25-06 or 257 Weatherby... other options

I have a 22-250 and a 7mm PRC I love. I like flat shooting rifles.

Would you buy a 25-06 or 257 Weatherby or maybe a different caliber like a 6.5 PRC to fit in between the two I already have?

Please tell me why you would do what you suggest.

I'm all ears.

30-06

I have 2 25.06’s and love the round. Light recoil and is wicked on deer and pigs, and aoudad as I found out a couple months ago.

I'd go .257 Weatherby. That's what my wife shoots and very flat shooting and manageable recoil. She shoots it well and loves it.
I saw her smoke an antelope at 400 yards and it piled up like a rag doll.

This one.

6.5-300 weatherby. Some will pile on against me on that, most of them would also say no to 257 weatherby and 25-06, And probably recommend 7mm-08 or something.

They are gonna tell you it is over bore, barrel burner, hard to load for, etc and it is all probably very true. But 6.5-300 shoots as flat as a 257 weatherby inside 500 and beats the crap out of it past that. And beats almost everything in the wind.

I had a .257 wby in an Accumark that I liked very much.

My opinion on it, is a bit different than a lot of folks. Very flat shooting round, without a ton of recoil. Mine was extremely pleasant to shoot. Costs about $5 every time you pull the trigger.

It’s not quite the hammer that people make it out to be, I shot two mule deer, two aoudad, a bull elk plus a few whitetail with it. It made the whitetails fold up, the other stuff not so much. Both aoudad and one mule deer, plus the elk took multiple shots in the kill zone. None ran far, but the fact they were still up on their feet had me a bit perplexed, with the exception of the elk; they are big and you kind of expect that.

They are flat shooting but still fall within a few inches of most other rounds at normal hunting distances, so the flat shooting part is a bit of a non issue.

What I found was that it didn’t kill any better than my .270, so I sold it off when I got my .300 win in a very similar rifle.


My end take is that it’s a cool round but there is nothing magic about it. I would go 6.5 prc in a modern build.

As HWY_MAN says, “yes a Weatherby kills the deader.”

I love the 257wby.

It would be a nice fit between those two

.264 Win Mag

A .25 makes sense for sliding some kinda "tweener" in there. Personally, I'd go with .25-06 for my own reasons, but the .257 is wicked, wicked, wicked.

Roy Weatherby's favorite cartridge gets my vote here. 257 WBY

257 Bee!

You better be a reloader. A nephew bought one, not knowing much about rifles and then got the ammo cost shock. He calls me to whine about it, and I think it was a hint to get me to reload for that poor boy. Well, he lives in Austin, is liberal, and drives a Tesla. He can buy his own ammo at $5 a shot.

I have both and have killed a fair amount of stuff with both. Countless deer, hogs, and a few coyotes between 3 25-06’s most of everything fell where it was shot, nothing has went more than 30 yards. The 257 weatherby has accounted for 3 whitetails. Two of which folded up and one ran about 40 yards (heart shot), it’s also taken three aoudad, one hard quartering towards me at roughly 125 yards, she ran about 30 yards and piled up, the other two were at 200 and 250 one quartering hard away and one perfectly broadside both of those were dead before they hit the ground. I like them both equally, I shoot 120 grain partitions out of the 257 weatherby and 100 sierra pro hunters or 117 grain sierra game kings.

If I had to pick one one or the other I’d go with the 25-06, lot more factory ammo available as well as factory rifle choices. Glad I don’t have to pick though, you’ll love either one

Owned both, sold the 25-06, really like the 257.

I started with a 25-06. Loved it and shot it for a while. Then went to 257 Weatherby and 25-06. Sold them both then had to buy another 257. Either one will work. I wouldn’t feel bad about owning either. If ammo is a concern then 25-06 gets the nod.

I am playing with a 25 PRC right now with a 1/8 twist shooting 134gr bullets and it’s been shooting really well but I haven’t pushed it very hard yet.
Been running N565 powder and I am about 1.5gr below what others have said are Max in their rifles and my velocity has been 3025 fps from a 22 inch barrel.
Talk about bucking wind with a G7 of .315 it does that pretty well.

Thanks everyone! Right now I'm still undecided. I don't reload. I'm just a hunter though so ammo is not going to cost me a lot either way. To get a 257 now I can only find it in Weatherby and I don't like Monte Carlo stocks because I'm a lefty. I shoot all right handed guns, I just don't like stocks with a cheek hump. Leaning more towards a 25-06.

