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Which 257 Weatherby?

All 3 of my Accumarks are sub MOA. One 257 is a very early Accumark with an HS Precision stock from the factory. It has about 500 rounds through it and is still 1/4 MOA with 75 grain V-Max's and 110 Accubonds. It's an above average example. I will never sell this one. The other 257 has over 1000 rounds and it is barely MOA. Someday we will put a new cut rifled Krieger on it. My 300 WBY is a solid 1/2 MOA to 500 yards with 200 and 210 grain Accubonds and Bergers. It is an Elk harvesting machine. They are all bedded and the triggers tuned to 15 ounces. They all wear 8.5-25x50 Leupold's on them.

It's no secret I like Weatherby factory rifles more than Remington's. I work on all brands so I get to see all the different makes weaknesses and the Mark 5 is the safest one with the least issues. Bedding is the main weakness and is easily fixed.

Don't take this as a hate of Remington. I don't hate them at all. I like them despite it flaws. It's just that flaw list is pretty long. I even own one 700 currently. It is a fully customized super accurate 6.5x284.
Here is my list of complaints on the 700:

  1. open bolt shroud directs gas and debris straight into your eye if you blow a primer.
  2. extractor is easily fouled and disabled.
  3. factory triggers are not easily tuned under 2 pounds
  4. some have the J lock which isn't really a problem but it's an eyesore.
  5. soldered bolt handle is prone to falling off when abused.
  6. bedding is terrible
  7. barrel quality is all over the place (tool marks and gouges in rifling)
  8. chambers not aligned with bore
  9. rough SPS black finish rusts just looking at them
  10. action bridges vary in height up to .040" which bends rails and scopes.
The list goes on. As a gunsmith, they represent about 90% of our revenue.

When we see a Weatherby it is like a breath of fresh air. About all they ever need is a muzzle brake, trigger tune up and bedding.

The new Accumarks are all guaranteed sub MOA. The older ones are 1 1/2 MOA guaranteed. If you can't get the accuracy, Weatherby will gladly fix it. If you don't want to send it in there are a few Weatherby specialists around that can make them sing. If the smith seems luke warm or starts bad mouthing them keep shopping till you find one that does like them. To sit and suffer is senseless.

I like Vanguard rifles. Two biggest complaints is the barrels on the Weatherby calibers is too short and the older models the trigger takes a lot of work to make really nice. Safety and technologically they are superior to the old 700. I like the integral lug and m-16 extractor. They are known for out of the box accuracy.

A 257 Weatherby with anything less than a 26" barrel is not getting what a 257 is really capable of. No 25-06 Improved whatever will get even close. A SAAMI chambered 257 Weatherby with a 26" barrel routinely drives 100 grain bullets at 3700 fps or 110's at 3650.

As much as I love the 257 if you want to shoot long range I would try the new 6.5x300 Wby. The 257 continues to suffer from a lack of high BC bullets.
 
The 25 caliber never was or never will be a great "Long range" caliber. What they do well at, especially the 257 weatherby is kill deer size game out to 500 yards with plenty of energy without abusing the shooter with excessive recoil ! If you want a 1000 yard gun I would start with 30 caliber and go from there!
 
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