ORIGINAL: shepdogwv
I was talking to my father in law tonight and he was under the impression that his .257 wby mag shot different bullets than the .25s that are sold through Cabelas. Basically......a .257 wby mag shoots the same bullet as a 257 roberts and 25-06 right?
he has been having problems with bullets exploding (he was really into speed with light bullets, hollow points and such) but I recommended the 120 partition. What do ya'll think? We're in WV where shots are close.
Yes, you are correct. But if one shoots bullets intended to function correctly at .250 Savage/.257 Roberts velocities in max loads from a.257 Weatherby, they will probably distintegrate on game before penetrating far enough.
Use of the Nosler Partition jacket, Barnes X-type, or other tough premium bullets will reduce this tendency. In addition, the front end of the Partition bullets is soft enough to expand correctly at extended ranges, while the back end will go on thru, even at magnum velocities, even if the front section explodes......
Many eons ago, Roy Weatherby used to expound the idea that a lightweight, high velocity bullet such as thoselaunched by his wonders, such as the .257 Weatherby, despite exploding on contact, would continue to penetrate the game with the projectile particles travelling out in a cone-shaped baloon
THROUGHthe critter, causing much more damage than a strongly constructed bullet of greater diameter but travelling much slower. For example, he claimed that the 87-grain bullet from his .257 Weatherby was adequate for such game as rhinos because of its velocity!This is probably where your father in-law got his (erroneous) ideas about light, fast biullets. However, I note that not many African hunters insist onusing the .257 Weatherby for dangerous game these days...... it takes
density to continue penetrating, something that most bullet fragments lack. This is why so many people put so much emphasis on retained bullet weight!