I do like the Weatherby's and the 257 is my favorite. If you like fast (And I do) the 257 delivers and is a blast to handload for. I can run 87 grain bullets over 3800 fps or 120's around 3350, swings a pretty broad brush. When it comes to elk size critters I'd probably carry a little more gun, but if it's all I had I certainly wouldn't feel under gunned.

When you looked back at when it was developed and why, you get a better idea of how much of a game changer it was. His was a simple concept, get the bullet there as quick as possible. Optic's back then were prehistoric to todays scopes and wind and elevation was simply guessing, the speed it develops helped remove some of the guess work.

Weatherby makes left handed rifles. I’m left handed my Accumark and ultralight are weatherby rifles

Yep, but out of my price range now. I am income challenged. LOL

I had a .257wby, used for a season and then sold it to fund something else. Dad absolutely loved his .257wby and it's now my "go to" rifle. However, if you don't reload or have a buddy that will load for you it's expensive. I haven't "actively" looked for 25-06 ammo but don't really remembering seeing much at Scheels or Academy. You could always work with Chad at Dallas Reloads and buy enough ammo the gun likes to last you several years.

You have a small, you have a large, you need a medium.

6.5 Creedmoor
7mm-08
7mm-08 A.I
.308

^^One of those.

X2 on Dallas reloads. I have lots of brass thats on it’s 4th reload. When Im at 150-200 spent, I box up& send. He reloads for a fraction of new.

OP I have owned both. 25-06 was probably the best TX WT caliber until Hornady popularized the 6.5 CM and people rediscovered the 7-08 .

I think everyone should own one or the other. The only down size to those two qtr bores is if you want a shorter barrel to run suppressed, it kills the velocity on the lower BC 100-117gr bullets. they 25/o6 snd 257wby are 26” barrel calibers

if you want a shorter suppressed and dont reload go 6.5 CM if you do go 7/08 ai

my 257 wby is close to needing a new barrel, I not even sure how many animals its killed but its triple digits easily = oryx, elk, aoudad, mule deer, WT, pronghorns, hogs, axis, yotes, etc. Doesnt discriminate.

I've got a 240, 2-257's and 2-300's, if I ever run into a 6.5-300 I'm pretty sure I'd have to add it to the list.

Let me add that if I ever get one it won't have a 1-8 twist 1-10 minimum, which means I'll probably have to build it. 125's is the heaviest bullet I'd shoot through it with 100's and lighter being the norm.

I think one if the main reasons it never caught on is because it’s barrel heats up too quickly to remain competitive in competition. That is where the most popular modern cartridges are getting the most press/promotion. I bet you can’t even use it at all in some. But for a pure western hunting rifle?

Have a Savage 111F in .25-.06, picked it up new at Sports Authority in early late 2000s as they were starting to "wind down" stores for 20% off around Xmas. Not my primary shooter but have shot 3-4 animals with it, deer, hogs and yotes, all DRT, shooting Core Lokt, 100gr. With it's speed and compressed punch, it's my light recoiling laser. Probably will use it some this season.

""But for a pure western hunting rifle?""

Only reason I'd have it, I've lost all interest in competitive shooting, mine probably wouldn't see more than 3 boxes of shells in it's lifetime.

My comment was going to be find a rifle that fits you well in either caliber. Being a lefty will, unfortunately, have it's limitations in rifle choices. But work you decision backwards. Figure out what bullet you want to shoot and how fast you want to push it, then choose from there. If you need ammo help, let me know. I can load any bullet you want in either caliber. And once you have the brass, you can reload them and save on the cost. So even a 257 Wby Mag isn't very expensive once you have the brass.

My 7mm PRC is a Ruger American Go Wild Camo. I love that gun's fit. Very Accurate. I like the trigger also. I can get it in 25-06 or 7mm-08 for right at $600. I lean toward the 25-06.

The twist on the 7mm-08 is 1 in 8.5 and the twist on the 25-06 is 1 in 10.

Between those 2, which would you choose and why?

I have both, both solid calibers, 7MM-08 easier to find ammo for now than .25-.06 and more options in manufacturer, little cheaper too and a bit more enertia punch due to grain load and weighting. Both great rounds but I'd give slight edge to my 7MM-08 over the .25-.06.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1037370227

CDL stock, so you can shoot left or right. Sell the scope and you get a pretty good deal on the rifle.

