What do those of you who load for and shoot a .257 Roberts find to be the best powders for 87, 100, and 120 grain bullets in this cartridge?

I shoot a 6.5 x 57, & 6.5 x 55 which are close enough.. A lot of people always push the Slower powders, like 4350, 4831, RL 19, RL 22....

Personally I like to use the mid burn rates instead... like RL 15, W 748, H 380, IMRs 3031, 4895, 4064, and 4320...

Less recoil, less powder, very accurate....don't need a magnum primer etc...

cheers
seafire

Reloader 15 and H380 for the lighter weights, Reloader 19 for the 120s.

H-414

In my Roberts I've found IMR 3031 gives excellent results with the lighter bullets, and IMR 4350 for the heavier.

win760.. no joke, lowest pressure loads, and while not the high velocity (748 did) the 760 load delivered amazing groups, aabe, in mine.

I think i've only shot about 10 different powders in the 257, starting with the "original" loading of 3031.. dirty as hell.

I need to work up a load with benchmark..

jeffe

Re15, Re19, and Re22 have served me extremely well across the ranges of bullet weights you asked about.

I use h4350, most people seem to recommend IMR 4350 as the go to powder for the roberts

Most people/books say that IMR 4350 is the go to powder for the roberts, I am using IMR7828, 49 grains with a 115NP, 2950 velocity,

87's:
H-4895 From 32.4 grains to 43.0 grains
Remington 9-1/2 Primer

100's:
H-414 From 38.2 grains to 46.7 grains
Remington 9-1/2 Primer

120's:
RL-19 From 36.0 grains to 47.2 grains
Remington 9-1/2 Primer

There are three of us that have been loading a lot of wcc846 in many different rifles, one of which is an exceptionally accurate .257 Roberts. In the Roberts as in most of the other rifles we've been getting phenomenal results.We have used all bullet weights 100gr. and under.

This powder gives you a lot of barooooom and is dirty. Mag.primers seem to work better.

IMR 4064 & 4350 for heavier. My IMR4064 load shoots 100gr Nosler BT great. Nate

Years ago I had a .257 Roberts, I had a chronograph, and I had a large supply of original surplus 4831. Even with bullets as light as 90 grains, the good old 4831 (about half-way in speed between today's H-4831 and IMR 7828) gave the best velocities and accuracy.

If I were going out to puchase a powder specifically for the .257 today to use with a range of bullet weights, I would likely choose the "short cut" variety of either 4350 or 4831.

Compressed loads of H-4831 for speed loads with 100s and 117s. You can't get wnough H-4841 in a case with 100 grain bullets to cause pressure problems. 39-41 gr 4064 with 100 grain bullets for accuracy loads.

I was using the 4350's for most everything with this cartridge. I tried a dose of 35 grains of IMR 4064 behind a Sierra 117 grain SPBT and this shot so well on paper I decided to try it on deer this year. This may not be as fast as it can go, but if I want faster I'll take out the 25-06.

Thanks to all of you who replied to this.

So far, I'm getting the best results with 100 grain bullets (Hornady SP Interlock) using IMR 4350. That powder also gave me at least one excellent 200 yard group with the 120 grain Sierra HPBT bullet.

I use Remington brass and Remington 9 1/2 or Winchester WLR primers.

Mine is the AI version and I also get very good results form IMR-4350.

48 to 50 gr of RL22 in +P cases work well for me with the 120 grain Hornady HP.......WLR primers.....

Imr-4831 for the 120gr bullets.

IMR 3031 was developed and introduced specifically for the Roberts, but today there are better powders for it. Those that burn close to IMR 4350 are very good, including H414 and WW 760 as well as any of the 4350's and RE 19......

Mine likes H4350 with 115-117's and H4895 with the 75's. Haven't found anything it likes with the 87's and 100's! Maybe I've got that backwards, it just doesn't like the midweights.