In my .257 AI with 23 inch barrel I get just about 3000 fps with the 115gn Ballistic Tip. I load Nosler's load of 50.5gn H4831. This is about 120 fps more than I get in a standard 22 inch barrelled Roberts with the same bullet. I just took it out west a couple of weeks ago and scored nine kills with nine shots and it killed the pigs just as good as the standard Roberts.
The reason I ended up with the AI version was I bought a .257 Roberts Ruger Ultralight in 'perfect' condition online. It was indeed in perfect condition ……...…. on the outside but the barrel was pitted in patches along the entire length. The previous owner had apparently never heard of gun oil despite living in the humid weather of north Australia. So I was going to get my gunsmith to rebarrel it with a standard Bob barrel but remembered he had an AI reamer so I went that way just to try something different (I already had two other Bobs in the safe) and I guess all rifle looneys should try at least one improved cartridge once in their lives.
So whether or not the AI version will be better than the standard Roberts remains to be seen...……...BUT, I must admit I had immense fun in fireforming 50 cases for it. I remember 20 years ago watching a mate fireforming 22-250 AI cases and the memory must have stuck in the back part of my brain. Loading a standard Roberts cartridge and then ejecting a nice shiny fireformed AI case was one of the best handloading experiences I can remember doing. It seems as I get older simple things can still amuse me. I remember feeling a bit disappointed as I fireformed the last case.
Last edited by Elvis; 02/14/20.
