115 or 120 grain 257 partitions?

[257 roberts]

Hey guys, this is my first post! As my name implies, I love the 257 Roberts. I own 4 including a M 70 featherweight, M77 ultra light, M77 standard, Ruger No. 1 Standard. I also just ordered a Ruger Hawkeye 257 Roberts.

I just got my pre-64 M 70 rebarrel to 257 AI by Shilen. I plan on working up some loads of H3831sc in it, and I would like to know if anyone has any suggestions of whether or not I should use 115 or 120 grain partitions? The barrel has a 1 in 9 twist and i wanted to come close to 270 ballistics. I plan on using it for Pennsylvania whitetails!!!

Does any one have any experience with these two bullets?
Does one expand more rapidly?
Do you have any preferences?

 

[JD338]

257 roberts,

Welcome to the board. Good bunch of folks here.

I have used the 115 gr PT in my 257 Roberts on coyotes and feral dogs
and had plenty of expansion. On WT deer, you will have no worries.
You might also want to give the 110 gr AB a try.
I have a 700 Classic and I really enjoy shooting it. Shoots everything under an inch, the 100 gr BT's go consistantly in the .5's.

JD338

 

[Buckshot]

I have a Rem 722 in 257 Roberts and I really like the 95
grain NBT. It will anchor any deer ever born with proper
shot placement. If you like the 115 NP or 120 NP they
will work for you just fine. Even the AccuBond .25 cal in 110 grain will do the trick for sure. Shoot them all and see which gives the best accuracy and you have your answer/ winner. They will all turn out the lights on any meduim sized cervid out to 300 yards with good shot placement. This is the farside of reasonable range for .257 Bob, AI or 270 Win. for that matter and the Deer and the Antelope will always play...

 

[armchairhunter]

257Rob'ts,

For years I was a heavy bullet user, but through the years I have refined my skills and also discovered a way that I prefer to hunt.
I always wanted to hunt across a grassy field to a woodsline, but never spent enough hours logged doing so. So...I'd trod the woods, find a suitable tree and sit, or splash quietly through some marshy bottoms.

Recently, like I said above I found my "spot" so to say.

This all leads me to my question as to why you feel you need to go to the heavier bullets in the "Bob"?

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I think the 120g is going to be to tough of a bullet at your velocities. I think you'd be better off suited with the 115g Partition or even the 100g Partition. I've shot the 120g and 100g partitions out of my 25-06 which shoots roughly 200fps faster then the roberts and I didn't get as good as expansion as I thought I should have. I think the 120g is more designed for the 257 weatherby where the extra velocity will help in the expansion department. Anyway, I would go with the 115g Partition, or dont over look the 100g Partition. My sister killed a cow elk at 350 yards with the 100g Partition out of my 25-06. Took 2 shots and she folded. Expansion was double and penetration was great considering they were shoulder shots. Found one of the bullets and it weighed something like around 65g. They penetrated about 3/4 of the way through the elk and like I said, they were shoulder shot and went through quite a bit of bone. Any of the paritions will work great for deer, but I think the lower or middle weight with the velocity your working with will be best. Just my opinion.

 

[257 roberts]

Thanks guys!!! There are some good foks here!!!

Great advise. I will also try some 100 Partition and 110 AccuBonds!!!!

 

[cloverleaf]

Ah my favorite topic!!! (well in rifles anywho) the .25's. I have just finished an article on the the 250 Savage in the most recent issue of Reloader magazine. Among other things the author describes my 250, and the 257 Bob as "moribound" (Ithink that means DEAD boys and girls -no matter how you spell it.) However, he goes on for a couple pages with a variety of powders and loads and claims that his wife has used a 250 to take multiple deer, some a 200+ yards etc...etc... My point in regard to this post is that he states in the article that Sierra "advises that the jackets on (Sierra) 117, 120 Gr. bullets may be so tough that the 250 will not generate enough velocity to expand properly on game". I cant remember what the MV on the Bob is, but the 250 only clocks about 2500-2600 with those heavier bullets. I know the Bob is faster. He go goes on to espouse the value of those bullets anyway including the AccuBond and points out that there are hornady and supreme factory loads for The Bob. Ah Im rambling....any way I like the idea and the reputation of the 100 Gr. partitions. Personally, I stick with 100 Gr. Bt's but havent taken a lot of game, so what do I know. The authors final comments go somthing like this- "you would think with the advent of the 25 WSSM there would be an increse in options for the 25's including maybe a chambering in 250 Savage". Dont know if any of this opinion is of use. I do know that my 250 savage punched a hole through my pronghorn at 264 yds. That had an estimated MV of 2800 fps. I will refrain from posting a picture of my "goat" yet again, as those frequenting this forum have seen it enough. :grin: Keep shooting the roberts!! CL

 

[cloverleaf]

Buckshot- where did you find the 95 gr. NBT's or was that a typo? CL

 

[257 roberts]

I have some experience with reguard to the 117 grain Sirrra Pro Hunters! They shoot amazing for me out of my M77 257 Bob Ultra Light! However, just last season I took a 10 point, and the bullet never really expanded! The shot was about 40 yards, right behind the shoulder, and the bullet hit both lungs and ribs on each side! The entry hole was just as large as the exit! I'm going back to the 115 grain Partitions

I know i only have a 20 inch barrel, and 38.0 grains of IMR 4350 (light load), but i had hoped that i'd get some expansion!

 

[Scott A]

Funny I found this thread as I was thinking of posting the same thing! I'd used the 115 in the Bob on a couple of Texas whitetails and was very impressed. Then I got a new Bob and used the 120. This time the two deer I shot ran 50 and 100 yards ,respectively. They ran much further that I'm used to and much further than the two I shot with the 115. A couple of deer with each proves nothing, but I definitely got the impression that the 120 is "harder". Like someone said, I suspect it made for the Weatherby. I've decided to go back to the 115s or maybe the 110 Accubonds.

 

[Guybo]

I've never tried the 100 or 120gr partitions but i have the 115gr. For some reason my Rem Classic 25.06 just will not shoot them accurately no matter what combination i try and i've tried many. The AccuBond on the other hand is very accurate in front of RL22 so thats what i've settled in on for this rifle. The AccuBond does an excellent job on deer and i've yet to recover a bullet from any of the 6 i've shot with it. I think if i ever switch to anything else i'll give the 115gr BT a try.

 

[flyfish]

I haven't been here in a while but I was poking around to see what I missed. I found this post. I have a Ruger M77 in .257 Roberts. I love this rifle. I've shot 100 gr Partition, 117grain BT and also 120 gr Part. Taken deer with all of them. Never had to chase one but shot placement is the biggest reason. At about 115 yards I blew a golfball or bigger sized hole in a whitetails neck with the 117 gr BT. Last year I dropped a nice 160 pound buck at 130 yards with 100 grain Partition. This year I'm going to try the 110 grain AccuBond. Long story short they all work but I'm partial to the 100 grain Partition. They have always preformed well and they shoot well (accurate) too. IMHO there is no reason to use the 120 grain on whitetail unless of course, you want to :wink: