Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles I think I "need" a 257 Roberts ......

As it turns out, I have a lot of 25 caliber bullets laying around, yet no 25 caliber rifles at the moment. The Roberts seems to be a popular round that has been around for some time now, and I figure it might be worth a try. The trouble now is finding a rifle. Here's what I'm thinking so far:

Ruger #1-B: Would have to find one used, but never had a #1 or a Ruger rifle before.

Ruger Hawkeye: New production, low price, again I've never had a Ruger rifle before, so I might give one a try. Don't know if this is a long or short action.

Kimber 84M: Also never had a Kimber before. Seems like the Kimbers get great reviews. Only hesitation is the true short action might limit bullets and seating options.

Winchester Featherlight: I've absolutely hated the ergonomics of the Winchester grip on past rifles, not sure about current production.

Remingtons: Hate them. Won't bother.

And as an alternate option, I might even consider a Weatherby Vanguard 2 in 257 Weatherby.

Given those options, which direction would you take?

Can't help ya other than the Ruger is a LA.



There is a Roberts on a rack around here and all this talk is pushing me closer to buying it.

Love the Ruger #1's. My Bob is a custom Mexican Mauser with a Douglas match barrel on it. It was finicky as hell in the beginning and finding a load that she loved was a tall task. Finally found out that she likes 100 grain partitions, WLR primers and 43.0 grains of IMR-4350, with instructions from her to not deviate from that recipe in any way.

She now shoots about 1/2-3/4" groups all day with that load and it will hammer the whitetails. My biggest buck with that rifle dressed at 242# and was an 8 pt that netted 140" even.

Good luck with your decision....you'll be glad you picked a Bob to play with.

I've got a Ruger MKII and a kimber classic select that I just picked up in January. The Ruger is going down the road, but it is a good gun, I just really really like the kimber.

I would have no issues with a new hawkeye, a model 70, or a kimber, depending on how much money I was wanting to spend.

If you can find one, a Ruger 1-A Lipsey's edition in 257 Roberts is one very sweet firearm.
I found one on Gun Broker last year. Can't wait to take it hunting.

Me too. Go ahead and get the Ruger No 1, I bought my first No 1 in 270 a couple of months ago.

I have rifles in 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 37 and 45 so I need a 25 and maybe a 35. Oh and a 41 and ...........

One of my 257 Roberts - 1948 Custom.....no scope, just a fine peep! Slick as butter action.

Action: FN Mauser 98 (trued, lapped, tight & smooth as can be)
Barrel: "GR Douglas" in 257 Roberts. 24"
Stock: Hand carved Circassian walnut. Ebony tip. Pointed Neider butt plate. Nicely checkered. Fleur-de-lis hand cut checkering.

I don't have one now, but the only Ruger #1 that I owned in 257 Roberts had the longest throat that I've ever seen on a 257 Roberts. The guy who I sold it too didn't like the freebore when using lighter bullets, so he had it rechambered to either 25-06 or 25-06AI.

Factory specs Ruger 77s in 257 Roberts have all been built on long actions. I have a couple of them, a tang safety 77 R, a Mark II 77 RL, and a Mark II 77 RSI parts gun.

I don't own either a Kimber or a Winchester in 257 Roberts.

I currently have 257 Roberts and 257AI rifles built on the following action; Marlin XS7, Mauser 96SR, Mauser 98SR, Remington 700 (x5), Remington 722 (x2), Ruger 77 (x3), Savage 11, Savage 99, and Savage 110. I can't say that the action length has ever caused me to lose sleep or have COAL issues. My current favorite, "go to", rifle in 257 Roberts in a 700 CDL-SF parts gun that is bedded in a McM McM Hunter swirley with a Leupld VX2 4-12x40 in Warne mounts. Can't think of a thing that I could or would do to it that would be an improvement for my needs.

Nice rifle vacrt

Remington custom #1. Kimber #2.

Good luck.

Forget the brands you mentioned & build your .257 roberts on a Savage action at home in your spare time.

Kimber 84M:

I do have a spare Savage short action sitting in the closet. Because it was a short action I was thinking about a 250AI like I've had in the past, but I wanted something with a little more horsepower this time around.

Since you are reloading, the .257 Weatherby without a doubt. It was Roy's personal favorite.

Here's another....

If they would make that rifle with a medium-heavy sporter barrel, I would own one in every caliber possible.

And I'd never touch one if they did.

The Ruger is a long action, which means you can load the bullets out a bit further than in some sort actions, at least as far as the magazine fit is concerned. My M77 also has a long throat so I can load bullets out as far as I want and the bullets still couldn't touch the lands with a stick.

Shoots great though.



That target used 75g V-MAX, a load I've used to take two coyotes at just under 500 yards. It also shoots 110g TTSX, 110g AccuBond, 115g TSX and 120g A-Frames very well.

vacart that is a beauty ive never seen one.....

Hawkeye's are very nice and do shoot well. <8lbs with a 3-9 on board.

Kimber is skookum. Magazine length is a non-issue. Reload and shoot away.