According to Johnny Falk, in a letter dated in the last quarter of 1980, The 257 Roberts is based on the 25-20 Winchester case, which itself is derived from the 32-20 WCF case. in.) The .257 Roberts was announced in 1928 as a wildcat based on the 7mm Mauser case. If youre looking for a long-range accurate caliber for varmint hunting, the 243 Winchester is a great choice. (The cross-sectional area of a .257 inch diameter bullet is 0.0519 sq. Have a friend, bought a ruger.. in 257 roberts. Wolfe Publishing Company | 2180 Gulfstream Suite A | Prescott, AZ 86301. I cant think of any situation in They are tougher than older 117- to 120-grain bullets and can penetrate as deeply while having a higher launch velocity. From the .243s that I have had experience with, they seem to be more forgiving when it comes to bullet weight/configuration and accuracy. Functionally, ammomakers slightly beefed-up the Roberts case walls near the head. That old gun shot lights out. Incidentally, data developed with spherical powders should not be reduced below their starting charge weights, or erratic ignition and pressures can occur. Newer propellantsand a couple of old onescan safely push varmint-weight bullets to over 3,300 fps from a 24-inch barrel. The companys first rifle was the This Model 70, along with most rifles chambered for the .257 Bob, are made with 22-inch barrels. (Ret.) The bullet is very stable in flight, so it will retain its accuracy even at long range. However, it is still best to weigh every charge if trying to squeeze out the utmost accuracy. On the other hand, spherical powders, such as Winchester 760, Accurate A-2700, Ramshot Big Game, Hodgdon BL-C(2), SUPERFORMANCE and Hybrid 100V, generally meter with near perfection, which makes them especially popular for those that want quality ammunition without weighing each charge. This rifle needs handloading and will get it! The next load is the hottest Roberts factory load of which I am aware, driving a 117 grain bullet at an estimated 2845 f.p.s. The only other significant option for anyone wanting a new rifle chambered for the cartridge is to order a semi-custom Shaw Mark VII bolt action. Savage Model 110 Timberline 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle: Full Review, Ruger MAX-9 9mm Micro-Sized High-Capacity Pistol: Review, Springfield Armory SA-35 Pistol: Rebirth of the Browning P-35 Hi-Power, Savage Impulse Straight-Pull Rifle: Full Review, .458 Winchester Magnum History: The Complete Story, 6.8 Western Ammo Options: The Load of Long Yardage, 10mm Firepower: Springfield XD-M Elite 3.8 Compact Pistol Review, A World Record Attempt: Practice Round and Media Day, Interview with Israeli Defense Forces, Part 1. As a result, I could not find .257 Roberts factory loads anywhere, and neither did my contacts at ammunition companies have any stock on hand. After that, all cases are checked for length, and if With modern powders you may gain 100 fps with a 100gn bullet. This rifle has been in my collection for decades and has proven accurate, and neither is it finicky in regard to loads and bullets that shoot well. Available in different sizes and red dot ready, it'll fit your needs, whatever they are. While I personally would choose a heavier bullet weight for hunting deer, I know several hunters that use this bullet on coyotes and mule deer with great success. Their monolithic construction and controlled expansion make them excellent choices for heavier or tough game that are usually taken at moderate distances. simply because of the Roberts conservative case volume. the handloading route. My understanding of bullet terminal performance is that impact energy, sectional density and frontal area are all quite important to terminal performance. In the years since, most other ammunition manufacturers have followed suit, including Hornady (117-grain SST at 2,946 fps), Federal Cartridge (Nosler 120-grain Partition at 2,800 fps) and NoslerCustom (100-grain Partition or Ballistic Tip bullets and the 110-grain AccuBond all at 3,000 fps, or the 115-grain Ballistic Tip at 2,800 fps). I concluded that the HITS system is useful only for the purpose of verifying the size/type of game for which a given cartridge and load is best suited. latter powder had not been used for quite a while, it was included. Once again, the EKR is stated as the MPBR range (275 yards), because the KPS value of 16.9 at 275 yards is greater than the baseline KPS of 15. Most shooters can accurately shoot a 243 out to about 300 yards. Kiff has developed or consulted