Just thought I would ask what all the .257 Roberts and even 25-06 guys are using as their go to bullet for white tail. I have a .257AI with a 26 inch barrel that likes Combined Technologies 115 Silver Tip BT's at 2840 fps. Also have a load I have to chrono with Hornaday 117 SST's. I have wondered if I would be better off with a lighter Barnes or Nosler Partition though. I want to use the same bullet for groundhog, yotes and deer. Most of my shooting is hillside to hillside at the 250 and up range.

This rifle is built with a varmint weight barrel and heavy target style stock shot off a table and rest.

I don't own a .257 Roberts, Don, but some who do, where I live, use either a 117 or 120 grain bullet.

110 gr. accubonds

GWB

For the roberts I use a 87-100gr bullet for deer,as for the 25-06 I start with the 100gr and work up.
Most deer are not going to be able to tell the difference.
Your rifle will tell what brand of bullet to shoot.

quote:

Originally posted by plainsman456:
For the roberts I use a 87-100gr bullet for deer,as for the 25-06 I start with the 100gr and work up.
Most deer are not going to be able to tell the difference.
Your rifle will tell what brand of bullet to shoot.

X 2. Have even used the 75grain FPs loaded down to 25-35 ballistics on deer with success. Non of the bullets used in the .257s were premium ! Just didn't need them. roger

One of the AR smiths delivered a sweet little Bob to me this week. Last nite I loaded my first test loads w/ 100g Sierra pro hunters. If they shoot as expected, I'll use them for fun shooting. The deer loads will be matching loads w/ 100g Partitions. I like exit holes and trauma b/w the holes.

So far I guess I will just stick with what I am using. I like the heavier bullet but I didn't know if maybe I would be better using a lighter premium bullet for the speed.

The great thing about the Roberts is that it operates in a velocity range where many bullets work well. I've had tremendous success with 100gr Partitions over the years, and have had recent success with 110gr Accubonds and 100gr TSXs.

The Roberts operates at low enough velocities where standard cup and core bullets will also work very well, and a good friend has killed piles of stuff with a 100gr Sierra.

100gr partitions!

+1 for the 100 gr Partitions

I load 100 gr ballistic tips for my daughter's Roberts.

I've had very good luck with 100 Hornadys

117 SGK's.

For my 257 Ackley I used to prefer the 115 Nosler BT, but now the 110 Accubond is my dream bullet.

Sierra Pro Hunter 117gr spitzer.

120 grain nosler partitions and IMR 4350 works in my 25-06 - 6 whitetails and an antelope in the last five years. Ranges from 130 yards to 300. Only needed to shoot one animal more than once and 4 were DRT.

quote:

Originally posted by ole_270:
I've had very good luck with 100 Hornadys

+1 and good performance as well. I don't believe premiums are needed with the Roberts.

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
Non of the bullets used in the .257s were premium ! Just didn't need them. roger

Roger, I think most posters on AR have agreed that premiums are not at all needed for deer as the depth of the animal is small relative to the much larger big game such as elk or moose or plains game.

However there are good reasons for using them and among them is the fact that a hunter may already have them for elk hunting and just use them for deer because they merely have them!

I don't (and wouldn't) use any of my quarter bores for elk so I don't have any premiums for that caliber. I have found the 120 Hornady HP to work marvelously on deer in the .25-06 and in my Roberts which has adequate magazine capacity for length they work well again. I had an A-bolt with cramped capacity and in that rifle used some antique Winchester semi-pointed silver tips 100 grain and those functioned quite nicely.

The Roberts has a few special needs in short action rifles but in the longer actions of the M-70 and the M-98s one can use the longer bullets very successfully if one likes that route.

quote:

Originally posted by Donald Nelson:
Just thought I would ask what all the .257 Roberts and even 25-06 guys are using as their go to bullet for white tail. I have a .257AI with a 26 inch barrel that likes Combined Technologies 115 Silver Tip BT's at 2840 fps. Also have a load I have to chrono with Hornaday 117 SST's. I have wondered if I would be better off with a lighter Barnes or Nosler Partition though. I want to use the same bullet for groundhog, yotes and deer. Most of my shooting is hillside to hillside at the 250 and up range.

This rifle is built with a varmint weight barrel and heavy target style stock shot off a table and rest.

I really like the 115 Ballistic tip and would have no issues using the Silvertip version for what you are wanting to hunt. The 115 Ballistic tip was the best cup and core bullet I tested using water jugs. Penetrated only slightly less than the Accubond and was the ONLY cup and core to stay together. The 115 NBT also has the highest BC.

Here is a pic of a 100lb hog that was hit at 40 yards. The bullet was probably going 2750 on impact. Went through both shoulders. Lots of internal damage and two holes. The hog went about 20 yards.

100 grain Partition, for now.

