.257 Weatherby Magnum for Idaho spring black bear?

[basscats24]

A friend and I are driving up from Texas to Idaho to do our first western state hunt. I'm not a gun or ballistics guy (whitetail bow hunter here) so I was wondering if I could get your opinions on the .257 Weatherby Mag for bear hunting in this style of country. After the hundreds of youtube videos I've watched, I am expecting around a 300 yard shot. I will be shooting the rifle a lot between now and May, so I will be comfortable with the shooting that distance. I just don't hear a lot of guys using that caliber for bears.

Thanks you all.

 

[Dgregory]

I've never used mine on anything bigger than a mule deer, but Teddy Roosevelt took down most of the big game in Africa with a 257 wby. Just be sure your shot placement and bullet selection is good. I don't typically see a lot to choose from in 257. I'm sure others will chime in, but from everything I've seen a double lung shot tends to beat a shoulder/heart shot on black bear.

Good luck! Trying to plan the same trip from Texas with a friend as well.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

It will work well, with the right bullet, poorly without. Which one are you using?

 

[basscats24]

It will work well, with the right bullet, poorly without. Which one are you using?

Right now I'm sighted in with Hornady's 110 gr ELD-X.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

That should be devastating

 

[Steve O]

I've never used mine on anything bigger than a mule deer, but Teddy Roosevelt took down most of the big game in Africa with a 257 wby. Just be sure your shot placement and bullet selection is good. I don't typically see a lot to choose from in 257. I'm sure others will chime in, but from everything I've seen a double lung shot tends to beat a shoulder/heart shot on black bear.

Good luck! Trying to plan the same trip from Texas with a friend as well.

I think you have your historical figures mixed up…ol’Teddy bear was dead for many decades before the .257 Wby was invented

Roy Weatherby took up to (published) Cape buffalo and giraffe with his 257.

OP, load up with the heavy Barnes or Accubond and your 257 will crush any bear anywhere.

 

[basscats24]

I've never used mine on anything bigger than a mule deer, but Teddy Roosevelt took down most of the big game in Africa with a 257 wby. Just be sure your shot placement and bullet selection is good. I don't typically see a lot to choose from in 257. I'm sure others will chime in, but from everything I've seen a double lung shot tends to beat a shoulder/heart shot on black bear.

Good luck! Trying to plan the same trip from Texas with a friend as well.

If you want to talk more about planning and e-scouting I'd be happy to. I have no clue what I'm doing... I paid for go hunt insider and am combing through google earth...

 

[Dgregory]

I think you have your historical figures mixed up…ol’Teddy bear was dead for many decades before the .257 Wby was invented

Roy Weatherby took up to (published) Cape buffalo and giraffe with his 257.

OP, load up with the heavy Barnes or Accubond and your 257 will crush any bear anywhere.

What a dope! Thanks for the correction. I definitely won't get that one wrong again.

 

[Dgregory]

If you want to talk more about planning and e-scouting I'd be happy to. I have no clue what I'm doing... I paid for go hunt insider and am combing through google earth...

Check out the Maps feature on GoHunt. Lots of good features there. Shoot me an email or if you get up to 10 posts and can send PM's then shoot me one and we can exchange info. I don't have too much, but I've got our hunt narrowed down to 3 units.

 

[AKDoc]

Your 257WBY will do the job with the right bullet to handle those velocities.

I've humbly and thankfully taken a number of spring black bears when hunting the snow slides here in Alaska with my 257WBY, including a big boar that squared just over 7ft (images below). I handload my own ammunition, using 100grn TSX's for that cartridge...it is a very accurate laser beam in my rifle, and that bullet performs extremely well at those velocities in my experiences.


Two other notable examples: One was a 6ft boar shot directly broadside through the heart at approx a hundred yards...that bear immediately dropped when hit as if he had been unplugged, and it didn't move a muscle...dead. Another example was a quick back-up shot when my friend got buck fever on a close opportunity and made a very poor shot. The only shot opportunity I had was approx 60yds as the poorly wounded bear was running directly away from us and about to disappear...it was a mature/not huge boar, my shot entered pretty much at the anus and traveled the length of the bear's body, exiting his chest, which dropped him in place when hit.

Best to you for your wonderful adventure!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I've never used mine on anything bigger than a mule deer, but Teddy Roosevelt took down most of the big game in Africa with a 257 wby. Just be sure your shot placement and bullet selection is good. I don't typically see a lot to choose from in 257. I'm sure others will chime in, but from everything I've seen a double lung shot tends to beat a shoulder/heart shot on black bear.

Good luck! Trying to plan the same trip from Texas with a friend as well.

What?

 

[ArcherAdam]

I think you will be plenty fine. I will get heat for this however I feel many people over gun for black bears. Why I don't know. I would rather have a well placed bullet from a good shooter than a poorly placed bullet from your typical 300's, etc. Unless you need the ballistics for longer ranges. Don't forget many of the bears you are likely to encounter weigh less than the deer you shoot.

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[Dgregory]

What?

What’s the question? My stupid comment about Roosevelt? That’s already been addressed.


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[KenLee]

What’s the question? My stupid comment about Roosevelt? That’s already been addressed.


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Roosevelt was clearly a man with a vision for the future
230 million acres of preserved forest land!!!
Prolly hunted with a super fast quarter bore also.

 

[NV HUNTER]

I would feel comfortable out to 600 yards , with a 120 + grain bullet.

 

[Big_wals]

I think you will be plenty fine. I will get heat for this however I feel many people over gun for black bears. Why I don't know. I would rather have a well placed bullet from a good shooter than a poorly placed bullet from your typical 300's, etc. Unless you need the ballistics for longer ranges. Don't forget many of the bears you are likely to encounter weigh less than the deer you shoot.

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Second this. Too many people are overgunned, overconfident, and underpracticed. OP, a 110 eldx out of your 257 should be about perfect bear medicine IMO. It sounds like youve watched plenty of videos on bear hunting, but make sure to study shot placement. It's a little different than a deer. On a broadside shot, you basically want to aim just a little forward of center. Bears are easy to kill if you hit em right.