25-06 or .257 Weatherby Mag, worth it?

[Buckfever]

Is the increase in performance worth the extra money, powder, cost of cartridges, and barrel length?  I am thinking about one of these calibers for a Mulie rig.  One day I like the .257 mag , the next the 25-06.  Are the numbers the .257 mag puts up really mean anything in the field or are they just better numbers.  In other words is the killing capacity of that caliber mean anything to a rifleman?  I am on the fence fipping back and forth.

Also I am a Tikka fan but don't like the shorter barrel for the 25-06.  So I will be looking for another manufacturer.  CZ doesn't offer a 25-06.  So either way 25-06 or .257 Weatherby Mag. it will be a different manufacturer.    Thanks for your thoughts and experiences.   Buckfever

[The Sodbuster]

If you don't reload, Weatherby ammo ain't cheap.  Even if you do reload, Weatherby brass runs about $1 per case new.  I have both a .257 Weatherby in their Mark V rifle and a .25-06 in a Ruger (the Ruger's fairly new so I can't say much about its performance).  Lots of manufacturers make rifles in .25-06.  Only Weatherby chambers its .257 magnum.  You can get a decent shooting .25-06 for $500-600, or even less for a Savage (does Stevens chamber a .25-06?).  I guess Weatherby vanguards are in that price range too, but a Mark V will cost at least twice that.

If you're the kind of shooter that can make the shot at 400 yards or beyond, then maybe the Weatherby is a better choice.  If most shots will be in the 200-300 yards range, then probably doesn't make much difference.  If you're the kind of guy that's got to have the fastest shooting quarter-bore available, then look into the .257 Shooting Times Western (based on a necked down 8mm Rem Mag case)

[Buckfever]

Thanks for the information.  Question about your Ruger.  How is the trigger and did you have to do any work on it?  I had an older Ruger in a 7 Mag. and the trigger was fine, I hear the new one's are a little stout.  Thanks  Buckfever

[The Sodbuster]

I had a Timney trigger installed on the Ruger and also put a Pachmyr decelerator pad on it.  The Ruger pad was hard.  I bought a pachmyr pre-cut to fit wood stocked Ruger 77 MkII rifles.  It lengthens the length of pull a bit, but that's OK for me.  From the factory the trigger was heavy.  I guess you can adjust the Ruger trigger, but I went with an aftermarket trigger instead. 

[Questor]

That extra 300fps in a 120 grain bullet is going to make the Weatherby better for truly long-range shooting. If I was confident in my skills in shooting beyond 300 yards, I'd definitely pick the Weatherby.

[ricciardelli]

After finding the right load for my rifle, I would not give up my .25-06 for anything.

[Buckfever]

Ricciardelli, is it a must to have a 24" barrel, or a 26"?  What size bullet and type do you use?
Thanks  Buckfever

[Siskiyou]

I just got off the phone talking to my brother who had a .257 Weatherby Magnum.  He said cases are not a problem.  He bought 100 bulk .300 Winchester cases and made them into .257 Weatherby cases, saving a bunch of money in the process.  He said that because of the high velocity developed by the .257 Weatherby premium bullets should be used.  His first effort was with a 100-grain Serria, which created a .50-cent size entry wound, blew-up the lungs, and deposited a small lead pellet under the hide on the far side. (Mule deer)  He says it was a very effective deer rifle.  He used the action as the bases for a custom rifle in a different caliber.

He currently owns a 25-06 and has had a couple of other 25-06’s over the last 30-years.  He has taken a number of Mule deer, and Blacktail with the 25-06.  He prefers the 25-06 to the .257 Weatherby.  He also owns a .25-284, which he likes.