Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Best of the 7x57 based cartridges for deer

I have a hard time choosing between the 7x57 and 257 Roberts for deer sized game. Have never really played around with the 6mm Remington but have always wanted to. What say you?

I don't know how big the Alabama whitetails get, but a well-placed bullet from a 6mm or 243 will do quite well on most deer.

The use of a heavier bullet/larger caliber is also nice.

The dilemma you face is of your choosing. I think practice, scouting and bullet selection would be more important than cartridge, so enjoy whatever you have, or want, and go forth to slay those deer!

I have shot deer (fallow) with the .257 Roberts (100gn) and the 7x57 (150gn) and they all fell over the same. I have also shot deer with the 6.5x55 and 6.5CM and also the .280, .308, and .303 and again I haven't really noticed any difference in killing power between any of the cartridges mentioned. The .257 100gn killed as well as the 174gn RN from my .303. So I guess it will come down to you what you prefer. Fallow deer would be the size of your whitetail deer but if you want to shoot bigger deer like elk maybe go for the 7x57. I have noticed over the last few years I have been hunting more and more with .25 and 6.5mm cartridges as well as 7mm. My .30s, 8x57, 9.3 seem to be pushed up the back of the safes.

I'd go the .257 Roberts over the 6mm Remington simply because you could play with the great bullets from 110 - 120gn (110gn Accubond, 115gn Ballistic Tip and 117gn Hornady SP). I loaded the 115gn Ballistic Tip in one of my .257 Rs at just under 2800fps and it was a real good killer on pigs, even on going away shots. I am now loading it in my .257 Rob AI at 2900+fps but haven't shot anything with it yet. I guess it will kill just as well doing an extra 120fps from the standard Roberts.

So I guess my waffling hasn't really swayed you much except that the smaller Roberts seems to kill as well as the 7x57 on deer. Maybe pick the rifle you like the best or dare I say it...……………...get one of each.

all deers in all places: 6.5-257 mauser action

My vote is the Roberts. Been killing deer with one for 25 years. Always used the Sierra 100 gr BT. That rifle holds the most on the spot kills of any of my rifles.
GreggH

If you only ever plan to hunt White Tail, flip a coin between the 6mm and 257. Load a Nosler Partition, and never look back. If you want to hold open the option for bigger game in the future, the 7x57. JMO...

Used a 6mm for several years and eventually decided it was a better varmint than big game round. I think highly of the 257 Roberts and regard the 7mm Mauser as a genuine classic.

One can never surpass the classic 7x57.

6.5x55 is a good one.

As with dozens of other cartridges, all 3 work fine if you put a properly constructed bullet into or through the heart, lungs, or CNS.

I'm rather fond of the 257 Roberts and the 110 grain AB for shooting deer with a Remington 700 CDL-SF barreled action bedded in a McM Hunter stock and topped with a Leupold VX2 4-12x40.

But I have 24 options to choose from; 6mm x2, 257 Roberts x14, and 7x57 x8.

.270 Ingwe.

.257 Roberts or 7x57 necked up or down depending on which cartridge you use. I use the Roberts necked up.

The rifle is a CZ 550 American re-barreled to .270 Ingwe.


On the left is a .257 Roberts necked up to .277",in the middle is a .257 Roberts,on the right is a .275 Rigby neck down to .277."



It's first kill,a jackrabbit. Practicing for the up coming hunting season. The load I used is 47.0 grains of RL-16,Fed 210 Match primer,130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

Either will work fine, but did you know that Brno made the model 21 in 6.5x57...you will get years of fun trying to locate one.

Think of the entertainment value!

Why go to the trouble and expense of building a .277x57 to get less performance than the common as dirt 270?

It's purely subjective but if recoil is a factor for you or anyone else (wife, GF, kids) the 257 gets the job done with a minimum of fuss. And factory fodder is available.

Cause it's my money and I want to.

And besides...why not?

I am a fan of the 6mm which I am shooting in AI form now. Probably from reading so much Warren Paige in my formative years. I am also a fan of all of the x57 cartridges. I have only tried the 6, .25, 7, and 8mm versions and the 6.5x55 which is a kissing cousin. You can't go wrong with any of them. I might choose the 7x57 for class and nostalgia but if I had the funds I would have one of each plus an 8.5, 9.3 and maybe even 10mm version.

If I were to build only one it might be the 6.5 x 57 which is as good as it gets as deer cartridges go.

That has been my justification for building wildcats when common commercial cartridges would have done the same thing more easily and for less money.

"Digger" the undertakers says that he's never seen an armored car in a funeral procession, so spend it while you can enjoy it.

Thats not a 7x57 based cartridge...but I didn't expect any more from you....

Exactamundo