Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots 250 savage or .257 Roberts

Made the plunge and bought a unfired 30.06 Ruger number 1 RSI made 15 years ago. Bought it with the idea of making a 6.5x55. Then I wandered into a 6.5x55 1A and bought it outright. Have decided therefore to go a different route with the RSI and rebarrel to a .250 Savage or a 257 Roberts. Use will be out of a tree stand for whitetails or as a walk up gun for coyotes/groundhogs. Accordingly am very undecided on the caliber choice. Talked to my barrel guy and he will do either, but commented that there's a lot more versatility with the Roberts and lots more factory ammo choices out there. Accordingly would appreciate forum comments on what might work the best. FWIW, I have a 257 Roberts already in a Remington Custom model 7 mannlicher (like Mannlichers). We (unless I change my mind) will go for an original contour barrel and use the existing sights/rib etc. I've already bought some Warne rings to replace the factory rings. Anyway, would like to hear thoughts on the two calibers.

PS. Scope will be a 2.5x8 power Leupold VXIII.

Either will work great for your purposes, but both factory loads and factory brass are much better in .257.

You can make very good .250 Savage brass pretty easily out of .22-250 cases, but in general the .257 is more hassle-free.

Just random thoughts from a mostly idle mind - but if it were me, I think I'd opt for the .250 Sav Ack. Imp. In a 20" barrel, there should be little, if any difference in perfomance with the "bob"... Anything the "Bob" can do with heavier bullets can be easily bested by the 6.5x55 that you already have... The up-side to the Imp is that you wouldn't have to trim cases as often.... But the down-side is you'd have to invest in custom dies... Only you can decide if it's worth it for your purposes... But if the "Cool" factor means anything to you, The "Imp" wins, hands down!

GH

While the .257 Roberts holds a very special place in my heart, and would probably be the "better" choice between the two, I'd go with the little .250 Savage for this project. The RSI is a classy rifle that just begs for the smaller cartridge IMO. You've already got the Roberts base covered with your M7, so you'd have the chance to round out your quarter-bore repertoire a little too.

As stated it's a personal thing. Between the two, in a #1 I'd go with a 257 Roberts.

Seems to me just a lot of work & $$'s for a rebarrel when you can buy a factory #1 in 257 Bob. I'd go with the 250 Savage. Plenty of brass around. I've only heard and seen 1 Ruger #1 in 250 Savage and it's on gunbroker for the starting price of $2600.00 for a custom built rifle. Just thinking out loud.





Ruger 77RSI Stainless 250 Savage Silver Leupold VX 3-9 Compact
Ruger 77RL (Ultralight) 20" 250 Savage Gloss VX-III 2.5-8

Ken

Great point about the factory RSI Ken.............and I'm full-tilt jealous over that little Ruger UL you've got! I can almost love the little RSI too, but stainless doesn't quiet get me there. In blue, I'd have at least two.

Lots of ideas. Did they ever make the Number 1 in .257 Roberts (or 250 Savage) in the RSI clothing? Your right, I don't want to do something that's already been done or that I can buy factory. Heck, I've already given some thought to just making a 6.5 Mannlicher Number 1. Don't think those are out there either.

PS. That custom Ruger 1 in .250 Savage has been on GB for a long time. I'm wondering if the same gun was in .257 Roberts would it be sold by now. Just more versatile from the Whitetail perspective IMO.

Nope. Just in the 1B and the recent 1A special runs.

if I was going to build a custom 1/4 bore (and was a reloader) i would go with the 250AI... its on the top of my list in terms of customs as soon as I get into reloading.

If you want to stay more classic cartridge (I understand)... either is great... i would lean toward the Bob but I own a half a dozen or more 99s in 250...

I have killed a lot of Michigan Whitetail deer with the 250-3000 Savage. It kills way out of its realm for such a small cartridge. Every year at deer camp I get the questions and befuddle looks from the younger members who "got to have a magnum to kill whitetail deer" crowd. It just quietly gets the job done. Also it is very accurate in a 1 in 10 twist barrel. I got some favorite loads for 85 grain, 100 grain and 117 grain that are one ragged hole shooters at 100 yards with Reloder 15. Good luck with your project.

300 Savage

Chasing speed is not my thing, as sometimes less is more...in terms of shooting comfort/recoil-blast, etc.

I want a 250 and/or 250AI someday, the Bob just does not turn my crank.....albeit a good one for a 1/4 bore.

Me - a 250 or 250 AI.....I was very disappointed Lipsey's promised a K1-A in 250-3000 and never came thru.....

There is a lot of merit in that statement.
I would buy a 1A 257 Roberts now while they are available, before I would build one.

Lipsey's falling thru on their 250s makes that decision easier w/a factory offering....of the Bob. No doubt it will duplicate the 250AI.

