It is odd how advertising can get a so so cartridge to supplant a much better one. The Bob was chambered in a too short action and pressures kept to 45000 psi which cut performance way down. I like the 722 but wouldn't build a Roberts on it.
I've probably owned close to a dozen 722s in 257 Roberts, still have one, and can't see a reason not to load it to its full potential. Since I only shoot varmints and medium game with my rifles chambered in 257 Roberts, the bullets that I load for them are all in the 75 thru 110 grain range, with the majority being 75, 87, and 90 grain varmint bullets and 100 and 110 grain medium game bullets. None of the bullets that I use are negatively impacted by using them in a short action or have positively benefited from using them in a long action.
I would agree that the 57mm/2.244" case length limits bullet weight/length options in the short, 2.84", action Remington magazine boxes. OTOH, I can't think of a .257" bullet better suited to shooting medium game with a 257 Roberts than the 100 grain Partition or 110 grain AB, both of which work flawlessly through the 2.84" magazines.
I currently have 10 rifles chambered in 257 Roberts, 3 long actions and 7 short actions. The long actions are a Mexican Mauser, a Swedish Mauser, and a Ruger 77. The short actions are a Marlin XS7, 3 Remington 700s, a Remington 722, a Ruger 77, and a Savage 11. My current favorites are a long action Ruger 77 RSI and a short action Remington 700 CDL-SF.
EDIT: The most frustrating 257 Roberts that I've owned was a sporterized 1936 style Mexican Mauser. It had a 1-12" ROT Flaig's barrel and would only shoot good groups with bullets in the 75 thru 87 grain range. It wouldn't shoot good groups with the normally reliable 90 grain Sierra BTHP, but would routinely go MOA or better with whatever 87 grain Hornady or Speer bullet I loaded in it ahead of 42 grains of IMR-3031. As picky as it was, you'd think that it was of the female gender. So I rebarreled it in 243.
