257 Weatherby and 115 Bergers

[MT257]

So I've come to the conclusion that I need to try and work a load up with the 115 Bergers in my 257 weatherby. I have used the step by step instrutions to get accuracy out of the vld bullets before. My question is how does this work with the weatherby cartridges since they have free bore and you cannot touch the lands and more specifically the 257?

 

[AZShooter]

Berger suggests you try VLD in four seating depths to see if you can find a trend.

"Load 24 rounds at the following COAL if you are a hunter (pulling a bullet out of the case with your rifling while in the field can be a hunt ending event which must be avoided) or a competition shooter who worries about pulling a bullet during a match:
1. .010 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds
2. .050 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds
3. .090 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds
4. .130 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds

Shoot 2 (separate) 3 shot groups in fair conditions to see how they group. The remarkable reality of this test is that one of these 4 COALs will outperform the other three by a considerable margin. Once you know which one of these 4 COAL shoots best then you can tweak the COAL +/- .002 or .005. Taking the time to set this test up will pay off when you find that your rifle is capable of shooting the VLD bullets very well (even at 100 yards). "

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I am not sure if you can do any of the above jumps to the lands. I would suggest you seat to fit and feed from magazine and work up a powder charge. Then you could seat incrementally deeper up to a point to see if that helps shrink groups.

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My friends and I have built six 257 Weatherbys with a custom reamer and Lilja 3 groove barrels. The jump to the lands is .070" in some to .100" in others. All rifles shoot wonderfully. I believe the throat angle is the main reason. It is a 1 degree 30 min angle.

I cannot say how your rifle will perform but our rifles love 115 VLDs. Everyone but me use RL-25. I switched to RL-33 and got a bit more velocity.
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Give it a try and let us know how it works out,

 

[cacsrx1]

I load mine as long as the magazine will allow. Shoots very well with H1000 in a factory Accumark.

 

[MT257]

I though SAMMII specs the 257 has .375 freebore to the lands? And I'll have to start doing some research. The weatherby theory of wanting the animal to absorb all the shock and Berger bullets designed to stay within the animal and not exit should make for one heck of a hunting round if thinking about both theories applied to the same situation at the same time.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I though SAMMII specs the 257 has .375 freebore to the lands? And I'll have to start doing some research. The weatherby theory of wanting the animal to absorb all the shock and Berger bullets designed to stay within the animal and not exit should make for one heck of a hunting round if thinking about both theories applied to the same situation at the same time.

You will not want to shoot game in the shoulder with a .257 Wby with a 115 Berger. Shoot for a double-lung shot...Center-mass directly behind the shoulder. I took several deer when I had my .257 Wby, and lung shots are the way to go...Especially if you don't want to ruin any useable meat.

 

[Slick8]

Berger suggests you try VLD in four seating depths to see if you can find a trend.

"Load 24 rounds at the following COAL if you are a hunter (pulling a bullet out of the case with your rifling while in the field can be a hunt ending event which must be avoided) or a competition shooter who worries about pulling a bullet during a match:
1. .010 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds
2. .050 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds
3. .090 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds
4. .130 off the lands (jump) 6 rounds

Shoot 2 (separate) 3 shot groups in fair conditions to see how they group. The remarkable reality of this test is that one of these 4 COALs will outperform the other three by a considerable margin. Once you know which one of these 4 COAL shoots best then you can tweak the COAL +/- .002 or .005. Taking the time to set this test up will pay off when you find that your rifle is capable of shooting the VLD bullets very well (even at 100 yards). "

Not sure if this is an "apples to apples" comparison but I'm running 105 VLD's in a model 700 custom 240 WBY.

I used the above suggestion and with .010 and .050 showing the best. I fine tuned and settled on .035 off. With a Wyatt's mag box it will cycle with no issues.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I load mine as long as the magazine will allow. Shoots very well with H1000 in a factory Accumark.

I though SAMMII specs the 257 has .375 freebore to the lands? And I'll have to start doing some research. The weatherby theory of wanting the animal to absorb all the shock and Berger bullets designed to stay within the animal and not exit should make for one heck of a hunting round if thinking about both theories applied to the same situation at the same time.

I have not done much with my 257 yet but the advise/guide given is proven.

Single load the Berger COAL rounds if needed. In the end, it's a fairly trivial thing to extend the mag box on the 257 Mark V if that is needed.

I don't think there is much to extending a Vanguard either. My long action VG is a 300 so I don't know if the 257 VG has a spacer.

 

[Dosh]

MT, the 115 Bergers with H1000 make my .257 Wby my most accurate rifle. Seating took several settings to find most accuracy, but it's ready for my muley hunt in November. Like Mud said, hit the boiler room not the shoulder. Good luck

 

[just country]

morning, my smithy was talking to a fellow who had just bought a vanguard

257 wbee. he did not mention to my smithy that the rifle would not shoot

good groups. the smithy ordered a new shilen barrel, 5.5 contour. installed

the barrel. when finished gave the weapon back to the owner. the owner

took the rifle to the range. the rifle would not shoot better than 2" groups.

the smithy ask the customer how r if he was handloading the rounds. the

customer said he was loading to touch the lands. the smithy laughed

and said wbee's have a free bore. so do not try to touch the lands.

the customer went purchased a box of wbee ammo. went to the range

and proceed to shoot .500 groups. i know this is the truth. i met the

customer. i made the same mistake trying to touch the lands with my

257wbee. quit loading that produre and got the spec's. for the factory

loaded round. everything good. my gunsmith was MR. Tip Burns. works

for Mauser Firearms now, not in private practice.

thank u for ur ear!!

just country NRA-TSRA life memberlightbulb

 

[MT257]

So by me saying I just have a Remington 700 chambered in the 257 wby, I should just make the shells as long as the magazine allows?

 

[MudRunner2005]

So by me saying I just have a Remington 700 chambered in the 257 wby, I should just make the shells as long as the magazine allows?

My suggestion is to get the right tools, and find out for sure if your rifle has a lot of freebore, or not. It's the only way to find out for sure, and you can buy different case gauges for all your different calibers.

Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gage Bolt Action

Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gage Modified Case 257 Weatherby

Hornady Lock-N-Load Bullet Comparator Basic Set 6 Inserts

 

[roninflag]

"So by me saying I ' just ' have a Remington 700 chambered in the 257 wby" - while i would like to have a .257 weatherby in a 26" barrel , either a accumark or deluxe mark V . if i had a remington 700 with Krieger barrel chambered in .257 wby; there is no doubt which would shoot best.

 

[MT257]

" if i had a remington 700 with Krieger barrel chambered in .257 wby"----I wish I had a barrel other than the factory barrel that came on it.

 

[just country]

morning, is there a reason that wbee ammo makers seat the bullets in factory

box ammo to a certain depth? i would use this as a reference starting point.

u could take the weapon to a very reliable smithy and measure the free

bore if any. u could go to muds way. at least u would have the proper

tools to measure free bore. u could use the old method. shallow seat a

bullet. seat forward till there is no bolt closing resistance. slow but

effective. then measure the loaded round. no primer or powder. see if

shell will fit in ur loading chute of the weapon. adjust to seating depth till

the index round will fit the ammo magazine.

info for thought!!

NRA-TSRA life memberlightbulb