Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Range report -- 1949 M70 .257 Roberts -- Leupold M8 3X

Was able to easily get on target at 100 yards by removing the bolt and sighting through the bore.

The bench setup was not optimum, with a shaky rest. My eyes need more than 3X, a big fat circle is not the best target, and the Leupold is not parallax free at 100 yards. But I was very pleased with the overall first time performance using Nosler 110 gr. AccuBond +P.

My Friend Bob:(1949 Model 70 257 Roberts)


Three rounds at 100 yards. About. 2.25"
Qualifies as 1 MOC (i.e., one Minute of Cervidae)

Nice rifle my friend. Definitely minute of deer. Like I said in your other thread, I wouldn't be able to shoot moa with that scope. Not dissing on your rifle or set-up. You'll have fun at least, just trying.

As the Forum knows, I do not hunt. But I still get a thrill out of this 70 year old tool.
Think of me as a steward for the next guy or gal who will take it hunting.

That’s a great set up. Very good looking rifle!

As I've told you before, you don't need to hunt to enjoy a rifle like that. Those 257 Roberts seem to be harder and harder to find... Better hang on to that one...

Sweet rifle. It needs to be shot more for your pleasure.

While the .257 Roberts in a pre'64 M/70 is not that rare it is somewhat uncommon. I have have been collecting and shooting pre'64 M/70's since 1973, in my experience .257 Roberts are found either in collector condition or in well used condition. Nice shooter/hunter grade rifles are hard to find, I was fortunate to find a Featherweight whose previous owner had rebarreled to .257 Roberts. Shortly after purchasing I found a Paul Jaeger custom stock for it here in the 'Fire Classifieds, I plan to deer hunt with it this fall.

FWIW, had a 257 Roberts years ago ( Mauser 98, 22” Douglas sporter barrel, double set trigger). It shot 100 grain flat base Hornady 100 grain regular spitzers into dime-sized groups using 45 - 46(?) grains IMR 4350. Wish I kept it.

I love the fact you are using a fixed power scope. Love it even more that it is a Leupold 3x ( have the same scope on my BACO Win M70 sporter 30-06). I think we are going in “magnification and zoom stupid mode” these days regarding rifle scopes ( with prices to match). A 3x scope will meet any big game hunting need to the limit of the 257 Roberts’ ( and most other big game cartridges’) effective range. Works fine for just shooting for the fun of it too.

Well done, my fellow fixed-power scope brother of mine.

Nice rig, from stem to stern.

I have a pretty nice M8 3X that I am considering putting on a GD III BAR in '06. In my youth, I killed a deer at a bit over 250 yards running up a canyon wall using a 2 1/2X atop a .300 Savage. Two comments: Lucky shot and a terrible time retrieving the meat, requiring almost a mile pack out.

My favorite grab and go rifle is a light .308 wearing a 4X Zeiss that has worked well near and far.

I use a binocular for looking so the low power aiming device is no real handicap for coyote and larger animals.