Guest ronin Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Questions for the 257 Weatherby people out there. I just shot some Weatherby Factory 100GR SP's with the intention of reloading with 100Gr Barnes TSX. The factory loads shot OK but not really what I expected. This could have been due to the fact that it was my first time shooting the gun and the trigger was at the max weight. The reooil was also different. Anyway, I loaded up some Barnes 100's with 72 Gr of RL22 and tightened up the groups a little. The SP's shot a little better, too. Still, not quite what I'm after. My question are these: Does the 257 have a sweet load of some sort? In particular 115 over 100 gr bullets? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDubWSR Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 73.5 grains of reloader 22 with 100 grain tsx. 1/2"-3/4" consistently. My bullets are seated out pretty long but i think i could actually get them to shoot better by seating them deeper b/c it seems those tsx really like a pretty big jump to the lands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronin Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 Great! Finally an answer!! I will try your load next. What COL would you recommend? Also, what Weatherby are you shooting? I have the Accumark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDubWSR Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 I shoot the ultra lightweight. I would start at atleast 72 grains if not 71 and work up to that because its right at max, and maybe even a touch over but i dont get any pressure signs in my rifle. I set my col to touch the lands and then backed it off a few thousands. I understand the tsx really like a bigger jump to the lands than what i am giving them though so i would try something deeper then what i have them at. I also was told by some old timers that one of the best ways to reload weatherby cartridges is to take a factory load, but it in your press and adjust your seating depth down to the factory depth. I havent tried this yet so i dont know if it would work well or not but could deff be worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 [ QUOTE ] I also was told by some old timers that one of the best ways to reload weatherby cartridges is to take a factory load, but it in your press and adjust your seating depth down to the factory depth. [/ QUOTE ] Actually, Weatherby does not find the "optimum" depth for their loads. They use a SAAMI standard, or generic OAL for their cartridges. They crimp at the cannelure. Seating further out can and often improves accuracy. Since the Weatherby's have the super long throats, its hard to get many bullets to touch the lands and still have enough bullet in the case to get good ignition, as well as fit in the magazine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDubWSR Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 Ic Ic. Well im glad i didnt ever try that then cause it probably would just be a waste of time. My loads are loaded out really long, you can actually see all three of the groves on the tsx. The case mouth is right on the bottom edge of the lowest ring. In fact they are so long i can only put two in my magazine and still get them to feed right, and i have to slide them in bullet end first and then push the case back into the magazine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronin Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 OK, thanks guys. I really like this cartridge so far. Ijust hope I can find the sweet load it likes the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronin Posted December 20, 2006 Report Share Posted December 20, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 OK, I did a little experimentation today and loaded 5 different Barnes Triple Shock 115 Gr loads. Unfortunately, Barnes still has not published any reloading data on the 257 even though their product has been on the shelf for over two years. Seriously annoying. I used similar loading guidelines for the now discontinued VLC bullet as starting points. I started with prep'd Weatherby cases, WWLR mag primers, RL 22 powder, Barnes TSX 115's and a COL of 2.177. It was 50 degrees with a 10 mph wind from left to right. I don't have a gun vice, however, I did use a great set of rabbit ears for the forearm and stock. I was shooting my Accumark topped off with the Leupold VXIII 6X20X50. I produced 4 bullets for each of 5 separate loads, 68, 68.2, 68.5, 68.7, and 69. I cleaned the barrel after each set of 4. 68 Gr had the widest group at about 1.75 MOA. 68.2 tightened up a bit to about 1.25. Things spread out again at 68.5 to roughly 1.55. Both 68.7 and 69 had the best groups at about .75 MOA and no flyers. Interstingly, the first shot of each of the first three loads gave me a flyer to the left of each group. I was beginning to think that this rifle must really like a fouling shot. This trend ended with the 68.7 and 69 as there were no flyers. It appears this rifle prefers 115 Gr. TSX's over the 100's. Now I just have to tweak it a little more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted December 20, 2006 Report Share Posted December 20, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 That is some pretty good loads. It seems you need to shoot a fouling shot though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronin Posted December 20, 2006 Report Share Posted December 20, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 Yep, I agree. I'm gonna shoot a few sets of 68.7 to 69.2 and see if I can narrow things down a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDubWSR Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 Did you have any kind of pressure signs yet on those loads? If not i would bump up a lil more cause mine was similar and the more powder i gave it the better it got. Also you may want to load up some of the 68.7 and 69.2 and then play with the seating depth a lil bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronin Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 Nope, no pressure signs at all. Supposedly, the TSX's produce less pressure than the VLC which I patterned these loads from. I'm hoping I can bump it up a bit more. I was thinking of 69 to 69.5 and increase the COL to the 2.20. Even at 2.17 it did not seem close to a compressed load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronin Posted December 22, 2006 Report Share Posted December 22, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 Oops, scratch the last! The TSX may not load similar to the VLC. Barnes just posted their loads for the TSX in various .30's I compared the VLC load data on the 300 RUM to the new data for the TSX. The best load for the VLC used 98.5 gr of RL25 with a velocity of 3516. I use this same load in my 300. The new TSX guidelines recommend a max load of 94.5 gr. and a velocity of 3327. Significantly less! I'm not sure how the .257 comparisons might be but I think I will wait for awhile before I increase my .257 loads. AJ, any input? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted December 22, 2006 Report Share Posted December 22, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 If you bump them up just watch out for pressure signs. Watch the chronograph and you can tell when you go "too far". Plot out your velocities with the loads and you will see a linear movement until you hit the max and it jumps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronin Posted December 22, 2006 Report Share Posted December 22, 2006 Re: Loads for 257 Got it, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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