.257 Weatherby for Elk

Lhedrick1

Lhedrick1

Active Member
Messages
854
Think this is enough gun for Elk inside of 300 yards? It's shooting excellent groups with 115 grain Ballistic tips and 115 grain Bergers at around 3300 fps.

This was going to be my deer/antelope gun while the 7mm mag was reserved for Elk. We are planning a Elk/Muley combo in Montana next fall. Which gun should stay in camper? The 7mm is shooting 160 grain Accubonds around 3000 fps, sub moa groups as well.
 
I'd Use the 7MAG!

I've seen many of Elk Take One Hell of a Hit from Big Guns & Run off!

Of Course You're 257 Weatherby will do the Trick!

I Say the Bigger the Better for Elk!

They are Tough Animals!

Always take a Spare Weapon!

Stuff can & Will Happen!










I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
Thanks Elk, my thoughts as well though I absolutely adore this 257. So fun to shoot. Those bullets you got for me shoot great. First load was about 3/4". If I was smart I would put the gun away until October but what's the fun in that?? Thanks again for hooking me up!
 
You've Loaded some up already?

You're Welcome!








I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
Heck ya! Got them in the mail yesterday and Dad and I knocked off work early since it was nice out. I'm with you on the 7mm though, that 160 grain Accubond looks like it woukd do some damage.

Dad's elk gun is a Remy 700 Classic in 35 Whelan. Last elk he shot was pushing 350 yards and it went less than 50. So maybe bigger REALLY is better.
 
A 160 gr bullet is by far a better choice than any 115 gr bullet. unless of course you're a perfect marksman and willing to pass anything less than a perfect shot like most MM members claim they are.


If for some reason you feel the need to use the 257 on elk at least use a 120 gr Partition , TSX , Accubond or something designed to retain weight since you aren't starting with any. a ballistic tip and Berger are not on that list.













Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
More than sufficient to kill elk all day every day... my favorite cartridge I've ever owned even though I rarely use it anymore. Haven't met an animal big enough to swallow a 110 grain pill out of it without putting a sizable hole in them.
http://fenderimages.com
 
Im leaning toward the 7mm. I would rather be overgunned than undergunned though the 7mm isn't necessarily overkill.

I would love to take the 270 Weatherby but I can't it to shoot very good and Im limited to 130 grain bullets. I think a 150 grain Partition would be the cats meow in this cartridge.
 
I sure as hell wouldn't use ballistic tips on elk with a .257; Barnes TTSX will penetrate an elk from stem to stern. If you don't like those, use partitions.
 
What Ocho said. Especially ?just not as dependly?

It is not opinion or speculation. The 7mm is the better caliber for elk

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
257 will kill an elk, but a 7 mag will do it better.

4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg
 
I saw those Hammer bullets. I would love to try the 128 grain Hammer Hunter in my 257 but I'm afraid the 1:10 twist would be to slow for such a long bullet.
 
>
> No way
>would I would use that
>.257 on an elk ,
>I own one and the
>7 mag is a much
>better choice .

This.
 
A 10 twist will limit what Hammers will shoot. Like I said, I like .30's for elk, but one of the hunters on the Hammer bullets safari absolutely pounded an Eland with a .257 Weatherby and 116 grain bullet. mtmuley
 
Not doubting that Muley but that's a controlled scenario verses public ground or lots of timber, how many yards was the shot ?
 
I'd have to check yardage. Why is it more controlled? And Eland are bigger and harder to kill than elk from what I can gather. I'm not a big advocate for light cartridges on elk, but some of the new monos pushed fast are pretty deadly. mtmuley
 
If Roy killed a rino with a 257 I have no doubt it's sufficient for Elk. However, as a east coaster with limited hunting time in the west, it's obvious there are better/ethical choices here. Just was curious if there were any life long elk hunters that used the hopped up quarter bore.

If we draw the tag, it'll be the Husky 7mm mag or possibly the .300 Weatherby.
 
A 257 win a good bonded bullet kills elk just fine. I've seen upwards of 50 elk killed with rifles now and I haven't noticed that elk shot with big 30 cals are any deader than those shot with 25-06s, 257s, 260s, 6.5mm and so on. Honestly whatever gun you shoot most accurately and are the most comfortable with is the best elk gun. I honestly kill majority of my elk with a 6.5mm now days don't even bother carrying my heavy Hell cannon of a 300 RUM anymore: I haven't found a bull elk anywhere that can take a 143 grain eldx in the boiler room and not tip over out to half a mile.