on thousands of cartridge designs, so for him to name the .257 without second thought is no small potatoes. Pretty pathetic, but I traded it off when it would only do two inches with numerous bullets. : 2.535" Powder: 41.0 gr 43.7 gr Vel. Unlock the Benefits of Knowing Your Winchester Serial Number, Complete Buyers Guide to the Sig Sauer P228. I have several Rugers and shoot only factory loads. experimenting that existing powders of the day would perform much I once owned two different Rugers in .257 RBTS, the first a M77, the second a M77MKII. Primers are available in spades, and I had no trouble finding case capacity of roughly 53.0 grains of water, many modern powders work The Hornady H.I.T.S. Bob, as it is often affectionately called, was truly a dual-purpose cartridge that did both jobs very well. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The KPS formula makes a lot of sense to me. After some reflection and data crunching, I decided that a KPS of 15 is a reasonable and realistic baseline killing power value for hunting deer and similar game with a conventional 150 grain FP or RN .30-30 load. is 5.8 inches, a 1.25-inch difference. It is also noteworthy that monolithic bullets heavier than 100 grains, such as the Barnes 115-grain Triple Shock X-Bullet, will require barrels with a faster twist than the standard 1:10 that is standard on most guns chambered in .257. commercialization in the same year. The Roberts experienced a unique transformation in 1974. That's still less than the typical 60,000 to 65,000 psi of comparable modern rifle cartridges. the 7mm Mauser case necked down to .25 caliber complete with a 15-degree Whenever any of these variables change, the KPS number changes proportionally. In 1974, The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) established a +P designation for cartridges that are loaded to higher pressures, but specifications still had to be approved by SAAMI. I dont know how many years my dad has left, so I want him to have the best I can afford that fits his needs, Zellers said. As with many old cartridges, the original .257 was loaded to lower pressures than what can be tolerated by stronger, modern actions. How to Buy a .257 Roberts lbs. Communication. Any thoughts of having it AI'd? But if you are willing to put in the extra effort, the rewards are definitely worth it. .257 Roberts: Propellant: Accurate 2700, Accurate 3100, Accurate 4350, Alliant Reloder-16, . Its debut platform, the Remington Model 30, evolved from the robust Model 1917 Enfield bolt rifle that was chambered for high-pressure cartridges years before the Roberts was added. The remaining (bullet pointed) lines summarize the results. I like them for other reasons, and some get lucky, but a person shouldn't expect it. Brian used a Ruger M77R with a 22-inch barrel and Swarovski 3-9x 36mm variable scope to develop handloads for the .257 Roberts. casually mentioned the Roberts was on the way out. Powered by UBB.threads PHP Forum Software 7.7.5. Vintage RCBS dies and CCI BR-2 primers were used to develop load data. The 257 Ackley Improved is another popular option among hunters. Maybe it was concern over chamber variations in custom guns. lbs.). This decision to spec the cartridge for a moderate pressure limit caused it to come to grief a quarter century later. Try IMR 4064 with 100 gr. While its been eclipsed in recent years by sexier, faster, bigger cartridges, its still worth a look if youre in the market for a new deer gun. looking up reference material, I found that in the Complete Guide to Handloading, the information in the brochure " is still not ready for publication." I for one limit my long-range shooting to 300 fps and zero the rifle for 200 yards, bullet drop at 300 yards is only There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on individual preferences. slightly below maximum as the extra powder does not help accuracy, some time. Hornady HITS scores for .257 Roberts and .243 Win. Joseph Von Benedikt is with Jorge Spat to learn all about it. The hottest commercial .243 Winchester load I can find is quoted as driving a 100 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity (MV) of 3120 f.p.s. The only watch-point for the Hawkeyes in .257 Roberts is that I thought this was a limited production run originally billed as an ultra-light rifle. I did some estimates of recoil with the heavy hunting loads I have featured. Townsend Whelen mentioned in one of his many books: I think Nosler Partition bullet, BC .391, MV 2700 f.p.s. The EKR of the load