I can't argue springing for a factory Bob vs. building...cost wise.

I am of the opinion based on conversation with Lipsey's that the K1A will happen, and sooner rather than later. The runs of of several of the exclusives in the various calibers of the blue 1A last year has kind of got things backed up.

Guess that's the issue. You build a .250 Savage and they make a run next year in the 1A. Appears the only special run's not being made (so far) is the number 1's RSI models. Anyone know besides the .243, 270, 7x57 and 30.06 what other calibers they have made in a blue steel version. Seems like the RSI number 1 models are getting the short end of the stick.

I wish they would quit that!

Truly I believe that it WILL happen eventually....




Don't feel bad.... It usually happens to me... When I built a Custom #1 in 9.3x74R, they came out with it two years later... In the next couple of years, you can expect #1's in 8x57 Mauser, .338 Fed and 6.5x54. (Cuz I just did them... ) (6.5x54 MS isn't quite done as yet, but soon...)



Other than the four mentioned, I think perhaps a friend of mine once had an RSI in 7mm-08, but IIRC, someone had abbreviated the fore-end prior to his ownership.... but I could be wrong, memory not being what it once was...

GH

Dang, I'd leave it a .30-06.

Seems a great combo, the 6.5 for smaller stuff, the .30-06 for bigger game.

And buy the 1A 257Roberts just for kicks.

Wish I could, but severely injured my shoulder years ago and arthritis has moved in and I can't take the recoil of a heavy hitter anymore. I had a 30.06 and sold it for that very same reason. I've also gone to a 20 gauge for turkey hunting because I couldn't handle a 12 gauge with turkey loads anymore. I think the upper limit for me now is my .270 and that is a almost ten pound weapon as it has a varmint type barrel on it and monster scope. I think the biggest Number 1 caliber I want to tackle is the 6.5x55. That's of course plenty for any deer ever grown here in Va.

If you reload you could do some mild loads for it. Those will also do the trick on deer.

I say keep the 30-06, buy the Roberts, wait to see what Ruger brings out next. If you want it, sell the 30-06 or the Roberts, if not build off the 30-06. But it's a personal thing.

Thanks for all the input. I think I've decided a few things. One is my choice of caliber will be the .250 Savage. I've got the .257 Roberts Remington Custom Mannlicher in .257 Roberts and I love that gun. I have a feeling it will still be my go to gun when all is said and done for Whitetails out of a tree stand because its very light and feels great. The fact that it shoots 3/4" groups at 100 yards with factory 117 grain Remington loads makes it amazing. I've killed 8 deer with it over the last three or four years. None lost although one went a 100 yards in thick cover and we almost lost that one. I've already got the 6.5 Swede inbound (will be here next week) and it will (after tweaking I'm sure) shoot pretty nice.

The hole in the arsenal is something that can be a walk up gun for Ground hogs or coyotes/foxes and also occasionally pop a deer.

The simple choice now is whether to build a number 1A type gun with octagonal barrel, or to build a mannlicher type RSI with a round barrel. Don't believe I can build a octagonal barrel mannlicher as I'd have to have a new forearm made and that would get expensive. BTW, didn't mention it before, but I've also got a number 3 action available and it I go the octagonal 1A type route I'll use that action with Number 1 wood. BTW, anyone have a Alex Henry type forearm laying around they want to part with if indeed I go that route? Thanks for comments thus far. Its indeed helpful as I'm somewhat new at the Ruger 1 game for sure.

There has been lots of opinion here so I don't feel bad offering mine. You may be new to the #1 rifle, but you have some interesting insights. I was looking at a 30-06 RSI a couple years ago and thought of a rebarrel to 6mmBR in octagon. As long as the barrel end was turned the stock could be made to fit without a lot of trouble. I hesitated on the rifle, it was sold and I have not seen a used #1 since for a donor or shooter.

And I should add, Welcome to Campfire.

Ken

Just God showing you not to mess with a perfectly good 30-06. You don't read sign real good, Bro.

Roberts 4 me

Dober

It is hard to beat a Roberts. Wish I knew which one was inherently more accurate. However, with a custom barrel hopefully both will be. Lilja barrel is what my smith is going to use. He builds 1,000 yard bench rest rifles and he likes them the best.

You get away with that.

Deal is done. My smith ordered the barrel today. Only decision is it would be 25 caliber with 1-9 twist. It will be done as an octagonal and he will make a custom quarter rib with it with express type sights. He will also mill it out for either Talley rings or make his own custom rings out of bar stock. Given the fact we are using the number 3 action, he believes we should use a straight buttstock. Accordingly we will use the existing number 3 stock (which is cracked) as a pattern stock. Ditto for the number 3 forearm (also cracked btw). I'm now on walnut hunt to see what I can locate that would be suitable for a custom rifle. Think I'm going to have Al Lind turn it for me once the pattern is done. Anyway, as these things go, this will probably be a 9 month project, so I won't have it for this deer season. That's fine, because I can still shoot my regular guns as well as the 6.5 Swede 1A inbound.