For
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-10-19 AT 03:00PM (MST)[p]It's not whether a bigger cartridge kills elk any deader than another. There is an advantage using a larger cartridge when shots are less than perfect or when yardages stretch. No way I carry a 6.5 over my RUM. Just personal preference. After almost 40 years of killing elk, I like the advantage. Lhedrick1, that .300 and a 200 grain Accubond would be a deadly elk killer.mtmuley
 
>LAST EDITED ON Mar-10-19
>AT 03:00?PM (MST)
>
>It's not whether a bigger cartridge
>kills elk any deader than
>another. There is an advantage
>using a larger cartridge when
>shots are less than perfect
>or when yardages stretch. No
>way I carry a 6.5
>over my RUM. Just personal
>preference. After almost 40 years
>of killing elk, I like
>the advantage. Lhedrick1, that .300
>and a 200 grain Accubond
>would be a deadly elk
>killer.mtmuley
+1
 
Mt. Muley and 264....thanks. I just ordered a RCBS die for the 300 Weatherby. Dad bought it (mark 5) when he was probably 20. I think hell get a kick (no pun intended) out of me wanting to take his old ass kicker out west. 200 grain Accubond and what powder? I have H4831 IMR7828 H1000 RL 15/RL19, H4350 and BLC-something or another- dad's 35 Whelen likes it
 
Out of the powders you listed, H1000 and IMR7828 will work. Nosler load data is available online. Good luck. mtmuley
 
Another vote for the h1000. If your not totally sold on a certain bullet give the 212 eldx a try also. My 300RUM and 300 winny really like it.

Coloradoboy
 
for shots under 500 yards the 180 or 200 gr Partition in your 300 cannot be beat. they've been THE elk bullet for 65 years and are still probably the most used today. They might be old and boring but you can depend on them every time.


Both of my custom 300's have a 1-12 twist just like your older 300 MKV . I have had no luck at all getting any accuracy out of the new long heavy bullets in either one, and I've tried. so don't be surprised if 180's are what you need to stick with. which is not a problem at all.






Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
In northern montana I am taking muleys that are the largest bodies of any I have killed anywhere in the west, and seems to always be blowing 30. then when I go for elk,and the snow is not deep,your going to be high up and than blowing 40. I know your gun will kill elk but do you want to be under gunned and have a lot more restrictions on making ethical shots.I have plenty of guns to choose from but I am more confident using my 300 win in montan with a 190 vld berger.Now if your going to hunt on private ground with no pressure use anything.
 
Thanks Ochoco. That's my game plan, 180 or 200 grain Partition. The 300 Weatherby has a 1:10 so shouldn't have a problem with spinning those.
My 270 Weatherby however is an old German model and it's got a 1:12 twist.130s is all I can shoot with that.
 
I ran across a guy this year hunting elk with a 22/243. He killed a elk with it. So I guess you can use just about anything. He said he had to go for head a shot. He did shoot twice. The first one missed the second shot did the trick. But why limit yourself.
 
A head shot, though when properly placed is likely the most efficient, goes against my hunting ethics. Double lungs for me.
 
I think people are still stuck in the old mindset of the days when bullet performance wasn?t all that great and the thought was sheer horsepower was what it took to ?kill elk.? bullets have came a long ways as has human understanding of ballistics and retained velocities. I've seen my share of clients show up with 30 cal magnums thinking it was going to work some sort of magic on elk.... unfortunately a gut shot elk is a gut shot elk and I end up having to track them all the same. Doesnt mean chit if it's a 470 nitro express or a 223. Along with a lung/shot elk is a fatally shot elk whether it be a 257 wby or 300 wby. The only time I grab a 300 RUM is be ethical at extreme ranges in which I'm in result told I'm unethical for ? I would bet on grandmas grave I can bring my little 6.5x47 lapua out that's screams 143 grainers out the muzzle at a blazing fast 2750fps with one hole groups at 100 yards, and lung punch any bull elk on planet earth at 500 yards and he will tip over dead as disco just fine (Two bulls already have tested the theory at 400 plus yards . Accuracy will always trump energy, change my mind...

