musings on the Roberts

So I tried 100 grain hot cores and imr 4350 powder. Most of my groups were slightly over 1 inch but I think I can tweak out an under inch group. I tried a bunch of the 100 grain TSX and I never got much better than 1 1/2 inches. I loaded them .050 off the lands. I will try a longer jump next time. I have not had a lot of trigger time in the last couple years so those 1 1/2+ inch groups might be more me than the load combo. I will get back to the range when there is a forecast for a few cooler mornings.

I bought a box of Scirocco II 100 grain bullets at a local gun show. I have not found any specific data for this bullet. During my search for data I did not read much positive about this bullet. Has anyone here had any experience with this bullet? I will try to work up a load with ballistic tip data.

I also bought a couple bottles of H4831sc for another rifle. I saw that H4831 is listed a few times for the .257. Thoughts? Anyone tried H4831sc for the .257?
 
I get the logic I suppose; a .257 Roberts provides a bit more than the .250 Savage, particularly when handloaded, and not constrained by the Savage 99 action length, where the .25/06 or the .257 Weatherby might be considered by some, as too much of a good thing. The .257 Roberts and the 6mm Remington share similarities not only of their common lineage, they also both suffer from the greater popularity of their shorter bothers, so acquiring examples in desirable rifles becomes an expensive custom arrangement, meaning if your want one, you must want it very badly, since similar performance can be had on the same platform for a third or perhaps a quarter of the price.

What does evade me though is the attraction for quarter bores in the first place. As a varmint cartridge, I can ascertain nothing that betters a 6mm, and they're not the big game cartridge that a 6.5 on the same case is, due the 6.5's heavier for caliber bullet selection. It might be pointed out that a .257 bullet of any given weight can be driven faster at equal pressure than the same weight bullet in 6mm. But then the same observation applies to .270 vs .257, .308 vs .270, and .338 vs .308. Clearly a .338 does not have any overlap with the .257 but a .270 might.

Perhaps the attraction to quarter bores in general, and to the .257 Roberts in particular, is that it fills a particular niche; the ideal deer cartridge. Pleasing accuracy, combines with sufficient velocity, to ensure quick kills, without unpleasant recoil. Perhaps that's the reason enough right there. It doesn't need to kill coastal grizzlies in thickets, or Yukon bison across a remote meadows. But for the dedicated deer hunter, or the nothern caribou hunter, the .257 Roberts is simply a superb choice.
 
I had some 115 grain Balistic Silvertip bullets that I loaded with IMR 4064, they crono 2740 fps and the accuracy is acceptable for a hunting round, about 1 1/4 inches for 3 shots at 100 yards. These bullets wouldn't be my first choice but to be honest, I've never used them before with any other caliber so I should give them a chance I guess. They're seated pretty deep into the case as the rifle is a short action (BBR) but the powder isn't compressed yet. I'd like a bit more velocity so I think I'll move down to a 100 grain bullet. I like the TSX idea but I'm concerned that the bullet won't expand once the velocity drops off around 300 yards or so, maybe the old stand by Partition is the way to go. I was also thinking maybe a 100 gr Grand Slam would work well but I see they only make then in 120 grain. Has anyone tried the Hot-Cor 100 grain on game?
 
Falconflyer said:
I had some 115 grain Balistic Silvertip bullets that I loaded with IMR 4064, they crono 2740 fps and the accuracy is acceptable for a hunting round, about 1 1/4 inches for 3 shots at 100 yards. These bullets wouldn't be my first choice but to be honest, I've never used them before with any other caliber so I should give them a chance I guess. They're seated pretty deep into the case as the rifle is a short action (BBR) but the powder isn't compressed yet. I'd like a bit more velocity so I think I'll move down to a 100 grain bullet. I like the TSX idea but I'm concerned that the bullet won't expand once the velocity drops off around 300 yards or so, maybe the old stand by Partition is the way to go. I was also thinking maybe a 100 gr Grand Slam would work well but I see they only make then in 120 grain. Has anyone tried the Hot-Cor 100 grain on game?
Click to expand...


My Robert's rifles are a long action M77 MKII and a No.1-RSI, and the 115 NBT is my bullet of choice... it has been the most accurate of the half dozen bullets I have tried in both rifles.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom