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Long Path · November 4, 1999, 01:01 AM

Ankeny--

Absolutely NOT the gun's fault. Your friend blew it, plain and simple! I love the .257 Rbts. I've shot a lot of deer with it, and do consider it adequate for elk... within very specific parameters!!!

The fact is, the lower the power, the more carefully the shot must be placed to make a CERTAIN kill shot. The longer the range, the lower the power. At 300 yards, a .257 Rbts has less than 1000 foot-lbs of energy retained. At 350, the drop is about a foot, given 3" high at a hundred. This is absolutely marginal for DEER, and elk are considerably tougher.

I've made a 300 yard shot with .257 Rbts on a bigger whitetail, and it all worked out okay. I've seen still longer shots made with it... ON DEER! In open countryside! Over known distances, with good rests, with no breeze!

Your friend misapplied his tool. Sorry to say it, but every once in a while, we all overstep our abilities. Sounds like your friend is so able, he forgot that, although it could technically have been done, his feat of marksmanship would have been a stunt with that rifle.

###

I was one of a couple of hunters that lost our hunting privelidges to a ranch for chastizing (politely, but stridently) the friends of the landowner's sons for trying to hunt deer with a .220 Swift with 40 grain bullets loaded up beyond 4000 fps. Later that same day, they almost lost a deer that had a shoulder blown off by one of the hyper-expansive, non-penetrative varminter bullet. (A friend with a .30-06 saved the day...) I regret having lost the priveledge to hunt that ranch, but don't regret stressing that good sportsmen have respect for their game. (We were begging them to use our rifles, and offered to let them use our primary rifles while we quit hunting for the day, if only they would not shoot some poor deer with that prairie dog rifle.)

------------------
Will you, too, be one who stands in the gap?

Matt

[This message has been edited by Long Path (edited November 04, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by Long Path (edited November 05, 1999).]

November 4, 1999, 01:01 AM	#10
Long Path Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: N. Texas Posts: 5,899	Ankeny-- Absolutely NOT the gun's fault. Your friend blew it, plain and simple! I love the .257 Rbts. I've shot a lot of deer with it, and do consider it adequate for elk... within very specific parameters!!! The fact is, the lower the power, the more carefully the shot must be placed to make a CERTAIN kill shot. The longer the range, the lower the power. At 300 yards, a .257 Rbts has less than 1000 foot-lbs of energy retained. At 350, the drop is about a foot, given 3" high at a hundred. This is absolutely marginal for DEER, and elk are considerably tougher. I've made a 300 yard shot with .257 Rbts on a bigger whitetail, and it all worked out okay. I've seen still longer shots made with it... ON DEER! In open countryside! Over known distances, with good rests, with no breeze! Your friend misapplied his tool. Sorry to say it, but every once in a while, we all overstep our abilities. Sounds like your friend is so able, he forgot that, although it could technically have been done, his feat of marksmanship would have been a stunt with that rifle. ### I was one of a couple of hunters that lost our hunting privelidges to a ranch for chastizing (politely, but stridently) the friends of the landowner's sons for trying to hunt deer with a .220 Swift with 40 grain bullets loaded up beyond 4000 fps. Later that same day, they almost lost a deer that had a shoulder blown off by one of the hyper-expansive, non-penetrative varminter bullet. (A friend with a .30-06 saved the day...) I regret having lost the priveledge to hunt that ranch, but don't regret stressing that good sportsmen have respect for their game. (We were begging them to use our rifles, and offered to let them use our primary rifles while we quit hunting for the day, if only they would not shoot some poor deer with that prairie dog rifle.) ------------------ Will you, too, be one who stands in the gap? Matt [This message has been edited by Long Path (edited November 04, 1999).] [This message has been edited by Long Path (edited November 05, 1999).]