.257 Roberts - why no following?

shortmag

shortmag

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Some of my buds and I are considering a Wyoming pronghorn hunt and the topic of calibers came up. Thought a 257 Roberts would be appropriate. They booooed me out of the county claiming I was so old school. Why would such a flat shootin' round get such a response?
 
Ain't nothin wrong with a .257. My wife and daughter both love to shoot one. I'll be taking the wife's .257 along on a doe cull next week. That little gun works wonders on our little West Texas whitetails. Will work on speed goats as well.

Phantom Hunter
 
The .257 Roberts is an excellent round. Sure, dated back to the 1930's commercially it is old, but handloaded to full-throttle with the right powder and in a solid action it is not too far behind the also excellent .25-06, with less recoil. I believe you can also pick up commercial +P loads if not a handloader. The .257 Weatherby was one of the first speed demons and even though it is 60 years old, it will give most anything out there a run for its money even today. Any of these would be great for pronghorn.
 
The Roberts has always been loaded to very low pressures for the old guns and weak actions used at the time just like the 7mm Mauser. as has been said you can load it to near 25-06 velocity in a modern gun and it's a great round. I'd say though if I were buying a new gun I'd go with the 25-06, good factory ammo and a little faster not to mention more popular if you ever want to sell it.
 
I love my .257 Roberts. Took a cow with it last year very cleanly. Maybe your amigos have been brainwashed with the wwssmm hype. Just because nobody uses one on the Outdoor Channel doesn't mean it won't kill anything.
 
Go booo your buddies out of the county. They know not what they speak. A Roberts will knockem dead out to an easy 300 yards if you can hit 'em. Pronghorn are pretty easy to kill.
 
BigPig speaks wisdom. Tell'em to blow it out their
ear, and go shoot a nice 'lope with your .257 Roberts.
 
There is no dought the .25-06 has a bit on the Roberts.
When the dust settles, the .25-06 is said to even have a leg up on the .25 super short... proving the .25-06 is a classic.
That WOULD be a double kick in the pants fer me, ('cause I have both the Robby 'an the SS) exept for the fact that a few hundred fps one way or the other doesn't really upset me. That's not why I have one or the other.
I like the Roberts because it's such a great part of shooting history! It's taken as many species as other "like" rounds, fer shure! Very capable.
Please don't get me wrong! I'm not dis'n the .25-06, I WILL own one when the time is right, I'm shure. (besides, RELH would come out 'an blacken one, or both of my eyes! :D )
But there is something about a name... like Roberts, or Whelen, or Jeffery....'an others... it's shooting history.
A big part of the thump I get out of having these danged things!
Get the Roberts!
If it's not enough, get it Ackley-ized!
Get both! :D

Russ
 
"I like the Roberts because it's such a great part of shooting history!"

Well Said. Lots of fun chasing critters with a piece of history on your shoulder.
 
Rus is right,
My ol' Remington Classic in .257 Roberts was one
of the most deadly things you've ever put your hands on.
Loaded with a 100 gr Nosler Solid Base BT, over a dose of
4350, deer were in trouble. It was easy to shoot, no recoil
to speak of-- just deadly, bullet placement--accuracy.
Let it go in a fit of stupidity, wish I had it back.
Shoot a .25-06 now, and wouldn't take for it,........
But I still wish I had my Robert's back.
Makes me sad.
LRv
 
Hunt with what ever you want! .257 rob. Is a great gun. Old school is not always a bad thing. My older brother has several high power, high velocity rifle?s that he could hunt with and occasionally he will take a 303 British out deer hunting. The deer still die and so will your lope.
 
Elkabong;

NO! I would not blacken your eyes, just try to convince you otherwise about the merits of the 25-06. Well, if you do not have a 25-06, you might as well get it's little brother, the 257 Roberts. I will even admit that the 257 Roberts was and still is a great deer-antelope caliber for Western hunting.
Hey! instead of a future 25-06, take a look at the new 25 caliber wildcat on the block. The 25 Pronghorn will blow the feathers off of a 25-06 and even surpass the 257 Weatherby by a small margin. It is based on the 270-300 WSM case necked down to 257 dia. I am giving it serious consideration on my next custom rifle for deer-antelope hunting.

