257 Roberts
- Thread starter chipchip
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It can be a very accurate round if your rifle and you are capable of producing accurate groups. It isn't far behind the .25-06 in speed, light bullets will break 3000 FPS. It is best suited for deer sized game, but with today's premium bullets it is capable of taking elk sized game.
The .257 Roberts is a great round, one of the classic deer cartridges in my view. Recoil and report are both on the mild side, always an asset for most shooters. To be fair, its performance really isn't anything that can't be duplicated (in most cases) by the .243 Winchester or 6mm Remington, and the ol' .25-06 certainly has a modest edge on it (especially with slightly heavier bullets). However, it's fun to shoot a classic that's a little off the beaten path, as it were. Try it, you'll like it!
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Pretty cool round.
It's almost like a .25-08, as it comes close to the .25-06 but in a short action. Doesn't quite make it but close. Short-action might require "custom" work though, I don't know how they usually chamber it but it certainly would fit.
It's also kind of like a 25 caliber .243. Ever so slightly faster than a 243 with lighter bullets, about the same up to about 85-90gr and slightly faster above that.
Assuming, that is, you're talking about a good, modern action and loading it to modern pressures.
It's almost like a .25-08, as it comes close to the .25-06 but in a short action. Doesn't quite make it but close. Short-action might require "custom" work though, I don't know how they usually chamber it but it certainly would fit.
It's also kind of like a 25 caliber .243. Ever so slightly faster than a 243 with lighter bullets, about the same up to about 85-90gr and slightly faster above that.
Assuming, that is, you're talking about a good, modern action and loading it to modern pressures.
IIRC, the .257 was the 7mm Mauser cartridge case necked down to take a .25 caliber bullet.
If there is a better deer-sized game round than the 7mm Mauser, I'd like to see it...
I've never shot a .257, but I've talked to several folks that have used them, and they say that it is a dandy deer cartridge... quite a bit better than the .243...
I imagine it is very similar, performance wise, to the 6.5 Swede, which is MY deer cartridge of choice.
To make a really long answer shorter.... use it with confidence on any deer sized game out to probably 300yds or so, if the shooter is capable. Bullet choice is probably very important... don't use light, thin jackted bullets on bigger deer... common sense stuff.
If there is a better deer-sized game round than the 7mm Mauser, I'd like to see it...
I've never shot a .257, but I've talked to several folks that have used them, and they say that it is a dandy deer cartridge... quite a bit better than the .243...
I imagine it is very similar, performance wise, to the 6.5 Swede, which is MY deer cartridge of choice.
To make a really long answer shorter.... use it with confidence on any deer sized game out to probably 300yds or so, if the shooter is capable. Bullet choice is probably very important... don't use light, thin jackted bullets on bigger deer... common sense stuff.
Jim Watson
New member
The .257 is a great deer and antelope rifle. I am sure somebody will report killing elk or bear with one, but that is stretching it.
Hornetguy describes it pretty well.
There is one problem.
Rifles and ammunition are not common, the "Bob" has been superceded by newer guns and cartridges. They are not necessarily better, just newer.
(I looked on Midway, there is more selection of ammo than I expected. Maybe it is making a comeback.)
Hornetguy describes it pretty well.
There is one problem.
Rifles and ammunition are not common, the "Bob" has been superceded by newer guns and cartridges. They are not necessarily better, just newer.
(I looked on Midway, there is more selection of ammo than I expected. Maybe it is making a comeback.)
There's a pic here for you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.270_Winchester
"The 'Bob" is a necked down 7x57 ..... and is outperformed by just about any .308WIN or -06 Springfield based case. I can not think of any advantage it would have over any of those, save it is easier (and safer) to make a cheap sporter out of a '93 or '95 Mauser in .257 Roberts than just about anything else, in deference to the low MAP of both those Mauser models and the 'Bob.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
In fairness, there are practically two different ".257Roberts".
The old guns and the old data have long since been out-done by modern actions, cartridges and powders.
However, a "Modern Bob", loaded to "+P" pressures, which really are "normal", modern pressures, is very much the equal (give or take) of other 25 caliber rounds and similar.
