Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 257 Roberts. 100gr or 115-120gr

It shot fine, but as I've noted before seating depth can really affect accuracy with mono bullets. But I couldn't see any real advantage over the 100 TTSX at 3100+, which Eileen has used with excellent results on game from pronghorns at 350+ yards to cow elk.

I gots one of them 257 pipsqueaks. Ive never used it yet. Folks here seem to hold it in high reguard. Oddly i prefer something with more mass and weight but i read that it still gets stuff done reguardless just probably never for me. Wish i come to enjoy it but i have deep quarter bore scars from decades ago

It wasn't that long ago I realized I hadn't played with the 257 much and when a box of dies I bought had both Roberts and 25-06 dies in it and later I somehow ended up with a selection of bullets I had to get a 25 and picked up a Ruger UL in 257 with some miles on it to play with. Have to admit it took a while to get it shooting but I really like it now. The one thing I immediately noticed was that with 100 grain bullets it seemed no different than my 243. Have to shoot several more with the 120 gr. Speer BTSP or the 115 grain Ballistic Tips.

If any bullet doubles in diameter (or even gets close to 2X original diameter) and exits the game, all the damage you can do is done. So energy figures are 100% unimportant if you are getting exits. Will good 100 grain 25 cal bullets exit deer? I think so, but I don't know for sure. Others here can probably answer with certainty. The only 100 grain bullets of .257" I ever killed game with were late production Remington C-Ls and they won't get out the other side of doe antelope (4 of them, so I am pretty sure that's common performance for them)

However the 115 and 120 grain bullet do very well and my daughter and both my grand-sons have killed bull elk with a 257 Roberts and 115 Branes TSX and 120 gr. Nosler Partitions, and several of those bullet exited the elk. So if you speak of deer, I doubt you'd have a thing to worry about with any expanding solid or Partition from a 257 Roberts..

That's exactly my experience with the .257 and .243--and both Eileen and I have shot a bunch of deer (and antelope) with both.

In fact dunno if there's any difference between the .243 and .257 in killing power even when using heavier bullets in the .257. But have mentioned before that the longer I hunt, the less difference I see in "killing power" with various cartridges as long as the bullets expand and penetrate sufficiently to mess up the vitals.

I have killed more deer with 2 different 257 Roberts rifles than with all other chamberings combined. Most of that was with hand loads well below +P maximums and 115 grain bullets. Most often those bullets were Partitions. Some were NBT. Most deer stayed where they were shot. None went far. Put me in the camp that says it doesn't matter. The Roberts is very easy to shoot well.

My old Remington 722, inherited from my grandmother, shot 100-grain Partitions REALLY well when Eileen and I first started using it in the mid-1980s. But it hadn't had many rounds down the barrel before then, even though several family members used it on deer.

We've put 1000+ rounds through it since then, and the throat's somwhat worn. These days it won't shoot 100 Partitions very well--but really like 100-grain Ballistic Tips and TTSXs.

The 100gn Swift Scirocco is a good little bullet. It never seems to get much of a mention though.

Personally I have a 250-3000 savage that I use for deer hunting. I was not satisfied with the blood shot meat damage of the faster 190 grain bullets. As another poster mentioned you CA. Do that with a 243. I have switched to 117 or 120 grain round nose bullets and in my opinion get better blood trails and shorter follow-up. At the woods ranges I shoot at it just works better for me. As the saying goes speed doesn't kill blood loss and oxygen deprivation kill. Just one mans opinion.

MS9x56: Are you using the 117gr Hornady RN. If so what MV are you getting? thanks,

Available now too!

Honestly I had never had any interest in .257 until every bullet that I wanted in 6 or 6.5mm seemed to be out but the 257 version of the same thing was always in stock. Now I want need one

Well at least you haven't rebarreled it to .308 yet! I remember folks on the 'Fire having a meltdown when you posted about doing that (including me!).
I've been having real good luck lately with those super cheap 115 Partitions with the .525" ogive that are for sale on Shooter's Pro Shop website. You might give those a try and maybe that would warm you up to your Roberts.

Hope it grows on you - if not, you know where to sell it!

Rex

All the deer and the one cow elk, I and my son's have killed with my 257 Roberts have been with the 115 NBT at about 2800 fps. The deer were all DRT at ranges of 150 to 210 yds. The cow was at 220 yds. I had crawled to a spot where I layed in the snow for about 15 minutes waiting for a perfect broadside shot. The 1st shot, broadside, went through and through, behind the shoulder; not touching any rib bone. She was dead on her feet but neither she nor I knew it. She turned quartering to me and the bullet hit her front Humerus, breaking it, passing through the vitals and exiting towards the rear of the rib cage. I hit her a 3rd time, pretty much a duplicate of the 2nd shot. Not sure which, 2nd or 3rd, broke the Humorous or the ribs on the way out. Did not find any bullets.....just perfect performance. Working for Barnes I now run the 100 TTSX and our new 101 LRX. Have limited experience with the 80 TTSX but it's showing promise; numerous sub moa groups.

Alan

257 Roberts > i gave my family all a 257 Roberts rifle, so now my daughter , grandson,granddaughter,wife, son and me too all own a 257 Roberts ,and i have 20 boxes of ammo loaded up for this great grand old cartridge the 257 Roberts and its so much easier for them and me to all have the same cartridge hunting too !

Ok, Alan
Give it up on the new 101 LRX!
Happy Trails

Just havent located the barrel i want at this time but im still looking. The sad thing is it has a recent new barrel MPI stock and nice trigger work. It looks nifty. If i dont rebarrel ill probably give it away. Wish i could like the 257 roberta but i have an 7-08 and am set up for it and 308 win. Just one of them things.