I took my little ruger to the range today.
Its a model 77 MK 2 RL, in .257 Roberts.
It has a pencil thin 20 inch barrel and a leupold VX2 2.5 X 8 in low ruger mounts.
This rifle has a timney trigger and a free floated barrel.
It used to be real load fussy but it is now starting to be really good.
I took a mulie with it and a 100 grain barnes tripple shock a couple years ago, and it was a great combination. But for what ever reason it would'nt shoot that load last year.
So, I went to a 120 grain partition and they were super acurate , around a half inch , but at 2700 FPS I wanted to go for a little lighter bullet.
Today I was happy as hell with 2 of three loads I tried.
I was not real good with a 115 grain B-tip over IMR-4350 at about 1.64 for 2, 3 shot groups , but the 110 grain acubond over 38.5 grains of IMR-4064 avaraged 1.25, good enough for me .
But Then i went to a 100 grain balistic tip over 44.5 grains of IMR-4350 , and I got groups of .68 .71 and .86. Avarage of .75.
I think I can add a little more powder to the load , but I did,nt chroney today so I don't know if I want to. If that load aproaches 3000, I am reall happy.
This rifle with the scope is about 7lbs total.
And with the scope on 2.5 it as fast handeling as I could ask for in the brush , yet still good out to about 350 yards with a good rest and the scope up to 6 or 8.
I have about 20 good dear rifles , but this is my favorite, unless I get to really open desert country, I can not imajine a better general purpose deer rig.
Love to hear who agrees and disagrees...tj3006

I love our Ruger .257 Roberts as well.

I just started loading and right now my load of 49.5 of H-4831sc with a 100 gr Sierra Bt is shooting a five shot group of .75" at 100yards. I will tweak the bullet depth to see if I can close that down, but am happy with the load now, just want to see if it can get better. Took a hog from a sitting position at 244yards through the neck bang-flop load in truck.

This is my longest shot so far and I was really excited that I took this pig wiht a load I did.

Tom,what was your load with the 120gr. NP?
Thanks, peter.

Pete,
My load with the 120 grain partition is 42 grains of IMR-4350, When i tested it for the 1st time , I got 3 into .40 , and 5 into .50.
the chroney said 2701 . Primmer was a Federal 210 match.
remeber that is a 20 inch tube so if yours is longer you might do a bit faster
good shooting Harold.
FYI, I have a second Roberts at the smiths at the moment, its a custom on a lo numberd springfield with a 24 inch sporter weight Douglass premium barrel.
That thing is a tack driver if ever there was one, I have only shot it a little and i have not worked up loads that ar very fast, as with a low number springfield you gotta be a little more carfull, but I am hoping to take it hunting by 08. its just in getting a new pad and a checkering job. Ill try and get you a picture. ...tj3006

Thomas, Glad to hear of your results. The 100 grain and IMR 4350 at about 45 or a little more is the when all else fails to shoot, try this load in the .257. Just amazing ain't it!

Yep,
i was prety happy with that load. I am now out of IMR 4350 I am gona shoot a few balistic tips with H-414, and I will buy some more IMR-4350 and bump the load up to 45 grains.
I really want to get to 3000 , with the balistic tips, if I go much faster than that I would try the barnes tripple shock again ...tj3006

Nice rifle, what kind of wood is that?

That is great news. Happy shooting to ya.

Its clario walnut, the grey background makes it look almost like maple , its a little darker than it looks. But the picture will be good for the before and after shots. I went with a pachmyer old english pad and a fancy floor delay,(I can't spell it) checkering. It will be awhile before i see it...tj3006

Both our M77MKII .257s run around 3035 with 100 Hornadys over 46gr. of H flavored 4350, about 30 fps slower with the same amount of Ramshot Hunter. These are the 22" barrels.