Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Reloading for 257 Roberts

Anything one should be aware of? Have some older brass, noticed some of it is labeled +P. Also noticed several of my reloading manuals have +P sections. I would assume that +P data has to be used in +P cases? Some of this brass is old enough I didn't know the label.. Super Speed, had to look that up. Winchester before Super X.. I did notice that the +P brass is about 14g heavier than the NON +P brass. Again I assume the cases are thicker? Both were Winchester Super X cases.

No you don't need to use +P data in +P cases. Just work up loads for the brass you have.
As with any reloading, if the cases vary much in internal volume I separate cases and work up the loads separately for each batch. I do it for consistency, round to round.
I necked up ~100 or so 6 mm Remington cases I reserve for 75 grain Sierras. My hunting loads with 100 grain NPT and 90 grain Sierra HPBT go in Nosler +P brass. I don't use +P data, just the regular 257 Roberts data at Hodgdon's website. I'm loading them for a small ring Mauser though and 46k C.U.P works just fine. The 6 mm Remington cases weigh less, but not much.

John Barsness wrote an excellent article on reloading the 257 Roberts some years back. I believe it was in an issue of Handloader. If you can find a copy of it you would be well off.

I put about 46 grains of H4350 under a 100 grain and about 44 grains under a 117, both shoot well in my Kimber select classic, I am hunting with 117 grain cup and core bullets now there is no need for a TSX in a Roberts to kill WT deer.

Agree with previous post about brass.

Here's a link to .257R loads.

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

DF

In mine I used H4350 and 100gr Sierras and never looked back. Good accuracy, around 2900fps, and 2 antelope, 2 mulies, and 2 whitetails one shot each.

I have been using 47.0 gr IMR 4350 with 100 gr Sierra Gameking for years. I think I have more in the track kills with that combo than any other rig I own.
GreggH

I load 45 grains of H4350 and 117 Sierra flat base, and get 2840 fps for it from a 24 inch barrel in a Mauser VZ33 action. I have loaded as high as 46.5 grains and got 2970fps, but accuracy was not good, so I dropped back again. I also loaded up to 49.0 grains of H4831 and got 2960fps, but same result, accuracy was not great. I dont think this bullet / rifle likes the velocity.
But at 2800 fps they kill red deer just fine, so they will deal with whitetails surely.

I would like to load some 100 grain bullets in this cartridge though, and try them. If I could get near 3100 fps with a 100g BT I think I would change.

In my opinion the Roberts is easy to load for. Or maybe most .257R users are easy to please. It's one of my all time favorites for deer and such. My current .257 is a custom job on a Montana 1999 medium length action which allows for a 3" OAL and I like that. The various 4350's and the newer equivalents are your friend. My rifle seems to prefer 100gr bullets over the 115-120's, through not by much. The bullets that I have the most experience with are: Nosler's 100 and 115gr BT, and the Hornady 117gr BTSP. My rifle has a 22" Pac Nor barrel and I can count on 3000FPS with the 100gr Nosler and just under 2900 FPS with the heaver stuff without torturing my cases or the rifle.

I will of course segregate the brass by head stamp. I always do. Have plenty of powders, 4350 looks like a good starting point have the RL's 19 22 etc as well. The Rifle is a pre64 Model 70 so not really worried that it can't take a +P round. First time I have seen a rifle round with a +P section.. Was wondering if for some reason the older NON +P brass would be suspect.

The really old brass may be suspect from an embrittlement standpoint.

CarlsenHighway:

If you want 3100 fps with a 100-grain bullet, you should try Hodgdon's Hybrid 100V. My 22" Ruger .257 gets 3250 fps with a 100-grain Sierra with fantastic accuracy with data from Hodgdon's website.

H100V is the speed champ. See my link posted earlier.

100 gr. TTSX is a killer at 3,250 fps.

Accurate, too.

DF

Nosler does sell "+P" brass for the Bob. Not cheap but very nice stuff. I have a newer Kimber which is a fairly light rifle, so I've never pushed the loads much.

Dirtfarmer, I certainly agree--it made my .257 think it was a .25-06. I'll have to try the Barnes TTSX sometime.

We have an amazing powder selection now, much better then when I started reloading in the late '60's.

With the right powder, older rounds can really shine and without having to push them.

DF

Yep, even my ancient .30-06 thinks it's a .300 H&H, due to modern chemistry, not to mention modern bullets.

Thanks for all the info, The rifle,in question perhaps should not be shot at all. About 98%, However that is what it was made for. so I will shoot it. Not going to hotrod it, but a decent deer round. I had to pull the blanking screws to mount a scope. Doubt it ever had one since '54.

That old '54 deserves to be shot, agree with that decision.

Is the rear action bridge drilled and tapped?

DF

Not a gunwriter but H4831 and 117 SBT Sierras have served well for forty years or so, probably good for another.