I just recently purchased one so maybe I'm just noticing it more. There seems to be a lot more posts about the 257 Roberts. When I bought my Kimber in September, Midway listed 4 different boxes of ammo for the 257..one Remington, one Winchester, and two from Hornady. I took up reloading because of the lack for ammo. Now when you look at Midway, they list about a dozen different offerings for 257 Roberts. Seems that Kimber and Ruger have revived the old cartridge. I could not be happier with mine. Great CXP1 and CXP2 rifle.

quote:

Seems that Kimber and Ruger have revived the old cartridge.

I think a lot of custom guns have been so chambered as well.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Seems that Kimber and Ruger have revived the old cartridge.

I think a lot of custom guns have been so chambered as well.

Don't want to discount the customs but they have been available for 70 years. I really think the lift is because there are some major firearm companies chambering them.

And when major firearms companies recognize the "lore" of such cartrideges as the 6mm Remington, 25-06 Remington and the 260 Remington and start offering usable models in those chamberings they will sell!! The 25-06 is offered by a lot already.........as well it should be since it's "GOD'S CHOSEN CHAMBERING" but the others are more forgotten. GHD

The 25-06 is ALMOST as good as the .257 Roberts !

Big Green had the 257 roberts chambered in their cdl last year.

Winchester really should offer their Featherweight in 257 Roberts. While I'm making a list, Ruger needs to offer the 338 Federal in their 77RSI and 9.3x62 in their African.

quote:

Originally posted by scottfromdallas:
Winchester really should offer their Featherweight in 257 Roberts. While I'm making a list, Ruger needs to offer the 338 Federal in their 77RSI and 9.3x62 in their African.

They did at one time have the M70 Featherweight in 257 Rob but they need to do it again in the new M70. A M70 in 9.3x62 would be great!
So would any Ruger rifle in 9.3.

Big fan of the .257 Roberts and the 9.3 here!

Now, I own a Ruger Ultralight in 257R, but I suspect that the Roberts "fans" are keeping it alive and "up front", rather like the 9.3x66 or 9.3x74R fans. I don't believe that you can tell by "posts" how popular the round is!
BTW I also own a 9.3x74R!
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
I don't believe that you can tell by "posts" how popular the round is!

Peter.

True, but I was also going by ammo manufacturers releasing ammo. Double Tap is bringing out the TTSX, Accubond, and the partition. HSM is releasing the Berger VLD and Nosler is loading 4 different rounds now. Seems like they wouldn't bother if they felt the demand was not there.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:


Big fan of the .257 Roberts and the 9.3 here!

I was thinking about this the other day. I think if I could only have 2 rifles for hunting big game, I would take the 257 Roberts and 9.3x62. Seems like that pretty much covers everything I would ever hunt.

I was thinking about this the other day. I think if I could only have 2 rifles for hunting big game, I would take the 257 Roberts and 9.3x62. Seems like that pretty much covers everything I would ever hunt.[/QUOTE]

That's sad. I have a lot of fun with my Bob. I can not ever remember missing with it? Was bought from someone needing money, glad I was able to help as I got a fine shooting gun.

Sorry Scott, I didn't realize that you also had that information (about the ammo). The 257R seems to me to be an ideal deer round but not a good long distance round eg. over 200 yards. Now before everyone tells me about their 350 yard shot, let me add that part of my reasoning is that my Ruger is just not as accurate as some of my other hunting rifles in other calibers. My 308, 6.5x55, 30.06 and 300WM are all far more accurate than my 257R and I, correspondingly, have far more confidence in them.
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by scottfromdallas:

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Seems that Kimber and Ruger have revived the old cartridge.

I think a lot of custom guns have been so chambered as well.

Don't want to discount the customs but they have been available for 70 years. I really think the lift is because there are some major firearm companies chambering them.

No debate here at all....except that if it's known that there is an increase in the number of custom chamberings it just might induce a few major arms companys to offer it.

This much does surprise me however.....the lack of interest in the .25 souper (AKA .25-08) and the seeming lack of interest in the .260 Remington.......a couple of superb cartridges and given the popularity of the 6.5 Swede....

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:


This much does surprise me however.....the lack of interest in the .25 souper (AKA .25-08) and the seeming lack of interest in the .260 Remington.......a couple of superb cartridges and given the popularity of the 6.5 Swede....

The 6.5 X 55 is popular in Australia but there is no doubt if it was not for the cheap M96 rifles and cheap ammo it would be dead out here.