RELH
 
I've been hearing about the Pronghorn fer a while now.
Is it built on a .300 WSM?
 
The 257 Robt is a fine cartridge and it may be old school, but not as old school as the .30/06 Springfield! :)
I have 2 rifles in 257 Robt and I'm keeping them both! I can easily get 3150 fps with a 100 gr. in a 22" barrel, and it will take any pronghorn nicely at say 300 yds.
 
Yes, the 300 WSM is the parent case, the 270 WSM also uses the 300 WSM case necked down and would be a better candidate to neck down to 25 caliber.
They are getting 3600-3700FPS with 100 grain bullets, and 3500 plus with the 115-120 grain bullets. I think there is a very good chance that it may end up being a factory round before long.
Pssssst!!! do not tell anyone that I badmouth the 25-06 by stating the 25 Pronghorn will blow it's feathers off. I would not want that to get out. Everyone knowns that I am a Die In Wool 25-06 guy.

RELH
 
LOL! My lips are sealed!

I had this flash of a thought that the .25 wssm could be re-chambered fer the Pronghorn... but I guess not.
Looks like the wssm action is shorter than the wsm?
Then, from what I can find, the bolt face looks to be wrong also.
 
The 257 Roberts has a large and loyal following. It is a great performing caliber. One of the most efficient ever!
I like all 25 calibers, but it is hard to find a more accurate and fun rifle to shoot.
I have given serious thought to building a 25/300WSM. Probably because I have had so much good experience with the 257BOB, 25/06 and my 257 Weatherby. The Weatherby is the least accurate because of exaggerated headspace on Weatherby calibers.
Anyone that has owned a 257 Roberts has loved the caliber....never have found anyone who doesn't!

TM
 
I own a 257 Roberts and I don't love it!! I put it on my table at the last gun show and I couldn't even give it away ,( Nice Remington 722)...RIMROCK
 
Butt hoo in the heck would want a 722???
I had at least 5 guys pick that up, they were all gonna take it 'cause it was free, ALL of 'em put it down when they realized it wuz a 722!

(something smells here...)
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-05-07 AT 01:56PM (MST)[p]What do you mean ..YOU had five guys pick it up.I don't understand ..and if somthing smells ..CHECK YOUR SHORTS JOE..:RIMROCK
 
bong YOU KEEP SAYING HOW COOL A ROBERTS IS --BUTT--HAVE YOU EVER HUNTED WITH ONE..I know you don't have to hunt with a rifle to think it's cooool..But a ruger m2 is just a ruger m2 when your looking at them in your safe..!I guess in your dreams..RIMROCK
 
OOOOOoooo-kay... I see how this is gonna go...
We're gonna get nasty, now huh??

So, how "cool" is a custom stocked 300h&h?? Man, that's killed a pile of meat...
Or... hmmm... a number 1 tropic 375? I've heard about THAT one a time or two!
Wow... old mauser '98's are the cat's arse!! Sitting there!!!
Ya know? I could go on 'an on 'an on 'an on...

Do you actually hafta KILL something with a shooter before it's cool?

Methinks NOT...

Now Rimjob, I WILL arrange for one of those "production" gals at yer work to corner you in a closet one night if ya don't start being nice... 'an we ALL know how much you don't like women!
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-05-07 AT 04:05PM (MST)[p]BONGBREATH....read my post..SLOWLY NOW READ IT AGAIN ..Did I say anythng about having to kill somthing to think it's kool? --NO--
I think a safe full of ruger m2 is way kool veryone needs one:RIMROCK
 
Ok, I'll call Ethel back 'an tell her ta leave ya alone tonight!!

I guess if ANY-buddy knows how cool a safe full of M2's are....

;-)

Speaking of safe-queens... we gotta head south, I hafta make a mortguage payment!
 
I'll email you my address and I'll pay the freight. I know a Grandson that would cherish that Rem. 722, and shoot some nice blacktails with it!

