257 Roberts Winchester fwt

D

Dead eye Joe

Member
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
10   0   0
Location
Calgary
Hi all
I have a 257 Roberts that I will start loading for soon.
I will be using it as a antelope, coyote, and sheep rifle.
I can't decide if I should go with 85gr, 100, or 120 grain bullets.
Any suggestions?
Does any of you own a rifle like this?
Thanks
 
I have a similar rifle. For high speed and destruction for coyotes, I would use the 87 grain bullets (didn't know there were any 85 grain), such as the Hornady 87 grain. I have had good accuracy and good velocity with these bullets and this bullet weight (but don't discount the 75 grain HP either).
For deer, I have used 100 grain Hornady, 117 grain Sierra and 120 grain Speer,all with good success. Depends on your desires, but I would try any of those and make a decision on what works for you with accuracy, velocity,and how you like to hunt.
 
Take a look at the Barnes 80gr. TTSX, Otherwise I think you would be fine with a regular 100gr. for medium game. Also check out Matrix Ballistics for 100-125 gr. 25 cal bullets.
 
I have two firearms in this caliber. My ruger MKII Ultralight shoots the 100gr barns tsx very well with the recipe suggested in barnes reloading manuel using IMR 4064 and it will group 80 grain speer's pretty great too, my browning BLR shoots the 120 gr partitions pretty good too (federal premium factory ammo)
 
Sorry I meant 87gr not 85.
What rifle do you have Al-Sway? and What bullets are you currently shooting?
Considering wind drift and bullet weight how far would you be comfortable shooting at Antelope or Coyotes ?
 
I have the same rifle. I recently got it and haven't handloaded for it yet. I do get good accuracy from Hornady Superformace 117gr +P ammo. I may never handload for it.
 
I just started out with this cal and am using 75gr V-Max for coyotes. I'll probably go to the 100gr TTSX for deer next year. Still in the experimental stage but I did get one 1 hole group with 45gr of XBR. That's OK in my rifle though and not necessarily yours.
 
Many 257Roberts owners shoot 100gr Hornadys with good reviews. I shoot them exclusively in mine and would suggest trying these first.

021.jpg
 
I think this (and other) 25 cals are going to become more popular as time goes by. It seems like there is a lot more interest in them lately.
 
I had a M70 FWT in .257, made the first year that they came out. I'm not sure if they are still made the same way, but mine was a long action with a magazine blocked to be shorter. It also had a very short throat. It was not suitable for pointed 120 grain bullets, they could not be seated deep enough to work through the magazine and short throat. 117RN were OK but I wanted to shoot longer bullets with better BC. I had the throat lengthened and the magazine box spacer removed, and a longer follower installed. I could seat long 120 grain bullets out for 3" LOA and easily achieved 2800 FPS with IMR4350. I shot a lot of deer with 120 Nosler partitions with that rig.
 
Have the same rifle; mine likes the nosler BT.and the barnes.powder i am using is IMR4350 and Ramshot hunter.there are two types of brass the +p WW and the Reg Remington.i haven't seen the difference between the two yet but still testing.
 
Mturney said:
Have the same rifle; mine likes the nosler BT.and the barnes.powder i am using is IMR4350 and Ramshot hunter.there are two types of brass the +p WW and the Reg Remington.i haven't seen the difference between the two yet but still testing.
Click to expand...

BT? Is that Balistic Tip?
What weight did you try?
 
Longwalker said:
I had a M70 FWT in .257, made the first year that they came out. I'm not sure if they are still made the same way, but mine was a long action with a magazine blocked to be shorter. It also had a very short throat. It was not suitable for pointed 120 grain bullets, they could not be seated deep enough to work through the magazine and short throat. 117RN were OK but I wanted to shoot longer bullets with better BC. I had the throat lengthened and the magazine box spacer removed, and a longer follower installed. I could seat long 120 grain bullets out for 3" LOA and easily achieved 2800 FPS with IMR4350. I shot a lot of deer with 120 Nosler partitions with that rig.
Click to expand...

That sounds like mine is very similar to yours.
Do you know what the twist rate of these rifles would have been?
I am wondering if it would stabalize heavier or lighter bullets better.
My 7x57 mod 70 fwt for instance will not shoot any bullet lighter than 160 gr.
but will shoot 160gr bullets into clover leafs.
I wonder if the 257 would be the same way.
 
I had the same rifle, assuming you mean the push-feed model, not the pre-64.
Best bullets in mine were the Sierra 100 boat tail and the 117 Hornady flat base , either the spitzer or roundnose. Powder was IMR 4831.
 
I have a .257 "bob" as I call it, in a Browning BBR that I picked up at a gun show last year.

Hornady Superformance 117GR. SST is a wicked round for this gun. I Chronied them at almost 3000 fps and the closest Ive been able to get at with that weight of hand-loaded rounds is 250fps slower.

Mine is a classy gun, love it to death. It killed 2 deer this hunting season, and many beavers and several coyotes.

I have not loaded anything lighter than 100GR with it yet, and Im not going to say how well it shot, because I dont have pictures to back it up, but the groups are very tight.

If only I could get it away from my wife once and awhile......

:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom