In my experience, the .257 Weatherby Magnum with the 110 grain nosler works great. I hit a buck this year that was quartering towards me. I hit him square in the shoulder and he went down like he was hit by lightning. The bullet broke through the shoulder and came to rest just below the skin on the opposite side. Anything from the .243 on up would have done the job in a humane manner. Some may argue that a bigger bullet with greater frontal area will do better on big game. However, there is always a consquence to bigger fast moving bullets. You can't argue with physics.
As always,if using an appropriate caliber and bullet within their limitations, placement is the key to a clean kill. What a .257 Weatherby Mag does is give you a flat-shooting, light-kicking, hard hitting round adequate for medium size game. I think that is is ideal for the animals I hunt.
A bonus is that is doubles as an excellent predator round. If you hand load, (which I don't) You can push the light bullets close to 4,000 fps. I used the 110's earlier this year to hit a coyote at 350 yards (ranged by laser). Not super far by any means, but with a flat shooter like the .257 WM, it was easier than trying to calculate the drop on a slower .30 caliber.
So, to answer your question, in my limited experience, the .257 weatherby magnum gets the job done on deer... and probably zombies.
If anyone else in The Yard wants to chime in on the .257 weatherby on deer, please share.