It doesn't have significant advantages over any number of other rounds, but then neither do a whole bunch of other rounds that people love.
There's always a "worse" and a "better" of everything.
The old guns and the old data have long since been out-done by modern actions, cartridges and powders.
However, a "Modern Bob", loaded to "+P" pressures, which really are "normal", modern pressures, is very much the equal (give or take) of other 25 caliber rounds and similar.
It doesn't have significant advantages over any number of other rounds, but then neither do a whole bunch of other rounds that people love.
There's always a "worse" and a "better" of everything.
I like my custom commercial FN Mauser chambered for that cartridge.
If I had a custom rifle made for it, or bought a non-collectable commercial one, I would take it to a gunsmith and pay him a small amount to ream the chamber out for the AI version. You can use all the normal Bob ammo or reload the formed AI brass. I've read in several places that the AI version of the .257 Roberts is the "best" of all the AI ones. You will get an extra 150 fps which gets you very close to 25-06 but using less powder.
Gregg
If I had a custom rifle made for it, or bought a non-collectable commercial one, I would take it to a gunsmith and pay him a small amount to ream the chamber out for the AI version. You can use all the normal Bob ammo or reload the formed AI brass. I've read in several places that the AI version of the .257 Roberts is the "best" of all the AI ones. You will get an extra 150 fps which gets you very close to 25-06 but using less powder.
Gregg
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
As would I. In fact, I had the exact conversation last night, except it involved a .257Rob Savage for sale in the local paper. I'd take the barrel off and send it in to he AIed
#1: It's NOT a 25/06. It's 10% behind that bigger cased round with most bullet weights.
#2: It's NOT NEARLY the equal of a 7x57 simply due to the 7mm being a bigger heavier bullet.
#3: It's a very fine deer rifle. Light recoil while carrying decent energy and trajectory levels to 300 yards.
#4: In actual field use, it seems to be superior to the 243 Win even with equal weight bullets.
#5: You don't have to hotrod the 257 to make it a deer killer. It will push a 100 grain bullet around 2900 w/o stressing even the older rifles.
#6: All these observations are based on my owning and using every cartridge I've discussed.
#2: It's NOT NEARLY the equal of a 7x57 simply due to the 7mm being a bigger heavier bullet.
#3: It's a very fine deer rifle. Light recoil while carrying decent energy and trajectory levels to 300 yards.
#4: In actual field use, it seems to be superior to the 243 Win even with equal weight bullets.
#5: You don't have to hotrod the 257 to make it a deer killer. It will push a 100 grain bullet around 2900 w/o stressing even the older rifles.
#6: All these observations are based on my owning and using every cartridge I've discussed.
chipchip said:
Here is my hunting buddies 4th season Colordo Buck from this year.
Here are a couple pictures of my Buck this year in Colorado.
I spotted this Buck one evening just at the end of shooting light and couldn't see all parts of his rack to decide if I wanted him. I found him the next morning in an area near where I'd seen him the night before, still couldn't decide if he was the one then he bedded in a spot that I couldn't shoot him in. I went back that evening and found him not far from where I'd previously seen him and decided I could not pass a third time. Shot was 321 yards, 257 Roberts shooting 117 Sierra's he was quartering towards me and I shot right in the armpit when his leg was forward, bullet passed thru the heart angled to the second to the last rib and exited. He went down so fast I couldn't see him fall.
I have the Ackley on Mex Mauser.That a small ring short 98 .I have been shooting it over 20 years and it kills real well on deer and antelope.I have not shot an elk with it,but with an Accubond or Partition at modest range I think it would be fine.The key would be the willingness to not pull the trigger unless the right shot was offered.
The 115 Ballistic tip has a BC of about .435.That is comparable to a 150 gr 30 cal bullet.So,a standard Roberts will easly give a similar trajectory to many .308 to 30-06 150 gr loads.The 115 gr Berger I have not used yet,but with a BC of .475 it will fly with a 168 gr .30 cal Matchking.
