257 Weatherby vs. 6.5-06 vs. 6.5x284

[MudRunner2005]

Good information so far. How does barrel life compare with the 3?

I've read alot of different people say you can get upwards of 3,000 rounds out of the .257 Wby if you don't load it up super hot. But I haven't burned out a barrel in mine yet, so I don't have any hard evidence to say if that's true or not...

Don't have any experience with the other 2 at all.

 

[HogginKing]

CB
I have a 257 Weatherby Mark V, since the mid 80's. I have shot a couple of Whitetail Deer with it, works well. I use it for hunting Groundhogs and prefer not to use it for the close targets. At this time there are one thousand and fifty rounds down the 26" factory barrel. Yes, I counted what I shot!
I will not tell you it is accurate all day long, it shoots minute of Groundhog, nothing more. How long will the barrel last? Good question! I have been shooting the same powder, grains for years, it is a MAX load. Started with Hornady 100 gr. and changed to Nosler 100 gr. some years ago.
Is it a better caliber than the other 2, I doubt it, brass $$$$$, yes, bullets with low BC, yep. Would I trade mine in for a new caliber, no way. It just work's for me. When the barrel goes, Douglas will replace the factory.

Hogginking

 

[MudRunner2005]

CB
I have a 257 Weatherby Mark V, since the mid 80's. I have shot a couple of Whitetail Deer with it, works well. I use it for hunting Groundhogs and prefer not to use it for the close targets. At this time there are one thousand and fifty rounds down the 26" factory barrel. Yes, I counted what I shot!
I will not tell you it is accurate all day long, it shoots minute of Groundhog, nothing more. How long will the barrel last? Good question! I have been shooting the same powder, grains for years, it is a MAX load. Started with Hornady 100 gr. and changed to Nosler 100 gr. some years ago.
Is it a better caliber than the other 2, I doubt it, brass $$$$$, yes, bullets with low BC, yep. Would I trade mine in for a new caliber, no way. It just work's for me. When the barrel goes, Douglas will replace the factory.

Hogginking

I love my Accumark .257 Wby. Once you have one, you'll always have one. It's an awesome whitetail gun with the 110 Accubonds and 115 Bergers.

 

[cummin_un_glued]

I'm trying to compare them for accuracy and barrel life. I realize the 6.5's have better bullet selection, but I thought I read somewhere that Berger was going to be making a better long range bullet for the 25. Main purpose of the rifle would be punching paper, but I would like to do some long range hunting in the next 4-5 years. From what I gather the 6.5-06 and 6.5x284 are about the same as far as ballistics go.

This is why I said I would go with the 6.5....257wby really isn't a "target" round

 

[HogginKing]

I love my Accumark .257 Wby. Once you have one, you'll always have one. It's an awesome whitetail gun with the 110 Accubonds and 115 Bergers.

I do agree, on all counts! With a target scope, click paper, yotes, deer, Groundhogs and a Leica 1600, it's endless. A two fifty seven weebe just want's to go lllooonnnggg...

Hogginking

 

[MudRunner2005]

I do agree, on all counts! With a target scope, click paper, yotes, deer, Groundhogs and a Leica 1600, it's endless. A two fifty seven weebe just want's to go lllooonnnggg...

Hogginking

Yep! I've got a Zeiss 6.5-20x50 w/ target turrets ontop of mine. Other than it having the Z-Plex reticle instead of the mildot reticle (what I paid for the scope, I couldn't argue), I think she's ready to rock & roll.

I still need to order my MagnetoSpeed V2 chrono...But that's a whole nother story. LOL

 

[HogginKing]

Correction:
that is to read "one thousand, three hundred, fifty rounds" down the factory 26" barrel" my mistake!

Hogginking

 

[truck driver]

You can save a bunch of money on brass for the 257 bee by running Rem 7mm mag brass threw a 257 bee resizing die. Just won't have the proper head stamp.lightbulb

 

[Outlaw6.0]

....The Berger 6.5 130 VLD is .522, and the 6.5 140 Hyrbid is .618...

