257 Weatherby for mule deer, 100 or 120 gr?

[RLKondo]

Hello All,

I just went out and baught a 257 weatherby because I found a great deal and because I have a late season deer hunt coming up. Nothing like a great excuse to buy another gun!

1st question- Will 100 gr bullet be enough for a large mule deer, lets say out to 300 yards or should I move to 120 gr?

Is there much of a difference between the 2, will the deer know the difference?

2nd, If i am hunting in a very windy area, should I scrap the 257 and use a 300 - 180 gr

This of course assuming that I do my part shooting and have proper bullet placement.

What other loads are you guys using with the 257 or 25-06 for big game?

Thanks!!!

[Rick in Oregon]

RL: Your 257Wby will be at its best for mulies with the 120gr bullet. If you want to go lighter, the Barnes Tipped Tripple Shock would be very good too. But you'll want the heavier bullet to better buck the always present breeze, so I'd go with the 120gr, as you've certainly got the boiler room to give very good velocities and flat trajectory.

If it's windy enough to consider leaving your 257Wby in camp and taking your '06 out with 180's, it's probably too windy to hunt/shoot anyway. Take your 257 with 120's and complete confidence.

(I've been killing mulies with my 270Win and 130's now almost every year since 1968.)

[RLKondo]

RIO,

Thanks for the quick reply, great information as always! I am headed to Cabelas this after noon to bight the bullet and buy a box of shells, because Im not going to have time to reload.

I hope I have great pictures to show after the hung.

Thanks again, any other 257 weatherby info you guys can provide, will be gladly accepted


Enjoy the best holiday season of the year - Hunting!

[Bill K]

I have always preferred the old standby, 120 grain Nosler partition.. Works just great in any of my 25's on deer or elk. And a bear or two. Bill K

[Guy M]

I've had excellent results on mule deer with the 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip at 3120 fps mv from my .25-06 rifle. Accurate and very deadly. Also penetrates much better than many might anticipate - as in completely through the buck and instant drops.

We've got a .257 Weatherby here at the house too, but haven't used it a lot lately. Older gun that my son is trying to bring back to life. I think he's going to ask me to have it re-barreled for his birthday or something... It really could stand a new barrel, so my handload & hunting info for it isn't strong. It is however much like my .25-06, with another 100 - 200 fps on tap.

Guy