257 roberts

moose2hunt

moose2hunt

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hi..
I just picked up a Reminton 700cdl in 257 roberts with 24 in barrel

My books say i can get 2800-2900 muzzle velelocity the internet says this cartage was under loaded ....looking for a good place to start for a good hunting load ..i usaly use nosler partitions for 06 and 270 s
so id like to stay with them ..
 
"...the internet says..." The internet is confused. Follow your manual. Load for the bullet weight. Who made it doesn't matter.
The boss at the gun shop I worked in long ago used a .257. I think he used 117's. He took a deer as it was jumping a fence. The guy could shoot.
However, there's 100 and 115 grain data on Hodgdon's site that just happen to be Noslers. No 2800 to 2900 fps with that bullet weight. You'll get those velocities with 100 grain bullets though. A 100 grain bullet out of a .257 will take a deer with no fuss too. It's a typical deer bullet weight in a .243.
 
The 1964/65 Ellwood Epps catalogue has a Hodgdon's reloading chart.
That chart shows a 257 Roberts, using H4831, getting 3230 fps with the 117 grain bullet.
And don't somebody say they didn't know how to measure pressure at that time. Hodgdon's had been using state of the art pressure testing equipment for twenty years, prior to that.
 
sunray said:
"...However, there's 100 and 115 grain data on Hodgdon's site that just happen to be Noslers. No 2800 to 2900 fps with that bullet weight. You'll get those velocities with 100 grain bullets though. A 100 grain bullet out of a .257 will take a deer with no fuss too. It's a typical deer bullet weight in a .243.
Click to expand...

If you can't share something informative, best to keep quiet.
I have owned a number of 257 Roberts rifles over the years.
If you can't get 3000 fps with 117-120 grain bullets in a 24" barrel at safe pressures there is something wrong.
My Last Roberts, a 700 Classic, would drive the 120's to 3050, and 100's to very close to 3250 with long brass life and no high pressure signs whatsoever.
Try Reloder 22 with your 115/120 Partitions. Great combo!!
Regards, Eagleye.
 
X3 Bruce and Eagleye. The 257 Roberts in a modern action is a great cartridge. I've taken both moose and elk with it out to 250 yards. None of them thought the bullet was to small.
3000fps is completely realistic and safe. The pressures may be a little high for some of the older 93 and 95 mausers though. That being said, I recently observed a fellow shooting a 1941 dated M38, Swede he had converted to 257 Rob. It was a beautiful job to. His brother had put in a lot of time and effort to make up that wonderful little sporter. His loads were chronied at just around 3000 fps. Nice tight chamber, no psi signs at all and very accurate using Hornady's SST 120 grain Interlocks.

Those Hornady SST Interlock bullets are absolutely incredible. I know many guys shun them because they are worried that they won't hold together. Trust me, they hold together every bit as well as their flat base bretheren Interlocks. They have become my favorite hunting bullets in 25, 6.5, 7 and 30 calibre. Match quality hunting bullets at $35/100. These bullets are a steal. To bad they are so tough to find. I have scoured the shops from Vernon BC to Calgary, to Lethbridge and Cardston. No one had more than one or two boxes on hand. Oh well I will have to use them sparingly.
 
Good to hear that there is another Gunnut that has taken an interest in the Roberts, it is a good cartridge and is reloaders dream.
Listed below are some of my findings. I must caution you to use all data with care, mine and the info on the internet.
I have and reload for 2 rifles in 257's at present a BLR 81 20" bbl and a Ruger 77 MRII 22"bll.
75gr bullets 48gr Winchester 760 @ 3450 from the Ruger
87gr bullets 43gr IMR4064 @ 3175 from the Ruger
87gr bullets 43gr IMR4064 @ 3100 from the BLR
87gr bullets 47gr Winchester 760 @ 3300 from the Ruger
100gr bullets 46gr IMR4350 @ 3000 from the Ruger (Tried up to 48 gr 3200+ but primer pockets were really loose after 3 reloads.)
117gr bullets 44gr IMR4350 @ 2850 from the Ruger
117gr bullets 44gr IMR4350 @ 2750 from the BLR
This is what I have been using.
My Ruger does not like Boat Tails and the BLR seems to like just about anything.
I have a set of RCBS dies if you are interested they came with the BLR.
257 Roberts
 
75gr bullets 48gr Winchester 760 @ 3450 from the Ruger
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I have a 257AI barrel on the way and will be shooting 75gr V-Max bullets with it. 3600fps should be achievable? It's my first AI so I'm in uncharted territory.
 
