My wife got one for Christmas from her dad. What are y'all's thoughts? Isn't ammunition pretty expensive and more hard to come by compared to my .270? My wife doesn't hunt and likely will only shoot it once every few years but curious if I should claim it as my own or trade it in

Claim it as your own!!!!

That is the best cartridge ever developed by Weatherby and the best performing 6.5mm cartridge in the world.

No way I would get rid of that.

Have one and don't like. Barrel burner and never found the 1 doe I though I hit well. Some guys I hunt with love them though.

agsalaska said:

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Claim it as your own!!!!

That is the best cartridge ever developed by Weatherby and the best performing 6.5mm cartridge in the world.

No way I would get rid of that.

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Except a 257 is not a 6.5mm

slammerag said:

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agsalaska said:

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Claim it as your own!!!!

That is the best cartridge ever developed by Weatherby and the best performing 6.5mm cartridge in the world.

No way I would get rid of that.

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Except a 257 is not a 6.5mm

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Oh ok.

I'm a big fan. It was my first rifle and a gift from my dad, so maybe I'm a little biased. Ammo is expensive, but you can really reach out and touch em with any factory loads you can get your hands on. It's a flat shooting rifle. Admittedly I don't know much about the .270 and it may well be pretty similar. I would love my father in law to gift my wife a rifle!

Keep it, you will enjoy the hell out of it. I got one on my 16th birthday and it is the best caliber rifle I have ever owned. Weatherby obviously makes a fantastic rifle, but that aside this caliber will not disappoint you at all. Claim it as your own and enjoy it!!!

When you say 270 do you mean win or why? 270 wby is one of my favs - really like the win also.

Full disclosure the 257 wby I have was used and the throat was badly eroded when looking through borescope

Claim the .257 mag. You will not regret it.

mwlkr said:

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Claim the .257 mag. You will not regret it.

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Exactly,

How is that possible anyway?? To claim a gift, a gun no less, given by your FIL to your wife. That's amazing.

And I wouldn't worry about cost of ammo. Weatherby ammo is expensive, quite a bit more than .270 win. But that is not a gun you are going to shoot a lot anyway so in the long run its not that big of a deal.

Never owned it but wanted one. The 2 or 3 times I fired one I really liked shooting it. The whole "hard to find ammo for it in out of the way places" may be true but irrelevant for most of us that a) don't go to those places very often and b) take enough ammo to suffice. So as long as you plan ahead, this won't be an issue. Today, ammo is expensive anyway, so why not?

You can, if you can find them, go from 70-120 grain loads so it is a versatile round. I would probably trust this round over a .270 at 400+ yards to take down deer, though both ROUNDS will hit it (if you can).

I just don't hunt enough to justify any rifle other than an AR or I'd probably get one of these.

Best rifle I've ever owned until a friend crammed a .308 shell into it and blew it apart.

If it's a Mark V, keep it to look at and shoot at the range or take hunting from time to time. If it's a vanguard, keep it to avoid looking ungrateful.

.257 weatherby seems to be real popular with people who don't realize laser rangefinders and elevation turrets with zero stops exist. KIDDING....mostly.

Weatherby dropped their ammo prices last year to start matching market price on other calibers (reality slapped them in the face, the same with pricing on their rifles). Just FYI.

https://www.ammoland.com/2019/08/weatherby-implements-price-reduction-on-weatherby-select-plus-ammunition/#axzz6hlQ9pv1Z

I am on my second 257wby, I love the cartridge and yes ammo is expensive. But since I reload ammo price doesn't bother me, reloading can really make a 257wby come alive. I was easily pushing a 115gr TSX at 3500fps, that lord wallops animals. I have since backed the load down to 3400 and reduced some pressure issues I was seeing when the gun heated up. They are laser straight and great for medium size game, just don't go have a whole lot of long range sessions and you will easily get 1000+ round barrel life!

Definitely a laser.

It's the greatest of all the calibers and anyone who says differently is wrong.

I'm jealous. 257 Weatherby is probably my next rifle purchase.

It's expensive to shoot but gawd damn does it shoot friggin laser beams

Blue Duck said:

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It's the greatest of all the calibers and anyone who says differently is wrong.

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6.5 creedmoor says hi........

Warsteiner said:

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Blue Duck said:

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It's the greatest of all the calibers and anyone who says differently is wrong.

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6.5 creedmoor says hi........

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.......to this hog I just shot.

Is it a Weatherby rifle or another brand chambered in .257 bee?

I have a Mark V, nicest gun I own. Great caliber for Whitetail and medium game. Haven't gotten my hand load recipe worked up yet, but I shot two Audads with 100 gr Norma ammo and it flat dropped em. Literally broke a leg in half on the exit. Laser beam of death.

OP, is it possible your wife's dad knows she'll need it for home defense during the Biden Apocalypse?

NRH ag 10 said:

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If it's a Mark V, keep it to look at and shoot at the range or take hunting from time to time. If it's a vanguard, keep it to avoid looking ungrateful.

.257 weatherby seems to be real popular with people who don't realize laser rangefinders and elevation turrets with zero stops exist. KIDDING....mostly.

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There's a lot truth here. But it's founded in reality. It's only been in the last decade and a half that elevation turrets have really come in to the average hunters hands. So prior to that a super flat shooting rifle where you weren't holding 6 inches over was quite valuable. It's what made the .270 so popular.

Definitely a caliber worth having.

NRH ag 10 said:

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If it's a Mark V, keep it to look at and shoot at the range or take hunting from time to time. If it's a vanguard, keep it to avoid looking ungrateful.

.257 weatherby seems to be real popular with people who don't realize laser rangefinders and elevation turrets with zero stops exist. KIDDING....mostly.

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Its my understanding that the Mark V is typically chambered in the special Weatherby calibers while the Vanguard is the Weatherby rifle that comes in all the normal calibers like .30-06, .270 and .243. Not sure why you are bagging on the Vanguards - I have one in .30-06 that has been my go-to hunting rifle for about 15 years and another in .308 that is a safe queen.

Buck Turgidson said:

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NRH ag 10 said:

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If it's a Mark V, keep it to look at and shoot at the range or take hunting from time to time. If it's a vanguard, keep it to avoid looking ungrateful.

.257 weatherby seems to be real popular with people who don't realize laser rangefinders and elevation turrets with zero stops exist. KIDDING....mostly.

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Its my understanding that the Mark V is typically chambered in the special Weatherby calibers while the Vanguard is the Weatherby rifle that comes in all the normal calibers like .30-06, .270 and .243. Not sure why you are bagging on the Vanguards - I have one in .30-06 that has been my go-to hunting rifle for about 15 years and another in .308.

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Not really bagging on it.

But a Mark V to a Vanguard is like a 700 CDL to a 788. or A Winchester 70 is to the 670.

My go to hunting rifle is a Remington 760. Certainly nothing crazy special. Weatherby Mark Vs are special.

Buck Turgidson said:

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NRH ag 10 said:

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If it's a Mark V, keep it to look at and shoot at the range or take hunting from time to time. If it's a vanguard, keep it to avoid looking ungrateful.

.257 weatherby seems to be real popular with people who don't realize laser rangefinders and elevation turrets with zero stops exist. KIDDING....mostly.

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Its my understanding that the Mark V is typically chambered in the special Weatherby calibers while the Vanguard is the Weatherby rifle that comes in all the normal calibers like .30-06, .270 and .243. Not sure why you are bagging on the Vanguards - I have one in .30-06 that has been my go-to hunting rifle for about 15 years and another in .308 that is a safe queen.

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It's a Howa 1500. Nothing wrong with it, but not in the same league as a Mark V as others have mentioned. If I was gifted a Mark V I'd keep it for less strenuous hunts or just as an heirloom. Give me a vanguard and it'd sit around while I used my Tikka for everything.

As I recall, the .257 WBM, the .25-06 Remington and .25 WSSM are ballistically very very similar. Flat shooters. I have all three thru inheritance, gift and impulsive purchase, respectively. I have no opinion. They are kill DRT.

Buck Turgidson said:

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NRH ag 10 said:

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If it's a Mark V, keep it to look at and shoot at the range or take hunting from time to time. If it's a vanguard, keep it to avoid looking ungrateful.

.257 weatherby seems to be real popular with people who don't realize laser rangefinders and elevation turrets with zero stops exist. KIDDING....mostly.

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Its my understanding that the Mark V is typically chambered in the special Weatherby calibers while the Vanguard is the Weatherby rifle that comes in all the normal calibers like .30-06, .270 and .243. Not sure why you are bagging on the Vanguards - I have one in .30-06 that has been my go-to hunting rifle for about 15 years and another in .308 that is a safe queen.

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Both lines are chamber in the same calibers usually, Weatherby or standard