Just received this back from Mark Penrod about two weeks ago. It started life as a Model 77 Hawkeye in .308 WCF that I'd acquired used on Gunbroker for $400. The final details are listed below. I managed to shoot it with some old Hornady "Light Magnum" loads I'd bought about 14 years ago. The wind was howling like hell, but it still managed to print some consistent 1-inch groups at 100 yards. I'll try it again in a week or so with some handloads.

I just got the same barrel a 2 months ago. What scope are you using?

quote:

Originally posted by J_Zola:
What scope are you using?

Leupold VX-II 2x7 mounted in Ruger factory low rings (4BHM/3BHM).

Just curious.
Why would you rebuild a 308 to a 257R?

Better cartridge for the purpose I suppose. I did a lefty stainless 77 308 and it is now a 260. Didn't fire a shot with it as 308

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:
Just curious.
Why would you rebuild a 308 to a 257R?

Just curious. Do you put any effort into asking stupid questions?

Miles,

I'm familiar with Mark Penrod's work firsthand. Great choice and truly a professional.

Have you had the chance to shoot it anymore? Curious to see if you can squeeze anymore accuracy out of it.

quote:

Originally posted by Clayman:
Miles,

I'm familiar with Mark Penrod's work firsthand. Great choice and truly a professional.

Have you had the chance to shoot it anymore? Curious to see if you can squeeze anymore accuracy out of it.

I haven't made it back to the range yet, though I'm hoping to this coming week. I bought quite a few of these Hornady loads at a big discount when Jumbo Sports went out of business in 1999 and I've shot them in my Ruger No. 1 and have never been impressed with the accuracy of these loads. Based on my experience with previous .257 Roberts loadings and Penrod's work, I have no doubt the accuracy will be much better. I loaded up some Sierra 117 grain BTSPs over 39.2 grains of IMR-4350 to try next and I have a small quantity of Hornady 117 grain BTSPs I'm going to load this weekend.

I like it Miles. A great caliber on an excellent action and well formed stock. You have inspired me to consider the same.
I wonder, and hope to not hijack this thread, if a guy did the same using a long action, if you would be better served in the ability to seat bullets out further than with a standard short action? Are there any advantages to a long action?

quote:

Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
I like it Miles. A great caliber on an excellent action and well formed stock. You have inspired me to consider the same.
I wonder, and hope to not hijack this thread, if a guy did the same using a long action, if you would be better served in the ability to seat bullets out further than with a standard short action? Are there any advantages to a long action?

Ruger makes and has made their right-handed .257 Roberts Model 77s on long actions as Winchester/USRA also did. The short action Model 77 pretty well limits you to 2.800" for an overall length. I think the long action versions -- provided their magazines are also long -- probably allow more potential out of the .257 Roberts with 117 grain and 120 grain bullets than the short action will. However, I can still safely push 117 and 120 grain bullets out to 2800 FPS and that's well within my needs.

Now that Montana is offering complete rifles, you can get one of their ASRs in a left-handed .257 which is made up on their "short action," which is really an intermediate action and probably best sized to that cartridge. (MSRP is $1100.)

http://www.montanarifleco.com/...tml#ProductionRifles

I chrono'd some loads today and wrung out the new barrel a little more. The first load consisted of 40.0 grains of IMR-4350 behind a 117-grain Sierra BTSP in Remington brass with a Winchester large rifle primer that produced an average velocity of 2602 FPS and a mediocre 1.107 three-shot group. The second load was a 117-grain Hornady BTSP over 39.2 grains of IMR-4350 in non-+P Winchester brass with a Winchester large rifle primer for 2521 FPS and outstanding 0.676" groups.

More to come.