Hugh W---Any decision? We want the rest of the story.

Carpetman,

No final decision yet. I will say that I am leaning toward the 25-06 due to availability and depth of selection of loaded ammo. The 6.5 and 257 as sweet shooting as they might be just are not as available. At this point I do not reload. Thanks, Hugh

I have shot deer in Georgia with: 257 Roberts, 257 AI, 25/06, 6.5/06 improved,6.5 Rem Mag, and a 6.5WSSMImp wildcat. Lost one deer with 6.5 Rem. Mag and early Bal. Tip 120 gr bullet. Lost one, later recovered; with 257 AI 120 gr Sierra HPBT. My experince is that with the faster 6mm, 25 cal, and 6.5 and 7mms good bullets are much more important than with the slower cartridges of the same caliber. Other than that under 150 yds, there is little difference all the way from 6/284 until you get to the 7 mags.

Don't pass on the .257 Bob because of ammo. Nosler loads the 110 accubond, 100 NPT, 100 BT, 85 BT and the 115 NPT in the Roberts for their own ammo line, hard to argue there isn't some good ammo out there in .257 Roberts +P. True you can't get the excellent Barnes TSX factory loaded, then it's not really required for what the .257 Roberts is best for.

Hughw___Certainly no flame--just my observations on this thread which I have found interesting. To begin with,I sorta figured you were leaning towards the 25-06. Why? One post you stated something to the effect as sweet as the Roberts is---the 25-06 offers "much better" trajectory. I would have guessed the extra zip would get your attention and seem much more significant than perhaps it really is in a hunting situation. Again Why? Because you selected the 7MM Mag in the past. Possibly the same logic that you chose that over a .270,7x57 30-06 or some such? Was it really the better choice as you look back? Must not have been or we wouldnt have this thread. You have 2 pages of responses and really no knocks on the .257 Roberts(one said luke warm)several with praise for the round----lol to include your own response. The 25-06 had both praise and knocks. Now this is all getting discounted because of poor bullet selection for the Roberts. This brings up a question in my mind---if thats the case what in the world are you doing letting your 10 year old son loose on deer with a Roberts? Are you going to be in a white hunter role and have to finish all his deer? You mentioned that you dont reload. Do you have friends that do? It would really be pretty simple to buy a box(actually buy 5 boxes to get 100 rounds)of factory rounds and 100 bullets of the same weight as the factory bullet and swap them. All of which I would consider a terrible waste as the factory rounds will work very well on whitetails if placed correctly. Poorly placed is another story---but you'll have the same story with the hotter cartridges if they get placed poorly. With a 10 year old son starting to hunt and you already hunting---sounds like it's time you take up reloading---you'll probably enjoy it.

Carpetman,

Yes I think my 7 mag was a good choice at the time, because when I bought it I bought it for an elk hunt; and yes it dropped a 5 x 6 with one shot. Now, I doubt I will do any more elk hunting; maybe some western deer. I may or may not need the power of the 7 mag. I do like the way my boy's 257 shoots, but have also talked with a lot of guys at my range that really like 25-06s. Either way the 257 or 25-06 is a step down in terms of recoil from the 270 WIN, 270 WSM and 7 mag in my safe. I will see what our thoughts are at the end of this season. No meat in the freezer yet. And yes, You are very right that it is high time for me to get started reloading! Thanks for your council. Hugh

Hughw--You mention the 25-06 as a step down from the .270 win in terms of recoil. The .270 with 130 grain bullet and 25-06 with 120's are virtually a dead heat in recoil. Enough so it would be my pick between those two. You had mentioned Georgia whitetails---but not the elk. Throw the elk in the mix and the 7mmMag makes more sense than it did without it. Saturday was opening day here and we hung no meat.

quote:

. The .270 with 130 grain bullet and 25-06 with 120's are virtually a dead heat in recoil.

carpetman: I'd like to quibble with you a little, if I might.

According to the HA recoil calculator, a 270/130/3000/55gr generates 16 fp of recoil. A 25/06/120/3000/50gr generates 13 fp of recoil. That's a 23% difference. Yes, you can move the variables around some, but IMO the difference is STILL significant.


I'm not knocking the 270. It's a great deer cartridge. But I doubt that any deer can tell the difference between a 120gr at 3000 and a 130gr @ 3000. And while the recoil of my 270 is certainly not objectionable. The recoil of my 25/06 or my 257AI is just enough lighter that I can watch the impact of the bullet on the deer. That phenomenon is very helpful IMO.

olarmy--If you are steady enough to see the bullet impact from a 25-06 or a 257AI--you got me beat and dont need to see the impact. I am not familar with the HA Recoil calculator--but I'm sure your figures are correct. I use this formula which gives a recoil factor---not a foot pounds. Bullet weight + powder charge X muzzle velocity divided by 3500(constant)divided by rifle weight in pounds=recoil factors. Plugging in those numbers using IMR 4350--selected that powder so I could get both at 3000 fps. The 25-06 gives 19.223. The .270 gives 21.120--thats using a 7.5 pound rifle. Which is a 9% difference. From a felt standpoint--that is close--but if it makes the difference of seeing or not seeing bullet impact there is a difference. I 100% agree that a deer will not know the difference in a 25-06 or a .270---nor a .257Roberts for that matter.
What town in Texas?

Hunted a few times in ElDorado Tx near San Angelo, nice deer country, many big bucks in those counties.

6.5BR I hunted jackrabbits in El Dorado(about 45 miles from here)--never hunted deer there. I hunt deer about 50 miles from here near Silver,Texas.

carpetman:

for what it's worth here is the link to the HA calculator that I used:
http://huntamerica.com/recoil_calculator/

I had used a higher number for the rifle weight. So I plugged in 7.5 lbs and got 16 and 19. Interestingly, it makes the delta smaller, but the results are still different from your formula. All of which makes for interesting conversation, and not much more!

olarmy--Thanks for posting the link. Our comparison was between the .270 and the 25-06. The .270 wasnt really in the running on this thresd--I just threw that horse in to muddy the field. The comparison would really be between the Roberts and the 25-06. There is one factor there that I dont think either of our charts would consider---but I believe it is a big factor in the recoil/blast. That is pressure. From Lyman Manual the 25-06 is like 50,000 units and the Roberts 45,000. I think that is because the Roberts case is more efficient gets more with less--not sure? Substitute a cast bullet for a jacketed bullet and the softer cast bullet produces much less pressure and there is a big drop in both recoil and blast. You didnt tell me what town you are located in--San Angelo here--we might be neighbors?

carpetman: no, not close neighbors, anyway. I, unfortunately , live in Houston.

It all probably comes down to taste but I´d go with the 6.5x55 -can´t really go wrong with it and it´s very versatile with a lot of bullet offerings.

I´d never trade mine.

Carpetman

Lots of Jacks out there, had one pop out of some cactus about 8 feet and sit there, no 22 pistol, but he let me pick up a big rock and throw, and don't you know he dodged it!

I understand the coyotes are bad and many ranchers poison them, seen 2 NICE red foxes out there as well running together, had to pass to not mess up the deer, and my son got 2 later than morning.

Nice country.

6.5BR---Where do you live? You mentioned rocks,cactus,jackrabbits in El Dorado,Tx? Well ok,I do believe you lol.