Most Mark V's are quite accurate and will do 0.75 to 1" groups, and are great 500 yard deer, sheep, goat, pronghorn rifles. The Mark standard V's are not lightweight rifles. This caliber really needs the 26" bbl for best results. Due to limited bullet weight, .257 bullets don't have particularly high BC's so they don't make good extreme range rifles. Within 500 yards they result in quick kills, and are best with 110-120 grain bullets, or 100 grain TTSX's. Due to the 1:10" bbl twist rate bullets over 120 grns wouldn't likely stabilize (thus, no one makes bullets heavier than 120 grains, although Remington once had a 122 grainer). Ironically, the .240 Wby Mag. often equals or exceeds the ballistics of the .257 past 400 yards with less fuss, as higher BC bullets can be loaded. The .240 in a Mark V Ultralight is an absolute sweetheart at 5.75lbs., while the .257 is over a pound heavier at 6.8lbs. The standard weight is around 8lbs. The bbl's on 257 mags really heat up after 3 rounds and prolonged shooting of a hot rifle can burn the throat out. The 120 Speer BT has a G1 BC of .480, which is a wind-bucking, deer killler at around 3300-3350fps. It tends to go off like an A-bomb under 200 yrds at high impact velocities though.

 

Most Mark V's are quite accurate and will do 0.75 to 1" groups, and are great 500 yard deer, sheep, goat, pronghorn rifles. The Mark V's are not lightweight rifles. This caliber really needs the 26" bbl for best results. Due to limited bullet weight, .257 bullets don't have particularly high BC's so they don't make good extreme range rifles. Within 500 yards they result in quick kills, and are best with 110-120 grain bullets, or 100 grain TTSX's. Due to the 1:10" bbl twist rate bullets over 120 grns wouldn't likely stabilize. Ironically, the .240 Wby Mag. often equals or exceeds the ballistics of the .257 past 400 yards with less fuss, as higher BC bullets can be loaded. The .240 in a Mark V Ultralight is an absolute sweetheart at 5.75lbs., while the .257 is over a pound heavier.

Good information above -- Just to add a bit, the .257 with 1:10 will stabilize the 120 grain bullet with the 26" barrel, and also with the 24" barrel. But if the rifle is an early Geman Made Mark V with the 1:12 twist, you definitely need the 26" barrel. I've been shooting Weatherbys for over 30 years (Mark V's), and have great respect for their capabilities. The Vanguard series 2 rifles are a good alternative to the Mark V cost-wise, and are very accurate. :twocents:

 

I have always wanted the 257 in the Weatherby Ultralight!

 

I have the ultralight weatherby, and have been more than happy with it. It will shoot sub moa with my 120 grain partition load, and also with the 110 grain accubond. My only experience with this cartridge has been with the ultra lightweight that I have had for about 12 years now, so I cannot comment on the other rifles, but I know that i can totally recommend it in the mkv ultra lighweight configuration, whichever rifle you get make sure it has the 26 inch barrel. p.s,you are going to want to reload for this cartridge.

 

I picked up the vanguard series 2 and got it dialed last weekend (first time i shot it the scope came loose) it is a good shooting gun. I really like the trigger. I would buy one again. ammo is expensive if you dont reload!!!

 

My brother has a Vanguard in .257 and loves it. Shoots great and he has knocked down Pronghorn and deer in Wyoming three years in a row. It is defiantly a Bang and Flop round. rp

 

Anything with a "Weatherby" name attached to it makes the brass and ammo a little expensive.

 

Al,
If you are in the pdx area I would be willing to let you shoot mine. I'm not a member of a range but could figure something out. Pm me if you want.

 

Daniel,

Thanks for the offer! I'm in the Pendleton area and don't get down to Portland area much, but I appreciate the offer!

Al

 

check out ER Shaw's website. don't know anyone who has one of their rifles, but they're a custom barrel maker building aroud a savage action. the article i read said for a semi custom rifle they range in price from $600-$1200. not sure about all that but check out the site anyway. they have a deal on there you can build the rifle you want.

 

I've had the Vanguard SMOA and wasn't overly excited about it. .75"-1" was as good as I could get with handloads (110 accubonds and 72 gr of 7828). The trigger sucked and I replaced it with a Timney which helped out alot and the stock felt kinda clubish. I recently traded it and acquired a Remington 700 LSS and it will shoot under .5" all day long. The caliber is just plain awesome and the Remington 700's seem to shoot really good for a fair price. You won't regret getting one.

 

My cousin managed to scoop up a Rem 700 SPS chambered in .257Wby a couple years ago (they didn't make very many). We have shot it out to 1400 yards just shooting rocks. It is very accurate with the 110 accubonds. :twocents:

 

Thanks for all the great feedback guys. I appreciate the input - it will definitely help!

Al

 

The best experience I've ever had personally with a rifle is the .257 weatherby S2. I picked one up at Bi-Mart and shot a .5 group with the $35 factory shells, a bargain in my mind, for that kind of performance. The Leupold 4-12 probably helped too. At the range, I stretched it out to 300 yds and shot a 2.5 group with the factory soft points. It was still 2.5 high at 300yds after I put it 4" up at 100. This year I killed an antelope, deer, and yesterday, a coyote.

It's definately important to place your shots with this kind of speed(except on coyotes). I'll likely switch to all-copper, Barnes are shooting 1'' and I'm going to try the Nosler e-tip.

After being around a half dozen Weatherby's#German, Japonese, and American# I can say they all have shot better than any other factory rifles I've seen.

You could have all kinds of fun with a .257 in Pendleton shooting coyotes and after a winter of this you'd be good to kill deer out to 400 yds without thinking twice!

 

I just baught a really clean .257 Weatherby Mag Vangaurd two months ago at a local gun shop for $400 and put a Vortec HS BDC scope on it. I have played around with a few custom loads and finally found that the two loads that worked the best for my gun are as fallows.
#1
115 grain Nosler Balistic tip
67.0 Grains of R-22
Federal GM215M primer
Weatherby brass
COAL 3.251
#2
100 Grain Barnes TTSX BT
Federal GM215M Primer
66.0 Grains of R-22
Weatherby Brass
COAL 3.158

I love this gun and it's a proven killer. I killed a fork horned buck the last day of the season this year. Shot the deer at 120 yds. and went down as soon as the trigger was pulled. I used the Nosler load to kill him. Hope this helps you. If you need any more info PM me. Good luck, Chris.

 

Great input guys - thanks!!

Al