Barnes TTSX or Nosler Partition in 257 Wthby MAG ?

[Canhunter35]

I recently got a new rifle a range certified (the old MOA) Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 in 257 Weatherby Magnum. Actually my best friend and hunting buddy of 20 plus years and I bought one each with consecutive serial numbers. Kinda cool how that worked out its his pre retirement gift for when he retires this year.

So I reload and I cant decide if we should shoot the Barnes 100 grain TTSX bullet or the Nosler Partition in 100 or 115 grain bullets. In the Nosler I am edging towards the 115 grain due to its slightly high ballistic coefficient and they seem to slightly perform better on game reportedly due to the way partitions work when they strike game.

Any one use either? We both have several rifles in 30 cal but wanted something a little lighter in recoil as sadly we are getting older day by day lol. Plus we just wanted a new toy.

We mostly hunt whitetail deer and possibly some antelope is about all we get to hunt. I use a lot of Hornady and Seirra Bullets in most of my other rifles. I however read and talked with some folks who say they tried the ELD-x in 243 and now 257 with poor results meaning the animal was dead but their was no exit wounds and very little if any blood trials and the animals went way further than expected after the shot. SO I am looking for a good long range bullet that exits and the Nosler and Barnes bullets seem to be good from what I read.

My gun came from the factory being shot with weatherby ammo using the Barnes TTSX bullet in 80 grains. Its group was .67 sub MOA. I would like to shoot atleast a 100 grain of bullet even though some folks say with Barnes you can step down some in weight and get great results.

I will be using Hornady brass, Federal #215 GM primers and starting with H1000 to test them. Thanks for your time in reading this!!!!

I shot the barrel out of my series 2 vanguard in 257wby, best load I found was the 115ballistic tips. Shot a bunch of deer with great success, If ur really close they're not quite as effective but I would still take them hunting. I also achieved good accuracy with the 115vld but experienced poor results on deer with them. I had difficulty obtaining the same accuracy with lighter bullets, I don't believe they made the jump the lands as well as the longer bullets

 

[DLJ6]

Im partial to the Barnes products and you should not have any trouble getting them to group if your WV has the long throat.

 

[okie man]

I've shot several deer including some really big bodied bucks with my 257 Weatherby. Hornady sst's and Speer 120 bthp have worked perfect. Closets was 30 yards, farthest was 425. All fell within 20 yards of impact! Here's all the bullets I've used in my gun

 

[okie man]

Pics

 

[Orange Dust]

View attachment 114646 Pics

Now, If only we could find some bullets for the OP!!!

 

[MagnumManiac]

Of the 3 bullets you mention, the 115gr Partition is my pick.
For larger deer here (600lbs on the hoof) the 115gr Partition is the 'bomb'. It penetrates better than the 120gr in my experience and I can get 3226fps in my 25-06 with ease, so your 257 will push them a little faster.
I also use the 110gr Accubond, but seeing as though you can't get any, they won't get the job done.

Cheers.

 

[okie man]

The accubonds are overrated for the price! The sst's were just as good at half the price. The speers have the highest bc's for a standard bullet and worked great! Midway had them on clearance for $20 a box a while back

 

[okie man]

600# on the hood? That's 7mm mag size deer! Lol

 

[MagnumManiac]

600# on the hood? That's 7mm mag size deer! Lol

I've shot and killed moose/caribou with both the 25-06 with 115's and 6.5x55 with 125's, both Partitions.
The 25-06 handles our Sambar deer just fine. I've also witnessed Elk taken with a 25-06, it's ALL got to do with WHERE you hit 'me, not WHAT you hit them with.
ANY cartridge that still has 1200lbs/ft energy when you hit them is good enough, regardless of bullet diameter/weight, as it's the hole that kills, not the energy.

Cheers.

 

[Elkeater]

The accubonds are overrated for the price! The sst's were just as good at half the price. The speers have the highest bc's for a standard bullet and worked great! Midway had them on clearance for $20 a box a while back

I don't tend to disagree with folks too often as it seems that most things are pretty subjective when it comes to bullets but I'll disagree with SST's being the same as accubonds. I've personally witnessed 180 gr SST's completely disintegrate on a bull elks shoulder. And that was out of a .30-06 at 200 yards. Not exactly a crazy high impact velocity. On the other hand I've never had a 180 accubond out of my .300 win mag at 3050 FPS fail at any range. That's 9 different elk and a few deer at ranges from 20-404 yards. The Hornady inter bond might be about the same as an accubond but I don't have any experience with them.

Don't mean to offend anyone but that's just my experience.

 

[just country]

morning, which ever shoots the best groups. I have 2 257 wbees.
shoot the barnes and accubond very well. I shoot the TTSX 100gr
and the 110gr. accu. never had a problem. speed kills.
Dr. Vette has posted wbee info for a lot of yrs. listen to
his advise. justme gbot tum

 

[michaln]

Unfortunately living in ca. Luckily mine loves the Barnes ttsx 100's and h1000

 

[Big Jake Duke]

Im running a 25-06AI, 27" Barrel. I run the Cutting Edge 110 mth bullet for hunting. Amazing accuracy, and with the AI i am getting 3385 with IMR4831. I would consider it over the barnes, higher bc and better terminal performance in my experience.

 

[Big Jake Duke]

Of the 3 bullets you mention, the 115gr Partition is my pick.
For larger deer here (600lbs on the hoof) the 115gr Partition is the 'bomb'. It penetrates better than the 120gr in my experience and I can get 3226fps in my 25-06 with ease, so your 257 will push them a little faster.
I also use the 110gr Accubond, but seeing as though you can't get any, they won't get the job done.

Cheers.

600lb deer? I want to hunt with you cowboy!