257 Robert AI

I once had a std 257Roberts built with the thought of doing the "AI" thing down the road. I found I could get 100gr going over 3000fps easy.

Never did get the "AI" thing, never will.
 
You can expect to loose a couple hundred bucks up front and then another couple hundred fire-forming brass, and quite a few hours of your time messing around with it all... but you gain 100 fps... and maybe a coyote or deer will thank you for it some day...

Probably not...
 
I had one for awhile, my wife used to kill deer with it when she still hunted. I wouldn't bother, even though I'm normally in the "higher velocity is its own reward" camp.

There's usually an easy way and a hard way is get similar results. With the exception of nostalgia there is no real good reason to make a single-shot .257 AI when the 25-06 is sitting out there in plain sight. If its just an urge to play with things while bumping performance then there's the 25-06 AI. Or skip the playing, fire-forming or custom dies and just go straight to the .257 Weatherby. If its about performance why settle for a bit of improvement went there's an easy way to blow it out of the water? With no magazine constraints or feeding to think about you can write your own ticket.

If the object is just to play, or nostalgia then do whatever makes you happy. Its an entertaining hobby and doesn't have to make sense. To tell the truth most of it doesn't.
 
Bearhunter, I have both the Roberts and the Ackley and for my part they are excellent !
The Ackley is my second, foolishly traded the first one away, used a 25-06 for several seasons ( had two ) bought a new 257 Weatherby Vanguard ( glad to see that one go ! ).
My current Ackley is on a really nice 03-A3 Springfield built by Bill Welker out of Seattle and it is unreal accurate.
 
I have a few different 25's but strangely enough not a 257 AI.

Have dies and a bunch of brass set aside for one day.

The 25-204 is an interesting cartridge.
 
The 257AI is the best of the AI's, brings it up close to the 25-06, but not it's equal, this is where nostalgia kicks in, everyone has heard of the "257AI" but few have owned one, and some just "feel the need" for one. I have played with both a 257 and the AI version, both in Cooper rifles, and both very accurate, the M54 action required seating the bullets deep into the case (257) taking up powder space, the M22 single shot (257AI) combined with Berger VLD's and a generous throat was knocking on the 25-06's door. I found that the 257AI with VLD's seated out to the lands allowed me to stuff in a few extra grains of powder. I also found that with that set-up I was matching the velocities of my M22 in 6.5x55 with the same bullet weights, the 257AI handled bullets from 75 to 120 gr, the 6.5 handled from 85 to 160 gr, needless to say both my 257's are history. If you are looking for improved performance, I would consider the 257 BEE with easy access to ammo, or even an STW version, re-chambering costs will be about the same no matter what 25 cal. cartridge you choose.
 
I just bought one at the last min of the last day of the latest gun show (Last Sunday). It was there and I was there and it was a steel of a deal. It's a custom build by a well known local gent. It's built on a Mauser action, 26 inch barrel and laminate stock, Leupold bases and rings and a quality target scope. It came with all the reloading supplies, dies, brass, bullets, data and targets showing the clover leaf holes. This rifle has hardly been used and is absolutely mint condition. I have not yet fired this new toy. I do have 2 other Bob's that will stay original.
 
bearhunter338-06 said:
I have a Ruger #1B with a custom barrel chambered in 257 Roberts. I have been thinking of turning it into a 257 AI. What could i expect over the stander-ed 257 Roberts
Click to expand...

I have the P.O. Ackley book, where he gives loadings of before and after of his "improved" calibres. I could show you what he indicates on it. By the way, his loadings are often considerably different than found in modern loading manuals, but his charts show exactly what he loaded and what he got.
In general, my opinion would be don't do it, but with a Ruger #1, I don't think there would be anything to lose, value wise in the rifle, as compared to many old classics which are greatly reduced in value by any "Improvement," of any ones design.
 
H4831 said:
In general, my opinion would be don't do it, but with a Ruger #1, I don't think there would be anything to lose, value wise in the rifle, as compared to many old classics which are greatly reduced in value by any "Improvement," of any ones design.
Click to expand...
If the rifle had a factory bbl, there would be a lost value in the rechamber but it already has a custom bbl so there would be no lose in value.

Might as well turn the bbl upside down to lose the current stamping and rechamber to 257Weatherby if you want a significant velocity increase.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom