25-06 vs 257 wby

[droptine]

I think everybody should have both!!! and if you wife says anything have you getting new guns just tell her you are in the gun a month club!!!

 

[patrickjr]

I am building another 257 WTBY deep throated for heavy for class bullets 130gr hammer hunter and Black Jack bullets. Just got my reamer a few days ago from Manson. I have 26in CF Rock Creek barrel waiting to be chambered. I hope to get 3800+ with 130 gr hunters we will see where it ends up.

3800 with the 130s? What powder would that be with?

 

[Eric Alexander]

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?

25-06 :: less expensive on all fronts, brass, amount of powder, easy to find off the shelf in a bind, not an overbore ,nearly the speed of the Weatherby without a belt, slick loader. The only reason to go with Wby is if you are really a freak for speed. Assuming that your are building the rifle, then get a barrel with a 1:7 twist so you can avail yourself of the new high BC bullets from Blackjack and Hammer.... and go with the 26". All of the shelf .25 cal rifles are 1:10. New longer bullets won't work in that slow twist.

 

[RGJZ06]

257 /Mark V Deluxe here.

 

[Eric Alexander]

I'm honestly not familiar with ANY other 257 bullets besides Blackjack. What are these others your talking about?

Hammer Hunters in 121 & 128 all copper, Berger 135

 

[Gator 06]

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

How much retumbo are you using in ur 2506 ?

 

[436]

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?

I've got to tell you, I'm a big fan of both but more so the .257 Wby Mag especial if you're a good hand loader. With the right combo, you can make the .257 WM really perform, quite a bit outside of the envelope the .25-06'..., in 26" barrels. The case volume of the .257 Wby Mag is 84gr H2O the .25-06 Rem 65gr H2O I think that pretty much speaks for itself.
I've owned four or five .257 Wby's over the years, who keeps count... I've owned one .25-06 Rem... which I had eventually rechamber to .257 Wby Mag back in the '70s. Anyway, just my 0.2 good luck.

 

[Rhino Hunter]

I've shot rifles for almost 50 years now, and I've hunted big game successfully in a number of states. I can honestly say that I have more confidence and respect in my .257 Weatherby Mag Mark V Accumark than any other gun I've shot or owned. It is the most accurate, and the most deadly rifle I have. I've used it for my two longest one shot kills with spectacular results. I absolutely love it!

Good luck with your quest.

 

[.300 Dakota]

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?

With the criteria you laid out and naming the components, you don't have much choice but to go with the 257 Wby. Sounds like a job for the Mark V Deluxe or Mark V Lazermark. Norma brass and both those bullets are going to be tough to come by when you need to reorder if you go with the .25-06. I'm sure you are aware that Weatherby brass IS Norma brass, so that gives you a couple more choices, as they have introduced the 50-count bulk pack in 257 Wby with a Weatherby logo. I'd be careful with the bulk boxes, though. 1 of 2 I received was short 4 pieces!

A high-end wooden-stocked .25-06 will be a custom proposition unless you find one in a Sako or want to spend the money for a Blaser or a Cooper. Whichever you get, you need to make sure the barrel is AT LEAST 26"! You aren't going to be able to get the full benefit of the cartridges if you don't. They require very slow powders, as you demonstrated you were aware of. The extra couple of inches will give you enough bang for your buck that they will be worth it. Never understood why companies introduce great new cartridges and then handicap them with short barrel length and slow twist rates. BTW: 1:9 twist is the best way to go, but you won't find it on any .25 caliber production rifle. You probably won't absolutely require it with the bullets you listed in the .257 Wby for sure, and maybe even the .25-06 at elevations where antelopes will be found, but the 115gr pointy bullets sure do love a 9 twist down here at sea level in the '06. I think you'll need an 8 twist if you want to shoot Black Jack's, but that would probably disintegrate everything lighter in the 257. Don't know if Black Jack's are good for hunting or just long range target shooting.

Sounds like the best way to go for you without waiting a year or more on a custom gun to be built, is the Mark V Deluxe or Mark V Lazermark in 257 Wby.

 

[TX Badger]

LOL, I hear ya on the Creed stuff, BUT the Lapua small primer case in a .25 lets you explore performance that is amazing.. I've built several of them they shoot very well. My chrono is repeatable day after day giving me 3,300 with 100NBT's and pockets stay tight.. What's not to like ?
But there's Ford and Chevy -------. Enjoy!

It's gotten to the point where my first cartridge consideration is brass. When the Blackjack bullet came out it really came down to x47 or CM bc of the Lapua brass options. Sure wish they made 25-06 and 7 rem mag brass.

 

[dr.frank338]

Choosing between the two... 255 Giani Special for shure. It is some years I had a custom done by Italian MAG Armi, Tikka sport action, 24 Krieger semi heavy barrel, 1:10 twist. It is about 1/4 MOA with Berger 115 Vld hunting, 1/3 with ELDX, both 48 grs Vith N 160. Made some 600 m contests also. Brass is cheap and very long lasting Lapua 6,5x55.

 

[TX Badger]

There is another option for the 25-06 AI, but you can't purchase ammo for it. But whatever you do, get a faster twist on your barrel's rifling than the 1 in 10" twist that is most commonly used in the 25 caliber rifles. I have shot the 257 Roberts and the 25-06 for more than 45 years, and my accuracy was harder to dial in with the 120 grain bullets than the 100 grain bullets. My favorite 257 has a Bartlein barrel with a 1 in 9" twist, and it shoots the 120 grain bullets sub MOA.

The AI version should shoot 25-06 ammo just fine in a pinch. I've never done it with a 25-06ai, but i believe it will still work.... my 260ai shoots fire forming 260 loads as well as fire formed ones.

 

[StumpGrinder]

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?

I also like both calibers, I've had a Sako in 25-06 and it was great!!! I let a friend talk me out of it or I would still have it. I have always liked the 257 Roberts on paper and for the reduced recoil. I reload also so the absence of 257 factory ammo could be overcome but it would be difficult. I have seen 25-06 shells on the shelf at my local gun shop even now so that would probably be the better option.

 

[stovepipe]

There's a rem 700 cdl sf 257 wby new in the box on gunbroker right now started at $1200 with no bids so far. That's just like my 257 and I love it. I don't know if you can tell much by these pics but I open up the barrel channel, bed a 3/8" threaded rod in the forearm . After a good action bedding they are then a very solid platform...shoots fabulous too