I use the 257 Bob for medium game, coyotes and pigs, when the opportunity arises. What is the powder most reached for when loading 80-110 grain bullets?

I load 100-120 grains but H4350 is pretty much all I use. IMR4350 was slightly more accurate but H is more temp stable.

I just loaded a bunch of ammo with H4350 and 100 BT's.

Many thanks!

H or I 4350 is always a good starting point with the Roberts. H Hybrid 100V with 100-115 grain bullets shows outstanding velocity in load data but I have never worked with it. I'd like to hear from someone who has.

H4350 has been my mainstay, but Hunter isn't far behind for 100s. For the lighter bullets I use H4895

I use Hybrid 100V in my 257 Super Grade Featherweight Model 70. I shoot 110 Accubonds and 115 Ballistic Silver Tips. Easy one inch groups when I do my part. Haven't used on any animals yet but hope to use one on Antelope and Dear in the near future.

Its like an echo in this thread, IMR or H 4350 for 100 grain bullets, but I load them to +P standards.

H4350

100's....H 4350

120's....H 4831

Another vote for H4350

H4350

I use light loads of H4895.
35 gr, 87 speer HC @ 2.812 OAL, 2814fps.
35 gr, 100 speer HC @ 2.812 OAL. 2722fps.

Also IMR 4350
46 gr, 100 NPT @ 2.912 OAL, 3030fps.

Ruger UL .257 20" barrel.

Thank you!

I have that same rifle. What kind of accuracy are you getting out of the Partition load?

H100V with 100 gr TTSX at 3,250 fps out of my 24" Brux is a killer and shoots half MOA.

DF

I can do 1" - 1.5" from the bench on a good day, but I'm old and half blind . Leupold FX-II 4X33.

I prefer 120's for my Bobs, and they prefer H4831sc

I haven't done a lot of load development. I loaded up 42 grains of H4350 pushing a 115 Partition, got 1.5-1.75 inch groups and called it good. It's a woods rifle that will likely never see more than a 100 yard shot.

Just got home from a Christmas trip to NW AR and Goddard, KS. Temp got down to 5* with ice and snow, now back in LA where it's 83*, A/C running.

All I had was my cell phone, now back at my computer. So, I can post this .257R link and the specific H100V/100 TTSX data.

BTW, this load is a very effective WT/hog killer, it's gunner500's favorite Roberts load. So, if he likes it you know it's gotta be pretty bad...

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/10163944/6

DF

Thanks DF!

Boring old powders like IMR-4064 or IMR-3031.

Tried some others but they have not done anything that these can do.

Although I was very pleased with and advocated the 100 TTSX/47 gr. H100V load at 3,250 fps, don't forget about the 115 NBT/44gr. H-4350 load at around 2,900 fps. It's a real killer, too.

The Roberts is a sleeper, a real effective round that does a job on the target critter without taking it out on the shooter...

DF

Except shoot a 100 gr. TTSX at 3,250 fps...

DF

RL 19

My Ruger loves the stuff.

What's your best RL-19 load?

DF

That is the exact load my Ruger 77 loves!!!!!!

I give gunner500 all the credit for that one.

Where did you first come up with that combo.

DF

43 grains of RL 19 with the 117 btsp interlock

or

43.5 grains of RL 19 with the 115 grain BT.

That's been my load for deer for 6+ years now.

I am digging this post and I don't even have a bob. I do have its little brother 6mm and toyed with rebbareling but the 6mm is so dang cool itself that I just can't do it. I have gone exclusively to IMR4350 in this rifle for everything from 85-100grain. The 4831 for heaviers backs up what I do and have seen in all my other chamberings.

HV100 and GS Custom 100 HV's
H4350 also.

Which doesn't do anything a Partition or Interlock won't do at 3050, so what's the grin for?

Copy/paste of a reply I made in an earlier Bob thread:

100 grain partition, WLR primer, 41.5 grains of IMR-4350. Shoots a quarter inch in my little Bob.

Grin, actually a wink, is for 3,250 fps...

Not so much the bullet.

DF

Powders I reach for would start with RL 15, and IMR 4895...

AR Comp is in the same burn range, but is a temp insensitive powder... and has worked real well in other calibers I've tried it in...

These may not be top velocity, but they aren't that far behind the others....and they are always accurate...