The standard Roberts works in a fine velocity range.Versus the AI?Well,I do like my AI,but more is not always better than enough.The Roberts is cool because its enough.
I have throttled back on my AI loads a bit,but I get 3050 with a 115 Nosler BT from a 22 in bbl.
One mil high at 100 yds puts it zero at 300 and one mil low at about 430 yds at my altitude of about 5000 ft.I zero at 300.My standard duplex fixed 6x by 42 mm Leupold is one mil center crosshairs to duplex post tip.
An antelope who fits brisket to whithers in the full duplex is a touch over 200 yds.Center crosshair to one duplex post,probably too far to shoot at about 430 yds.
That little range estimation tool has been a great part of my success.
BTW,Mine is built with a 7x57 mag box.I seat the bullet to the base of the neck and have plenty of mag box room.You have to deep seat in a 2.8 box.
Mine is1 in 10 twist Any slower will not like bullets over 100 gr.
A friend who did not understand controlled round feed extractors managed some case separations fireforming to AI.Forcing the extractor to snap over the rim places too much loads on the un fireformed shoulder and sets it back.Just feed up from the mag,as CRF was intended
Oh,on ammo availability,I just buy 500 rds new brass.For the hunting rifle volume I shoot,I load 100 rds to fireform,and go shoot them.I use two 50 rd boxes.I don't usually shoot more than 50 at a session.So,I rotate through as two lots of 50 till I get neck splits,then I junk them and fireform new brass.
The 115 Ballistic tip has a BC of about .435.That is comparable to a 150 gr 30 cal bullet.So,a standard Roberts will easly give a similar trajectory to many .308 to 30-06 150 gr loads.The 115 gr Berger I have not used yet,but with a BC of .475 it will fly with a 168 gr .30 cal Matchking.
The standard Roberts works in a fine velocity range.Versus the AI?Well,I do like my AI,but more is not always better than enough.The Roberts is cool because its enough.
I have throttled back on my AI loads a bit,but I get 3050 with a 115 Nosler BT from a 22 in bbl.
One mil high at 100 yds puts it zero at 300 and one mil low at about 430 yds at my altitude of about 5000 ft.I zero at 300.My standard duplex fixed 6x by 42 mm Leupold is one mil center crosshairs to duplex post tip.
An antelope who fits brisket to whithers in the full duplex is a touch over 200 yds.Center crosshair to one duplex post,probably too far to shoot at about 430 yds.
That little range estimation tool has been a great part of my success.
BTW,Mine is built with a 7x57 mag box.I seat the bullet to the base of the neck and have plenty of mag box room.You have to deep seat in a 2.8 box.
Mine is1 in 10 twist Any slower will not like bullets over 100 gr.
A friend who did not understand controlled round feed extractors managed some case separations fireforming to AI.Forcing the extractor to snap over the rim places too much loads on the un fireformed shoulder and sets it back.Just feed up from the mag,as CRF was intended
Oh,on ammo availability,I just buy 500 rds new brass.For the hunting rifle volume I shoot,I load 100 rds to fireform,and go shoot them.I use two 50 rd boxes.I don't usually shoot more than 50 at a session.So,I rotate through as two lots of 50 till I get neck splits,then I junk them and fireform new brass.
My go to Deer and Antelope rifle is my Model 70 Featherweight in 257 Roberts. Plenty accurage.
I shoot Berger 115s @ about 2800 FPS. The scope I use is a old Leatherwood ART (Automatic Ranging Telescope) MPC scope.
If you're not familiar with this scope, you sight it in at 200 yards. It has stadium lines set for 18 inches ( the size of the average deer's body).
Its a 3X9 scope, at 3x its set for 200 yards, at 9X its set for 600 yards.
You fit the deer in the stadium lines using the power ring and it automaticly adjust for elevation.
The 115 Berger is more the capable of putting down deer at 600 yards.
No sir, you wont be disapointed with the 257 Roberts.
I shoot Berger 115s @ about 2800 FPS. The scope I use is a old Leatherwood ART (Automatic Ranging Telescope) MPC scope.