I picked up some Hornady 117 gr. interlocks yesterday at Troutfiters in pg / they had lots on the shelf / before reading replies and did some reloading with the powders that I have on hand W760 , IMR 4831 and Varget . Did my work and loaded up 3 in each as close to 2800 as I could and went shooting at first light this morning ...I had 3 different rifles that needed scope sighting .. Upgrades and moving things around ,put the 257 on target with factory p+ loads $40. A box on Friday .. Not going to do that again ..with all the shooting of different guns and walking down range I was able to let the 257 cool properly and cleaned between powders and 1 factory round to so I wasn’t shooting through a clean barrel ... Varget did the best to start with just over 1inch at 100 yards but it will max out on book if I go up with that ..760 was next with just over the 1 1/2 and 4831 was over 3 in with this combo...
Looks like ill need to buy some more powder and different bullets to try out my rifle is new doesnt look like its been out of the gun safe let alone to the range just needs a lot more work to find what i am looking for ...thanks Gary
 
I have never had any luck with either 4831 and Varget would not achieve any sort velocity with the heavier bullets.
I have just picked up some H4350 and will be trying it out over the next month or so.
I have worked with other powders as well and the ones I mentioned above seem to be the best for me. If I am looking for factory ammo, I usually find it at gun shows and some times you can get it reasonably cheap it the vender wants to make a sale. I have also chronographed factory ammo and the velocities are nothing close to what is printed.
257 Roberts
 
257roberts

The Winchester +p 117 gr. power-points were the only boxed rounds I could find. I needed something to put the new scope on paper. They graphed out at 2650 flbs and 1+ inch at 100 yards nice but slower than I would like and without a gun show or a big box store near here it all I could get. I have seen what the 257 can do on deer and moose and know with a lot of work this new rife will be a great shooter...ill pick up some h4350 and see what I can do with it
 
For some strange reason, most reloading manuals show rather anemic loads for the 257 bob.
Most factory loads are "soft" as well.
I have had my best 117-120 grain velocity/accuracy combos with Reloder 19 & 22, H4831, IMR 7828, H414, and Vihtavuori N560.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
The reason the books show such anemic loads is in deference to the 91/93/95 actions so many of them were built on.

257 Robert's, what twist rate does your Ruger have. I have found it takes at least a 1-8 1/2 twist rate to stabilise the longer 115-120 grain bullets, especially boat tails.

This is a fantastic cartridge. It will do just about anything that is asked of it. If you need tougher brass, size down 7x57 cases.
 
IT IS A 257 ROBERTS REMINGTON 700 SF LTD 75TH ANNIVERSARY with a 24 inch stainless fluted barrel, they say it has a 1:9 twist...it’s a very nice rifle
Most reloading manuals I have looked at say they should be safe to load to a max 48000 cup max pressure...and yet the manuals that list this stay way short of there safe top end working pressure ..In the years that I have loaded I have not found that.... I understand it’s not as popular of a round as others but it should be


http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc367/moose2hunt/DSC01016.jpg
 
I use my Roberts for deer only, so 100gr Hornadys are used exclusively. While the 257R is perfectly able to harvest moose, I'd prefer a 270/150gr or 30-06/180gr combo for the task if I had one on hand.

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moose2hunt said:
hi..
I just picked up a Reminton 700cdl in 257 roberts with 24 in barrel

My books say i can get 2800-2900 muzzle velelocity the internet says this cartage was under loaded ....looking for a good place to start for a good hunting load ..i usaly use nosler partitions for 06 and 270 s
so id like to stay with them ..
Click to expand...

I have used both 100 grain and 117/120 grain bullets for hunting deer. All have been standard cup and core.
I have no problem in working up 117/120 grain loads to 2850-2900 fps. My 100 grain loads are around 3100 fps.
Despite old data, I would never try to acheive 3200+ fps with 117 grain bullets.
Hornady 100 grain Spire Points have achieved full pass through on big deer. The 117s have been a variety of Speer, Hornady and Sierra. All are effective. I have no experience with Nosler Partitions in this calibre.
 
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the guys at the shops here in town are mostly saying to go with imr4350 or a new powder from hodgdon ,, hybrid 100v I have tried 4831 , w760 , and Varget

any one use the hybrid 100v the rite up sound good and there is some data out there
 
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