.25-06AI or .257 Weatherby?

[mibighntr]

Well...I have been looking at two Encore barrels, one in a 23" .25-06AI the other a 24" .257 Weatherby.  

WHAT SHOULD I DO??  :confused:

PS - I don't reload...

Thanks!

Mark

[Graybeard]

If you don't reload that should answer the question for you. The .257 Whby. has factory ammo available. Yeah it's expensive but available. The AI is a wildcat reloading only propostion. Sure you should be able to use factory .25-06 ammo safely in it. But at what loss in velocity and accuracy?

Wildcats are really a reloading only proposition.

[PEPAW]

A .260?    Seriously, these are not the two best options for a non-reloader like you or me.    That Weatherby is a game getter, but $2/shot!

pepaw

[shaleetoo]

love  my 257w m a great shooter 90 gr. barnes 1  hole at 100 yrds all day in a 25 - 06 rechamber

[Lawdog]

Simple answers to this is;

1.]  Forget the .25-06 AI and go with the expensive to shoot .257 Weatherby Magnum
2.]  Forget the .25-06 AI and go with the cheaper to shoot .25-06
3.]  Take up reloading

Personally I’d take up reloading.  Not as hard as many believe and doesn’t take up all that much room or cost all that much.  Lawdog
 

[Lone Star]

One more complication - the .25-06AI may have been improperly chambered, making it impractical/unsafe to fire factory ammo.  If it is a rechambered .25-06 - it is impossible to correctly rechamber an Encore barrel - run away, quickly.  

If it began as a .25-06AI chamber, then it may be okay; make certain that it will fire factory .25-06 ammo without case stretching or ignition issues.  A shocking number of AI chambers are cut improperly, negating the possibility of using factory ammo.

[mibighntr]

Used to do the reloading game quite extensively.  Once we had kids I became worried about them getting into the powder or something so I sold the whole setup.  Perhaps now that they are almost five, it would be a good time to get back in the game.

The .25-06AI is an orginal chamber on a NEW barrel that MGM (Match Grade Machine) has available.  I have to assume that it was done correctly but that question is worth posing to them.

Wondering how much velocity difference there would be in the 23" AI barrel vs. the 24" Weatherby barrel??

Thanks!

Mark

[Graybeard]

At least 250 fps.

[jro45]

I would go with the WBY 257 mag. Then the 26/06AI. Reasons already stated. It has a plus you can buy ammo for it. Myself I reload for my WBY 257 Mag.

[nomosendero]

To me Sir it would be easy, I would not buy either one unless they are
very low priced! So why would a .25 Cal. fan say this? Both of these barrels are too short for the chambering. Even a std. 25-06 does better with a 26" barrel, but there is no need to buy a 23" 25-06 AI or a 24"
Wea. barrel for an Encore. Buying a longer tube is basically the same price as a shorter one through the TC Custom shop or some of the custom folks. Fox Ridge, EABCO & several others have the 25-06AI with
logical barrel lengths & I heard of 1, (Van Horn I think) that chambers the .257 WEA.

[Lawdog]

mibighntr,

Used to do the reloading game quite extensively. Once we had kids I became worried about them getting into the powder or something so I sold the whole setup. Perhaps now that they are almost five, it would be a good time to get back in the game.

Store all powder, primers in a lockable container.  I did befor I got married and still do to this day.  And to keep the cost down check out the reloading equipment that is on sale on Ebay.  Should be able to save 50% or better.  A good number of the equipment is new, never used and still half price.  The only thing you can't get on Ebay is powder and primers.  Lawdog
 

[PEPAW]

My problem is not safety with the kids, it is the free time.  I have the equipment, but would rather spend "my" time outdoors.   Someday, when I don't feel so guilty not spending more time with them, I want to reload for a newer .257 Roberts.  

pepaw

[Squeeze]

Simple answers to this is;

1.]  Forget the .25-06 AI and go with the expensive to shoot .257 Weatherby Magnum
2.]  Forget the .25-06 AI and go with the cheaper to shoot .25-06
3.]  Take up reloading

Personally I’d take up reloading.  Not as hard as many believe and doesn’t take up all that much room or cost all that much.  Lawdog
 

Lawdog,

When I read this I just about blew coffee through my nose, and
then laughed, hysterically, while choking on said coffee :-D

"doesn’t take up all that much room or cost all that much", is
something I tell my wife, and even in her lack of reloading
knowledge, knows this is a line of bull.  I have a 14'x20' room
dedicated to reloading, with two tiers of reloading gear.  The
first tier is all of the gear I bought when I first started reloading.
Some basic RCBS, Lyman, and Lee tools, is where I started.
Even though these tools were inexpensive, I always seemed
to need something more.  Then I went into this "I need more
consistency" phase where the basic stuff just wasn't accurate
enough, or at least in my head it wasn't, and I started adding
tools and dies from Wilson, Sinclair, Forster, and Redding.
To those smitten by the reloading disease, there are some universal
facts.  It is not inexpensive, and it will expand to overwhelm all
available space! :lol:  

I would admire the person that can buy a "Starter" kit, and never buy
another tool, but I have never met one!  Reloaders usually fall
into one of two classes.  Class 1 is a reloader for life, that has the
shelves fall off the walls from too much reloading stuff piled on
them.  Class 2 is the person that tried it, and sold all of their
stuff, and is happy shooting ammo, not loading it.  There isn't
much middle ground between a Class 1 Hand Loader, and a
Class 2 Hand Loader.

"Reloading doesn’t take up all that much room or cost all that much",
now that is funny!

Squeeze

[Lawdog]

Squeeze,

When I read this I just about blew coffee through my nose, and
then laughed, hysterically, while choking on said coffee  :-D

I am glad you survived.  I didn't intend for anyone to almost buy the farm over a post of mine.   :eek:

"doesn’t take up all that much room or cost all that much", is
something I tell my wife, and even in her lack of reloading
knowledge, knows this is a line of bull.

After my discharge form the Corp. I went to college in the Bay Area and where I lived was in a studio apartment.  No bedroom just a small bathroom and kitchen/dinning room area that barely held a table with four chairs.  The stove had three burners and an over that would hold a 10” baking dish.  Don’t try putting a 12” dish in it as it wouldn’t fit length or depth wise.  The living/bedroom held a couch/daybed, a small stuffed chair and a stand for my hugh 17” black & white TV.  I kept my reloading equipment in a footlocker(souvenir from the Corp.  In it was one RCBS Rock Chucker press, dies for the three rifles I had with me, powder measure/scale, powder(s), bullets, etc.  This fit behind the couch along with the two c-clamps, 1” plywood board that I bolted my press to.

Now it is even simpler/easier.  I have a Lee Hand Press that I take with me whenever I leave home - either for work or hunting - along with appropriate dies, powder, scales and other necessities needed to make my loads.  This all fits in a box that easily stores away wherever I can find a convenient nook or cranny.  It is right now in my 37 foot travel trailer stored under one of the dinning area seats.  The total costs of the contents of this box is;

1 Lee Hand Press - $26.98
1 set of dies - $39.98(I happen to be carrying three sets for the three different caliber rifles I have with me)
3 powder scale - $35.00(off Ebay)
1 Lee Auto Prime $15.98( I use this even at home as I prefer to prime my cases by hand)

So for under $200.00 a person can get started reloading without taking up a whole lot of room.  Lawdog
 

P.S. - Please don't choke on this post.    LD

[kombi1976]

Well...I have been looking at two Encore barrels, one in a 23" .25-06AI the other a 24" .257 Weatherby.  

WHAT SHOULD I DO??  :confused:

PS - I don't reload...

Thanks!

Mark

Since you don't reload then both of these are unsuitable; one because of the chambering and the other because of the expense of the ammo.
Either buy a 25-06 barrel or start reloading.
And if what Lone Star said about Encore barrels is true run screaming.
And Law Dog is right - reloading can be done on the cheap.
In fact, if you buy a 25-06 you could get a Lee Loader and make it even easier.