I can relate to what you said. I don't burn through a lot of ammo at the range. I usually get a gun where I want it and stop. I may shoot 3 rounds a year after that to check zero... sometimes not even that. Then usually one or 2 shots a year at animals.

If Weatherby made a Vanguard with out that cheek swell for right handed shooters, I'd buy one in 257. Any of the lefties or ones without cheek swells are $1400 or better. I know a lot more gun than a vanguard, but I know my limitations.

I like flat shooting because I am a hold over shooter and wind hold shooter. I most likely will buy a 25-06 unless I find a deal somewhere on a 257 Weatherby.

Who is arguing? It’s all in fun. No love lost from me that is for sure. I appreciate it all.

No doubt the 7mm-08 is an excellent cartridge. But I don’t think it has got what you are looking for in said cartridge.

7mm-08. Then a mil scope. Then a range finder. Next thing you know you are building a PRS rig, and why not? That’s awesome.

But it’s not in the realm of a 25-06 and way off from anything that’s got Weatherby in the name. I mean, if you are looking to extend your max PBR with moderate recoil.

The “just a couple inches difference in drop” of that .257 weatherby is equal to about 100 yards extra in max PBR. Or 50 yards extra in a .25-06. Might be hitting about 4” high at the apex of the trajectory to achieve that but a 7mm-08 can’t touch it without using an LRF and holds or adjustments. A flat shooter like that, just hold a little high or a little low out to 400 yards. That is what made weatherby famous.

Even with the standard + or - 3” trajectory you are still looking at a solid 350 with the .257 weatherby.

Learning your rifle’s drop and using LRF, etc is awesome. Lots of people have great success that way. But I thought you were looking for a flat shooter. .25-06 is a solid 300 yard gun with no extra tools.

You could always get both. We know it won’t be the last gun you buy.

I think that is a good decision

Weatherby rifles yes. When Jesus comes back he is gonna be carrying a Mark V. But their cartridges, they are a bit much for todays hunter in more than one aspect.


The flat shooting argument is now largely a moot point because everyone has a rangefinder. Makes either dialing or holding over a breeze. Back when everyone was having to guess it made a little more difference, but with a standard 1.5” high at 100 sight in, the difference between a .257 wby and say a .270 is only a few inches. It isn’t enough for one to fall out of the vitals on an animal.

25-06 is an excellent cartridge with a strong 110-120g bullet.

I disagree with you TXTrophy. I think it is a bit much to learn your drop/holds, mil-mil scope, lrf, perfect ammo consistency re-learn a new lot of ammo. That is excessive. But not on THF. THF: “buy 7mm-08, take it to JG learn to use it at 700”

Then your holds change with a new lot of ammo. Oh well shoulda had him make your ammo or roll your own lol. Next thing you know you are ordering 1000 cartridges to make use of all this gear. That’s great if you want to get into it, I sure do.

But for most hunters it is excessive. Especially by comparison to buying an accurate, flat shooting rifle.

Welp it's a done deal. 25-06 Ordered. Thanks for all the input fellas. I think I will be happy with it.

https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleGoWild/specSheets/36931.html

Sweet rig

The difference on drop between a .270 and a .257 wby at 300 yards is about 3”. At 400 yards it stretches to about a 4-6” difference depending on load.

You’re still not holding far enough of hair with either caliber to notice a difference. At 300 yards the 7mm-08 is right there with them. At 400 yards things change a little between the 7mm-08 and the .257/.270 but it’s still a doable shot, but your are dealing with about a 2’ drop vs. a 1 foot and 1 & 1/2 foot drop with the other two.

Flat shooting was a term coined by gun manufacturers and promoted by gun writers long before everyone had access to ballistics tables at their fingertips or adjustable turrets. Times have changed.

There is a HUGE difference in making a hit at 400 yards (which is a max reasonable hunting range for me) and a hit at 700 yards. No Kentucky windage is getting you consistent hits at that distance, you have to range and dial.

