Do any of you shoot this in a Contender? If so, what bullet in your opinion works best on deer and other game about the same size. I have some Partitions and a lot of Ballistic Tips and plenty of different powders. I just got it, like new and put a
Burris 3x12 BP scope on it. Can't wait to get some range time. I got 150 loaded rounds with 85 grain Ballistic Tips. Some were loaded in 2002 and the necks are cracked on some of them, on new, un formed brass.

I think this will be just a little better on Varmints and small deer than for flatter trajectory than my 6.5 JDJ. Photos posting tonight.

Mike

I don't have .257, but I do have a MOA in .250 Savage that produces similar velocities. I am using the 100 grain Ballistic Tip, and have had great results on deer sized game. I absolutely love what it does on a double lung broadside shot. It turns the lungs to jelly. About half the time, the bullet exits, and the other half of the time, the bullet is in the offside hide, expanded to its solid base.
I shoot groundhogs with it also. It works equally well on them. The .250 with 100 grain Ballistic Tips is my multi purpose, one bullet gun.

I have had a 14" .257 JDJ Contender since 2002. It has accounted for numerous whitetails, pronghorn, roe deer, and a variety of smaller critters from prairie dogs, rock chucks and groundhogs, up through fox. It is one of my all time favorite gun and cartridge combos.
For simplicity, I use only 100 gr. bullets, mostly Nosler ballistic tips, which kill like lightning and have never failed me.The Hornady 100 gr. spire points shoot to the same point of impact, out to about 250 or 300 yards, and of course are cheaper than the Noslers. I drive both of these to 2620 fps with AA2520 and CCI BR 4 primers.
This gun will likely never be sold.

Like cmnash, I also have experience with the 250 Savage. Mine was a Custom Shop XP-100, and I used it to take animals from pronghorn to as large as 450 lbs. (oryx). Although it was excellent, I prefer the .257 JDJ.

I, too, don't have a .257 JDJ, but do have a .250 Sav. AI XP. I've used many bullets testing it. Killed about 25 deer, 900 groundhogs/rockchucks with it.
100 gr. Hornady SPs, 100 Nosler BTs, and 100 gr. NPts do great on deer.
110 gr. Horn. ELDxs are the most accurate in my gun. Did a deer a few night ago at 160 yds. Perfect double shoulder hit. Ran 30 yds. 3 1/2" of internal damage, 1/2" exit- very fragile bullet. Fantastic on groundhogs, OK on broadside deer, but not angled shots. They're recommended for 1:10" barrels, as is mine.
85 gr. BTs are almost as accurate as the Horn. Do fair on deer, fantastic on smaller stuff.
I use WW760 in my XP, but JD recommends AA2520 like Ken uses.
You're gonna love this gun. Won't beat you up.

Well, after reading, as soon as the 85's are shot up I'm loading some 100 grain. I have Hornady, Nosler and some Sierra bullets. I will put them through the paces and see what it likes. Not sure of twist but I know the 85's seem a little fragile when shooting small game. All of the rounds that came with it are loaded with AA2520 and CCI primers.
I will probably stick with that powder.

Mike