Thanks! Cheek Swell and wood are not for me.

Look at this little dumpling in 7mm-08.




Or this one in 7mm-08:

Scads! I didn't realize the CDL had a cheek swell. I thought it was like the Classic that the CDL replaced, straight stock. My apologies! But, you could swap the stock if you don't want wood.

See i told ya here they come “7-08” “7-08” “7-08”. Official cartridge of THF

“I want me this fastest flattest thing least recoil”

“No, you need 7mm-08”

😂😂😂

Yeah well at $85 to $100 a box, the 6.5-300 Weatherby and the 257 Weatherby are gonna be a no go. I don't have a friend that reloads and have no brass.

So the 25-06 and 7mm-08 are what I am left with. Plenty of ammo for either online and lots of choices. Anywhere from $25 to $45 a box. Either one will fit the bill. Pretty sure it will be one of the 2 Rugers I mentioned and pictured.

7mm-08 only This one is new but looks attractive to me. Don't know it would fit me. I will check one out tomorrow.




25-06 or 7mm-08 I know this gun fits me perfect.

Swedemoor

Bobcat, is the camo a Cascade or Ruger? How did the .22-250 Cascade shoot for you? I've yet to fire my .270 but will soon.

I think that 6mm creedmoor would give you the best characteristics. of the 25-06 and 7mm-08. But the boys will pick on you. But it will get you into 3,000 fps + territory and still beat the wind and kill deer.

Edit:

After you have been around the block a few times, you eventually realize you don't need a 16 lb sledge to drive a nail.


I've been fortunate to hunt all over the world and been in very few situations where a 7mm-08 wouldn't have cut the mustard.

We all know you attribute your success in life to ownership of Weatherby rifles. Don’t play!

It's a Ruger Go Wild Camo. I haven't got to the range yet between the wind, rain and granddaughter's basketball games and now tournaments. Always something.

The last thing I wanted this thread to turn into was an argument.........

That's downright mean, 603.

I like it.

Where do you shoot?

Usually in Graham with my son, brother and nephew.

""So the 25-06 and 7mm-08 are what I am left with.""

Well since you changed the lineup now I have to say 25-06. 7mm08 is a good round but in no way falls into the same category as a 25-06.

Let's go back where you started. "" I like flat shooting rifles.""

Yea Weatherby ammo isn't cheap but it's definitely a performer when talking flat shooting. Weatherby caliber's aren't the one's you want to take to the range and burn a few boxes of ammo through. Just over 30 years ago I caught a deal at our local Walmart and got 5 boxes of 300 Weatherby, 150 grain Nosler Partitions. I've taken 7 deer with it in that time and still have about 3 and 1/2 boxes left. Just recently bought 5 boxes of shells for the 257's 100 grain Accubonds running 3500 fps. I'll be dead before they're gone. If you plan on shooting a lot then Weatherby's probably aren't for you. Good thing about the 25-06 is it's just as versatile as the 257.

I love a 25-06.

I can relate to what you said. I don't burn through a lot of ammo at the range. I usually get a gun where I want it and stop. I may shoot 3 rounds a year after that to check zero... sometimes not even that. Then usually one or 2 shots a year at animals.

If Weatherby made a Vanguard with out that cheek swell for right handed shooters, I'd buy one in 257. Any of the lefties or ones without cheek swells are $1400 or better. I know a lot more gun than a vanguard, but I know my limitations.

I like flat shooting because I am a hold over shooter and wind hold shooter. I most likely will buy a 25-06 unless I find a deal somewhere on a 257 Weatherby.

Who is arguing? It’s all in fun. No love lost from me that is for sure. I appreciate it all.

No doubt the 7mm-08 is an excellent cartridge. But I don’t think it has got what you are looking for in said cartridge.

7mm-08. Then a mil scope. Then a range finder. Next thing you know you are building a PRS rig, and why not? That’s awesome.

But it’s not in the realm of a 25-06 and way off from anything that’s got Weatherby in the name. I mean, if you are looking to extend your max PBR with moderate recoil.

The “just a couple inches difference in drop” of that .257 weatherby is equal to about 100 yards extra in max PBR. Or 50 yards extra in a .25-06. Might be hitting about 4” high at the apex of the trajectory to achieve that but a 7mm-08 can’t touch it without using an LRF and holds or adjustments. A flat shooter like that, just hold a little high or a little low out to 400 yards. That is what made weatherby famous.

