25-06 vs 257 wby

[ImBillT]

Between the two I'd go 25-06. Note, the barrel lengths in your data. That's part of the velocity difference. Be mindful when you choose twist. 1-7, and 1-8 will result in bullet blowups with thinner jacketed bullets.

Of course, I'd just got 6.5-06 and have access to more modern bullets.

 

[cabelasken]

With the same length barrel, there is less than 125 FPS difference between the two. I have loaded for a friend who had a 25-06 custom Brown Precision built on a Rem 700 action. I believe it had a 24" barrel and after breaking it in, we printed some sub MOA 5 shot groups with the Barnes TTSX bullets. I believe it had a Shillen SS match frozen #3 barrel on it. This is without any load tuning at all and before we could do ANY experimenting with seating depths, powder selection or primer selection, it was stolen from his house. I think to make use of the Weatherbys potential, you need a 26" barrel and with the 25-06 you can get by with a 24" barrel, but 25" would be better. Personally, I have limited my rifles to 24" barrels and most are of short action calibers to take advantge of the extra 1/2" equivilent barrel length. I like the 25-06.

 

[Betarider]

Have you put any thought into the stock yet, as far as companies? I just got mine from Inner Mountain rifles. And the workmanship is outstanding

I have a bunch of Osage orange for stock making if anyone's interested

 

[del2les]

Reading several posts about the inaccuracy of the 25-06 and how hard it is to dial in, and while that maybe true for some and some rifles, I have not experienced this. Actually, some of my very first factory rifles were very accurate, sub 1/2 moa, and the custom barrels are even more so. I have an older, 1990's, 26" medium varmint barrel 25-06 that still prints 1/3 moa groups with NBT's, and that rifle gave me my first 1,000+yd P-dog kill shot. Also, with 26" tubes and Retumbo, I am pushing the 110's just over 3.300fps, so the 25-06 or 25-06AI can be made to shoot well and fairly hard.

That said, a good 257W will usually ballistically outperform the venerable 25-06, but at a higher cost and less ease of locating or making brass. Personally, and after so many decades of usage and success, I am biased toward my old friends in 25-06. YMMV

 

[droptine]

I have both, I guess I prefer the 257 I have. Mainly cause of the rifle, not the caliber. My 257 wby is Mark X mauser action with a hand me down SS Hart Barrel that was a take off my gun smith buddy gave me. Its sub moa everytime it goes to the range. With that said, so is my old Rem 700 25/06. its a dang good shooter that I bought back in the early 90's for 150 bucks.

As far as velosity, I bet if you compare Factory 25-06 to 257 Wby handloads even top of the chart you might see 200 ft per second, but thats my guess. I have not shot them over a chrono in many years but I did years back and seem like my hand loads were only 150 fps difference. With all that said at 65 I'm not going to trust my memory. Other than they are both good rounds.

For 90, 100 grain varmint shooting, 25/06 seems to make more sense. Deer, Wby may get the edge. Just depends on what you want I guess.

 

[MOJO67]

257 Wby without question.

I own and have hunted quite a bit with both cartridges. While I think the 25-06 is a great a round, the 257 is simply better and just flat out hammers game. Having the ability to push 115's & 120's into the 3400-3450 range provides an additional level of versatility the 06' isn't capable of, imo.
I run 115 NBT's at 3450 with RL-25. It's an amazing killer with this combo.

 

[tomsd]

I could not read the charts but assume out to 300-350 yards - they are both just fine?

One of my buddies growing up loved his 25.06 (Remington?) - and another friend of my Dad's loved the WBY 257.

Suggest you pick a rifle that fits you best and that you shoot best/really know how it shoots - AND practice. That matters more than anything else in my book - shot placement.

 

[ColonelGoose]

I have both, and like the other posts, prefer the 257 Wby. Just recently had new barrel installed with 1:7 twist. Looking forward to playing with the new Berger 133 gr Elite Hunter (if I can ever find the bullets). Go with the 257.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Look at 25/06AI, and 115 or 117 grains bullet. Accubond. Taken 50 of so deer and antelope, but at the time I was using 120 gr SPBT Noslers. (they don't manufactures any longer. I started out 100 gr partition and it blood shot the entire left side of my first deer with that rifle. Never used them again.
You may want to speed up the twist rate to somewhere around 7-1. Unsure what Hammer is building presently for 257 cal. The best shooting powder was MRP with Fed 210 primers for me. I loaded for three 25/06 rifles that group at about 1/2" @ 100yds. Easy reach to 500 yds. Longest shot was an antelope at about 550yds. in the early 80's
Easy to fire form the brass, and plenty of it around.
I never chronograph the load. Didn't have one at that time. Shot placement is the name of the game as stated above.
Now today is a different story, with all the equipment out there.
The other is I was never was a fan of wby, to much free bore.

 

[stovepipe]

I have a 250 savage, 3 257 roberts , a 2506 and a 257 wby . I have killed dozens of deer with the last two mentioned..both are very fast killers with good shot placement with 110 accubond or 115 ballistic tip. That being said the 257 wby gives lightning strike bang flops. If I were making your decision I would get the wby...if not I would be wondering (what if)

 

[Backcountry sports]

I have my heart set on a 25 cal with a nice wood stock - don't have a 25 or a nice wood stocked rifle. This rifle would be primarily for whitetail and pronghorn hunting.

I am planning on using norma brass, 120gr nosler partitions or 110gr nosler accubonds. I have components and dies for both calibers, just trying to decide which route to go at this point.

Attached are screenshots from nosler's reloading data for each caliber for a quick comparison of expectations from a velocity standpoint.

- I have heard from several guys that Retumbo and VV N560 narrow the gap between the 2, but don't have any personal experience to back that claim up.

Assuming same barrel lengths 24" or 26" and identical components - which caliber would you choose?

2506 have 2 of them there absolutely great 100 grain or 115 works great

 

[hoeram]

I have both, the 257 Wby is a semi custom 27.5 " NWPB barrel, elk horn lam stock, jewell trigger, Rem 700 action. The 25-06 is a Rem 700 old style wood BDL. I love them both the 257 is a 1/2 moa shooter the 25-06 about 5/8". Have had my best luck with nosler 115 B/T's.

 

[MT257]

Another in for the 257wby. With your thoughts of the 110ab or 120gr bullets you will do just fine. I've had good results with h4831sc, imr 7828 and h1000. I have a load worked up for this fall using 115tsx bullets. Seems in my experience it's a bang flop on game including elk. It's the rifle I grab most often when heading out in the field. I would suggest no shorter than a 26" tube.

 

[ImBillT]

I have both, and like the other posts, prefer the 257 Wby. Just recently had new barrel installed with 1:7 twist. Looking forward to playing with the new Berger 133 gr Elite Hunter (if I can ever find the bullets). Go with the 257.

I have both, and like the other posts, prefer the 257 Wby. Just recently had new barrel installed with 1:7 twist. Looking forward to playing with the new Berger 133 gr Elite Hunter (if I can ever find the bullets). Go with the 257.

With that bullet in a 7" twist you'll be in blowup territory around 2915fps, with an 8" twist it's closer to 3300fps.