257 Ideas please !!!

[BB340]

Good to hear you finally got your .257 built. It seems to be a trend with gunsmiths down here, they all take a lot of time to do things. The worst part is that it's a dying art and soon wont be any decent smiths left down under...

[Ben257]

Hey Flyinstroke,

That is really interesting 131 BlackJack Ace sound exactly what I would be looking for.
Not sure if they are available in Australia yet - I will ask around.

Most of our Local game is small and thin skinned - so the 85 Grain Bt's are plenty for that job in the 257.

I do have an eye on heading to the NT, where there are large Pigs and Buffalo.
The 2 choices of fire stick for that trip are the trusty 308 for which there are plenty of large game projectile options, or the 257 with a well constructed heavy projectile.

Not sure where the 131 BlackJack Ace sits with construction, but the weight is good and the BC is great for longer ranges - should at least give the pigs a hard time !

How do you think it would go in the 9 twist ?

[Ben257]

Hey Guys a bit of an update !

I have done fair bit of work with different projectiles.

- 85 Grain Nosler BT - Could not shoot a group
- 110 Grain Nosler BT - Could not shoot a group
- 110 Grain ELD-X - 2 to 3" group at 100, Poor Terminal performance in the field (Fragmented on Goat shoulder)
- 117 Grain Sierra GameKing - 4" + Group at 100.

At this point I was very concerned about what I had done to my rifle !!

- Speer 120 Grain BT - Regular 3/4" groups at 100. Happy Days  - Excellent terminal performance on Goats.

I suspect that the 1:9 twist may not be playing nicely with the lighter Projectiles ?? open to theories on this, as a lighter faster accurate load would be nice to add to the options for this rifle.

Other than that - after a long journey, very happy to have the power and accuracy out of a very nice rifle. Time to go and find something bigger to shoot !

[txaggie]

shocks me about sierras - maybe your in line for partitions also should you choose larger animals. I've had similar experience with fragmented bullets from eldx haven't given up on them it was a very close shot and it wouldn't be the first bullet that's fragmented from close range weatherby velocities.

Good to see your finding something that's working. Does sound like heavies are working best;

[Ben257]

Yes, I had read good things about the GameKings.

I have a heap of them, so I may re try the load and see if I can get them to work at some point.
At the moment, Pretty happy to go with the Speers.

If the Speers didn't work, I was going to look at the Barnes and Nosler Partitions.

The terminal performance comment on the ELDX may have been a bit harsh - The range was less than 100m and the Shot was on a very hairy Billy goat shoulder. I took a nice neck shot on a large billy at 200m and the ELDX was very effective.

Not sure the Hornady ELD-X - or many other 25 cal bullets are robust enough for 257 WM high velocity close range impact.

[BB340]

Sounds like your working out that rifle. I have a heap of those 120 grain Speers too as I use to run them in my 25-06.
Well if that ELDX didn't perform on a billy's shoulder then I sure wouldn't use them. They wouldn't work on bigger game. Now way you would take them on a deer hunt. I'd suggest getting some 100 grain TTSX's to try. They seem to be the go in most .257's including one of mine. You are in WA if I remember right? If you only want a few to try the look up Projectile Warehouse as they do sample packs. Or PM me your address and I'd be happy to send some over as I have a few hundred of them.

[David Keith]

I too am thinking on the 257. Have a purty nice magnum mauser
action to build on, from a '62 vintage Browning Safari.

Maybe a Shilen stainless at 26 inches/magnum sporter contour.
1-10 twist for the lighter weight varmint bullets.

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