Even with the standard + or - 3” trajectory you are still looking at a solid 350 with the .257 weatherby.

Learning your rifle’s drop and using LRF, etc is awesome. Lots of people have great success that way. But I thought you were looking for a flat shooter. .25-06 is a solid 300 yard gun with no extra tools.

You could always get both. We know it won’t be the last gun you buy.

I think that is a good decision

Weatherby rifles yes. When Jesus comes back he is gonna be carrying a Mark V. But their cartridges, they are a bit much for todays hunter in more than one aspect.


The flat shooting argument is now largely a moot point because everyone has a rangefinder. Makes either dialing or holding over a breeze. Back when everyone was having to guess it made a little more difference, but with a standard 1.5” high at 100 sight in, the difference between a .257 wby and say a .270 is only a few inches. It isn’t enough for one to fall out of the vitals on an animal.

25-06 is an excellent cartridge with a strong 110-120g bullet.

I disagree with you TXTrophy. I think it is a bit much to learn your drop/holds, mil-mil scope, lrf, perfect ammo consistency re-learn a new lot of ammo. That is excessive. But not on THF. THF: “buy 7mm-08, take it to JG learn to use it at 700”

Then your holds change with a new lot of ammo. Oh well shoulda had him make your ammo or roll your own lol. Next thing you know you are ordering 1000 cartridges to make use of all this gear. That’s great if you want to get into it, I sure do.

But for most hunters it is excessive. Especially by comparison to buying an accurate, flat shooting rifle.

Welp it's a done deal. 25-06 Ordered. Thanks for all the input fellas. I think I will be happy with it.

https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleGoWild/specSheets/36931.html

Sweet rig

The difference on drop between a .270 and a .257 wby at 300 yards is about 3”. At 400 yards it stretches to about a 4-6” difference depending on load.

You’re still not holding far enough of hair with either caliber to notice a difference. At 300 yards the 7mm-08 is right there with them. At 400 yards things change a little between the 7mm-08 and the .257/.270 but it’s still a doable shot, but your are dealing with about a 2’ drop vs. a 1 foot and 1 & 1/2 foot drop with the other two.

Flat shooting was a term coined by gun manufacturers and promoted by gun writers long before everyone had access to ballistics tables at their fingertips or adjustable turrets. Times have changed.

There is a HUGE difference in making a hit at 400 yards (which is a max reasonable hunting range for me) and a hit at 700 yards. No Kentucky windage is getting you consistent hits at that distance, you have to range and dial.

Yep i agree a .270 is a good flat shooting cartridge too. But 2-3” matters a lot when calculating max PBR. It could mean 50 to 100 yards. 7mm-08 does not compare to a .25-06 in max PBR. It’s (.25-06) closer to a 7 mag.

I have to admit, I have always been intrigued by the .257. I don’t have any logical reason for wanting one other than it would be another Weatherby to add to my collection.

Are you a typical hunter? It might be a bit much for you

You might be right… thanks for talking me off the ledge.😂🤣😂🤣

"I like flat shooting cartridges"

So I clicked over to the Hornady ballistic chart page and it turns out the flattest shooting non-magnum bigger than a 6 mm is a.........270

So maybe the op might want a 270?

Too Late. Thanks!

The .25-06 is equal to or better than the .270 out to 200 yards and might give up one inch at 300 with a 200 yard zero. Depending on the load, the .25-06 still capable of longer max PBR. I would not just go off the Hornady chart.

Maybe a inch and a quarter high at 100 yards when zeroed at 200, with like 12 or 14 pounds recoil? That is pretty special.

Nolser loads a 100gr partition thats I really liked. But also
look @ Dallas Reloads, Copper Creek Ammo and Unknown munitions. 115 vld, 110 ELDX , 117 sst are also great bullets. All three company's load them

Thanks for the info Bobo!

When both guns are zeroed at 200 yards the 270s best load it's about 33 in low at 500. The 25-06 is best load is about 38 in low at 500. I don't see any good reason to not go off of Hornady's chart, it was probably done in lab conditions with good loads for both guns. Although at 500 I'm sure it was probably just mathed out but, that math is nothing new and there's no reason to not trust it. Anything you can hand load and step up a 25-06 performance you could do the same with a 270, well maybe you could because I think both of those top loads were there superformance rounds and if they make the numbers they're supposed to they're pretty good.

