243 Win or 257 Roberts - If You Had To Choose ?

M

Mike H

New member
Guys,

I'm still wading through the waist deep selection of rifle calibers and having tried a few now, I find myself having a definite preference for the smaller calibers. Those that will chamber in shorter actions and yet still have dual purpose deer and varmint capability find favor with me. To that end I have received advice on 2 in particular, the 257 Roberts and the 243 Winchester. Both seem like fine rounds in the 6mm class with little to separate them ballistically, so I'm looking for user experience on either, and also, if you were forced to do so, which way your choice would go between the 2 of them.

Regards,

Mike H
 
.257 Roberts over the .243 Winchester. Most responses will not agree with this, I predict, because most will probably not have shot the .257 Roberts, let alone hunted with it.
However, if I was focused on the two choices you gave, I would also consider the .250/3000 Savage. A very good and consistently under-rated cartridge. All will send a 100 grain bullet at, or near, 3000 fps at slightly less than 50K psi.

[This message has been edited by sensop (edited May 19, 2000).]
 
These cartridges are all very similar in performance in practical terms.
I would consider the choice of action wanted as just as important a factor in selectiing a cartridge as the small performance differences in the cartridges themselves.
For intance (25 caliber cartridges):
1. 250 Savage is perfect for a true Kurz (short) Mauser action. I might even consider the improved version of this, as it is said to get a very good lift in performance over the standard.
2. 25 Souper (308 Win. necked down to 25 caliber) might be perfect for an action specifically made for a 308 Win. cartridge (i.e. Compact Model 70 Win.). But it is purely a wildcat at this point, not a good thing depending upon your situation.
3. 257 Roberts is perfect for a true standard Mauser action (the old 7mm Mauser necked down to 25 caliber).
4. 25/06 is perfect for a Springfield or other 30/06 action, like Model 70 Win. and many others.
This offers a spectrum of increasingly more powerful cartidges from which to choose, and points to the hopefully ideal action to build the rifle around. Sometimes you want the cartridge, so you get the action and sometimes you have the action, so the cartridge choice is pretty clear.
As far as getting a dual purpose rifle for deer and varmints, I am kind of dubious of the idea. The rifles for the two types of hunting will in fact vary quite a bit in barrel twist, length and weight, also in things like the stock type, sighting arrangements, ideal trigger pulls and even type of trigger. I don't think you can really make a good deer rifle into a good varmint rifle and would not want the resulting compromise.
It a good excuses to get two really good rifles!
 
I think I'd agree with sensop on the 257 Roberts. If I were forced to choose one caliber for deer and varmint hunting it would most likely be a 25-06. The 257 Roberts is fairly close.

Herodotus: You're too picky. :)

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bullet placement is gun control
 
Just finished welcoming some ground hogs to the promised land with the same .243 I usually use for whitetail (and back in South Dakota used for pronghorn). Nice caliber for anything up to mule deer.
 
Personally I am very fond of the .243. However, If I could only own 1 rifle (God forbid) I would have to give the .257 Roberts strong consideration. I know some "old timers" who wouldn't even think about anything but a Roberts.

I must say I'm torn. Anyone know of a good deal on a Roberts?

Giz
 
I would go with the 257 hands down. But if you are not going to reload the 243 is a better choice IMO.

I would suggest getting a 223 or 22-250 for varmints and getting a 260 rem, 7-08, 7x57, or 308 for mid sized big game if you plan to get serious.

Otherwise if you are going to go with the 243 or 257 decide what you will spend more time/energy on varmints or game. If varmints get the 243 if game get the 257.

The 243 and 257 are inbetween cartridges and thus do not perform as well as a dedicated cartridges would.

If recoil is a problem get a 223 and a 260 Rem.
 
.257 Roberts..........No questions asked! Do it and do not look back. Great cartridge, and it will do a fine job on varmints with the 75 grain Hornday v-max and do just as good a job on Whitetail with the 120 grain Nosler Partition. Granted the .243 can do just as good a job on varmints with lighter bullets, but the 100 grain maximum weight bullet in that caliber is a little light on deer.

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Carlyle
 
I have owned a .257 in Remington model 722 for 40 years. It is the most accurate rifle I have owned. Have shot woodchucks, whitetails & moose. 257 will handle 87 to 130 gr. bullets. Dandy varmint gun with 87 gr, most accurate with 100 gr, good for moose with clear shots 117 -130 gr. 243 tops at 100gr, not a moose gun. Recoil of 257 is light, but bullet energy falls off at long range. My 30-06 in 760 Rem is better in this regard, but kicks twice as hard and not nearly as accurate. If I could only have one rifle, I'd keep my 257.

Bushwhacker
 
Originally posted by Glamdring: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>The 243 and 257 are inbetween cartridges and thus do not perform as well as a dedicated cartridges would.[/quote] BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Thanks for playing. Try again.

In between what? They are what they are. That's like saying the .41 mag is midway between the .357 and the .44 mag. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The .41 is so close to the .44 as to be nearly indiscernable in performance and dimensions. 0.019 difference in bullet diameter, about the same case length.

Just because a cartridge is listed between other chamberings in the table of contents of a reloading manual, doesn't make it an "inbetween" cartridge. For that matter, you pick a cartridge and I'll pick two that it is in between and I will call my choices "dedicated" cartridges. BTW, dedicated to what? Sending a bullet downrange, most likely.

The .30-'06 is pre-dated by the 7x57 Mauser and the 8x57 Mauser. Is the .30-'06 an "inbetween" cartridge?




[This message has been edited by sensop (edited May 18, 2000).]
 
If you're handloading, they're VERY close, and there's really little to gain by choosing one over the other.

If, however, you're using factory ammo, then the .243 is the clear winner.
 
I'll have to weigh in with Mike Irwin on this one. I think his statement just about covers it.
What ever you choose....Happy Shooting. :)


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"Lead, follow or get the HELL out of the way."
 
The 250/3000 is a personal favorite of mine, however given the choice between the .257 Roberts and a 6MM for a combination deer/varmit rifle I'd go with the Remington 6MM over the .243. The 6MM will give better performance than the .243 for both applications. regards, birdman
 
Guys,

Thanks for the responses. I don't reload so I am restricted by that in many ways, I haven't checked but I anticipate that .257 Roberts is difficult and therefore expensive to obtain. I would however still like a rifle in this caliber after reading
reports of interviews with 2 respected hunters who both named the .257 Roberts as one of their top 2 choices of hunting rounds of all time. The .243 alas is a much more practical proposition.

Regards,

Mike H
 
hey birdman.can you give me your loading data for the .250 ackley improved.i have one and have not gotten much data on it.
 
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