I do. I have a Remington Mtn. Rifle made only one year 1992. This is my first experience with the .257 and short actions. The bullet seating depth is bugging me. I just don't like cramming the bullet all the way into the case just so it well fit in the magazine well.
What bullets are you using and how have they performed on deer? As this fall will be my first year hunting with the Roberts.
I have gotten great results with 100 & 115 gr. Nosler BT's and 117 gr. Sierra Gamekings. I have some 100 gr. Nosler Partitions loaded to try the next time I get to the range. The powder of choice is no doubt IMR 4350. I have gotten groups in the .4's and .6's consistently with IMR 4350. H414 and RE 19 are the only other powders tried and I got 1" to 1.25" with them.
I just wanted to pick the minds of fellow Roberts followers.
Thanks.
C-ROY
Posts: 259 | Location: Carolina | Registered: 11 September 2001
I have a Rem 700 Classic originally chambered in 250 Savage. I had the mag box extended and the barrel rechambered to 257 Rob. Ackley. It is a great shooter and if you have the time and patience to work up loads, you may want to try the same. I shoot 117 SST's around 3100fps with 53gr. of RL22,(COL is 2.975") and it is the trick for antelope and deer here in CO. I tried the 100 gr. BT's but I wasn't sure that bullet would be up to the task for deer, antelope it's ok. I have used IMR-4350 but I get Sub MOA groups with RL22 and I love the speed. Good luck with the Roberts, I think you're going to love it as much as I do. Elk Country
Posts: 180 | Location: Northern Colorado, USA | Registered: 26 March 2002
Have a Ruger 77 that was a 257 Roberts, but Improved it to a 257 roberts IV. Same barrel! Shoots 87 to 90 grain bullets very well. Use 4831! 95% of the time load bullets single shot so don't worry about length. This will probably be one of the rifles that I keep forever. Also have a .25-06 and have used it since 1961. Good Luck! Have a .243 on a 700 SA in a varmint rifle, also load it one shot at a time! Take my time on the first shot and most of the time I don't need a second shot. has a 6.5X20X40 scope on it.
That always was the complaint with the .257 Roberts and .244 Rem that the SA Rem's magazine was too short. This may have ruined the sales of these cartridges to some extent.
The easy thing to do is what was suggested and load the gun with one shot. On most actions you can then get another shot into the magazine and the long seated bullet will find room in the feed ramp for you to close the bolt. I do this on rifles that I want to seat the bullets way out.
Since many hunt with single shot rifles this should work for some. If not try to extend the box. If it were me I would not bother as I consider these cartridges best for pests only so keep the rifle for that. They are great on varmints at long range. The shorter varmint loads will not be as long anyway.
I have a Remington 721 in .244, but since the heaviest bullet I use in it is a 90 grain, I haven't experienced a problem with magazine length.
I would suggest that you try to stick with conventional bullets, like a Hornady, rather than partitions or plastic tipped bullets, which are long-for-weight. The 100 grain Hornady, Speer, or Sierra flat base should be enough bullet for most any "medium" game you might hunt with a .257.
Many years ago, I had a .257 built on a German-made short Mauser marketed by Herter's, an XK-3 I think. It must have had a somewhat longer magazine than the Remington, because I had no problem seating 117 grain Sierra Boattails and Nosler Partitions out to the proper length.
Posts: 13239 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
I have the improved version and love it for deer and the far away chuck or prarie dog. For deer I use the 115 gr Ballistic Tip with IMR 4350. W-760 works well with the 85gr BT.
I grew up hunting with a Remington 722 in .257 Roberts. For rockchucks in the summer months I used a 100 grs Nosler bullet and a 117 Hornaday for deer. The 100's always shot really well even on windy days.
Posts: 1573 | Location: USA, most of the time | Registered: 11 March 2002
The 25-308AI cannot equal 257AI but not far behind. My records show the highest velocity with 120g bullets was with 43.5g H414 which clocked at 2925 fps for 4 shot average. I have a 24" bbl.....LR
"I just don't like cramming the bullet all the way into the case just so it well fit in the magazine well."
Why??? You don't use compressed loads until you get into 4831. It doesn't matter. It will shoot straight and fast as is. This is how we do it with 264 and 300 Win mag.
I used up a Remington 722 in 257 Rob. as a kid. Thousands and thousands of handloads. I used a lot of compressed loads of H-4831. You could get just over 3000 fps with a 117 and 3200 with a 100 gr. I didn't know much about pressure then! The bolt didn't get sticky and the primers didn't leak so I figured it was OK. The fact that the bullets needed to be seated deep into the case didn't seem to matter.
The problem is that if you seat the bullet flush with the bottom of the neck you have a length that is neither long or short. I now own a Pre 64 M-70 in 257. It is a long action. There is a lot of wasted space in the magazine. The rifle is larger and heavier than it needs to be. I am thinking of making a 25-06 out of it. To my way of thinking, the 257 is at it's best as a short action lightweight rifle. The long action goes against that.
Posts: 813 | Location: Left Coast | Registered: 02 November 2000
I killed a truck load of deer and elk with a Rem 722 in 257 Robts with the 100 gr. Factory loaded Silvertip bullets, my dad did the same with a 250 Sav. and the same bullet, all factory loaded and probably at 2600 FPS if the truth were known...It worked perfectly with a mostly one shot kills on everything, and probably because of the slower velocity...
Today I would probably have to put a 06 follower and box in that Remington and be sure the throat was recut to fit the magazine..why? I have no earthly idea I just would. today I would also use another bullet as they keep changing the silvertip and it gets softer each time...
I don't like Noslers in calibers below 308, above 308 and above then Noslers are the best...In a 257 today I would try the 85 gr. monolithics like GS, the NorthForks would be great and the Remington Corelokts are always a good bet.
Posts: 41945 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000
quote:Originally posted by Don Martin29: That always was the complaint with the .257 Roberts and .244 Rem that the SA Rem's magazine was too short. This may have ruined the sales of these cartridges to some extent.
The easy thing to do is what was suggested and load the gun with one shot. On most actions you can then get another shot into the magazine and the long seated bullet will find room in the feed ramp for you to close the bolt. I do this on rifles that I want to seat the bullets way out.
Since many hunt with single shot rifles this should work for some. If not try to extend the box. If it were me I would not bother as I consider these cartridges best for pests only so keep the rifle for that. They are great on varmints at long range. The shorter varmint loads will not be as long anyway.
don, i have a problem with your comment about the .257 ROBERTS being only for pests. i have killed game up to and including elk with one well placed shot with my .257 and a 100gr.SIERRA spitzer. you don't have to loosen the fillings in your teeth on each shot to have enough gun dennis hepner
quote:Originally posted by C-ROY: I do. I have a Remington Mtn. Rifle made only one year 1992. This is my first experience with the .257 and short actions. The bullet seating depth is bugging me. I just don't like cramming the bullet all the way into the case just so it well fit in the magazine well.
What bullets are you using and how have they performed on deer? As this fall will be my first year hunting with the Roberts.
I have gotten great results with 100 & 115 gr. Nosler BT's and 117 gr. Sierra Gamekings. I have some 100 gr. Nosler Partitions loaded to try the next time I get to the range. The powder of choice is no doubt IMR 4350. I have gotten groups in the .4's and .6's consistently with IMR 4350. H414 and RE 19 are the only other powders tried and I got 1" to 1.25" with them.
I just wanted to pick the minds of fellow Roberts followers.
Thanks.
C-ROY
c-roy, try the 100gr SIERRA, it's all the bullet you'll ever need. very accurate too. dennis
I say that about the 25's as I am just not as good a hunter or a shot for that matter as many who post here. So I use larger bullets for game.
I thought some were using premium bullets for game in the 25's but I see that you are a big Sierra fan like me. I use them for target and varmint shooting for the most part.
When we were kids one of the gang got a Robert's in a 722 and it was very accurate. He was a natural athlete also and quite effective with that rifle. Once when hunting deer in VT he was on a stand and a hunter came into view and then came up to him and in the converstation asked what he was shooting. All he had was the 87 gr Sierra's by the way as he could not afford another box just then. He finally got rid of the talker but not before he was told that the 30/06 was the round to use. Just as the hunter went out of sight a buck came into view and he shot it. The hunter came back to see what happened and as my friend gutted out the deer the expert thru up.
C-ROY, I have a short action 700 Mountain Rifle in 257 Roberts.I have only loaded the 75 gr VMax thus far.Nowhere near the lands by the way.I'm curious about your comment that the 257 MR was made only in '92.According to Remington mine was made in '91(ser#C664XXXX) and I saw another in 257 with the detachable magazine which I know was introduced much later than '92,possibly around '95/'96,I'm guessing.I'm always curious as to production dates of the various model/caliber combinations that are a bit harder to find.Not saying you are wrong,just wondering where you got your info.
