.257 Roberts hunters only

[MT Pockets]

Howdy,
I am having built a .257 Roberts AI on a Remington model 7 action. I am an avid reloader, shooter and hunter. I am new to the .257 Roberts but chose to rebarrel a great rifle in a .25 cal and not a .243 just to be different. It will be a 10" twist so my loads will be 120 gr and under. I am a deer hunter and plan on deer hunting with this gun. I have a few months before completed and plan to use this time to amass my brass, buy my dies and load some rounds so I can "hit the ground running" when my gun is complete. Being new to the quarter bore I am wondering what bullets those who actually hunt with them use? I hunt in Virginia and North Carolina in areas that would not exceed 100yds for a shot. What are you guys using and how is the terminal performance for this round.

 

[Bruce Mc]

For your short action I would suggest Sierra or Speer flat base bullets in 100 or 117 grs. Nosler and Hornady bullets have longer ogives that will be problematic to load keeping the oal to fit in the magazine. The 117gr Sierra is deadly in the Roberts.

 

[Hunter26]

I have killed quite a few deer and hogs with Nosler's bullets in a 257 Roberts with a 24" barrel including the 100 & 115gr Ballistic Tip, 100 & 115gr Partition and the 110gr AccuBond. My favorites are the 110gr AccuBond and 100gr Partition. I've had excellent results with all of the them. My 257 Roberts is in a Rem 700 long action but the chamber is cut to short action dimensions and Ive never had any issues running the longer 115gr BT's & 110gr AB's at all. I've had excellent results with the PT's & AB's in a 15" barreled Encore pistol on deer as well. IMR4350, Varget & Hybrid 100V have done very well.

 

[JD338]

I’ve got a Remington 700 Classic 257 Roberts. I run the 115 gr BT at 3100 fps and it’s hammers WT deer. This is a magnum/ long action so I have a COAL of 2.900”.
Since you are building on a short action, you may be better served with flat base bullets to stay in the 2.800” COAL.

JD338

 

[salmonchaser]

I love the Roberts. Mom got one for her birthday when we lived in Alaska, would have been 60 or 61 I think. She never killed a moose or bear with hers but she did kill caribou and quite a few mule deer and a few elk with hers when we moved to Oregon. She was a fine shot with that old Remington. Don’t recall her ever using anything but 120 grain bullets, partitions once they were available.
I have a ruger #1 in 257 roberts that really likes the lighter bullets. It is wonderfully accurate with 100 Ballistic tips but I’m planing on rebarreling to a 257Ackley with a 1/7.5 and twist when/if my 401k turns around. I’m away from my shop but have had good luck with Rl 17, H380 and H4350.

 

[SJB358]

I love the Roberts. Mom got one for her birthday when we lived in Alaska, would have been 60 or 61 I think. She never killed a moose or bear with hers but she did kill caribou and quite a few mule deer and a few elk with hers when we moved to Oregon. She was a fine shot with that old Remington. Don’t recall her ever using anything but 120 grain bullets, partitions once they were available.
I have a ruger #1 in 257 roberts that really likes the lighter bullets. It is wonderfully accurate with 100 Ballistic tips but I’m planing on rebarreling to a 257Ackley with a 1/7.5 and twist when/if my 401k turns around. I’m away from my shop but have had good luck with Rl 17, H380 and H4350.

That’s a great picture. Always on the lookout for a nice 257 Roberts. Cool round.

 

[RL338]

I have 2 .25Cal firearms , 25 Creed and 257 Wby. Bullets I’ve used on game 100gr TTSX and Hornady 120gr HP.
Most bullets I’ve tried that gave good accuracy include Nosler 115gr BT , Hornady 117gr BTSP and SST.
The not so good in accuracy 120gr Partition and 90gr AH

 

[Blkram]

While there many who have had great luck with their 257 Roberts with the 120 gr bullets, research when I acquired my 257 Roberts has showed that there are many who had problems with 117-120 gr bullets stabilizing in barrels with 1:10 twists (rebarreling to 1:9 twist resolved this issue for some), and/or issues with magazine box lengths not allowing bullets to be seated out long enough to get close to the lands for enhanced accuracy.
Have you bought your new barrel already? Or can you change your order to a 1:9 twist still?
Your Model 7's mag box may be shorter than some other models so you may want to check to ensure your COAL will be long enough for some bullet makes and weights, in your mag box.

