Author Topic: .257 Weatherby Rifles Surging in the SouthWest (Read 2131 times)

lgm270 · « **on:** December 26, 2008, 01:09:27 PM »

Interesting article in the latest G&A Magazine about how the .257 Weatherby Vanguard is a top seller in Flagstaff AZ gunshop and throughout the southwest. An interesting round. This round has numerous fans on this website and I thought you might like to read this on line and hard copy story.

http://gunsandammomag.com/cs/Satellite/IMO_GA/Story_C/A+Weatherby+Surge+In+The+Southwest

trotterlg · « **Reply #1 on:** December 26, 2008, 01:59:17 PM »

And my guess is that the full page color advertisemtnt on the opposing page is for a Weatherby Vangard. Think that cost Weatherby a couple of bucks? Guess I am getting old, if I read it in a Gun Mag I just run the other way. Larry

jro45 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 27, 2008, 08:37:18 AM »

Nice artical. I own the model 500 in 257 WBY. Plan on taking it on next hunt.

lgm270 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 27, 2008, 12:09:10 PM »

Quote from: trotterlg on December 26, 2008, 01:59:17 PM

And my guess is that the full page color advertisemtnt on the opposing page is for a Weatherby Vangard. Think that cost Weatherby a couple of bucks? Guess I am getting old, if I read it in a Gun Mag I just run the other way. Larry

Advertisements provide the income that keeps gun magazines in business and stimulate the sales of arms that keep arms manufacturers in business. The continued financial success of gun magazines and gun makers are both good things.

I am mystified by people who profess their love for guns and their hatred of gun makers who advertise.

One Eye · « **Reply #4 on:** December 27, 2008, 12:52:41 PM »

Quote from: lgm270 on December 27, 2008, 12:09:10 PM

Quote from: trotterlg on December 26, 2008, 01:59:17 PM
And my guess is that the full page color advertisemtnt on the opposing page is for a Weatherby Vangard. Think that cost Weatherby a couple of bucks? Guess I am getting old, if I read it in a Gun Mag I just run the other way. Larry

Advertisements provide the income that keeps gun magazines in business and stimulate the sales of arms that keep arms manufacturers in business. The continued financial success of gun magazines and gun makers are both good things.

I am mystified by people who profess their love for guns and their hatred of gun makers who advertise.

I have no "hatred" for advertising, but I become instantly skeptical when it comes to writers telling me about the latest and greatest, whizz-bang, whatchamacallit guaranteed to make you an instant Hollywood hunter.

Perhaps if they stopped selling "shortcuts" and actually reported the good and bad of product testing, my skepticism would subside.

As for this article and the particular gun in question, it sounds like a great product at a great price point. In fact, I may check one out in a Youth configuration.
Dan

trotterlg · « **Reply #5 on:** December 27, 2008, 01:27:11 PM »

You have it all wrong, I like the gun makers, I just hate the gun mag writers who wore them selves to sell advertising. When was the last time you saw a bad review in a gun magazine about a product that had paid advertising in it? In any other industry it would be considered unethical to support a product if you were being paid by the maker. Larry

deerjackie · « **Reply #6 on:** December 27, 2008, 02:59:46 PM »

where can i get some used 257 wby brass? thanks

Lone Star · « **Reply #7 on:** December 27, 2008, 06:58:20 PM »

Quote

...In any other industry it would be considered unethical to support a product if you were being paid by the maker.

No offense intended - but what planet do you live on? All one has to do is read many of the automotive magazines to see the same kind of thing. Ditto many electronic, hobby and sports mags. Clearly not all are as "bad" as the gunwriters you despise - but the same practices are pretty prevalent throughout the print media.

Quote

where can i get some used 257 wby brass? thanks

Once-fired .257 brass is pretty hard to come by. Midway has offered some in the past, but I don't know if they still do so. My advice is to bite the bullet and buy new brass. It will last a long time as long as you set your FL die so as not to set the shoulder back. I have two .257s and brass seems to last forever.....

.

Brithunter · « **Reply #8 on:** December 28, 2008, 02:44:26 PM »

Just a couple of points here:-

1) If 257 Weatherby is soooooooooooo popular then why is it alomost impossible to find once fired brass?

2) Over what period were the sales counted?

3) Perhaps the shop got a job lot in at a hefty discount due a place closing, clearence sale etc and sold they dirt cheap. that would bump the sale figures up.

4) How many other stores in the South West di they canvas for sale figures?

