Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 257 Roberts

im looking to reduce the number of powders that i use, and was wondering if anyone had any information on Varget and 117gr SSTs in the 257 Roberts?? i have a lot of those bullets and Varget, and have loads using Varget for every other cal that i shoot. Thanks, Paul

Did you check the Hodgdon's website for data? I'm not trying to be a smart aleck, but their site has been helpful to me a time or two.

FWIW, and I am only in my first cup of coffee this morning, but Varget seems like it would be a touch fast for 117's but I could be very wrong.

No experience with the Bob, but I can't imagine Varget wouldn't work well. Take this ^^^^ advice and check the website.

Sierra shows 46.9 Varget with 117's in the Bob.
Hodgdon is 45 for 115. They don't list 117.
Work up to the sierra load.
I have found Sierras data to be less conservative than Hodgdon.

CT: The first cup of coffee worked well...

I would not reach for anything faster than the 4350's for a 117 in the Roberts and some powders slower would not bother me a bit.

Varget would not make the first cut and likely not the second unless I were intentionally looking to hamstring the cartridge with reduced loads.

thanks for the advice men, it is just me being cheap, and wanting to use what i currently have. my kids buy me powder and or bullets for birthdays/holidays, and im am sitting on 200plus 117gr SSTs, and a jug of Varget. Happy Holidays!! Paul

ADMIN: Use the Varget for 75-87 gr bullets;better suited and somewhat along the lines of 4064 which I have used a lot for bullets from 75-100 gr...but really best with 75-87 gr stuff.

Magnum works well with the heavies.

Scott good to know...have not tried it and about the slowest I have gone is R22,H4831 etc.

IMR 4831 does well, even with 87 gr bullets which surprised me a bit.

will do!! Thanks again guys

The best powder I have used in the 257 Rbts with 117g bullets has been either flavor of 4831, H or IMR, your pick. Always able to find a loading that works.

I have to agree that Varget is 'fast' for the 117 / 120 g bullets in the 257 Rbts case. Things can and do happen fast as you get near the top end loadings.

I you have lots of Varget and lots of 117s and you just want easy shooting round then I see no reason not too, but I would not try and push it in any way. If anything I would stay low and soft.

+1 My 257's seem to like H or I 4831 the best with 120's

What Happened with H4350 at the go to for the Roberts?

H4831, RL22, IMR 4350. Best powders in my 257 Roberts
with 115gr Nosler partitions

He mentions that he will be shooting 117g bullets. Nothing wrong with 4350 powders but in my experience the 4831's do better with that weight of bullet.

If it was 90 to 100 grain pills I would say grab 4350 to start with. But not when asking about 117 or 120 grain pills.

I use 4831 in the little 250 Savage with the heavies. I'm that guy that believes in using powders that fall in the slow burn spectrum for a given cartridge.

As I know many a faster powder works in a 30/06 for example I also know I can't get into any trouble with RL22 in it.

Yeah my memory may be slipping but I think I recall that a 257 Roberts has about the same bore to case capacity ratio as a 280 Remington....and (IIRC)a 340 Weatherby (someone good with numbers please check me on this).

Point being that the case is actually capable of using slower powders than we were taught growing up on a diet of old data and 4320,4064, etc.

I know I was a bit surprised years back when a max charge of IMR4831 showed over 3300 fps with an 87 gr bullet....that was my woodchuck load in the cartridge for a good many years. I have had similar good results with R22,IMR4831,and H481 and 100 gr bullets.

Have not tried it but I bet that 7828 SC would be really good.