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.

+2

Based on what I have read, the Bob seems like the cartridge that I need to compliment my 30.30 to start my kids on. The problem is, this round comes with a lot of rules. Long action vs. short action, it is a reloaders round etc. How do you know which action the manufacturer builds their gun on? Who wants to buy a new rife and it only shoot very light or very heavy bullets? I can reload for it but future generations may not want to. Is there any chance that new gun chambered in .257 Roberts will shoot factory ammo accurately? The .25-06 seems to come with less strings attached but I am told that the Bob has less recoil and report, making it ideal for kids.

yup. all true.

we all need one

I prefer the Bob round in a short action. If you're doing a long action, just do a 25-06. And I'm speaking of Rem 700's because I'm not at all a Winchester bolt fan.

I've got Kimbers and Remingtons and Rugers and Mauser customs chambered for the round as well as the AI version of it. I don't shoot any factory rounds, but I recently simplified my life and just started reloading all of my Bobs to factory COL and haven't looked back. And I'm getting good accuracy. Any factory round will work in any modern factory 257 rifle.

Don't sweat others' "rules". I don't follow others' rules when it comes to the Bob and I absolutely love the cartridge.

Of those listed I'd do this one hands-down, although I'm of the opinion that a Bob oughta be built on an intermediate mauser '98... preferably a small ring like a Husky or Mexican. I don't say that because of any limitation on action length, but because that is what the round was designed for and because I love well done classy Mauser customs.

Similarly, the issue of short actions and bullets/seating is a settled one in my mind. It has been reviewed ad nauseum around here and there isn't any real issue there.

Kimber for sure.

I have honestly found it not to be that big a deal. I load 100 g SP's and H4350 per Mule Deer's recipe and it shoots just fine. I've got no interest in hot-rodding the cartridge. It burns less powder than a .25-06, so yes it has less recoil and report.

If you want something more universal for the non-handloader with more readily available ammo that has bob-like ballistics, just get a .243.

Having the rifle favor lighter or heavier bullets is a problem that you would run into with factory rifles in just about any caliber.

Those Kimber Select Grade's are beautiful!

My 257 was built by the Savage Custom shop on a short action that allows an OAL of 2.900+" With minimal load development, it will give 1.00" with 100 gr Nosler Partition, and smaller with the 115 gr Ballistic Tip. I found out last year what the 100 Partition will do to a nice 10 pt. whitetail, and hopefully this season will find out how the 115 gr Ballistic Tip works, not that I have any doubts.
With the Accustock and AccuTrigger, I am very happy with the minimal recoil and good accuracy the Savage gives me.
I like the 257 Roberts, and will probably rebarrel my Tikka 7-08 to the "Bob" in the near future.

Recently picked up a RH Win M70 SS Classic in 7mm08. Once all of the left over 7mm08 ammo in the house is burnt up, action will go to Douglas Barrels to become a .257 Roberts. Nominally for the grand daughter since it is a RH rifle. But, more just because I haven't played with a .257 before. Looking for first hand experience to compare with my .243's.

As long as we are posting kimber bob pics

i think we should call those "Kim Bobs" like jim bob.

stupid i know, but it made me chuckle.

As several have said, the Bob does very well without hot-rodding. Mine is a 1909 Argentine Mauser, a Douglas featherweight throated for 3" OAL, and a nice stick of Claro purchased from Pachmayr in the mid-70's when they still sold wood and did inletted, profiled blanks. I stopped at ~2900 fps with a 100 gr. Ballistic Tip-3 hot groups around an inch, very mild recoil, kills everything it's pointed at.

Clarence

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Of course you need a Roberts. Doesn't everyone need one or two or three or.......

click pic for more details

I'm working on #3. I have a pre-64 M70 in a Roberts and have used a Kimber Montana in 257 Roberts for the last couple of years for Wyo speedgoats.

I am still looking for a Ruger that will shoot well and just made a deal on a 77 MKII Ultralight in 257 Bob. Haven't got it yet, but very anxious to try it.

donsm70

Mine's an A Bolt II White Gold Medallion. Never thought I'd have a stainless rifle but couldn't resist this one. Limited edition, 1 of 50.

I have a 257 Hawkeye and a Kimber, much to my surprise. Prepare yourself, though, as the Ruger I have had an extremely short throat. When lengthened, it is very nice. The Kimber throat could be lengthened, but the mag is too short to load the longer rounds.

Overall, if I had to choose something for heavier than about 90 gr, I would have to go with the Ruger. The Kimber is without doubt a finer rifle and weighs a good bit less.

Have a M77 MKII and thinking about a Kimber. As long as I have deer to hunt I won't willingly be without one.