As to the 25/08 and 260 Rem I think they suffer from a couple of problems. The average shooter will be more inclined to have 243 on one side or the 270 or 308 on the other side. I don't think either is a guns/ammo enthusiasts calibre so that market is missed.

My feeling is both Americans and Australians once they go bigger than 6mm like what would have been generally considered a military size bullet, 150 grains and up and so it is 270 to 30 calibre. The 270 to 30 calibres are seen as full size calibres.

The .257 Bob has long been a favored cartridge around this forum for a long, long time. From the number of posts over the years one might get the idea that the Roberts round probably outsells the .243 Win. The Roberts crowd is very loyal and not at all shy about sounding off.

The case could be made that over the last thirty or more years, Ruger has kept the .257 Roberts alive by offering a continuous supply of new rifles. If not for Ruger there would have been times when no major manufacturer would have been selling rifles in .257R. At some point Browning, Remington and Winchester have all chambered rifles in the caliber but all gave up on it. The fact that there were new rifles still in production kept the ammunition divisions of Winchester, Remington, Federal and Hornady producing factory ammunition for the Roberts.

If not for Bill Ruger the Roberts may have followed the 7-30 Waters, 30-40 Krag and .284 Winchester down the road toward obsolescence. It remains to be seen whether Ruger's efforts on behalf of the .250 Savage will keep that round from fading into the realm of cartridges whose day has come and gone.

I have one on a small ring 98 Mauser,with a Douglas barrel, it loves all bullets from 75 to 120gr, so it does varmit to deer, and a 117gr boattail will reach out as far as I need for deer. Recoil and muzzle blast is far less than a .270 Win

the 257 roberts is a more efficient cartridge than the 25-06. My stepfather had an article copy somewhere that showed the most efficient cartridges, it seemed the 7x57 case family did well as both the 7x57 and 257 roberts were on there. my stepfather has one in the ackley improved version, heavy barrel springfield sporter. I would LOVE one in the win featherweight. two of my brothers have featherweights in 7x57 and in 30-06. the 7x57 is wonderful to carry and shoot, in 257 it would be bitchin.

great, now I'm feeling that "gotta have another gun" itch.

Red

Mort Canard is right. Bill Ruger kept the 257 alive when all called it dead. I have one of those 1972 Ruger 77's. I've probably killed more game with that rifle than any other I own. She looks rough. The finish on the stock is almost completely gone. The bluing is worn. She has marks from rust that should have been wiped off, but wasn't on long, rainy and snowy hunts. With a couple thousand rounds down the tube, she still can kill groundhogs at 300, if I do my part.
Back in the seventies and eighties, I had a hard time finding ammo. I bought the only two boxes of ammo I could find when I bought her. I had to reload to shoot her. It was several years before I saw another box for sale. No internet back then. In the last ten years, ammo has gotten easier to find.
Bfly

Scott,
Just a thought---The movement towards "ultralight rifles" and synthetic stocks. Lets face it the 30-06 isn't as fun to shoot in a 5# rifle as it was in a 9# rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by groundhog devastation:
And when major firearms companies recognize the "lore" of such cartrideges as the 6mm Remington, 25-06 Remington and the 260 Remington and start offering usable models in those chamberings they will sell!! The 25-06 is offered by a lot already.........as well it should be since it's "GOD'S CHOSEN CHAMBERING" but the others are more forgotten. GHD

Gidday Charlie,

You need to come down to Godzone to find out what Gods chosen calibre is and it aint a quarterbore. In his own land it is the 260 Rem. The great unwashed use 7-08 but the chosen use the 260.

Just so you know

Happy Hunting

Hamish

Some time ago I got a used Ruger 77 UL 275 Roberts. I free floated the barrel and worked on the trigger. I worked up some 117 Gr bullet deer hunting reloads for it. I set it back in cabnit untill two years ago. It may have something to do with my age but my rifles have ben gaining some weight and there is more up hills than down hills. The 117 Gr bullet out of the 257 Bob put the mule deer down with one lung shot. That little short barrel 275 Bob beats toting my 26 inch barrel 264 Winchester.

The 257 Roberts remains timeless simply because it works. Having started life back in the day when accuracy from sub 30 calibre bullets wasn't so good, and being tied to dubious custom rifles, the 257 remains because it fills the void between the various 243s and 6.5s

Not modern and certainly not obsolete, it soldiers on because hand loaders long ago recognized its virtues, and because people like Bill Ruger helped by providing sturdy and affordable rifles so chambered.

My first .257 Bob was a Ruger #1B that came with 6 boxes of Norma 100 gr. ammo aand Leupold scope, all for $400. I took it and a couple of boxes to the range to see how it shot. Well, checking at 25 yards it would be on the paper at 100 yards so I shot a 5 shot group, waithing about two minutes between shots as I gets awfully hot in the Arizona summers. Well, the five shot groups was well under an inch so I called it good and went to shooting something else. I havent shot that rifle since. Nothing wrong with it, just other projects keep getting in the way.
One day, at a gun show, I found a Winchester M70 Featherweight in 7x57 Mauser that has become a supreme favorite of this old fart. Aboth that time, my ex-son-in-law bought a Winchester M70 Featherweight in .257 Bob and we got together to sight it in. I liked it. Light recoil and very decent accuracy. He's since had it glass bedded and a good trigger job done on it and now it's even better.
About 6 months after that, I'm cruising this gun show and the guy has two rifles I wanted, but could only afford one. One was a ERuger #1B in .270 Win. (I collect #1s.) and the other was a Winchester M70 NIB unfired with all the paperwork. What to do? Both rifles were $500 and I couldn't buy both. Well, I took the Featherweight. It did not shoot as well as my ex-son-in-laws gun so I had it glass bedded and a trigger job done which made a big improvement but still could be better. However, it is a consistant grouper with everything I run through it and it does fall into what accuracy I will accept in a hunting rifle so I guess I'll keep it.
I know this goes against the grain of almost everyone, but I would rather have a rifle that shoots consistantly into 1.5" than a gun that shoots .375" groups but never in the same place. I had one that was like that and it almost drove me sane.
Probably the best shooting bullets in the M70 are the Barnes 100 gr. TSX and either the Sierra Pro-Hunter or Game King bullets. It does not seem to like the 120 gr. Speers though so I'll same them for the 25-06 which does like them. Now if I could only draw a damned tag to hunt deer in this blankety-blank state, maybe I can find out if it is as good as they say.
Paul B.

From a 1938 Carl Scholtz Brisbane,Australia Gunsmith Catalog. "257 Roberts Super Speed undoubtedly the fineat all-around cartridge yet produced. The latest product of American experts, unsurpassed for range, killing power, and accuracy; even exceeds the .250/3000. In reloading, one may duplicate all loads from .25/20 to the full power factory loads.Best cartridge for all Australian game, at 200yds will penrtrate 1/2 steel. Accurate to 1000 yds and with very slight recoil which makes it pleasant to shoot".
Even back then the scribes had glowing remarks.

Amen!

I let my last 98 custom Roberts get away to a daughter-in-law. Good move, as she produced a couple grandsons after that.

Today, I fell in love with a little Ruger Hawkeye MKII at the Boise Gun Show. Got a niece that is coming of age that will need a good deer/elk rifle. Can't think of anything better for her.

Rich

I read and re-read with trepidation the accounts of poor accuracy in the Kimber's but after a positive experience with an 8400 in 300WSM, I purchased a classic select in .257 Roberts. I am 100% happy with this rifle, and am 105% happy with the 257 Roberts! I want to buy the same rifle in the Montana skin so I have a rain proof version of the Roberts. Yesterday I shot two sub 3/4 inch groups with the 100 grain TSX bullets, it does not like th TTSX as you have to seat them deeper due to the tip and the short mag box at least on mine it does not like them, then I stood up and shot a cinder block to pieces a bit at the time cutting it off a bit each time starting from the top. The best feature is that I can watch the action thru the scope as the recoil is minimal! Wish I had discovered this round back in my aught 6 for all creatures great and small days! Now if I can just find a sub 7 pound synthetic 9.3 life will be perfect!

As I will have a 257R built this year on a LH Tikka T-3 that I am not shooting.

What is the shortest barrel length that would be recommended for hunting purposes?

Bullet weights 75-117 grains.

quote:

Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
As I will have a 257R built this year on a LH Tikka T-3 that I am not shooting.

What is the shortest barrel length that would be recommended for hunting purposes?

Bullet weights 75-117 grains.

I would go with a 22" barrel. The Roberts doesn't need a 24". Ruger 77 has a 20" barrel on it's ultralight and I know a lot of people are perfectly happy with the performance.