There is a reason IMR 4895 has been sold continually for quite a few decades...

H4350 or Hunter. My favorite is H4350 buy a good margin.

There's some really good information and insight in this thread and I thank you all.

I'm going to offer an alternative... 3 of the standard Bobs I've owned and my "Better Bob" all LOVE Ramshot Hunter.

What's particularly beautiful is the fact that the charge weight my son's custom Mauser & my Kimber 84M Classic Select(each are my remaining of the three counted above) "like" with 100 gr NBTs or Interlocks (take your pick) is identical. 46.5, with magnum primers.

With my Kimber I never even had to test another charge weight. It just worked and I stuck with it.

Great cartridge hope you enjoy it!

Thanks! I have some Hunter powder and will certainly try it.

Hybrid 100-V

efw,

My wife has been using 47.0 grains of Hunter with 100-grain Barnes TTSX's for a number of years now in her NULA .257. The load shoots very well at any temperature from zero to 80, into exactly the same place, taking antelope, whitetails, mule deer and elk. It's a good load!

Where we live with no big temp extremes, H100V is the champ.

If I hunted in extreme climates, I'd probably go with JB's Hunter load or a H-4350 load.

DF

Here's more info on the H100V load, 100 TTSX.

46 gr. 3,188 fps., .70" at a hundred (three shots).
47 gr. 3,266 fps., .438".
48 gr. 3,328 fsp., 1.7" and getting warm. Bolt lift was OK, case head with some bright spots from the bolt, primer OK.

I also shot an even tighter group with 115 gr. NBT over 44 gr. H-4350 at around 2,900+, didn't get a good chrono read. That's a good load, whacks hogs and WT's pretty well.

I was amazed by the 100 TTSX speed and accuracy, 47 gr. seemed to be the sweet spot with that combo.

DF

Shot my .257 just this morning to check zero before this Saturday's firearms deer season opener. 39.5gr. of IMR 4350 behind a Nosler 100gr. Ballistic Tip gave me 1-1 1/2" five shot groups @ 100 yds. so I called it good because the area I'll be hunting shots are 100-125yds..

Have you clocked that load? If I'm reading right it's more than five grains below Hodgdon's start load.

Did you mean 4895 rather than 4350?

That's the Nosler book's most accurate load with that powder, it also happens to be a starting load. I don't care what it chronos nor what Hodgdon book says, it works for me.

I just took a look, and that's a pretty big difference between data sets. Nosler's max is 1.3 grains below Hodgdon's minimum. Interesting.

I don't pay any attention to data from sources other than that for the bullets that I am using, too much conflicting information.

I find it aggravating when a bullet company's accuracy load is a low velocity starting load with a powder I don't want to use.

Oh well. I just keep looking, find my own accuracy load.

I get more good info from Fire contributors than from loading manuals. Of course, you gotta check'em out. Some Fire loads can be a bit "interesting", may not want to shoot those in my rifle...

DF

With 110grain Accubonds my model 70 likes RL26. Norma MRP, RL23, RL22, RL17.
RL26 produced the highest velocities with the 110gr and 115gr Nosler Partitions. I found Quickload
Numbers to be very accurate on my rifle.

Is one regular pressure and the other +p?
Loading some Bob this morning, H4350 and 100TTSX.

How much RL 26 you running with those 110's? How about with the 115 Partitions? I have had great luck with RL 22 & 115 Partitions but always looking to tinker

47.7gr RL23 110gr Accubond Win case CCI250 primer 3123fps Quiclload says pressure is 58,022
OAL 2.840

48.5gr RL26 11gr Nosler Partition Win case CCI250 primer 3133fps SD 6.0 these were 3 shot average

Back off about a Grain and a half to start loads. The above loads worked good in my pre 64 model 70 .
MRP also worked good.

Thanks for he info. I am running 48.0 grs of RL 22 with the 115 Partitions in my Remington 700 Mtn Rifle.

The RL23 load is near Max in my rifle. But the RL26 Load is well under Max. Shot the RL26 in my sons Remington 760 pump
and got 3008fps with no problems. The barrel on the model 70 seems to be fast and the 760 has a 22" barrel. I shoot more
115gr partitions because they are the most accurate bullet in both rifles.