BTW, I'll have that 30.06 RSI up for sale shortly and post it on the forum. Nice gun. It was represented as being bought in 1994 and never being fired and I think that is indeed the case. Average wood, but sure feels nice. Thanks for the advise. PS. We are adding a Kipplinger trigger as well. My smith has installed those before and says they are awesome.

The Bob has more power. The Savage is "sweeter." You can get 3,000 FPS from the .250 with a 100 grain bullet without stressing things out. My .250 is a Savage 14 and it shoots lights out. Better than any Bob I've ever handled. You can find new brass easily if you look.

Agreed. The nice thing about ordering a 25 caliber barrel is I've got loads of time to change my mind. Wonder what a 25-35 would shoot like?

In my experience, very well!

Bob Milek (deceased) was a gun writer from Thermopolis, Wyoming. In the 1980's he wrote several interesting articles about the quarter bores as he called them. 257 Roberts was Milek's all around favorite but he killed number of bull elk with his 25-06.

Roy Chapman Andrews was a scientist, explorer, hunter, and taxidermist employed by NY City Metropolitan Museum of Natural History. He probably hunted more diverse assortment of animals with his 250 Savage lever gun than anyone before or since. He was a legendary game shot. This was long before the advent of Premium bullets yet he downed scores of animals efficiently and cleanly.

If it were me, I'd go with the 250 Savage. But truthfully, my experience with this cartridge is ZERO. I've been a big fan of the 243 since 1969. My Dad bought a new Remington 760 for my brother and me to use. We lived near Powell, Wyoming at the the time and toppled many mulies and 'lopes with our Remington pump rifle. I've NEVER wished for a heavier bullet than 100 grains. In fact, my bullet of choice is currently Nosler's 95 grain Partition bullet.

243 and 250 are quite close in case size and performance. 243 was marketed better than the 250 and won over in gross sales. Same thing happened to 300 Savage when Winchester's .308 was introduced. Unfair but true.

Good hunting to you.

Sherwood

No matter what cartridge is being discussed, somebody brings up Mr. Somebody who killed umpteen different animals with it.


Roy Chapman Andrews also killed a bunch of big game with the 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer. W.D.M. Bell killed most of his elephants with the 7x57. Warren Page killed over a hundred red deer in New Zealand with the 6mm Page Super Pooper.

The world is full of cartridges that will kill big game if aimed correctly.

Agree with Mule Deer completely for sure. Proper bullet placement exceeds anything else as long as there's adequate penetration provided by a good bullet. Now if I can just find a decent piece of walnut somewhere.

You can even start it out as a 250 Savage, and later run a .257 chamber reamer in it...or a 25-06...

Or even a .257 Wby. However, I'd sure want more then a 23" barrel with that one.

Noone so far has mentioned here that Ruger long has had a #1 RSI 250 Savage project under way for one of their distributor special runs. Yeah, I know just like their .338 federal that never showed.

Still, there are no plans for a Roberts in an RSI that I know of.

Either caliber will meet your neeeds and you get the opportunity to do a #1 mannlicher the right way to your tastes too.

Good luck with it and please let us see the results.

1B

Lipsey's just announced that the K1A in 250 Savage is out. SS and wood though and bnot an RSI as I thought.

1B

B, thanks, Ed/Grasshopper just emailed me last night, and dangit, I'd had one years back when I had money in my wallet...hopefully things turn soon enough where I can get one.

OP, you may be too 'committed' to back out now on your custom, if so you will enjoy it, and even though some say 'the Bob is faster/more powerful' that is true - yet your 6.5x55 coming betters it yet so your set.

Enjoy.

That mention by JB on shot placement, is the very thing that many single shot users have figured out. Make that ONE first shot count....everything else is usually moot.

I have a 257 roberts necked up to 7mm

Randy

I believe I'd fancy one of those from Lipsey's in 257 Bob or 6.5x55 or 250 Savage if I had the money laying around...

I've got several #1- 25cal's and so I'll pass on the 250 Savage, but I'm thinking it is a nice rifle cartridge combination.

had my dealer call yesterday, Lipsey's told him not available to ship yet...

Keep us advised, if you will, just in case funds become available of a sudden...

AJD, if I had a good shooting Bob it would be moot to overlap no doubt.

I know Ruger long ago made a 250 in the 77 RSI Tang IIRC. A #1 RSI would go well w/250-3000 IMHO. I would be very content w/20" bbl in a Savage.

will do, dealer had said he would let me know when they arrive.

For you guys drooling over a K1A in 250 Savage. There is one in the classifieds that might be for sale.