Jimmy, I think the problem with the Kimbers was that there was no assurance that, after spending $1000+ on the rifle, you would get a good one (accuracy wise). For that kind of money people expect some kind of consistency. I am glad that you have a good one. Those special selects are certainly nice looking.
Peter.

When I started to whittle away at that “got to have one” list the .257 Roberts was the first to get checked off. A Ruger M77 that drives tacks with 87 and 100 grain Sierra Gamekings over IMR 4350 powder.

I'm really attracted to the calibers you don't see on every shelf...to this day the only .30-06 I've ever owned is in a M1 Garand.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy P Coaltrain:
I read and re-read with trepidation the accounts of poor accuracy in the Kimber's but after a positive experience with an 8400 in 300WSM, I purchased a classic select in .257 Roberts. I am 100% happy with this rifle, and am 105% happy with the 257 Roberts! I want to buy the same rifle in the Montana skin so I have a rain proof version of the Roberts. Yesterday I shot two sub 3/4 inch groups with the 100 grain TSX bullets, it does not like th TTSX as you have to seat them deeper due to the tip and the short mag box at least on mine it does not like them, then I stood up and shot a cinder block to pieces a bit at the time cutting it off a bit each time starting from the top. The best feature is that I can watch the action thru the scope as the recoil is minimal! Wish I had discovered this round back in my aught 6 for all creatures great and small days! Now if I can just find a sub 7 pound synthetic 9.3 life will be perfect!

Sometimes people get a lemon from Kimber. They had to replace my barrel.




When they did, I got a real shooter.




Morale of the story. Bad Kimbers do exist. If you get a bad Kimber, send it back.


Here is a picture of my baby, we had a rough start but I love her now.

My favorite 257 Roberts is my Remington Model 30S. Pretty large action for a relatively light caliber.

I've bought four rifles chambered for the 257 Roberts; three Remingtons on short actions, and a long action Ruger Model 77 MkII. One remington is a custom with a Douglas Barrel, another is a Model 722, and the last is a 700 Mountain Rifle.
All of the Rem's shoot 3 shots into 1/2" groups, at a minimum.

Don

While everyone is going all GaaGaa over the 257 Robert's, let me ask one question.

When was the last time you tried to buy a box of factory loads?

I can tell you when I did, today, and even Cabela's did not have any, in any loading, from any company.

My wife has a Ruger model 77 Ultralite that I bought her a few years back, and while it does quite well with Barnes "X" Flat bases in various weights, it so far does not like the 115 grain Barnes TSX bullet.

Due to a gift from a friend, we found out the little rifle also likes the 117 grain Remington Core-Loct factory loads.

I feel that the 257 Robert's has become a "Hand Loader's" only chambering, and while I dearly love the little gun, I would not recommend it to anyone that did not plan on hand loading/reloading.

JMO.

Try the Hornady Lite Magnums or the Hornady regular 117 grain loads - they shot very well in my Hawkeye. You can order those Remington loads from Cabelas too.

I love the Bob - it just is so much fun to shoot - no kick- very accurate - but I finally got my loads (Barnes 100 grain tipped Triple Shocks) right - so that may be a factor too - I actually bought the Bob for as a rifle for my daughters. So far - it hasn't made it

Bob with a "Bob"

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:


This much does surprise me however.....the lack of interest in the .25 souper (AKA .25-08) and the seeming lack of interest in the .260 Remington.......a couple of superb cartridges and given the popularity of the 6.5 Swede....

That short necked .260 ain't no Swede,VD. JMHO roger

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:


This much does surprise me however.....the lack of interest in the .25 souper (AKA .25-08) and the seeming lack of interest in the .260 Remington.......a couple of superb cartridges and given the popularity of the 6.5 Swede....

That short necked .260 ain't no Swede,VD. JMHO roger

Norwegians ain't no Swedes either but I sure wouldn't throw some of them out of bed for using their belly button as salt container for their celery sticks!

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by bartsche:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by vapodog:
Norwegians ain't no Swedes either but I sure wouldn't throw some of them out of bed for using their belly button as salt container for their celery sticks!

You got me there ole Bud. Your words sure paint one hell of a picture. roger

The problem was that Cabela's had no 257 Robert's ammo, Period.

It did not matter the manufacturer, the load, whatever, there was not any to be had.

The point I am trying to make is what happens if you get to hunting camp, and thru no ones fault, you have no ammunition.

Wally World is damn sure not goping to have any.

I am not saying junk the 257 Robert's, I am saying that people that like the caliber need to start thinking of thr gun as a reloader/handloader only round.