Seems a lot of hype over an overpriced and over rated cartridge to me

Lone Star · « **Reply #9 on:** December 28, 2008, 03:41:53 PM »

According to RCBS' die sales in 2007, the .257 Weatherby was #29 out of 50. It was above the .375 H&H, .280 Remington, 7x57, .303 Brit, and the 7.62x39 among others. The sainted 6.5x55 was only in 25th place....

Due to the high price of .257 brass, shooters are less likely to toss it, explaining why it is tough to find. Who bothers to keep .223 or 7.62x39 cases?

I guess it's just too bad the .257 isn't a 6.5......

.

Minnesota1 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 28, 2008, 06:16:19 PM »

I think it was a pretty funny article. He writes how economical the Vanguard is and that is what is bringing so many people to use this cartridge/rifle combination. He didn't mention that to buy a box of Weatherby ammo is so outrageous that the difference between costs of it and lets say a 270 rem. would enable the buyer to upgrade to a much nicer rifle. It is truly obscene what they are charging for their loaded ammunition.

Skunk · « **Reply #11 on:** December 28, 2008, 06:24:39 PM »

Quote from: Lone Star on December 28, 2008, 03:41:53 PM

Who bothers to keep .223...cases?

I do. Every single last one goes right back into the box it came out of to be reloaded at a later date.

Brithunter · « **Reply #12 on:** December 28, 2008, 10:54:37 PM »

Quote from: Lone Star on December 28, 2008, 03:41:53 PM

According to RCBS' die sales in 2007, the .257 Weatherby was #29 out of 50. It was above the .375 H&H, .280 Remington, 7x57, .303 Brit, and the 7.62x39 among others. The sainted 6.5x55 was only in 25th place....

Due to the high price of .257 brass, shooters are less likely to toss it, explaining why it is tough to find. Who bothers to keep .223 or 7.62x39 cases?

I guess it's just too bad the .257 isn't a 6.5......

.

Hmmm I wonder what Lee's leaugue table looks like, C-H as well and Lyman. Although I have some RCBS dies I usually buy Lee. My last set was RCBS in 243 but that was because I picked them up at a gunshow real cheap

. I also have lots of 5.65mm nato cases (Radway Green make) but don't even have a 223 and never have had one yet, picked up a 222 Rem instead.

nomosendero · « **Reply #13 on:** December 29, 2008, 03:15:14 AM »

Quote from: Skunk on December 28, 2008, 06:24:39 PM

Quote from: Lone Star on December 28, 2008, 03:41:53 PM
Who bothers to keep .223...cases?

I do. Every single last one goes right back into the box it came out of to be reloaded at a later date.

223 volume shooters do

Savage_99 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 29, 2008, 08:29:19 AM »

Quote from: Lone Star on December 28, 2008, 03:41:53 PM

I guess it's just too bad the .257 isn't a 6.5......
.

Indeed the 257 Weatherby is a topic these days on the forums. I don't like any of the Weatherby designed cartridges and in particular the 257W.

What with their belts, freebore, radiused shoulders and the chrome on the guns I have no use for them. Now a 6.5 mm or 264 Winchester is what I like better.

To each his own.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #15 on:** December 29, 2008, 02:40:14 PM »

I've got one that I have only put 20 rounds thru, the price of the ammo is outrageous for sure. Need to order some brass, Midway has it on sale, but still spendy. I had wanted one for many years and finally got one so not gonna get rid of it. Lotta places out here where game can see you coming for miles and get real spooky. I did some low-crawling this year for one deer, but picked cactus spines for 2 weeks after. DP

Brithunter · « **Reply #16 on:** December 29, 2008, 11:44:50 PM »

Sorry but for some reason your comment about catus spines made me laugh

perverse sense of humour I suppose. Glad that your committed enough to go through that

however I am sure that there are other cartridges which don't require the sale of the second son to buy that would be suitable for your long range shots. But hey it's your choice and your money so enjoy

Old English · « **Reply #17 on:** December 29, 2008, 11:54:55 PM »

I do not live in the South West but somehow got bit by the 257 bug. I would certainly not have considered this caliber if I wasn't a reloader. The brass is expensive, for sure but it is reusable. Given that nobody is going to buy a 257 Roy as a plinker but a hunting rifle I do not see that my oldest son is going to be sold off. Like all calibers there is the initial expenses of 100 bullets, 1lb powder, dies and brass. The brass was the only article which is higher in price than average.
Given the great performance of the cartridge, I'll pay the premium for the brass and try not to lose any. Where would be if we all shot a 30-06, 308 and 223? Life is too short to restrict cartridges to common sense. I will use my Weatherby because I want to, and because I can.

Graybeard · « **Reply #18 on:** December 30, 2008, 12:56:30 PM »

I find it laughable that folks are so worried about the cost of brass or even ammo for that matter. It is such a tiny part of the over all cost of hunting that I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone even cares. Sure ya don't wanna be plinking around with it but then that is what .22LRs are for isn't it?

I have 80 cases for my .257 Whby. I'm sure that is more than a life time supply for me. I think my total outlay for all of them is around $90 max. Spread out over the rest of my life I doubt that's gonna break me.

trotterlg · « **Reply #19 on:** December 30, 2008, 02:24:25 PM »

I would not malign the rifle, but the writer and the article. There are no real numbers, just the words "surging" etc. If that gun shop sold two last year and 4 this year then that is a 100% increase in sales, but statistically ignorable if they sold a thousand other rifles, and one gun shop accounting for a "surge" in sales across the south west is a joke. These look like fine rifles, I would not decide for or against it because of the cost of loaded ammo, however some would. I was at Cabalas this week, can't remember the ammo, but it worked out to $5.50 a shot, that would get my attention. Larry

nomosendero · « **Reply #20 on:** December 30, 2008, 04:41:38 PM »

The Southwest thing could be, some cartridges have regional popularity, like the 338 in AK for example. I guess I wonder why people get bowed up over this stuff. I look at the merits of the cartridge & what performance it offers for me. I don't give a flying flip if it is popular all over the country or especially across the pond, who cares.

As far as the round is concerned, it & the big 25's in general are second to none for an Antelope round & great for Deer in general. The ballistics are what they are, if you don't need it, don't buy it, & silly to let it bother you if others like the round.

I agree with GB on the cost of the brass in particular. That cost tends to disappear when you start buying tags, gas, motels, etc., pretty much irrelevant.

The gun writers are promoters, heavy into marketing, is someone surprised about that?

trotterlg · « **Reply #21 on:** December 30, 2008, 06:19:27 PM »

No one who has been around for any time is, but someone who is just startng out can be fooled easily. They should just print a disclamer, " The maker of this gun paid for my vacation to Italy this year, so take what I wrote with a grain of salt" Larry

nomosendero · « **Reply #22 on:** December 31, 2008, 03:52:50 AM »

Quote from: trotterlg on December 30, 2008, 06:19:27 PM

No one who has been around for any time is, but someone who is just startng out can be fooled easily. They should just print a disclamer, " The maker of this gun paid for my vacation to Italy this year, so take what I wrote with a grain of salt" Larry

You would have to have a disclaimer every article & every month. Why do we feel that everyone has to be "protected". It is time that people are taught to think & then we won't have to protct them so much. Besides, if they buy a 257 Wea. when they didn't have to would not be a huge crime & much easier to solve than a drinking problem, we all have bigger fish to fry surely.

lgm270 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 31, 2008, 11:55:11 AM »

The gist of the article is that the popularity of the .257 WBY has been bolstered by its chambering in more affordable rifles. I think that's probably right. Apart from the that, there seems to have been a number of .257 WBY articles in the gun press in the last few years and this always generates interest.

I've long thought the .257 WBY was a cool round and really enjoyed reading stories about its amazing terminal performance. I've read these stories since the 1960's. I don't think the recent popularity of the .257 WBY is the result of any conspiracy.

If I had more time and money and fewer professional obligations, I'd probably get a .257 WBY...just because. It looks like a really fun cartridge.

Skunk · « **Reply #24 on:** January 01, 2009, 02:28:55 PM »

The .257 Roy does seem interesting, but I'd rather have just a plain old .257 Bob. I'm just not big on Magnums. One thing though, it sure is entertaining how some of these chamberings get the funny nicknames.

Hank08 · « **Reply #25 on:** January 02, 2009, 07:12:04 AM »

Re .257 Wea. brass, there's lots of 7 mag brass out there that will go thru your die and come out .257 Wea. and doesn't look enough like a Wea. for you to mix it up.
There are a few .257s around now mostly because the Vanguard in .257 is the most resonably priced rifle of that cal. Cheaper than a Rem.700, or Ruger in any caliber.
I even know some older shooters, who have never used scopes, that bought them and had iron sights installed.
H08

tuck2 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 03, 2009, 12:40:25 AM »

For people who live and hunt pronghorn and mule deer in wide open country like I ,the 257 Weatherby Mag and 264 Win Mag are fine rifle to have . I reload my hunting ammo so cost to shot them is not much.