257 Weatherby Mag vs. 264 Win Mag

257 Weatherby vs. 264 Win Mag

  • 257 Weatherby

    Votes: 33 50.8%

  • 264 Win Mag.

    Votes: 28 43.1%

  • Other

    Votes: 4 6.2%
  • Total voters
    65
T

trooper3385

New member
I have a Remington 700 action and I've been meaning to get a custom made barrel for it for several years. Just never have gotten around to it. I finally have the itch to get the project started again and I believe I have my choices of calibers narrowed down to either the 257 Weatherby or the 264 Win Mag. I know the 264 is limited in bullet selections now, but I reload, so thats not an issue. I know both are considered barrel burners, but it's going to be a hunting rifle, not a target rifle. I don't believe that will be an issue, but if it ever is, I'll order another. I'm not looking to hunt dangerous North American game with it or anything. I have larger caliber rifles that can do that job. I'm looking for a flat shooting hunting rifle for whitetail, mule deer, antelope, etc. and I think these two are considered two of the flattest you can find. So what would you go with and why? If anyone has any other suggestions, don't hesitate, but the action I have is a Remington 700 Long Action Magnum.
 
Either one will shoot really flat, and neither will have an edge in bullet selection. Reach in your pocket and take out a quarter, call heads or tails. Either way, you win!
 
What bolt face does your Remmy use to start with? If the action has a standard bolt face I'd look at the .25-06 or 6.5-06 since you already handload. If your action has the magnum bolt face already then go for one of your magnum rounds. I just feel the less you have to tweak the action to get a cartridge to work the better in the long run. I think the 6.5 offers a better bullet selection than the .257 has.
 
trooper There is a gunsmith over in my area,, Herbs Gun Shop in eastern tenn that has a cartrage he developed some years back. 6.5/338. Makes one extremely accurate long range rifle. You being a reloader might have an interest in this round. He likes krieger barrels but use's others.
 
i would price the ammo before i made a selection. i was interested in the 257 weatherby until i saw the ammo was about $70 for a box of 20. reloading the 257 would not be an option it would be a necessity. i love weatherby rifles but their ammo is really spensive.
 
I reload, so I'm not too worried about the expense of the ammo. Neather are cheap, but what is now. I have a magnum action, so I'm guessing it has the magnum bolt face as well. That's why I've been looking at the magnum calibers. I have some larger magnums rifles, that's why I was looking at other end of the magnum calibers. I'm not recoil sensitive, but it's always nice to shoot something that's easier on the shoulder. I mainly want something that my wife can shoot as well. She likes to hunt and I don't like to lug around 2 rifles. She taken quite a few animals with my 7mm and 300's. Even hunted in Africa with me using a 300 win mag, but something smaller would be better, especially considering that 90% of our hunting is whitetails.
 
264 Win Mag for me. I have never really been a fan of the Weatherby cartridges, and having fired a couple Weatherby chambered rifles, I don't really care for the recoil they produce.
 
For the game you list, the .257 would be my hands down choice. For larger game, I would prefer a 7 mag or .30-06 to the .264. Either round will certainly fit your needs, however,.

gary
 
+1 Taylor

I've used the 6.5-06 for twenty years. It's a cross between the 25-06 and the 270 with better BC and SD bullets. I sent ER Shaw a case with a 140 Sierra seated out to the magazine max for throating. It shoots 140gr Hornadys at 2935 and 120 Sierra/Speer at 3200. In a 24" barrel, the 264 won't be able to do much better.
 
.257 Weatherby:

I have shot both. Don't own the .264 anymore but do own a Blaser R93 barrel in .257 Weatherby Magnum. AWESOME ROUND! Been deer hunting with it twice now (115 grain bullet) and shot one at 240 yards and he dropped in his tracks. The other did the same at closer range (50+ yards).
The recoil is not bad at all on this cartridge. Very, very accurate round to say the least. Am still a 6.5x55 Swede convert for most of my deer hunting but the .257 Weatherby is pretty much king of the hill for lighter weight bullets and/or long range shots. (115 gr.=3,400 ft/sec and 110 gr.=3,500+ ft/sec)

Note: Only drawbacks I can find for the Weatherby mfg. ammo, is the cost, (very expensive at $65-$75/box). Also, if you shoot a Blaser, you have to purchase the magnum head for this round (or any other magnum rounds).
 
GeauzTide, how do you like your ER Shaw barrel? That is who I was planning on getting the barrel through. They will do all the gunsmithing work as well, as far as blue printing the action and putting the barrel on the reciever.
 
I've owned 2, in .280 and 6.5-06. They shoot cloverleaf 5/8" groups with boring regularity. I had custom throating on both and they did a fantastic job. In my opinion, the best value on the planet.
 
.264 Win Mag

"...and neither will have an edge in bullet selection."


Actually the .264/6.5mm caliber has at least as good a selection if not a better selection of bullets than the .257 calibers. This is especially true of the selection of premium and match bullets.

C.
 
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i have the .264 in a remington bdl and it is a great round. It has alot of energy if you load it right. The .264 will kill anything in north america and i can shoot a 140 grain bullet in it and get it going over 3000fps.
 
.264 Winchester!

:eek:I'm a 6.5 FANATIC!! Own Swedes and 7mm-08 Rem 700 The bullet selection and the SD/BC ratings are a little better than .257
 
.264 Weatherby

I am new here and really not to smart about firearms. Yesterday i did some horse trading with a big gun collector and ended up with four rifles and a redhawk 44 mag, pistol.I also got a Weatherby .264 rifle in the deal. I don't know much but i guess i use Win. cartridges? I have a huge black bear roaming around my place and i wanted to have a couple powerful guns just in case because he has absolutely no fear of humans. Two weeks ago,while talking to my brother in my driveway,this monster practically walked right up to us,and if not for me having my pea shooter on my side and firing five rounds into the ground to scare him off ,i know he would have walked right up to us and no telling what would have happened then,although i have a pretty good idea. He finally walked slowly away and stood up by my satellite dish.He stood at least two feet taller than the dish.I measure the dish later and it is five feet five inches. Now,i know that sounds crazy,and believe me i would have never thought a black bear could get that big.However,just last year an 882 pound one was killed just one county away and he was over six feet tall too. So,would my weatherby stop that monster? I also carry a 44 mag. Redhawk when i am outside now. Don't want to shoot him,but i want my family safe even more.
Thanks,David
 
Nothing against the Weatherby .257, but I'd likely go with the .264. Odds are that if need be, it could be downloaded more easily to lessen recoil for the wife.

I guess I'm partial in part because of a post-64 Model 70 .264, 26" barrel that I once had. It was a tack-driver, for sure.

Davy, take the rifle to a gun shop and have them check for the specific cartridge. Some things, you just don't take a guess and then hope.
 
Another vote for the .264 Win. Mag. The big advantage here is with the Berger 140 gr VLD bullet (BC = .612) for long range shooting. For accuracy with this long pill you need a 1 in 8" twist, certainly doable in a custom barrel job.
 
257 for me

That sounds like a fun project, since your going for deer and antelope I'd go the 257. I think the 257 Weatherby is the ultimate sendero scorcher. If you were thinking larger game, elk, moose, bears the heavier 6.5s might be better
bb
 
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