Coloradoboy
 
>I think people are still stuck
>in the old mindset of
>the days when bullet performance
>wasn?t all that great and
>the thought was sheer horsepower
>was what it took to
>?kill elk.? bullets have came
>a long ways as has
>human understanding of ballistics and
>retained velocities. I've seen my
>share of clients show up
>with 30 cal magnums thinking
>it was going to work
>some sort of magic on
>elk.... unfortunately a gut shot
>elk is a gut shot
>elk and I end up
>having to track them all
>the same. Doesnt mean chit
>if it's a 470 nitro
>express or a 223. Along
>with a lung/shot elk is
>a fatally shot elk whether
>it be a 257 wby
>or 300 wby. The only
>time I grab a 300
>RUM is be ethical at
>extreme ranges in which I'm
>in result told I'm unethical
>for ? I would bet
>on grandmas grave I can
>bring my little 6.5x47 lapua
>out that's screams 143 grainers
> out the muzzle at
>a blazing fast 2750fps with
>one hole groups at 100
>yards, and lung punch any
>bull elk on planet earth
>at 500 yards and he
>will tip over dead
>as disco just fine (Two
>bulls already have tested the
>theory at 400 plus yards
>. Accuracy will always trump
>energy, change my mind...
>
>Coloradoboy


I have that same mindset. Bullet technology has gone a long way these days. I usually use a 7mm, but I could not believe the fist-sized holes my daughters little .243 put in her animals this year using premium ammo. I believe a well-placed round out of a gun that doesn't kick the "pss" out of you is better than a big bore that makes you flinch. I may just buy .257 weatherby mag this year as I have been looking at it or the 6.5-300 weatherby.
 
That it is... but, my point is more that a 30 cal versus a 25 cals makes no difference when you hit them in lungs or guts. People buying in that you need a 30 cal magnum to kill a elk is like being convinced you need to buy a 1 ton dually to pull a trailer that a 1/2 ton will pull just fine.

Coloradoboy
 
Very few hunters, at least the honest ones won't admit they'd take a quartering shot on a good bull. so if there is any debate one what makes a good elk cartridge that pretty much rules the lighter calibers out.

These debates always devolve to the same thing. what's possible under perfect conditions with the perfect opportunity. in the real world that's seldom what you get so select your equipment accordingly.







Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
I think we got a bit off track, I didn't mean to turn this into a debate.

My question was if a 257 Weatherby was enough gun to kill an elk. Short answer:yes.

More practical answer: yes, BUT there are better choices that will aid in your favor when circumstances outside of your control provide a less than perfect shot opportunity. We owe it to the game we hunt to make a clean and ethical kill and if a larger caliber rifle gives you even the slightest more room for error, I would rather have that on my back.

Thanks for everyone's input, good discussion.
 
I've seen two elk killed with a .257 weatherby using 100 grain barnes tsx. One was maybe 175 yards, the other much closer. Both one shot kills, both hit behind the shoulder. Both made it about 20-30 yards, both bullets shot clear through, breaking a shoulder in one case, just ribs on the other. I also saw a friend shoot a mature oryx with the same 100 gr tsx and same thing...dead oryx, that one didn't take but a couple steps.

I've seen I cant tell you how many pronghorn killed with a 257 weatherby. I have friends from AZ that shoot that round a lot, and for everything they hunt. They have been coming here to hunt for 15-16 years straight, and usually kill 2 or 3 pronghorn each.

The argument that you need a .30 caliber or bigger for elk is all hogwash. Certainly nothing wrong with a .30 caliber, but we live in a great time for bullets, brass, powders, rifles, etc. etc.

When I killed my first elk in 1980, I would have agreed that a 30/06 or better was the best choice. Even then, the partition and a few other bullets were quickly going to level the playing field.

As far as shot selection and worrying about penetration on quartering shots...a crap bullet in a .30 wont penetrate as well as a smaller caliber with a controlled expansion bullet.

Heres a few elk killed with the 7-08 and 140 accubond...I've seen 18 elk killed with my rifle and recovered 2 bullets on shots from 50 yards to 625, from all kinds of angles.

