Hi everyone,

I'm building a .257 Roberts on a pre-64 M70 action and was wondering what bullet you all would recommend.

My hunting would be "two-taco" desert mulies and (hopefully) antelope. My preference would be to find one load that would work for both and stick to it. I like to find one load that works for each gun and shoot it at everything.

My favorite bullets are Partitions and I know they make 100's, 115's and 120's for the Bob (and Federal makes a factory 120 NP load). Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

PS: In case it matters, my next biggest caliber is a .300 H&H that I shoot 200grn Partitions through.

JL, no reason to have a short throat unless you want to take up powder space, so throat it to accept a cartridge 3" in length. Since you're building it, use the standard M 70 '06 magazine well and follower.

Next, the load:
1) R-P brass
2) WLR primer
3) IMR 4350 45.5gr
4) 100 grain Nosler B/T
5) COL 2.78"

I've used this load for years, and it kills deer dead!

My "Bob" didn't like partitions. If yours is the same way, you might consider the 120gr Speer Hot Core. It has worked very well for me for many years. The 117 gr Sierra was a little "soft" for my tastes.

There are three rifles chambered in .257 Roberts in my family, a Kimber 89 BGR, a Model 70 and a 1910 Mex mauser 98. I shoot the Kimber, my daughter's is the Mexican and my son shoots the model 70. My favorite load is the 115 grain Partition with a load developed by Ken Waters using Norma MRP and published in his Pet Loads book. RL 22 is basically the same powder and I am getting velocities over 2900 fps and wonderful accuracy, well under MOA for 3 shots. It does a number on deer and I could not ask for anything more.

A 115 gr. Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullet over 40.8 grains of H4831 seems to do good out of my Remington 722. Velocity runs about 2750 fps.

akpls,
Those 722's are wonderful rifles. A good friend "amassed" a collection of 3 of them and I was going to buy one but just before his grandson shot his first deer with it and it was lost to the descendants. We would try out the same loads in his 722's and my Model 70 and he would get 75 fps more than mine consistently. The shot very accurately too.

[ 11-06-2003, 08:09: Message edited by: Customstox ]

Hornady 117 gr SST
Rem Case
Win Large Rifle Primer
50 grains of H4831SC
Chronographs at 3000 fps as of 11/02/03
Ruger M77 MarkII long action
Accuracy is MOA

Load comes form Barnes reloading manual.

Barnes takes the Roberts to its true potential.

I also shoot 50 grains of RL 19 under 100 grains bullets. All purpose load for coyotes to Mule Deer

Chronographs at 3200 fps. Accuracy is 1.5 MOA

JLHeard,

I personally like the Sierra 90gr HPBT in my 257 Bob AI. I have only used it on Texas whitetails but has given reliable expansion from 75 to 250 yards and its not nearly as explosive as you might think. Accuracy has been in the 3/4" range with 3-shot groups at 100 yards. Would imagine powders like H-4895, IMR 4064 or Reloader 15 would work just fine with this bullet in the standard 275 Roberts. I don't believe you could go wrong with this cartridge and the game you wish to hunt.

Ol' John

I have four loads for the .257 Roberts. A buckshot over 3gr of Bullseye. Seat it flush and rub bullet lube softened with Vacaline half and half. My daughter and I pass the rifle (M77 Ruger) back and forth shooting sparrows while we bbq. RCBS 120 gr. cast over IMR4895 for general plinking and small game for the table. 87gr. Sierra over 4895 for varmits, P-dogs and crows to woodchucks and c-dogs. 117gr. Sierra for whitetails over 4831. Cuts them down like forked lightning. Won't give you the exact loads as that is part of the fun,working out your exact loads.Have a .25-06 and the Roberts is still a better round.

woods

this works for me in my ruger m77 46.6grns IMR4350 Fed 210 primer with a 100 grn Horn sp interlock Max is 45 .

Thanks for the replies all! My dad just got back from a trip in Texas where he had great success with 100grn Partitions in a .257AI. I'll probably start with those and work up to the 120's till I find one that works. If none do (a really sad thought), I'll take a look at something else.