If you're not familiar with this scope, you sight it in at 200 yards. It has stadium lines set for 18 inches ( the size of the average deer's body).
Its a 3X9 scope, at 3x its set for 200 yards, at 9X its set for 600 yards.
You fit the deer in the stadium lines using the power ring and it automaticly adjust for elevation.
The 115 Berger is more the capable of putting down deer at 600 yards.
No sir, you wont be disapointed with the 257 Roberts.
Here is my buddies buck from 2009, he shoots good deer and if he doesn't find one he generally passes.
I'll probably build a .257 Roberts in the future as I have a HVA small ring 98 sitting in a box without a trigger, stock, or barrel. While the cartridge can be built into a small action I think it is better off in an intermediate action wtih a mag length over 2.8" so you don't have to seat bullets deep. Here is my buddies build on a small ring 96 commercial action back in 2007 and he has basically put away his .30-06 that he had hunted with for nearly 20 years.
If you build or buy a .257 Roberts I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.
Thursday morning I shot this Buck. With the help of my brother and "Graybird" we got it out in several trips on packs. I shot it quite a ways down a canyon from the road.
The Buck kept giving me the slip from the first time I spotted him but I kept trying to outwit him and he finally gave me a poor shot opportunity thru 200 yards of deadfall/burn. Shot him thru the small window while he was walking over the next rise. .257 Roberts, Sierra 117 grain SPBT, 41.5 grains of IMR-4350, struck him in the shoulder and exited in his neck. Dropped so fast I thought I may have missed him.
My brother got a Buck that morning too and Graybird got one Friday morning. He will post his pictures in another thread of his nice buck. I posted my sons Buck in an earlier thread that he killed monday. All required packframes and mileage to get them back to the road. All in all we did good for public land hunting, hope you like the pictures.
I'll probably build a .257 Roberts in the future as I have a HVA small ring 98 sitting in a box without a trigger, stock, or barrel. While the cartridge can be built into a small action I think it is better off in an intermediate action wtih a mag length over 2.8" so you don't have to seat bullets deep. Here is my buddies build on a small ring 96 commercial action back in 2007 and he has basically put away his .30-06 that he had hunted with for nearly 20 years.
Last time I shot my new Roberts it was real windy and I left it shooting just a bit off the bullseye so today I played hooky from work and took my youngest son out with me to shoot a few rifles at the farm. I shot a nice 3 shot group .75" left of the bullseye then I over corrected and shot another 3 shots .75" right of the bullseye. I then adjusted correctly and shot 3 again.
I'm real happy with this rifle and the groups it keeps turning in for me. Not bad for a whippy ultra light barrel on an old M96 action!
The load is shown on the target if you can read it 41.5 gr IMR-4350, WW cases unfired, CCI Large rifle primers, 117 gr Sierra SPBT's. So far the only thing I've killed with it is a Coyote and milk jugs!
The taped over holes are .22's that my sons lob into my targets from the 100 yard bench when I'm not shooting.
The groups measure (left to right) 9/16", 9/16" and 3/8" center to center. I know the gun is truly capable of one hole groups its just that I'm not a great bench shooter. The scope is an older Leupold Ultra Light 3-9x32 and seems to be working pretty well. I'm getting a little vertical stringing but I am reluctant to do anything to the bedding the most it ever climbs is about 1/2" or so and then stops so I think I'll leave it alone.
I started off with a Husky with the solid left side reciever ( mid to late 1940's) then I had Kevin Weaver of Weaver Rifles add a Pac Nor 23" barrel, cock on open and speed lock kit, Gentry 3 position safety, Timney trigger, new bolt handle and a beautiful semi matte blue to the whole thing. While he did that I did an amatuerish job at re-shaping the clunky Husky stock and whittling my own version of a Schnabel fore end, then I full length bedded it from stem to stern floating the barrel. I've showed pictures of it too many times here but I am kinda fond of the whole thing.
If you build or buy a .257 Roberts I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.
Jack O'Conner
New member
257 Roberts is an exceptionally good cartridge for the deer hunter. But its popularity began to fade when Remington came out with 25-06. Unfair but true.
Jack
Jack