Yep i agree a .270 is a good flat shooting cartridge too. But 2-3” matters a lot when calculating max PBR. It could mean 50 to 100 yards. 7mm-08 does not compare to a .25-06 in max PBR. It’s (.25-06) closer to a 7 mag.

I have to admit, I have always been intrigued by the .257. I don’t have any logical reason for wanting one other than it would be another Weatherby to add to my collection.

Are you a typical hunter? It might be a bit much for you

You might be right… thanks for talking me off the ledge.😂🤣😂🤣

"I like flat shooting cartridges"

So I clicked over to the Hornady ballistic chart page and it turns out the flattest shooting non-magnum bigger than a 6 mm is a.........270

So maybe the op might want a 270?

Too Late. Thanks!

The .25-06 is equal to or better than the .270 out to 200 yards and might give up one inch at 300 with a 200 yard zero. Depending on the load, the .25-06 still capable of longer max PBR. I would not just go off the Hornady chart.

Maybe a inch and a quarter high at 100 yards when zeroed at 200, with like 12 or 14 pounds recoil? That is pretty special.

Nolser loads a 100gr partition thats I really liked. But also
look @ Dallas Reloads, Copper Creek Ammo and Unknown munitions. 115 vld, 110 ELDX , 117 sst are also great bullets. All three company's load them

Thanks for the info Bobo!

When both guns are zeroed at 200 yards the 270s best load it's about 33 in low at 500. The 25-06 is best load is about 38 in low at 500. I don't see any good reason to not go off of Hornady's chart, it was probably done in lab conditions with good loads for both guns. Although at 500 I'm sure it was probably just mathed out but, that math is nothing new and there's no reason to not trust it. Anything you can hand load and step up a 25-06 performance you could do the same with a 270, well maybe you could because I think both of those top loads were there superformance rounds and if they make the numbers they're supposed to they're pretty good.

So according to that the 270 will have a better Max PBR, but in reality there's probably only 10 or 15 yards difference if that which is one of the interesting things you find out when looking at Max pbrs across the board, there's just not a tremendous amount of difference unless you're comparing something like a 300 Savage to a 257 weatherby. And even then it's probably less than most people think

of the 2 the weatherby . if you dont mind the price of ammo. a 257 mag in a mark 5 would be the bomb

Actually 7-08 is in the same realm as 25-06. Many people use 120 grain NBTs for hunting and they can be easily driven 3000 fps +. There would be no practical difference.

When you are looking at MPBR, 500 yards does not matter. Nothing wrong with Hornady’s chart but you are also dealing with Hornady’s data and excluding everyone else’s.

Any time, congrats and welcome to the .25 bore club!!

I did look at everybody else's too. The only load I found flatter than the Hornady load was one Winchester load that used in 85 grain bullet. I could find handload data that would push 110 grain out of a 270 3400 foot per second but, no ballistic chart for that one and I punching all that crap in LOL. And I'm not sure the op was looking for hand loads anyway, so I don't know how much all that matters

And the ballistic chart will actually get you some information on Max PBR. Most ballistic charts for those top calibers or zeroed at 200 but, we'll look at the Hornady because it's where we started. The 270 will be the same or lower at 100 yards, so less rise needed for a 200 yard zero and it will have less drop at 300 yards. Moving your zero in or out 50 yards it's not going to change the fact that one gun shoots flatter than another. In reality there's not going to be a whole lot of difference, it's just funny how people think a 25-06 is a laser but the 270 just happens to have a little better balance with it slightly larger bore but still decent ballistic coefficient at lighter bullet weights.



Another thing that a lot of people don't know is that a 30-06 will push 110 grain bullet 3500 ft per second. I don't know what the BC would work out on that for a Max PBR, but it might be pretty interesting

Copper Creek shows their 25-06 with 115gr Berger to be 32.8 low at 500 yards.