Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Anyone have a .257 Roberts youth load?

Using.............

IMR4350, H4831, Nosler 110AB, 100Part. Sierra 100GK, Speer 100HC, 87HC.

Yeah, around 45 grains of IMR4350 and a 100-grain bullet. At longer rahnes the Sierra or Speer will work fine, but at shorter ranges I'd use the Partition--which of course will also work great at longer ranges as well.

his usually gets excellent accuracy and around 3000 fps, exactly how much depending on barrel length. I have yet to meet a youth the recoil bothered, though anything us possible.

The .257 is a youth load.

I agree, but it is a Ruger ultra light 20". My 11 year old Grandson likes to shoot it but it is a little much for him. Thought I'd try some reduced loads for him.

It's too bad most factories dropped the 100-grain loads for the .257, as they tended to recoil a little less than the heavier-bullet +P loads offered today. The exception is the Remington 117-grain roundnose load, listed at 2650 fps. In most rifles it doesn't even go that fast, and works very well on deer.

If you can find any IMR4895 or H4895, they can be safely used with powder charges down to 60% below max, and the velocity drops at the same rate as the charge. This means 100-grain bullets can be safely started as low as around 1800 fps. You wouldn't want to go that low, because the bullet might not expand, but somewhere around 2500 fps would result in much lighter recoil.

MD, thanks for the info. I'm going to try the Nosler load data for the 100 partition. Starting @ 39.5gr IMR 4350 @ 2820fps. Pretty sure it will be a little slower than the 2820, but it may be what I need.

Yeah, it probably will be slower, especially if you seat the bullet a little further off the lands than usual.

If it doesn't kick lightly enough, I have been seeing IMR4895 on more than one store's shelves lately, and it will definitely solve the problem.

It will probably be better than 4350 at the lower pressure levels too.

'Recoil'- especially for younger shooters- is a combination of 'bark' and 'bite.' One of the simplest ways to reduce 'recoil' IMO is to back off the pressures a bit in order to take some of the bark out of a load and make it seem friendlier.

Mine shoots best with slightly reduced loads of 4350, in the 41-43 grain range using 100 gr gamekings. Even these are a little on the loud side (Klikitarik's 'bark') out of a 21" tube. I've been itching to try the 87's. It seems like those could produce good results with lower recoil, if that really is the problem. I would suggest using a little bit quicker powder for less report out of that short barrel. My 100 grain loads had a reduced report even with max listed loads of 3031 and 4064 vs 4350. I imagine that 4831 would be a little worse with your barrel length.

Happy Hunting!

yesterday I had my son at the range shooting the NBT 95gr with IMR4895 31.5gr and 33.5gr. This is not actually a reduce load but I WAS looking for a reduce load and decided to try this because the book velocity was around 2500 for starting loads. And this is in a Ruger American compact with 18" barrel. I picked this load because book val was around 2500. I also tried the IMR 4350 at 39.6 and 40.9 with the Sierra 85gr HPBT. It looks like better groups were obtained from the 4895 powder.
These were shot at 50yds but need to check at 100 yards but I am happy my son felt ok with this so not looking exclusively for reduced loads. I shot a 3 shot group with 4995 at 50 yards with two touching and one going "off" for a total of 1" or a little less.

You're talking 243, not 257. Right?

Does it have a recoil pad, or does is still carry a factory butt place?

My first inclination would be toward a good recoil pad for the lad. Then as MD mentioned, H4895 is a kids best friend. I'd stick with a bullets that is know to perform well at the lower end of the velocity spectrum such as the 90/117 gr NBT.

I'll second the Rem factory loads. 117 round nose at 2600 is a powder puff, and capable out to 200yrds.

My favorite 257 load with a 100 gr Sierra GK is 38 grains of 3031. This is a light recoiling load in my light-ish Rem 700. This load is very accurate in my rifle. For a "youth load" try reducing to 33 grains of 3031 and let him shoot it. You should get around 2600+ fps. I think it will meet your need for light recoil and still be a great whitetail load. The Sierra manual is a great source for 257 loads. IMR-4350 is also a good powder but I have never tried it with light loads. You are definitely on the right track with the 257 Roberts.

Loaded up the 100 Partition with 39.5 IMR 4350. Not a bad load @ 2550fps, and fairly light recoil out of the 20" Ruger, but to my ear the report was the same as heavier reloads and factory WCC 100gr and Nosler 110AB. He can do alright with the .257 keeping them in 6" at 100 yards, but I know he is better than that. He has no trouble with his 22lr and 4X at 50 and 100. Although he is wearing ear protection, he did mention sound was a factor.

I'll look for some 4895, 3031, or 4064. See if that will help.

Thanks to all for the help, it is much appreciated.

Found some H4895. Not much of a choice at the LGS. Plenty of Varget, two 1# 4350 and two 1# H4895.

Loaded 35gr 4895 & 100 Hot-Cor, and 35gr & 87 Hot-Cor. Both shot right @ 1". The 100 @ 2722fps and the 87 @ 2814fps. Both OAL 2.810, and about .010 off. Remington case and CCI BR2. fps was faster than I expected going by the Hodgdon load data and using a ProChrono digital. Both seemed mild, with a mild report as well. The 100s seemed a little milder than the 87s.....

That sounds perfect.

I look forward to picture of your grandson with his deer.