.257's and meat damage.

[swampthing]

I like my 30-30, accurate, deadly, very little meat loss. Hows the meat damage with these .257"-.264"dia. medium intensity 2800-3000fps. cartridges on deer sized game inside 150yds. ?
 

[Kurt L]

I have shot  deer with a 257 Roberts and some as close as 25 yards to 400 yards
my main was the cheap rem 87gr bullet,I always shot them behind the shoulder thru the ribs
and lungs.it made soup of the lings and most of the time only entrance with no exit and the
bullet stopped in the deer and blew up. but only damage the ribs.

then I have shot deer with a 35 whelen with 158 jhp pistol bullets in the ribs also and put a good hole in
and a hole you can stick your hand in on exit. again it only damaged the ribs.

the main thing is shot placement.if you shoot in the shoulder you will get damage but with a 257 roberts size
and a 100 gr bullet hit in the shoulder i would think you would be about the same damage as your 30-30.

[WyoStillhunter]

I'm new to the .257 Roberts just this last season (2007).  I shot an antelope low through the lungs at 150 yds. +/-.  I shot two whitetail does one shot each through the neck at 100 yds. or a little less.  All three shots passed through.

I didn't lose any meat that mattered to me.  That's a pretty small sample but all I have, so far.

[Redford Bohica]

I've taken four Pennsylvania whitetails with a 25-06 using the Sierra 117 gr. spitzer. Ranges were anywheres from 100 to 225 yards. Meat damage was minimal to non-existant. One whitetail I remember in particular was the one at 225 yards. I punched through both shoulder bones on this one and the deer went about 30 yards before it expired. Both front quarters were 95% salvagable! Exit wound was a 2-inch hole with no blood-shot meat around it.

[Tunaman]

I have shot several deer with the bob, weatherby and 25/06. Generally the damage is not bad at all. The exception is with the latter two at very close range, say under 75 yards. I have noticed a bit of an increase with the faster moving bullets at close range, but even at those ranges, I still don't find it to be much of a problem. I have always been told to use a heavy for the caliber bullet if I am worried about meat loss, and I have always shot 115-120 gr bullets in the latter two.

[Lone Star]

In the early 70s when the .25-06 was new, bullet blowup and meat damage was an issue often discussed - particularly with 100-grain bullets since most of those on the market at the time were soft to work best in the .250-3000 and .257 Roberts.  Speeded up 500 fps over their design speed those bullets often detonated on impact.  Since that time the bullet makers have toughened up their bullets and while the little .25s have lost a little of their sting (brought back by the BTip bullets) the larger cases perform better.



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[Nightstalker6117]

I shoot the 100gr Corelokts out of mine and shot 2 deer last year. Both just behind the shoulder and meat damage was minimal if any at all. Like lonestar said if using the ballistic tips then you can expect more ESPECIALLY up close. Now if I was regularly shooting past 150 I would more than likely use the BT someting like the SST or Nos BT. Good luck I am sure you are going to love the 25

[charles p]

I would not select a deer caliber by how much meat damage it may cause.  Usually meat damage is greatest when both shoulders are hit, regardless of the caliber.  Pick a caliber that you can shoot comfortably and accurately.  A greater concern than damaged meat is having all your meat run away after a flinch, a miss or a poorly placed shot.

[deerman12]

Well said Charles P.

[jro45]

I shot a deer at 200yds with my 300 Win Mag and where the bullet entered the meat was all ruined in witch I shot him about 3 " above the shoulder. Luckly it was the ribs.

[John R.]

I also prefer the heavier bullets in my 25-06 Sendero. I used 115 gr. Partitions for years, and meat damage was minimal. I am in the process of trying out the 110 gr. Accubonds. They shoot good groups, but I haven't had the opportunity to shoot a deer with them yet.