him. He is killing everything he points at with it. Wicked cartridge.

 

[FOTIS]

I use the 110 AccuBond with reloder 22. I get .55" @100 yards and 3510 fps

 

[salmonchaser]

Thanks Fotis. Really starting to re-think the bigger is better thing. Saw an elk and a couple of deer killed with .25 caliber rifles this fall and they were really dead.

 

[wayno945]

69 grains IMR 7828 with the 120 PT

 

[Guy Miner]

Thanks Fotis. Really starting to re-think the bigger is better thing. Saw an elk and a couple of deer killed with .25 caliber rifles this fall and they were really dead.

Really dead is better than regular dead...

Agree - one hot little cartridge...

Factory ammo prices, particularly for "premium" ammo have gone completely bonkers.

Guy

 

[FOTIS]

Looked at my data 69 gr of RL22

 

[salmonchaser]

I wrote early in the fall about the impressive results of the 25 o6 on a cow. Granted no heavy bones were hit, but she was really messed up inside.
Deer, boy that's a nobrainer. DRT, dead right there, has always been good enough for me, but really dead, that's something else.
Since elk rarely give a perfect shot. And where I hunt them, if they roll once, they go a long way, I'll stick with the 338. But I am really beginning to see what some many like about fast 25s.

 

[bbearhntr]

I use the 110 AccuBond with reloder 22. I get .55" @100 yards and 3510 fps

I use this same recipe. 69.5 g of RL22 gives me 5/8" groups at 3480 FPS out of once fired factory WBY brass and Fed 215 match primers. The cost of Weatherby factory ammo is the reason I started reloading too.

 

[wbyfan1]

So the rancher I guide for shoots a 257bee. He shoots very well. Last year I witnessed a 350 yard head shot on a cougar, this year 480 yards on a good buck. He shoots factory 120 grain partitions.
He swears he does not have to make any adjustments out to 500 yards. Just point and shoot. It's been years since he checked his zero. A very successful hunter, with an impressive battery of rifles, he is not a gun guy, they are simply tools.
In any event I've talked him into letting me load for the 257 as he has not been able to find his favorite load for less than about 80.00 a box.
Looking for some insight on doing so
Thanks
Don

Don,

70-72 grains of RL-25 and the 115 Ballistic Tip has been the most accurate combination in every 257 Weatherby I've ever owned. Also gives the best speed at 3350+fps. My second choice is the 110 AB and H-1000. Can't remember off the top of my head what the charge is. It was very close to max though.

 

[salmonchaser]

Appreciate the insight, still waiting on dies

 

[double_d]

If you can get your hands on some rl33, it works well in my 257 with 115gr TSX

 

[SJB358]

Those fast 25's are a lot of fun... Can't beat the nudge in recoil they touch you with either.

 

[rodell]

IMR 7828 SSC and the 100 grain TTSX in the 257 is a deadly accurate combination, too.

I now use the same powder in the 257 and 300.