If you recommend the 7mm Rem Mag then why not the 264 WM with a lot more bullet choices ( 85gr HP to 160gr VLD) and less recoil than the 7mm.Being a fellow Californian I feel your pain. I've been loading the ETips in our .308 and 7mm Rem Mags for years now. Like you said you need to push them hard. On paper they will preform at distance but real world testing the expansion you get at lower speeds is nothing to get excited about. They're rated down to 1800 fps but even at 2000 fps the nose barely peels back. I've taken California deer out to 300 yards with the .308 and think that is a good limit for it with the 150 grain ETip.
I converted my .270 Win to a 7mm Rem Mag. Partially to match my brothers so we would always have backup ammo for eachother but also because of the greater range of bullets offered in 7mm. The 150 Etip has a .498 BC and I can launch it several hundred fps faster than the .308. In the .308 I'm getting right around 2,650 fps. I've tried lots of powders but that's about the wall before I get pressure spikes. The 7mag launches the 150 at 2975. I've got them going faster but was not as accurate. The 7mm load carries significantly more velocity at much greater range. I've not taken a deer with the 7mm yet but would not hesitate out to 600 yards with the milk jug tests I've done.
I'd say get the Weatherby so you can push them as hard as possible. Our 7mm Rem Mags the recoil is very tolerable with the 150s. Nothing like shooting 180s!!! I'D consider the 7mm Rem Mag if I were you. The 7mm Etips seem to be easy to find too.
. Also, has very little recoil and ammo/reloading components are easy to find.
Here is some choices of bullets for the 6.5 including the 264 wm.Does that include lead free?
The LEAD FREE criteria seems to be missed over and over again. Be glad you don't live in a state where you can just ignore the leadedness of your ammo.
with the 264WM I am pushing the 100gr Nosler Ballistic tip at 3709 and can go faster. That's with H4831.I re-read the OP.
Expanding on what I said before....
The 257Wby is generally a very accurate chambering (sorry Mud). I do lots of loading and testing of lead free bullets. Looking at the 500 yard plus parameter. If It Were Me (IIWM) and I plan on using this load:
257Wby
Barnes TTSX 100
~3500fps (it can go faster)
This will certainly do the job, has the advantage of being "flat" (+- 6") to 400+ yards.
CEBs are also on the list to try. A little better BC.
I have nothing but trouble with the E-Tips. I use lots of other Nosler products but not that one, YYMV.
Hmmmwith the 264WM I am pushing the 100gr Nosler Ballistic tip at 3709 and can go faster. That's with H4831.
Hmmm