above is at the MPBR range (265 yards), because the KPS value of 15.9 at 265 yards is greater than the baseline KPS of 15 and I never recommend shooting at a game animal beyond the MPBR of the cartridge and load. The 257 Roberts is a reliable cartridge that is known for its accuracy and versatility. Most shooters can accurately shoot a 243 out to about 300 yards. The .243 Win. Smith estimates hes taken 25 deer with the cartridge in his years hunting Texas and South Carolina. During the 1980s, Winchester developed a .257 Roberts +P load that featured thicker case walls and was loaded to a maximum average pressure of 50,000 CUP, which bumped the velocity of the 117-grain bullet to 2,780 fps. Some hunters may find that the 257 Roberts cartridge is an ideal round for medium to large game, while others may prefer a different caliber for these purposes. The procedure for determining the EKR of a particular cartridge and load is fairly simple and is most easily explained by an example. Niedner and L.C. The attributes credited to the Long Ranger check many boxes regarding the desirable features of a deer rifle. The most common bullet weights are 87 and 100 grains. That's a valid reason to demand extreme accuracyand it's amazing how many of today's basic, inexpensive factory rifles deliver. The .257 isnt just loved by industry insiders, either. load, detailed above, is 694. stock, a handy 22-inch barrel and fleur-de-lis checkering. I used the Guns and Shooting Online Rifle Cartridge Killing Power Formula to calculate Killing Power Scores (KPS values) for loads of interest. While it is still a great dual-purpose cartridge, it has found most favor with deer hunters wanting a pleasant shooting, accurate and reliable cartridge. Not every hunter feels comfortable purchasing a used firearm and not every hunter has the cash to build a custom one. The 257 Roberts is typically loaded with bullets weighing between 55 and 120 grains. The latest one, a MKII, will do this with a 100 gr Partition and 45 grains of IMR 4350; action bedded and barrel floated. Roberts, in his initial attempt in designing this new cartridge, wanted popular, but its not dead. I once owned a custom Mexican Mauser in 257 Roberts that was. (All three of the .257 Roberts loads have KPS = 15 ranges that are longer than their MPBR distances.). I used the Hogdon reloading data to get a starting point and worked up from there. (Commercial manufacture Remington Model 722 and 700, Winchester Model 54 and 70, Mauser Model 98 and Mannlicher-Schoenauer bolt action rifles in good condition should be fine. The downrange data are needed to do hunting capability index calculations. The final form of the .25 Roberts was only slightly changed from the 7mm Mauser. For example, it readily stabilized light-for-caliber varmint bullets that could be pushed to muzzle velocities of 3,500 to 3,700 fps that gave spectacular results on rockchucks, varmints and pests. Access the newest seasons of MeatEater, save content, and join in discussions with the Crew and others in the MeatEater community. Thats a damn shame. Not 3 moa with handloads, for sure. It was freaky accurate with Winchester 117g round nose loads. Everyday American hunters still use the Roberts to take whitetail, hogs, and other medium-sized game. It seemed that the company was testing acceptance of such a reissued bind, purchase some 7x57 brass, neck it down to .25 caliber and fireform The current SAAMI spec for the .257 Roberts Maximum Average Pressure (MAP) is 54,000 psi. results. Straight-wall cartridges are surging in the whitetail world. For a while, Ruger chambered Winchester 760 and Hodgdon H-414 were on the list, and since the Winchester introduced a +P version with a MAP of 58,000 psi in the mid-1980s. Basic components for the .257 Roberts are generally easy to find. Ackley, was an American gunsmith, barrel maker, author, columnist, and wildcat cartridge developer, that sparked considerable interest in improved cartridges. This capability is important in ways I will demonstrate. KPS = 15.0 (Energy = 1339 ft. All Rights Reserved. Understand that the few commercial cartridge brands and loads currently available are loaded to pressures approaching the +P limit and modern rifles can handle those pressures without difficulty. Or erratic ignition and pressures can occur hunting capability index calculations credited to the Ranger!, a handy 22-inch barrel and Swarovski 3-9x 36mm variable scope to develop handloads for the.257 are! 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