.
257 Weatherby Magnum
.257 Weatherby Magnum
If ever there were a cartridge
that needed an X-Bullet, it is the
.257 Weatherby shooting a 115-
grain bullet at 3,300 fps. In the
past, the way to make this car-
tridge perform was to load it
with heavy-for-caliber bullets.
This did two things: It lowered
the velocity drastically and with
heavy jackets expansion was
sometimes good and sometimes
non-existent.
When I started using X-Bullets in a free-bored Weatherby, I was able
to get 3,300 fps with a 115-grain X-Bullet using 68 grains of Reloder 22,
Federal 215 primers and Weatherby cases. Sighted in 3 inches high at
100 yards is only 4 inches low at 350. This is fast and flat. The black
bear I shot in Idaho was 355 yards on a rangefinder and the bullet took
out a 3-inch section of spine.
People have asked me if a .257 Weatherby is too small for elk. I say
“Not with an X-Bullet.” A 115-grain X-Bullet shot through a .257 hits
the animal at 115 grains, penetrates and still weighs approximately 115
grains after recovered. On the other hand, a .300 magnum with a 180-
grain bullet that loses 50 percent of its initial weight will be down to 90
grains the first few inches of penetration. Worse yet, if this bullet hits
bone, which one do you think will pen-
0.285 etrate farther?
R .1513 — John Diel
R .130
2.549
Case: Parent Case:
2.230 Weatherby .300 H&H
2.012
Primer: Trim To:
Federal GM 215M 2.540"
Barrel:
24"
0.532
1
BULLET DROP
.257 Weatherby Magnum
COMPARISON 300 Yards
W/200 Yard Zero
90 gr. -4.83
100 gr. -4.97
115 gr. -5.53
100 Yards
115 gr. +1.13
100 gr. +0.96
90 gr. +0.88
400 Yards
90 gr. -14.49
100 gr. -14.65
115 gr. -16.24
BULLET ENERGIES
muzzle 200 yds
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
90gr 100gr 115gr
Charge Maximum
Powder Weight Velocity Load Velocity
(grains) (fps) (fps)
75-grain Solid XMR 3100* 69.0 3614 74.0 3876
S.D. .162 B.C. .297 RL 19 68.0 3533 73.0 3793
Suggested Bullet Use RL 22* 71.0 3653 76.0 3910
H4350 62.0 3463 67.0 3742
H450 67.0 3599 72.0 3868
H4831 68.0 3494 73.0 3751
IMR 4350 62.0 3412 67.0 3687
IMR 4831 64.0 3435 69.0 3703
XLC Coated X-Bullet data cannot be used with other bullets, including non-coated X-Bullets.
Maximum loads should be used with caution - Always Start With Minimum Loads.
* Recommended powder
2
.257 Weatherby Magnum
.257 Weatherby Magnum
Charge Maximum
Powder Weight Velocity Load Velocity
(grains) (fps) (fps)
90-grain XBT XMR 3100 64.5 3227 69.5 3477
S.D. .195 B.C. .343 RL 19 65.0 3333 70.0 3589
Suggested Bullet Use RL 22* 67.0 3417 72.0 3672
H4350 58.0 3244 63.0 3524
H450 63.0 3362 68.0 3629
H4831* 65.0 3360 70.0 3618
IMR 4831 62.0 3281 67.0 3546
IMR 7828 66.0 3365 71.0 3620
90-grain Solid
S.D. .195 B.C. .324
Suggested Bullet Use
Charge Maximum
Powder Weight Velocity Load Velocity
(grains) (fps) (fps)
100-grain XFB XMR 3100 63.0 3121 68.0 3369
S.D. .216 B.C. .401 RL 19 64.0 3228 69.0 3480
Suggested Bullet Use RL 22* 67.0 3283 72.0 3528
H4350 57.0 3091 62.0 3362
H4831 63.0 3197 68.0 3451
H1000* 71.0 3240 76.0 3468
IMR 4831 61.0 3126 66.0 3382
IMR 7828 65.0 3235 70.0 3484
100-grain XBT
S.D. .216 B.C. .420
Suggested Bullet Use
XLC Coated X-Bullet data cannot be used with other bullets, including non-coated X-Bullets.
Maximum loads should be used with caution - Always Start With Minimum Loads.
* Recommended powder
3
.257 Weatherby Magnum
.257 Weatherby Magnum
Charge Maximum
Powder Weight Velocity Load Velocity
(grains) (fps) (fps)
100-grain XLC BT AA 3100 67.0 3405 72.0 3659
S.D. .216 B.C. .420 RL 19 67.0 3484 72.0 3744
Suggested Bullet Use RL 22* 69.0 3431 74.0 3680
RL 25 71.0 3509 76.0 3756
H4350 63.0 3356 68.0 3622
H4831 67.0 3340 72.0 3589
H1000 74.0 3382 79.0 3610
IMR 4831 66.0 3445 71.0 3706
IMR 7828 68.0 3404 73.0 3654
Big Boy* 74.0 3478 79.0 3713
Charge Maximum
Powder Weight Velocity Load Velocity
(grains) (fps) (fps)
115-grain XFB AA 3100 61.0 2980 66.0 3224
S.D. .249 B.C. .429 RL 22* 64.0 3082 69.0 3323
Suggested Bullet Use H4831 61.0 3017 66.0 3264
H1000 68.0 3081 73.0 3308
IMR 4831 59.0 3003 64.0 3257
IMR 7828 63.0 3072 68.0 3316
XLC Coated X-Bullet data cannot be used with other bullets, including non-coated X-Bullets.
Maximum loads should be used with caution - Always Start With Minimum Loads.
* Recommended powder
4