Thinking that the 80 grain Barnes TTSX looks like a winner for medium game and since most of us like a little extra speed, a 20 grain lighter bullet could be pushed a couple hundred feet faster.

JEff

hard to say. Ive used 117 and 100 sierras 100 grain bt and partitions and 90 grain sierra hps all with good results in the roberts. I tend to go with the 100s anymore and save the 120s for the 2506 and the weatherby. If i had to pick one bullet to live with forever in the roberts it would be the 90 grain sierra hp. I is very accurate and works great on deer sized game.

quote:

Sierra Pro Hunter 117gr spitzer.

is my favorite bullets for 257.

quote:

If i had to pick one bullet to live with forever in the roberts it would be the 90 grain sierra hp. I is very accurate and works great on deer sized game.

I can well believe it. Put that bullet from my .257 broad side through a coyote at about 50 yds. He did a summersolt, came down,running. He never stopped. Till that day I always thought the 90 grain Sierra HP BT was a long range varmint bullet. It ain't. roger

I shoot the 117grn Hornady Interlock in my .257Roberts. I've shot 5 deer between 180-300yrds, and have no complaints.

I worked up a load with the 100grn TTSX that went right at 1" at 100yrds, but the Hornady has done better than that, and has a longer "window of operation' as far as what distance/speed the bullet will still open and mushroom. The interlock starts slower, but will still funtion down to 1800fps. With the barnes bullets, you are pushing your luck around 2200fps on whether the bullet will open up or not.

The load I used for deer in 2010 was 43grn RL19, 117grn spbt interlock, 2.8" oal. 3 deer taken between 240-300yds, all shots exited.

I also have some Sierra 90 hpbt that I have loaded as reduced loads, 1700fps or so, for plinking in the back yard.

If I were going to switch bullets (unlikely) I'd look at the 100grn partition, 90grn Hornady mono-metal, or the 80grn TTSX. The 117grn interlock has been too accurate and reliable to worry about anything like that though.

Sierra ProHunter 100 gr out of my 25/06.

quote:

Originally posted by Geedubya:
110 gr. accubonds

GWB

A1+++ also 120gr pep'ss by Winchester

I've had great luck for years, using the 100 gr. Remington Core-lokt. Used to be able to get them in bulk cheap. They work very well on deer and hogs.

117 grain Sierra GK's..........everytime same performance. Do the deal and dead deer. No muss, no fuss, just meat on the table. No fancy smancy plastic tips, just a good ol cup and core that works............did I mention consistency..........same way every time?? And they usually are "in stock" if you run out. 49.0 grains of IMR 4350 or 53.1 grains of H4831sc should fill the bill in the 25-06..........I'll have to look up the load for the Bob. The Bob is a very pleasant round and in my opinion (and I do have a butthole that works so the "everybody's got one" cliche works for me) is superior to the 243's for anything bigger than vermin. Would I shoot a B&C buck with a 243? Damn right if that's all I had!! Would I feel a bit better pulling the trigger with the 257 or th 25-06?.........YEP!! But then again, I'm not going to shoot a bull in the ass with a BB-gun and expect him to fall. GHD

The 100 grain NBT are to light but the 100 grain Barnes TSX is not for big game. I still like the 120 for all my 25 caliber big game needs but shoot down to a hornady 70 grain HP for varmints.

I really like the 110 gr Accubond.

This thread is a lucky coincidental find. I just got a early 50s Mannlicher Schoenauer carbine in 257 Roberts, and have started to think about load data. So THANKS all!!
Alex

I have a M700 Classic 257 Roberts, great caliber!
I am using the 110 gr AB and 100 gr BT for coyotes.
These two were shot with the 110 gr AB showing exit wounds.



This one was shot with a 100 gr BT, again showing the exit wound.

JD338

117 Sierra Game King, 257 Roberts.

Handloads, 115 grain Barnes TSX.

Factory loads 117 grain Remington Core-Locts.

100 gr Sierra Pro Hunters shoot well in my Hawkeye. Will be trying the Barnes 80 gr TTSX soon.

100grs nosler partiton, 46grs imr-4350, fed 210m, case r-p 3050fps is a real killer.


sonora mule deer, one shot 257 roberts and 100grs partition

By null at 2010-09-02

quote:

I've had great luck for years, using the 100 gr. Remington Core-lokt. Used to be able to get them in bulk cheap. They work very well on deer and hogs.

I'm glad to hear that cause I just bought a bunch of them for my 25-303. They are cheap.

Nosler 110 grain Accubonds work well in my daughter's 257 Bob.




Deadly accurate!

Rusty: nice pics! And I'm bettin' you lovely daughter got her looks from Mom!

BTW, that would be a 110gr Accubond, correct?

Thank, God! Yes they were 110s. I will amend my post.