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Torn for my first rifle???

Perrine11

Torn for my first rifle???
« on: January 04, 2013, 06:56:17 PM »
So I'm fairly new to hunting but want to purchase a rifle, I hunt mostly white tail an mule deer in WA state. My theory is that I would purchase a smaller caliber rifle, and later on a larger caliber rifle if I start getting into elk an bear hunting. I've heard the weatherby vanguard s2 is a great bang for your buck rifle and am kinda set on it but torn between the .257 wby mag or .270 win?? Then down the road look at getting a .337. Is this a good idea or would looking into something in the middle be a better bet?? Any advice appreciated!

mike cardinal

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2013, 07:34:46 PM »
If you are sure you will be hunting deer until such time as you can get another rifle I would suggest the .257 as the best bet. It is lazer flat and more than a match for any deer bar none.
If you think you may have occasion to hunt elk as well I would move up to the .270. It is more than you need for deer but not really over kill and it is a great caliber for elk, moose or black bear.
That said, bare in mind the win. ammo is probably cheaper if you don't reload and I assume you don't. If you are a shooting fanatic like many of us here it can be costly to shoot the B. If you are a "sight it in and go shoot a deer once a year", kind of guy I highly recommend the high test Wby. It's great. I love mine.

I don't have the S2 but I hear it's an awsome gun at a very good price.

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2013, 07:50:53 AM »
I have a S2 in .257 wby mag. It has a lot of bang but very little recoil. You can buy 100 gr. Spitzers that are Weatherby brand for $35-$40 and there are a few other companies that make ammo in .257 wby mag. If you can handle a. 300 wby mag there are several companies that make ammo. I personally have not bought anything other than Weatherby ammo. Mine loves the 80 grain ttsx, 87 grain SP's and shoots really good with the 100 grain Spitzers. I have a box of 110 grain accubonds and and a box of 115 grain Ballistic Tips but I have not shot them yet. The accubonds, tsx,ttsx and partitions are pretty expensive but if are not shooting a lot that shouldn't matter to much. I use mine for crows and coyotes and just in case I ever get to hunt outside of Indiana(wink,wink,hint,hint fellow members:))
Chris Kiefner

NRA Life Member

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2013, 07:53:21 AM »
Plus I wanted a .257 for a real long time. Sometime wants override needs ;D
Chris Kiefner

NRA Life Member

Truck Driver

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2013, 08:47:18 AM »
Fairly new to hunting? I would suggest getting a rifle in a caliber that you can shoot a lot and not to expensive to shoot . You also want one big enough to get the job done.
I saw S2 MOAs at Bass Pro Shop for $499 yesterday. In the right caliber this would make a good starter.
Now for the right caliber. All guns are expensive to shoot it depends on how deep your pockets are.
If your recoil shy leave the big Mags alone. If not try a 300 Win mag, not hard on the pockets or shoulder, it will also kill what ever you may run into. I helped a 12 year old 120lb boy get his first Buck on a youth hunt with this caliber and it was on a light weight synthetic stock.
If you go to a sporting goods store and look on the self at the selection on available bullets for reloading or loaded ammo you won't find a bigger selection than .30 caliber.
i own 257 roberts, 308,30-06 and 300wby, which one have I shot the most of? The 30-06, were I live and hunt it will do eveything I ask of it and if I need more the 300wby will get it done.
I hope this helps I didn't mean to get lenghty with this.
TD

Chip

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Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2013, 10:24:52 AM »
Get yourself a nice bolt action that you like in 270 win and never look back.  Will handle all the deer and elk you will ever run into. The 257 just doesnt have enough bullet for elk as far as I'm concerned.  Plus if your new and not into handloading it won't break the bank shooting it.  Happy shopping!
Chip

eford

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Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2013, 11:39:52 AM »
The 257 Wby Mag is fun, it can do the job on most animals, and the 270 Win is a chambering that is easy to get ammo for.

Have you thought of a 280 Remington? It'll do everything a 270 Win can do, and even handle the heavy bullets (160-175gn).  The 280 doesn't have the ammo availability that a 270 has, but if you're willing to reload you'll love it. I just sold my 270 Win this week, because I have a 280.
Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.

Every man needs to know his limits.

Perrine11

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2013, 11:40:34 AM »
yeah thats what i was thinking also, i dont hand load so thats why i leaned torward the .270 at first although knowing me im going to want a bigger caliber rifle in the near future (a designated elk gun) so thats why i was thinking i could get the best of both worlds, a smaller really fast caliber and a bigger bad boy that would do elk or anything else. Know if the .257 would be alright to take bear?

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2013, 12:27:34 PM »
I am an advocate of smaller bullets, high velocities, low recoil, and accuracy. I LOVE the 25-06, and have killed moose, and bison with it. The 243 Win is very capable too. It's all about accuracy, and bullet placement. Get a gun that you are comfortable shooting with, and shoot it often. That builds confidence, and familiarity. The Tikka T3 Lite, is an amazing rifle, for the dollar. I have owned two, with incredible success.

Eric

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2013, 12:34:13 PM »
Id get the 257 and get a bigger gun later. (its what I did in a similar situation, and I shot some bears and my first elk with the 257). You will wish you had if you don't. It will work fine on bears, and it will kill an elk too with the right bullets. If and when you decide your into elk hunting, you can get the same S2 in 300 Weatherby and have the perfect combo.

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2013, 02:57:15 PM »
what part of Wa. do you hunt? I hunt the columbia river in the Bridgeport area. I use a 257 Roberts Ackley IMP, my wife uses a 260 remington and i have my .308 for backup. there are 6 more in our core group and in that group there is a .243 win. 1- 270 win. 1- 7mm-08, 1-30-06 and 2- 308 win. and we have taken a lot of mule deer there thru the years.almost all were 1 shot kills. most of them150 yds and under but some long shots also.
if by chance I don't get a deer over there when I get back to this peninsula rain forest jungle I use my old Marlin in 32 win spec with open sights.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2013, 02:59:33 PM by telemaster »

Perrine11

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #11 on: January 05, 2013, 05:08:49 PM »
Yeah trigger that's kinda how I think too! Thanks for the comment ill def check that round out, an smart minds must think alike ha but telemaster thats kinda where I hunt too, we usually set up in Brewster an if not than we will come back home an hunt some farm fields in snohomish county, I thought the peninsula is supposed to be real good hunting? Thanks again everyone!!!

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2013, 05:40:35 PM »
Yeah trigger that's kinda how I think too! Thanks for the comment ill def check that round out, an smart minds must think alike ha but telemaster thats kinda where I hunt too, we usually set up in Brewster an if not than we will come back home an hunt some farm fields in snohomish county, I thought the peninsula is supposed to be real good hunting? Thanks again everyone!!!
we usualy set up at bridgeport state park

BigBronz215

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2013, 01:15:11 PM »
i say you get a .270 mag you can kill bears, elk, and deer. in my opinion i thinks its the best rifle caliber for medium and some big game in north America.

thorntwins

Re: Torn for my first rifle???
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2013, 01:50:35 PM »
It really depends on whether you have a need for long range (300+) shooting.  The benefits of the 257 vs the 270 are when you are facing 300, 400, 500 yd shots.  Not from killing power, but purely from trajectory.  The 257 is significantly flatter at the long ranges and could make the difference in a hit or miss when your range estimation is off.  Even with a laser rangefinder, getting exact yardages on game is tricky and I like to have as much margin for error as possible.

All of the various calibers mentioned will kill deer sized game more than adequately, the trick is hitting them where you should.  If you don't take long range shots it would be hard to argue with a standard 270.