Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .257 Roberts Build

I would like to build a .257 Roberts, was wondering what cartridge you guys would choose to build one from? I like the 700 action- would probably choose that in a long action to start with, but if I decided a short action- I would probably go with a model 7, just don't know what cartridge would make the best and easiest route to start with.

If you gotta then you gotta, but I wouldn't build a 257 these days.

25 cal, long 700 --> 25-06

7, short 700 --> 6.5 CM

I'll take a different tack from mathman and say do it because not everyone else will have one. You can get 700 ADLs for $350 bucks if you want a donor. Long or short? Probably short. but a good argument could be made for going either way.

Short action and load your own. Send a few dummy cartridges loaded at about 2.825" so it will be throated right.

The 257 Rbts was my favorite cartridge for many years. I've had SA and LA and Win 70, etc. I'm down to one Win Pre-war 70 custom and a 250AI custom.

A natural fit for the Roberts is where it started- a 98 Mauser action, (8x57, 7x57) unless you don't like it for a particular reason. a few trips to the local pawn shops will usually turn up a diamond in the rough- usually already drilled and tapped for a scope mount, aftermarket trigger and safety. also I think there are still a lot of short chambered barrels in .257 Roberts out there and available, as are a variety of really nice sporter stocks and other accessories. Just my 2 cents worth- Desertshooter

As much as I love my 257s, if I were starting today, I'd do this ^^^^^^^

I'm with desertshooter.

Somebody who lusts for a .257 Roberts isn't into ballistic minutiae. While the .25-06 may beat it in velocity and "practicality", when handloaded to modern pressures the .257 is so close there ain't any meaningful difference in the field out to at least 300-400 yards, and I've taken plenty of animals with both rounds.

Build a .257 on a commercial 98 action and be happy. Or even on a short 700 action--unless you feel compelled, for some reason, to use one of the very few high-BC .25-caliber bullets.

My wife and I have been killing pronghorns, feral pigs, whitetails, mule deer and cow elk with the .257 for decades. It works.

No question about that! And I'm committed. I've got the rifles, dies, and a lifetime supply of brass and bullets. I ain't changing now!

But if I were starting from scratch, I'd look pretty hard at the 6.5CM: Lots of apparently accurate ammo available. Plenty of brass and a great bullet selection. A plethora of accurate rifles in pretty much any price range you could be interested in.

And best of all....it launches good 120gr bullets at 2900ish....just like the Bob.

I've had a couple of .257 Rob on LR98 actions and am nearly finished with one on a Mexican small ring 98 but really love my Kimber 84M Classic Select and wouldn't have built if I'd have started with it.

On the other hand I must agree with John; if you're looking to build a Bob the commercial 98 is the way to go.

Agreed. Problem is, you build one and then get hooked on it and find that lately it's a bitch to find brass for it. Been using 6mm and 7x57

Bunch of damn romantics ......

Hard to beat starting with a Kimber 84m already in .257 Roberts. (I'm biased)

I agree there are "easier" and more practical choices out there- but there's just something to me about a light little wood/blued .257 Roberts that does it for me.

If I didn't lose on my first spin of Kimber Roulette, I probably would have bought one of those. I'm soured on Kimbers now, and while I'll never say never- I will say not now for them. I don't know a whole lot about Mauser actions, which makes me leery about getting into a build with one at this time.

From what I have read, the only advantage to the long action is you can seat heavier bullets out further and they're guaranteed to fit in the magazine? The only advantage to the short action is they can be built lighter, but if you are using the heavier bullets that are seated out further the magazine may not work? I was originally thinking of building something like an old Remington Mtn Rifle, before they made them with a detachable magazine, maybe with a nice stick of wood. Obviously I'm a bit too late to get this done for this season, so I have some time to think over my options. Thanks for all the expertise, as usual, guys!

I think that's the gist of the choice, yes





I really like this idea personally. Seems like finding one in 7x57 and then rebarreling would be a cinch.

Ive never owned a Remington short action and don't know their specs but if their mag constraints are shorter than the Kimber action I'd not go that route. In my Kimber even middle of the road 100 gr NBTs are seated pretty deeply.

Good luck on the build; as was pointed out brass is tough to find right now but I've had good luck sizing down 7x57.

My Ruger M77 in .257 Roberts quickly became my favorite rifle after I acquired it in 2004. It is a long action with a long throat and shoots tiny groups with 75g V-MAX, 100g TTSX, 110g AB and 120g AF. With the longer action and magazine I can seat bullets to the base of the neck and no deeper, regardless of the bullet.

If you choose a short action you lose some flexibility in loading. No other drawbacks. Whether the modest gain in reduced action length and weight is worth it is a personal call.

the .257 is a very pleasant cartridge to shoot. I have to fight my daughters for it when we are at the range. With the 110g AB in WW +P brass and with +P pressures (3163fps in my 22" Ruger), the .257 Roberts gives up very little to the 6.5CM or .360 Rem. The 100g TTSX does 3233fps. Both loads use H4350.

Good luck on your build - I think you'll like it.

Other than quality/availability of brass and precision oriented die sets.

The thing that surprised me when I got mine is how much "nicer" the .257 Bob is compared to the .243. If all you need is about 2900 fps. w/ a 100 gr. bullet, the Robert's does it at much lower pressures. The brass seems to last forever, the muzzle blast isn't so bad, etc. With today's quality bullets, it is a great choice. E

Nosler .257 Roberts brass is usually available and I think Jamison's made some too, or maybe I'm mixing it up with 250 Savage?

I have had a 700 classic and a Ruger 77 in 257 roberts. Both were /are very nice as was a 700 min rifle . My 77 has a stock that someone slimmed down and re checkered and added an ebony nose cap. Both shot quite well but I like the Ruger of the two. If I was wanting a new roberts I would probably look at Kimber, or if you can recall the recent thread where someone was recarving Ruger stocks to resemble old prewar Mauser style stocks , I might hustle up a model 77 and go that route.

I've had quite a few rifles come and go in my life, and most I but dimly remember. The .257's stick out though- a Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1952 (I really should have my ass kicked over that one), Ruger M77 Lightweight or Featherweight or whatever it was called (a joy to carry but not particularly accurate), and a custom pre-war 98 Mauser marked ".25 Roberts" and a rather famous maker's name who shall remain anonymous or you'll really kick my ass. The urge has been coming over me again of late and I've been casting mean glances at a 98 Mauser I have.

The Savage 99 .250-3000 is a sweetheart, but it ain't a .257 Roberts. .25-06 is more gun than I want/need.