My new-to-me 257 Roberts rifle (custom Sako Model 591) is showing this latter issue with the 115 gr BT bullets in its short magazine box, but does like the 110 gr AccuBond.
I will be trying the 115 gr Partition next to see if it will provide better performance with its flat base design in a 115 gr bullet, as I am hoping to use the 110 gr AB exclusively in my 250 AI (built on a Rem 700 action).
I am sticking to 100 gr bullets in my 250 Savage, and hope to use 120-128 gr bullets in my 25 CM.

 

[cloverleaf]

Look for posts from "Joel" AKA 257 Ackley on this board. He used to hang out here years ago and was an ardent fan and accomplished reloader, hunter, and shooter. 100 Gr BT's or 110's would think , would work in a 1:10 twist. My250 Savage likes them. Those with more knowlege than me have provided advice. Also, other manufacturers are making 90 Gr mono metal options. Gonna need to experiment w/ them. CL

 

[MT Pockets]

While there many who have had great luck with their 257 Roberts with the 120 gr bullets, research when I acquired my 257 Roberts has showed that there are many who had problems with 117-120 gr bullets stabilizing in barrels with 1:10 twists (rebarreling to 1:9 twist resolved this issue for some), and/or issues with magazine box lengths not allowing bullets to be seated out long enough to get close to the lands for enhanced accuracy.
Have you bought your new barrel already? Or can you change your order to a 1:9 twist still?
Your Model 7's mag box may be shorter than some other models so you may want to check to ensure your COAL will be long enough for some bullet makes and weights, in your mag box.

My new-to-me 257 Roberts rifle (custom Sako Model 591) is showing this latter issue with the 115 gr BT bullets in its short magazine box, but does like the 110 gr AccuBond.
I will be trying the 115 gr Partition next to see if it will provide better performance with its flat base design in a 115 gr bullet, as I am hoping to use the 110 gr AB exclusively in my 250 AI (built on a Rem 700 action).
I am sticking to 100 gr bullets in my 250 Savage, and hope to use 120-128 gr bullets in my 25 CM.

I have ordered a 10 twist and was given the option of a faster 8.5" twist. I was thinking 120gr. would be the heaviest bullet I would use and the 10" twist would do. You got me curious and I can contact my gunsmith and see if a change-order could be possible. Thanks for the insight.

 

[MT Pockets]

While there many who have had great luck with their 257 Roberts with the 120 gr bullets, research when I acquired my 257 Roberts has showed that there are many who had problems with 117-120 gr bullets stabilizing in barrels with 1:10 twists (rebarreling to 1:9 twist resolved this issue for some), and/or issues with magazine box lengths not allowing bullets to be seated out long enough to get close to the lands for enhanced accuracy.
Have you bought your new barrel already? Or can you change your order to a 1:9 twist still?
Your Model 7's mag box may be shorter than some other models so you may want to check to ensure your COAL will be long enough for some bullet makes and weights, in your mag box.

My new-to-me 257 Roberts rifle (custom Sako Model 591) is showing this latter issue with the 115 gr BT bullets in its short magazine box, but does like the 110 gr AccuBond.
I will be trying the 115 gr Partition next to see if it will provide better performance with its flat base design in a 115 gr bullet, as I am hoping to use the 110 gr AB exclusively in my 250 AI (built on a Rem 700 action).
I am sticking to 100 gr bullets in my 250 Savage, and hope to use 120-128 gr bullets in my 25 CM.

 

[MT Pockets]

UPDATE: After responding to your remark from my post I called my gunsmith. His son who takes calls and relays responses to customers was able to contact the barrel manufacturers with the order number and change the twist rate. For the AI barrel I chose on a 10 twist and a 7.5" twist was available. Long story- short; I have an 7.5" twist on order and not the 10". I may sacrifice bullets under 100 grains but this was not to be a varmint gun as I have a few already I would opt for on hand. Thanks for the insight and to all for opening my eyes to this round and before I start my loading for it. I should receive some Nosler brass by weeks end and dies by mid week next week. I still am reading and listening to other on bullets.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Personally, I doubt you will have any problem with lighter weight bullets should you decide to try some with the faster twist barrel. When I was shooting the 6BR with a 1=8 twist it would handle 70-108 gr bullets with no problems.

 

[Hunter26]

With that 7.5 twist, you can shoot all the new heavy high BC 25 cal bullets and still shoot the lighter 100-120gr bullets just fine. I wish my 257 Weatherby had the fast twist.