Hybrid 100 V - and Barnes 100 TTSX👍

I'm still interested in RL-26 loads with heavier bullets. I'm not saying I've drunk the "26" Kool-Aid, but is does seem to be a dense, high energy powder with exceptional performance in a number of rounds. I would like to see a QL print out for 110/115 gr. bullets and RL-26 in the .257R.

I'd like to work up a high performance NPT/ NAB load.

DF

Ok, you dang enablers have caused me to buy some H100V to try in my Bobs.

DF: Maybe I missed it, but did you ever get a chance to check the velocity variance with temperature?

Also, where is there a good source of published data for 115-120 gr bullets thanks

Haven't temp-tested H100V in the .257 Roberts, but in my NULA .30-06 with 165 Hornady Interlocks it lost almost 200 fps between 70 and zero. Did not bother testing the load at temperatures over 70.

Wow. Sounds like It would not be prudent to work up a load in the winter to use in the summer!

Did you see a big difference in accuracy and POI Also?

I haven’t had a chance to see how it does in cold weather. We don’t have really cold weather locally, so may not get an opportunity.

In our area, temp sensitivity isn’t as big an issue as in colder climates.

H100V gives me the best performance and is my go to .257R powder for the 100 TTSX.

I like H-4350 for heavier bullets like the 110 NBT.

DF

Forgot to mention temp sensitivity may vary from one round to another.

DF

southtexas,

Accuracy got noticeably worse, and POI changed about an inch. That may not seem like much, but it was a NULA that doesn't change POI much even with different bullet weights. Since velocity wasn't anything special with the max listed powder charge, I stuck with powders that didn't vary so much at different temperatures.

That said, Dirtfarmer is correct, temperature sensitivity of the same powder can vary in different cartridges, as well as with different primers. But a load dropping almost 200 fps from 70 to zero is a LOT these days, as much as I've seen with any powder.

Thank you, Gents. good info. I'll keep that in mind when working with 100V. Although, like DF, there isn't that much variation in temps where I hunt with Bobs.

Over a year ago I posted my results with Hybrid 100V in my custom 257 Roberts. It is repeated here simply to illustrate that extrapolating from one rifle/powder/bullet/primer combination to another is questionable at best. My expectations were that of the three different powder/cartridges combinations tested that Big Game would have the least variation and Hybrid 100V the most - was not sure about IMR 7828ssc powder. My expectations were based on 24 Hour Campfire posts by others.

Hybrid 100V gives me velocities 200 fps more than the often suggested load of 46 g. of H 4350 with a 100 g. bullet. My accuracy is similar for both powders and strangely the 4350 load seems to give higher pressures in my tight custom chamber.

The temperature issue intrigued me in part because of what John Barsness printed in Gun Gack about powders acting differently depending on rifle and bullet combinations (see page 28). If I recall correctly John tested Hybrid 100V in a 30-06.

So last winter it got just cold enough here for me to do a crude and simple comparison. I used Hybrid 100V in a 257 Roberts, Big Game in a 7X57, and IMR7828 ssc in a 270.

Temperature was 10-12 degrees F by my thermometer. In the spring I shot the same loads again at 80 degrees +. Ten shots per cartridge at the two different temperatures.

The 7X57 with Big Game showed an average change in velocity of 98 fps. The 257 Roberts with Hybrid 100V showed an average change in velocity of 81 fps. The 270 with IMR7828 ssc showed an average change of 68 fps.

What I learned was: A. There were too many uncontrolled variables to put much stock in my results. and 2. At the temperatures I expect to hunt in I'm not going to worry about it.

Did not test for changes in accuracy because of where I shot in the winter. CCI 200 primers were used in the 7X57 and 257 Roberts and Winchester Large Rifle in the 270 (one of the uncontrolled variables mentioned), it was also difficult to keep the temperature controlled through the whole session. For these and other reasons I have hesitated to make my results public and they are meaningful only to me.

The only way you will know if temperature will affect your rifle and load is to test it. But be forewarned, it is not as simple as it first appears! JB in another post described how he does it and he does a much better job than my simple effort.

CKW: very interesting info. thanks for sharing!

CKW,

Yes, thanks for sharing again.

As you've experienced, one of the problems of testing in actual hunting conditions is consistent conditions. As I've noted here and there (including in my recent HANDLOADER article) is that while many of today's powders are very consistent from 70 to zero degrees Fahrenheit, even the best of them vary at temperatures above 70 degrees. Which is probably at least part of the reason for some of the velocity spreads you recorded.

Don't shoot a 257 Roberts, but I gather a 6.5 x 57 will work close enough....

from 85 grain to 140 in that rifle... and the same with a 6.5 x 55...

the three powders I would commonly reach for, are what most people who know
me on the campfire, would already know my choices...

No particular order...IMR 3031...IMR 4895.... IMR 4064...

some of the velocity from your guys choices may be a 100 to 150 fps faster at most.. usually
not much fast, if at all...

and accuracy is certainly going to be right there...

and finally temp sensitivity isn't going to be that much of an issue if at all either....

Never noticed those problems in my MN days, and certainly not an issue here in Oregon...
unless I load real hot, and the temps also get REAL HOT come summer time..

The old standby powders still work just fine...and have been doing so for decades...

Thanks, MD, I had not thought through the fact that my warm temperatures were above 70 degrees. That may help explain some of the wonky results in my efforts.

Interesting topic.

Maybe there is a bigger change on the upper end, 70-100*, than 0-70*.

Would appreciate comments on that.

DF

I just shot a few 115 NBT loads over 48 gr. RL-26 with Rem 9 1/2 primers. It comes up to the case shoulder, not to the neck, which isn't bad for a magnum powder. It's pretty dense.

I was shooting groups, didn't set up the chrono. That load isn't accurate in my Brux/700 .257R. With the 115 NBT, I'm sticking with H-4350. When sighted for that bullet, my 100 NBT and 100 TTSX, H100V loads shoot a couple inches high, an inch or so to the right. So, ya gotta sight for one or the other; I'm sticking with the 115 NBT for now.

I'm gonna work up heavy bullet 7RM and maybe .300 WM loads with RL-26, don't think it fits the .257R, at least not mine. Some are pushing 115's at 3,000+ fps, I'll stick with sub inch H-4350, 115 NBT loads at 2,900+. I know first hand what it'll do.

Loonies will be Loonies...

Just can't help myself. A new load hits the Fire, gotta try it...

DF

My load for my M70 Featherweight is 46.0 gr. IMR 4350, Remington 9-1/2 primer and a 90 gr. Barnes X bullet. It's a.5 inch shooter all day with that load. The bad part is Barnes no longer makes the 90 gr. X bullet. My choice is either the 80 grain or 100 gr. bullet, neither of which my rifle likes very much. Or, I should say, doesn't like it as much as it did the 90 gr. That little rifle is a killing machine.

A 115 gr. Partition at 3133 fps is not far from what a 270 can do. I am snatching up the first container of RL26 I see.

RL26 works well with many calibers. Four or five powders will give the same velocity in the
257 Roberts. However RL26 seems to do it at lower pressure. But in the 270 with 150gr bullets the RL26 is head of the pack.
RL26 is very accurate in the 7MM mag, but several other powders make just as much velocity. Currently I
use Retumbo. If I could only have one powder it would be RL26 Or Norma MRP. In the 270 Win with 140gr Accubonds RL23
holds a slight edge. But RL26 gives you about 50fps more speed. I.m using the RL23 in my 270 Winchester for deer hunting,
RL16 in my 30/06 with 150gr Accubonds and Retumbo in my 7MM mag with 160gr Accubonds for Elk.

Dub Hornady makes a 90 gr. GMX in .257 The GMX is Hornady's mono bullet. Might give you the performance the Barnes did

See my earlier post on RL-26 with 115's in the Roberts. It may be fast, but it shot 3" groups out of my half inch gun. Burned dirty, left residue.

I'm gonna try RL-26 in my 6.5CM and 7RM. It is a dense, high performance powder with lots of potential. Not sure the Roberts is its finest application. Being dense, you can get a lot in a case without compressed loads.

DF

In my 270 Winchester with 140gr Accubonds my favorite is RL23 it has proved more accurate than RL26, but a little slower.
Pressure goes up quicker though.

I can try it in my 270 if it doesn't work out in the Roberts. I already have a can of RL22 for testing in both rounds.

Look forward to your report.

DF

I've been eyeballing that Hornady GMX. I have about 50 rounds left of the Barnes X bullets loaded. I'm being very stingy with those, but when I run out I guess I'll try that GMX.

Thanks to all for sharing the good load info in this thread