Shot this one hard quartering away about 30 seconds after I punched a cow behind the shoulder...bullet entered in the back 1/3rd of the rib cage, exited the point of the off shoulder:

IMG_0451.JPG


Tight behind the shoulder on the cow, 30 seconds prior:

IMG_0458.JPG


Cow entrance side:

IMG_0461.JPG


Exit, about ideal IMO/E:

IMG_0463.JPG


Out of 71 elk I've killed, this is the only one that I've broken both shoulders on. Bullet exited at 210 yards:

DSC00494.JPG


Have to admit, I was a bit worried shooting this bull hard quartering at 70 yards with the 140 AB and 7-08. Not sure what I was worried about, broke the on shoulder and exited the back of the rib cage. Bull left a short, but copious, blood trail that any amateur could follow. You can see the exit on the bulls side toward the back of the ribcage:

DSC00160.JPG


Bull my brother killed with my 7-08 485 yards hit him about the middle of the ribcage on the on-side as it was quartering a fair bit. Recovered the bullet on the off side, and broken shoulder just under the hide. One of the 2 140 grain AB's I've recovered from my 7-08. Entrance side facing camera (small blood spot on the hide):

DSC00064.JPG


Recovered bullet from that bull:

DSC00238.JPG
 
Some more with the 7-08 and 140 AB's.

A few years back a buddy and I stalked a large herd of cows. My buddy shot his and as the closest ones started to jog off, I slapped this one in the back of the ribcage at about 150 yards...bullet passed through and exited the base of the neck:

0107161617b.jpg


Shot this cow at 625 yards behind the shoulder, bullet exited and the cow took maybe 5-6 steps. Exit was about the size of a 50 cent piece.

DSC00699.JPG


450 yards, exit side facing the camera...bull made it maybe 25 yards:

IMG_1386.JPG


Its been my experience that bullets make a much bigger difference than about anything when it comes to killing elk, or deer, or whatever you're hunting. I also think that lower recoiling rifles are shot more, are more fun to shoot, and shot better than heavier recoiling rifles. Again, speaking in general terms as many don't find the recoil of a 30 magnum that bad.

I've shot elk with several calibers between and including the .243 Winchester/ 6mm Remington to .338 win mag. They all work just fine.

Just pick a good controlled expansion bullet, a good solid rifle, good scope, and do lots of shooting. I hear good things about that combo.

I would hunt elk the rest of my life with a .257 weatherby and never even think twice about it (assuming a good bullet of course).

For the record, this guy here that I hunt elk with every fall, has shot right around 50 elk with a .243 and 100 grain partitions. Has been using his 243 since the early 80's. Doing his thing packing a bull out of designated wilderness that he shot with his .243...not bad for a guy in his late 70's. There could be someone that has killed more elk with a .243, but none that I know:

IMG_0471.JPG


These three guys here have killed no fewer than 125 elk combined...left to right they shoot: .243, 25/06, and 30/06. Elk killing machines...

DSC00962.JPG
 
It's interesting to follow what guys kill elk with . Buzz has good info, and pictures. I'm 53. In my family the primary elk killer was, and has been except for me, the .30-06. From my great grandfather down through the years, cousins, brothers, uncles most everybody used the .06. More than 125 elk died I can tell you. I killed about half of my elk with the .30-06. I really don't think there is a better elk cartridge out there. Especially with the new bullets and powders available. Too bad it's not considered cool or used by "visible" hunters. mtmuley
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-12-19 AT 06:43PM (MST)[p]>It's interesting to follow what guys
>kill elk with . Buzz
>has good info, and pictures.
>I'm 53. In my family
>the primary elk killer was,
>and has been except for
>me, the .30-06. From my
>great grandfather down through the
>years, cousins, brothers, uncles most
>everybody used the .06. More
>than 125 elk died I
>can tell you. I killed
>about half of my elk
>with the .30-06. I really
>don't think there is a
>better elk cartridge out there.
>Especially with the new bullets
>and powders available. Too bad
>it's not considered cool or
>used by "visible" hunters. mtmuley
>


The ol? -06 has probably killed as many elk as any rifle in existence. The 270 is probably close also. In my family the 25-06 with 117 grain sierras or 110 accubonds has probably combined for probably 75 plus elk kills. I can only claim 10 of them off the top of my head. I actually inherited my grandpas old Remington 700 30-06 when he passed. I took it out and shot a bull with in tribute to him and it did just fine at 200 yards. Even kept the old fixed 6x redfield scope on it. I did however just finished refurbishing it to the gun I will take to the elk woods this year; a 6.5x284 Norma.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2019/25542bad07abb9a654f179116a95aaa47d84f.jpeg

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2019/58187a1d877b01efd40febb2410ca8627757a.jpeg
 
I love my 257 Weatherby and I took my best bull with it and a 115 Barnes. It will do the job with no issues. I had a 200 yard pass through and took out off side shoulder/top of humerous.

Good luck this season.
 

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