257 Roberts trying my patience

[JohnD386]

That's the first deer rifle for my two sons and nephews. Oldest nephew got his first deer last season with it. Nice 7pt Whitetail. Perfect gun for the young men to start with. I have faith in the 100gr Partitions. More than enough to take a Whitetail with.

 

[SJB358]

For sure. The 257 is a perfect cartridge for deer. Wouldn't mind having my own someday.

 

[truck driver]

For sure. The 257 is a perfect cartridge for deer. Wouldn't mind having my own someday.

I have one I built on the action and stock of my first 30-06 which I had shot the barrel out, a Remington M725.
26" Douglas XX Air Gage 1-12 twist barrel will shoot bug holes with everything below a 117gr bullet.
I use 115gr round nose in it for deer and haven't had one get away yet. But I use it mostly for ground hogs now.

 

[JD338]

Beautiful rifle. Not sure how long you are waiting between shots but I would suggest waiting 5 min between to see the real potential.
The 100 gr PT is one tough bullet and will work really well in the 257 Bob for WT deer. The 115 gr PT is also an excellent chouce and one that has worked very well for me. My go to powder is IMR 4350.

JD338

 

[bobnob]

Thanks for the pic! It will be fun in just a couple if years looking for a suitable pig / deer rifle for my two sons who are coming of age. That one of yours would be ideal.

 

[efw]

100 gr Hornady Interlock & IMR-4350 or Ramshot Hunter.

If you can't get decent groups from 46 (ish) gr IMR-4350 & that bullet the rifle may have a defect.

Another thing you might consider is to shoot groups slowly so each shot is like your first for a cold barrel. Lightweights can be weird when warm.

If these ideas don't remedy things bedding, as others have suggested, would be my next stop.

 

[gerry]

Like others have said I would look at a flat base 100 gr as well like the Partition, Hot Cor or Hornady.

 

[JohnD386]

100gr Partitions arrived today. I hope to give them a test run with some IMR4350 this weekend.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have a Browning High Power .257 Roberts and it is 1 in 10" twist. Most of the modern 110 and 115 grain bullets in .257 are designed to be used in the .25-06 or .257 Weatherby. These bullets are a little too long to stabilize in most 1 in 10 twist barrels unless the particular rifle is able to get 3000 fps plus with the 110 grain bullet. That is why all of the older Roberts rifles shot 115 or 117 grain round nosed bullets. The long bullets would not stabilize in a 18 to 22 inch barrel.

My rifle shoots the 85 grain Ballistic Tips and 100 grain Partition bullets into 1/2 to 3/4 inch groups in my rifle which is a full length action, 24 inch barrel and is freebored a little. My rifle also shoots the 110 AccuBond into MOA groups or slightly smaller but not 1/2 inch like it does with 85 grains. I am because of the freebore, able to get 3100 fps or slightly more from the 110 gr Accubonds in my rifle.

I have owed (2) other .257 Roberts rifles in the last 50 years and just shot 85 and 100 grain spritzer bullets in these 1 in 10 inch twist rifles. The 100 Partition will kill a deer to at least 300 yards with no problem. I have killed several whitetail and mule deer with my Roberts rifles and 100 grain Partitions. The 1 in 10 inch twist .257 Roberts was never intended to shoot 110 or 115 spritzers.

 

[JohnD386]

The last post gives me hope. We should have results on Friday or Saturday.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Good luck with that. My load is 45.0 grains of IMR 4350 with a BR2 primer and Remington cases for a velocity at 15 feet of 3015 fps in a 24 inch barrel. Work up to that load in your rifle.

 

[JohnD386]

Started with 39.5gr of IMR4350 and went up to 40.5gr just to start. I hope this works for me. I'll post results this weekend. I have a good feeling about the 100gr Partitions.

 

[mtwarych]

I have a 257 rob that shot 110 accubonds as well as a production rifle should shoot. All of a sudden I could not group a set of 5 rounds within 3" at 100 yds. I started working with my rifle, free floating(stock had warped with not doubt about it) new stock, boyds laminate, glass bed, re-shoot ladders up and down,back and forth and I could not get the rifle to shoot right at all. Change powders, no difference, more ladders no difference.

I finally bought 3 different size bullets, 100 gr nos bt, 110 nos ac, 115 nos bt. I just pulled a load out of my back pocket of 46 gr of H-4831 and loaded 3 sets of bullets all .015 ff the land and grooves.

I went to the range with not much hope and started shooting cold bore shots at 200 yds.

I started with the 100 gr nos bt. After taking an hour to take ten shots, I found the group of ten rounds to be just a little larger than a quarter. I was as giddy as a child. (I do not look at my targets between shots, just something I do.)

My 110's and my 115's did not fair as well, not even close.

The 100 gr Nosler bullets are all that will be fired through this rifle any more.

sorry for the long story, but for some reason a 257 that shot 110 nos ac very well at one time decided it would not shoot them any longer and I had to do a lot of work to make my favorite rifle shoot the way it should. JW

 

[Oldtrader3]

I am glad that the 100 Partition worked for you. It has always worked well for me also.

 

[JohnD386]

100gr Partitions made a real difference. As I increased the charge groups improved. The groups are now acceptable enough to take it to the woods at 1.5" to 2". My max load was only 40.5gr of IMR4350 so I have have plenty of room to work the load up.

 

[gerry]

Glad it's coming together for you maybe like the others said it will prefer heavier bullets. It is hard to imagine a better deer round than a 257 Roberts with a 100 gr NP.

 

[DrMike]

That sounds great. The 100 grain PT launched from the 257 Bob is an excellent deer round.

 

[baltz526]

I have a similar problem rifle. The solution is 2 shot groups. Shoot 2 let it completely cool off, shoot 2, repeat. Last time I shot a 2 shot group at 300yrds the rifle put 2 inside 3/4". It is a hunting rifle so I'm relatively happy with that kind of group. In a perfect world It would put 10 into 1 1/5" at 300yrds. We do not live in a perfect world.