Purchased a 722 in 257 R back in 1963 - re-cut the chamber to a 25-284 in 1995. Used this rifle to shoot a zillion(lots of zero's) animal with in Montana and a caribou in Alaska. Also had to stuff the bullets deep down the throat - think the case is even longer than the 257 - but no big deal - 3400 plus fps with 100 gr and 3100 plus with 120 gr - actually used the old Nosler 117 gr semi-spitzer partition a bunch which was one hell of a fine bullet. Shot animals with every 25 caliber bullet there was including a nice whitletail at 300 plus yrds with a 100 gr remington corelok roundnose. Shocked both me and the deer. The first 4" of the throat is all but gone but it will still clover leaf them. Point is don't worry about the seating depth - especially with the slower burning powders like 4350 or 4831. I will probably rebarrel this rifle back to a 257 Roberts - fine cartridge.
Posts: 363 | Location: Madison Alabama | Registered: 31 July 2002
When I get John Ricks paid and my other three projects finished I'm going to have a 257 Roberts built on a 36 Mexican Mauser. Not sure but think the 1936 Mexican Mauser was originally 7 X 57. Anyway the action is a little longer than a Remington short action. I've never owned one but several of my friends had them when I was young. Seems like they all had 257s or 300 Savages. They were considered hotrods in the 50s.
Posts: 915 | Location: Breckenridge, TX, USA | Registered: 24 November 2001
The Mexican Mauser is an intermediate action, which means it is perfect for 257 type cartridges. There are three of them, the 1910, the 1936, and the 1954. The '10 has a regular cocking piece, the 36 has the Springfield cocking piece. The 1954 was just a rebarrel by the Mexican gov't to 30-06. I have two, one in 7 X 57 AI and one in 257 Roberts AI. Neither is finished, but they seem to be ongoing projects anyway. - Dan
Posts: 5284 | Location: Alberta | Registered: 05 October 2001
Dan, I changed my mind about my next Mexican Mauser project. I'm going to try a 376 Steyr after I finish the 7 X 57. Now I need another action for the 257. Any ideas? Thanks
Posts: 915 | Location: Breckenridge, TX, USA | Registered: 24 November 2001
Well, another Mexican action would be great, but any of the intermediate length Mausers would suffice. The yugo's or an intermediate Czech or such, as long as the action is in good shape. I have a friend who built his STD 257 Roberts on a Swede 96 action, and it turned out very nice, and relatively inexpensive as well. Hope this helps. I don't see any reason to build a Roberts on a std length 98 action (of course, I don't see any reason not to, either) simply because, if you have that action length, you may as well go with the 25-06. - Dan
Posts: 5284 | Location: Alberta | Registered: 05 October 2001
If I were going to build a 257 Robts or a 7x57 I would use an 06 lenth box and/or action..I would throat it to shoot the long 115 gr. BarnesX bullet or one of the 120 or 117 boattails seated to the shoulder neck junction or the case, fill it full of H414 and dance with the 25-06 if I wanted too....I have built a few and they do perform....regardless of what John Barsness claims to the contrary.
Posts: 41945 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000
Thanks Ray, I learn somthing every time I get on this forum. The problem is I'm already too far down the road and will have to stick to an OAL of 3.1" I appreciate your comments.
Posts: 915 | Location: Breckenridge, TX, USA | Registered: 24 November 2001
You can throat them long on the Mexican action, Ray. They actually chambered these in 30-06 at one time, I've got one. So you end up with an intermediate action with long action (at least with a Roberts or such) capability. The best of both worlds. The hard part is bottom metal and stocks. - Dan
Posts: 5284 | Location: Alberta | Registered: 05 October 2001
I say that about the 25's as I am just not as good a hunter or a shot for that matter as many who post here. So I use larger bullets for game.
I thought some were using premium bullets for game in the 25's but I see that you are a big Sierra fan like me. I use them for target and varmint shooting for the most part.
When we were kids one of the gang got a Robert's in a 722 and it was very accurate. He was a natural athlete also and quite effective with that rifle. Once when hunting deer in VT he was on a stand and a hunter came into view and then came up to him and in the converstation asked what he was shooting. All he had was the 87 gr Sierra's by the way as he could not afford another box just then. He finally got rid of the talker but not before he was told that the 30/06 was the round to use. Just as the hunter went out of sight a buck came into view and he shot it. The hunter came back to see what happened and as my friend gutted out the deer the expert thru up.
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The bolt didn't get sticky and the primers didn't leak so I figured it was OK. The fact that the bullets needed to be seated deep into the case didn't seem to matter. 
