Howdy from the Pacific Northwest

[Huntbear]

I just wanted to say howdy, and introduce myself. I am a long time reloader, but still learning. I am, also, an avid hunter, shooter, fisherman, and a trained gunsmith. I look forward to some good conversation, and learning from all you as well.

[versifier]

Welcome to Gunloads Huntbear. Glad to have you on board.

[257 ROB]

Welcome to gunloads, what do you shoot?

[Huntbear]

Thanks for the welcome guys.

I shoot as follows:

.257 AI custom on a Howa action I built myself Walnut stock, purple heart and brass accents on the forend tip, and grip cap.

7mm-08 custom on a Rem. 700 self built, with an MPI stock.

Sako TRG-s M995 .338 WM.

Redhawk 44 mag,

Custom built Colt 1911 self built as well, with all match grade parts, slide and frame crushed and lapped, tiger striped maple grips.

That s my main shooting battery, but have others I bring out on occasion.

[IHMSA]

Just want to say "Hello" & get my feet wet.
I always look forward to learning more.
From lurking 'round here, I see that many on this board are very helpful & knowledgeable.

Thanks

[257 ROB]

How do you like that 257AI, do you hunt with it or just target?

[Huntbear]

I love it that gun. It shoots dime size holes at 200 yards. It has not been in the woods yet, but that is changing this year. I do not like the idea of it being a gun safe queen, lol. It needs to get bloody, so I am working up some loads for it, that will push a 120 gr. Nosler Partition about 3100 fps, if everything works right.

I was given some load data by an old loader, and it calls for Ramshot Magnum powder and a magnum primer. We shall see if that load does better than W760 I have been using.

I built it on a long action, and throated the barrel so I could seat the longer heavier bullets out to the base of the neck, so as not to intrude on powder space.

[257 ROB]

With the speeds you want to shoot and the bullet wieght, for deer you want to make sure you are at least 100 yds from the deer. Me and my dad shot a whitetail with a regular 257
roberts at about 50 yds and the bullet did not have time to expand, the deer just ran away like we missed it, we found it about 500 yds from where we shot it.

[versifier]

That sounds more to me like a bad bullet. Maybe the jacket was much thicker than it should have been. I have seen perfectly normal expansion in deer hit by 100gr bullets from the .257Bob at 25-35yds all the way out to beyond 200. Most of them were within 50yds - he's very quiet in the woods. Bullets were Rem C/L, WinST, and Sierra GK. One of my hunting buddies has been using one for fifteen years, but I just started loading for him three years ago. The only time I have seen problems at close ranges is with big magnums and bullets disintegrating. No expansion is almost always a problem with a shot taken at too long a range and the bullet has lost too much velocity to expand.

[257 ROB]

The bullets were sierra gamekings,117 gr.

[kodiak1]

Hello Huntbear.
Welcome to the sight.

Ken.

[versifier]

The bullets were sierra gamekings,117 gr.

I guess even Sierra's legendary QC slips up occasionally. That certainly isn't normal performance for them.