What do you fellows think about the .257 Roberts AI, as a varmint cartridge? I have a semi-custom 95 mauser with a bad 7 x 57 barrel that I need to do something with. I also need a Varmint rig. So I was just thinking...

Good thought . A .244 AI ( 6mm., Rem AI ) may serve you better as a Varmint rifle as it has a more refined bullet selection for varmints. roger

it's hell on wheels with a 75 gr.v-max on varments and accurate also

Barrel life might be a shade longer with the .25, and there is always the flexibility to go for deer and antelope as well. Not that the 6mm's will not do it, just better in my opinion.

You should consider what Bartsche is saying. As somone who has a .25 cal varmint rifle, I can tell you bullet choice is poor. I guess it depends on what kind of varmint shooting you're planning on doing. If we're talking short to medium range coyote blasting, or long range prarie dog or ground hog shooting. You'll be fine for coyote blasting, but there are much better choices out there for medium to long range prarie dog, etc shooting.

You'd be better served with a .223, .243, or .264 bore diameter for varminting. Much better bullet selection.

I do have a roberts ackley, but I don't shoot it for varmints. I had originally planned to shoot coyotes and deer with it, but it's now just a deer rifle. I might still take a shot of opportunity with it though if it presents itself.

My varming rig is a 25 wssm, but since Berger has discontinued all their .257 diameter varmint bullets due to lack of sales, it's like a man without a country. I'm seriously considering rebarrelling it to either .243 or .264 diameter.

My concern with the other calibers mentioned is the preasure in a 95 Mauser action. The Roberts is a low preasure round, where the .223, .243/6mm's are not.

I see your point. Well, how about a 6 x 57, or a 6.5 x 57?

I think your choice is great. I shoot a 250/3000AI with 75gr V-max as one of my varmint rigs. It does very well to out past 400yds. My go to deer rifle is a 257 Robts.

My 257AI is a killer with 75gr Vmax, also the Sierra 75gr HP!
I load 100grn NBT for hunting, they work on varmints too...kinda spendy though.
I'm getting 2800fps (100grn NBT) out of my 15" barrel XP...I love this gun!!!
I may back down on the loads some, ain't no need to punish the gun or me.

How many different bullets choices do you need?
Sierra, Hornady, and Speer each list nine different bullets, Nosler has eight, Berger and some other custom makers can fill in the gaps.
I just can't buy the "lack" of bullet selection.

www.duanesguns.com

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DuaneinND:
How many different bullets choices do you need?
Sierra, Hornady, and Speer each list nine different bullets, Nosler has eight, Berger and some other custom makers can fill in the gaps.
I just can't buy the "lack" of bullet selection.
QUOTE]

O-K roger

Well, now that Berger no longer makes any (due to lack of sales)....

Show me a 110 to 120 grain bullet with a good B.C., and a VARMINT jacket???

None of your listed bullet makers makes such a critter. If you want to shoot a VARMINT bullet, you have to shoot a light weight-for-caliber bullet with a poor B.C.

If all you're looking for is a 75 to 85 gr bullet, cool, you're covered.

Not on a Mauser 95 action..

Don

Slowpoke- Show me such a bullet for a 22 or 6mm with a THIN VARMINT jacket, everything above 70gr is designed to fly to paper, the A-max expands fairly well, but so does the BST, BT and SST. Oh, the Briese Bullet Company does make a 100gr RBBT varmint bullet for the 25cal.
You shoot what you want and I will shoot what I want and I won't tell the prairie dogs that I kill at 600-800 yards that the BC on my bullets isn't good enough.


www.duanesguns.com

quote:

Originally posted by DMB:
Not on a Mauser 95 action..

Don

Please explain.

My .257 AI is one of my favorite rifles. With 115-120 gr bullets, I've made one shot kills on 3 prarie dogs, several coyotes, several dozen deer and antelope, 3 bighorn and a Dall sheep, a mountain caribou, and my second biggest 6-pt elk.

Those 3 prarie dogs, I was antelope hunting in eastern Montana when I walked through a prarie dog town. One mound had 3 dogs on it, all standing in a line. One 120 gr Hornady hp at 125 yds vaporized the first two dogs and cut the third one in half.

I don't know if the 95 action will hold it. I am no gunsmith. However I just built a .257AI on a commercial 48 Mauser action and so far love it. I can load it with bullets designed for deer or load the 75 grainer's for groundhog. The 75 grain V-Max works just fine.

The 95 should be used with rounds loaded at 45000 cups, which would defeat some of the "gain" of the 257AI; however the reduced bolt thrust of the AI case(according to Ackley's experiments) would in theory allow better velocities with less danger of overloading that a standard 257 Roberts. It all depends on how hot you load.
I think the action is usable, but not my "first" choice.

www.duanesguns.com

quote:

Originally posted by DuaneinND:
The 95 should be used with rounds loaded at 45000 cups, which would defeat some of the "gain" of the 257AI; however the reduced bolt thrust of the AI case(according to Ackley's experiments) would in theory allow better velocities with less danger of overloading that a standard 257 Roberts. It all depends on how hot you load.

I think the action is usable, but not my "first" choice.

www.duanesguns.com

That explains my point exactly. Use a Model 98 action to realize the full potential of the 257AI. I wouldn't consider using a Model 95 for the 257AI.

Don

quote:

Originally posted by Jacobite:
I don't know if the 95 action will hold it. I am no gunsmith. However I just built a .257AI on a commercial 48 Mauser action and so far love it. I can load it with bullets designed for deer or load the 75 grainer's for groundhog. The 75 grain V-Max works just fine.

The 48 is a Model 98 action which works just fine for higher pressure rounds.

Don

quote:

Originally posted by DuaneinND:
Slowpoke- Show me such a bullet for a 22 or 6mm with a THIN VARMINT jacket, everything above 70gr is designed to fly to paper, the A-max expands fairly well, but so does the BST, BT and SST. Oh, the Briese Bullet Company does make a 100gr RBBT varmint bullet for the 25cal.
You shoot what you want and I will shoot what I want and I won't tell the prairie dogs that I kill at 600-800 yards that the BC on my bullets isn't good enough.


www.duanesguns.com

I had a reply all typed out for you, but thought better of it and deleted it.
Shoot what you want, I'll do the same.