Mud, you might have had a slip 'o' the finger. The 6.5mm 130 VLDs BC is .552

Good information so far. How does barrel life compare with the 3?

Well, lets look at what my nifty little calculator says. Keep in mind, while this data should be considered a good reflection of possible bore life, actual life can differ from rifle to rifle- shooter to shooter. All load data collected from Hodgdon Load Center.

Cartridge= 6.5-06
Projectile= 140grn
Powder type & charge weight= 53.5grns H-1000
Mean Pressure= 62600psi (listed)
Calculated life= 1687 rounds
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cartridge= 6.5x 284
Projectile= 140grn
Powder type & charge weight= 53.5grns H-1000
Mean Pressure= 60000psi (not listed)
Calculated life= 1760 rounds
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cartridge= .257 Wby
Projectile= 117grn
Powder type & charge weight= 74.0 H-1000
Mean Pressure= 51800psi (listed)
Calculated life= 957 rounds
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




t

 

[Jcub]

If your true desire for this gun is to mainly target shoot, your best course of action IMO would be to shoot 1 of the 6.5 chamberings for reasons as mentioned above. I know of no one off the top of my head that uses a quarter bore for competition, although that doesn't mean you can't. Just saying.

Whatever you decide, as long as built by a competent gunsmith, will be highly accurate and a joy to shoot.

 

[Brewer]

if you want to punch holes is paper, then 6.5mm because of the bullets available and the intrinsic accuracy.

if you want to hunt then 6.5mm because of the bullets available and intrinsic accuracy.

the only thing the .257 gives you is speed which doesn't seem to me to be a deciding factor here, it seems like you are looing for killing power and accuracy.

so the bolt face may be a factor between the two of them (284 vs 06), depending on what action/bolt you start with. 284 for paper 06 for hunting. 284 for barrel life. or even better 06AI then you get good feeding from the mag and barrel life as well as better efficiency of powder more capacity. but you have to fire form.

I would just scratch off the .257 for what you are wanting.

 

[MudRunner2005]

if you want to punch holes is paper, then 6.5mm because of the bullets available and the intrinsic accuracy.

if you want to hunt then 6.5mm because of the bullets available and intrinsic accuracy.

the only thing the .257 gives you is speed which doesn't seem to me to be a deciding factor here, it seems like you are looing for killing power and accuracy.

so the bolt face may be a factor between the two of them (284 vs 06), depending on what action/bolt you start with. 284 for paper 06 for hunting. 284 for barrel life. or even better 06AI then you get good feeding from the mag and barrel life as well as better efficiency of powder more capacity. but you have to fire form.

I would just scratch off the .257 for what you are wanting.

Have you ever even owned a .257 Wby? If so, then you would never say the 6.5's are more accurate...That's a very elementary and false thing to say. Any particular bullet has the ability to be just as accurate as another.

While I like any and all calibers, I am a big fan of the .257's. The 6.5's are also great calibers. About the only caliber I don't like is the .270 Win. yet I still reload for them because my best friend shoots one, so I gladly reload for his rifle, provided he buys his own components...Which he does.

Anyway, I would love to know your reasoning how a 6.5 bullet can be more accurate than a .257 bullet...

 

[codybrown]

I have a Vanguard in 257 Weatherby now. The main purpose for the rifle would be a longer 500-600 yard hunting scenario, but I would also likely be plinking with it. I have a Remington 7mm mag I was going to use as the donor action for a custom 257 Weatherby build. I'm just trying to decide what I want now.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I have a Vanguard in 257 Weatherby now. The main purpose for the rifle would be a longer 500-600 yard hunting scenario, but I would also likely be plinking with it. I have a Remington 7mm mag I was going to use as the donor action for a custom 257 Weatherby build. I'm just trying to decide what I want now.

Why don't you keep your Vanguard a .257 Wby. And take that 700 7mmRM action and make it a 7mm STW for long range. Then you'd have both your bases covered for inside of 500 hunting (.257 Wby), and 500+ hunting (7mm STW).

You should come join us over in the 7mm STW section and we can answer any and all questions you might have. If you've never shot a 7mm STW, then you're missing out...They'll reach on out there, and they hit hard!