TM
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-09-07 AT 07:57AM (MST)[p]The 257 Roberts was one of my first big game rifles. It hardly had any recoil but what ticked me off about it was, at the time, there was hardly any decent factory ammo for it. Only stuff I was able to get was the 117 grain core lokts in the round nose style....talk about slow! Thus I got rid of it and scored a 270 Win. instead.

Anyhow, I just got done reading in one of the newer monthly magazines that the 257 Roberts is among the top efficient cartridges ever. A reloaders round for sure, I bet anyone good at it could probably get 25-06 type performance from it. Too bad I got rid of mine as I plan on getting into reloading one of these days.

So I guess there is nothing wrong with a Roberts as long as you're a reloader.
 
Your comments are correct. The lack of good powder and bullets for the 257 Roberts when it was first introduced hurt it's popularity. Now, with great bullets available and high performing powder, we have everything we need to get peak and admirable performance from the 257 Roberts. But, be aware, factory loads also are now using high performance components as well. The 257 Roberts is not just for reloaders anymore!
My best friend and shooting partner has nearly every caliber of rifle there is. He is a regular 1,000 competitor with his specially built 7 mm Mag. A great shot and knowledgible rifleman. When he goes out the door to go deer hunting, the 257 Roberts AI is always with him.

TM
 
I guess I did good when I picked up a scoped FN Mauser in .257 Roberts for $300. I'm working on it for my middle son who is 11. I had it glassed and now I'm trying to work up loads. I've got 300 85 grain Barnes X bullets that I think would be great for local deer and hogs. If anyone has a suggestion for these light weights let me know.
 
I like bullets a little heavier for Wild Boar. I use 115 Grain Barnes X Triple Shocks and they have been reliable and consistent killers.
One thing I am convinced of is that the 257 Roberts has a great following, just by all the interest we have seen in this thread!
If you don't own one, you are really missing out on a very accurate and fun performer. As you can tell, I Love mine....will never part with it!


TM
 
Howdy folks,

For over twenty years a .257 Roberts was all I had. I did reload which made my shooting affordable for a college kid, but I just never had the urge or need for anything different. Then I graduated college and needed to pay off my student loans. 2,786 .257 rounds and nearly 1700 coyotes later, the rifle still goes strong and the loans are only a memory. During that time, I learned a few things:

1. don't load to full maximum, you wear out your barrel faster
2. keep the barrel spottlessly clean, more accurate and lasts longer
3. you can make a 400 yard shot on a big mule deer buck and kill it stone dead in his tracks
4. you can teach your sons to shoot with it
5. 75 grain hollow points are great for coyotes
6. 115 grain Noslers, 117 grain Sierras, and 100 grain nearly anything are great for whitetails
7. 115 grain Noslers are super for mule deer

All in all, that rifle my Dad and I put together on an Oberndorf m.98 back in 1968 has over 3000 rounds of ammo through it.... NONE OF IT FACTORY AMMO!!!!

It shot 3/8" 5 shot group last October when I sighted it in. I'll keep the .257 and boo the distrators out of the country.

Coach
 
My kind of COACH!

You said it all and you said it very well. The 257 Roberts is a great Caliber. If there had been good bullets for the 257 Roberts before the 243 Win. was introduced, it would have and should have been much more popular. It kills better, that is for certain!

TM
 
I have been away for a while or I would've piped up sooner.
The .257Roberts is my all time favorite also, I bought a 700 MT Rifle the last year Rem made it. I shoot Hornaday Custom & LT Mags out of it always get sub 1'' groups and it drops in thier tracks. I know some people like other 25s better but if I need a big gun or real long ranger I grab my .300 Winnie.
 
Great caliber loaded to modern pressure. Great gun for anyone especially kids so they can have one gun for several years. No nead to up caliber as they get older for larger animals.
 
The absence of quailty bullets at the time the 257 Roberts was introduced hurt the popularity. The other and larger factor is that everyone jumped on the 243 Win as the great new caliber, when the 6MM Rem. and even more so the 257 Roberts are superior. In the case of the 257 Roberts, FAR superior!

I aleays ask people that have a 257 Roberts how they like them. The responces are incrediblly and consistently positive.
I understand that the rifle manufacturers have had a rush on this great caliber in the last few years. If you buy one, You will be very impressed!

TM
 

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