So according to that the 270 will have a better Max PBR, but in reality there's probably only 10 or 15 yards difference if that which is one of the interesting things you find out when looking at Max pbrs across the board, there's just not a tremendous amount of difference unless you're comparing something like a 300 Savage to a 257 weatherby. And even then it's probably less than most people think

of the 2 the weatherby . if you dont mind the price of ammo. a 257 mag in a mark 5 would be the bomb

Actually 7-08 is in the same realm as 25-06. Many people use 120 grain NBTs for hunting and they can be easily driven 3000 fps +. There would be no practical difference.

When you are looking at MPBR, 500 yards does not matter. Nothing wrong with Hornady’s chart but you are also dealing with Hornady’s data and excluding everyone else’s.

Any time, congrats and welcome to the .25 bore club!!

I did look at everybody else's too. The only load I found flatter than the Hornady load was one Winchester load that used in 85 grain bullet. I could find handload data that would push 110 grain out of a 270 3400 foot per second but, no ballistic chart for that one and I punching all that crap in LOL. And I'm not sure the op was looking for hand loads anyway, so I don't know how much all that matters

And the ballistic chart will actually get you some information on Max PBR. Most ballistic charts for those top calibers or zeroed at 200 but, we'll look at the Hornady because it's where we started. The 270 will be the same or lower at 100 yards, so less rise needed for a 200 yard zero and it will have less drop at 300 yards. Moving your zero in or out 50 yards it's not going to change the fact that one gun shoots flatter than another. In reality there's not going to be a whole lot of difference, it's just funny how people think a 25-06 is a laser but the 270 just happens to have a little better balance with it slightly larger bore but still decent ballistic coefficient at lighter bullet weights.



Another thing that a lot of people don't know is that a 30-06 will push 110 grain bullet 3500 ft per second. I don't know what the BC would work out on that for a Max PBR, but it might be pretty interesting

Copper Creek shows their 25-06 with 115gr Berger to be 32.8 low at 500 yards.

I plugged in the numbers from Nosler’s 110 grain 30-06 load data and got 1.1” high at 100 when zeroed for 200, and 5.8” low at 300.

So the question becomes, what happens to a 110 grain 30 cal bullet moving 3,400 fps? Something in my gut tells me you better keep it off the shoulder 😂

If you keep this up you are gonna make me buy a .270. I think the real problem with the load data is almost everything is tested in a 24” barrel, and the .25-06 likes a 26” barrel. .270 is much better in a handy 22” gun. I went through this process some years ago and I almost bought a .270. Started off looking at the 6.5-300 and got on THF, one thing led to another lol. Then life probably happened and my fun money went out to pay for life, or something. I don’t recall exactly.

Today? I would probably do a 26” or 28” .25-06 and roll my own if I went through that process. There are people out there pushing it and getting suprising results.

But I went through my own process again recently and settled on 16” .358 winchester. Opposite opposite opposite.

One guy I know it says the 30 ought 6 moving at that speed drops them like lightning, but I have not used it myself.

I'm a firm believer f it ain't a 30-06 it really doesn't matter anyway

I think a .25-06 is a heck of a round and nothing else with less than 12 foot-pounds of recoil comes close inside 300 yards. But right now I am at .308 winchester because it’s good enough for anything and always available. One thing i learned in the last 5 years living in an ammo desert is that I need a .308. Also building the .358 winchester whenever the project rifle finally arrives.

And sure, you can find data on flatter shooting loads for this and that and the other but if you re gonna walk in to the store and choose from what is available, well if trajectory and recoil matters to you .25-06 is a real good pick.

I have never seen a 110 grain 30-06 load on the shelf.

I am pretty sure there are people loading an 87 grain 25-06 to 3800-3900 fps with a 26 or 28 inch barrel. Pretty sure that would do nicely with a barnes x or something. Or it might have been 25-06 AI, who knows. Never claimed to be an expert, i read the same stuff you do.

Weatherby 257 Factory 87's show 3850. Best I've seen for the 25-06 is around 3500 and that's no slouch. For me 3500 fps is the Magic number, any thing beyond that is just gravy.

257 wby 26” barrel and 80 gr TTSX was 3880 with accuracy node at 3810. If you take 25-06 w/87 gr as high or higher, I think you are pushing into compressed loads

‘Preciate ya’ll

.25-06 is much more affordable to shoot even if you reload.