Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 25.06 Rem. vs .257 Roberts...

I've hunted with a 25.06 for about 20 years, and I'm a big fan.

But there's a lot of fans of the .257 Roberts, too.

Got to wondering which one was actually more popular, and reasons why?

Is it difference in recoil, or nostalgia, or tradition, or what?

(I see Kimber is taking a run at reviving the Roberts.)

Votes? Thoughts?

I think both the Roberts and the 250 Savage are both a lot more practical.. based on efficiency...

the one that is really nuts tho, is the 257 Roy...

I think that here in Canada, you'll find the 25/06 to be more popular. I could be wrong on that, but the 257Roberts just don't seem to be here in any great numbers at all.

The 25/06 offers a bit more velocity and in some places that would come in handy, but for the hunting I do here in NB, my 257Roberts is more than plenty and has never let me down. Both are great deer cartridges.

I wanted a smaller case. Easier to shoot and a nice break from some of the larger med bores I shoot. The 257R is a nice old classic, and that worked for me as well.

BTW ... Consider that Kimber is NOT offering any warrenty for their rifles sold here in Canada. This is not hearsay. I contacted them personally with this question. I might have bought one otherwise.

Both are good cartridges but if I'm going to drop down to 25 caliber,I start wanting a somewhat shorter,lighter rifle that burns less powder.I know the 25/06 uses a 24" barrel,and is faster than the Roberts but the Roberts does well with a 22" barrel,and I always have felt that if I have to deal with a full size, 30/06 length case,I'd rather have a 270 or 280.To me the 25/06 does nothing I can't accomplish with a 270 or 280,and both those rounds make a bettr general purpose big game rifle than any 25.

The Roberts does 3250-3300 with 87 gr bullets;3100 or so from a 100,and I have had them do better. You'll do about 2900 with 115's. These ballistics are ample for anything I want from a 25,without making a lot of noise and burning more powder,and in a substantially shorter,lighter rifle without a lot of recoil.

I love my Kimber 257. Have no use whatsoever for a 257 Weatherby.

I'd rather have a .243. I don't like any of the .25s.

I suspect that most people that buy the 25/06 buy it for their primary rifle. In that case, they look at the bigger case and higher velocities and deem it better than the Roberts for deer, black bear, and other big game.

Two Bit Aught in a long action or single shot.

Bob in a short action.

GE

I took a lot of deer with the Bob.
Love it.

T

For me, the .257 Rbts does everything that I want in a primary deer rifle. I use Hornady 100 gr. SP at approx 3000 fps and Nosler Partitions in 115 gr at about 2800 fps when I want a little more punch.

Though I've been whitetail hunting for better than 30 years, I never bought a centerfire rifle for that purpose until last year. My father's .243, 30-30, and 30-06 along with my own general-purpose .303 SMLE were all I'd ever used on deer. Once I decided I needed a dedicated deer rifle of my own, I studied cartridges hard to pick the right one for my hunting distances and the size deer we have in the southeast. Twenty-five caliber seemed about right to me, so I looked at the 250-3000, .257 Roberts, and 25-06. I got to try a friend's .25-06 and found the muzzle blast & noise too much for me and the velocity unneeded. That put me onto the Roberts next, and I've very much enjoyed the flexibility I have in creating loads for it. For my part of the world, however, I might well have gone for the .250 Savage...had rifles been available for it. I've never shot one, but the cartridge tables and stories I read indicate it might give me the "just right' level of power I need for Georgia and South Carolina deer.

25.06 vs .257 Roberts..........280 vs 7x57.....

it's all been hashed over so much there's nothing left.....

Since you brought it up, would you rather have a 25.06 or a 7X57? Which one is better?

Rifle,

One of each.

Dave

In a 25-06 vs 7X57 contest doesn't the 270 Win win?!

Isn't the answer obvious?

Why did I know that?

I have the 06 version of the 25 cal and really like it. I tend to look at it this way. The recoil difference between them is neglible - why not have the extra 150-200 ft/sec? I don't see the SA feasibility of the 257. I personally have not seen a 257 built on a short action, always the LA.

At the end of the day, the rifle weighs the same, 25-06 gets more mojo with the same bullets and recoil from both is not significant. I ask why the Bob?

Now if you're a Rifle Looney..............

b:I'm a loony I've had 25/06 as well;also several Roberts built on the long action so I could seat bullets to 3" OAL.Have "cooked" barrels in both calibers(from a Roberts that takes a LOT of rounds) .After having used both out west,and extensively on varmints here,I just found the Roberts more to my liking because I wanted a 22" barreled rifle,and 25/06 does best with 24".

My biggest pronghorn,a Wyoming buck that netted just below B&C,was killed at about 400 yards with a 257 Roberts,and 100 gr Partition.A 25/06 would not have done it more neatly.

Besides,I never reach for a 25 for any serious deer hunting(or anything else)when there's a 270 zeroed and ready to go. For me a 257 something to shoot a lot at the range, take out for varmints,coyotes,antelope on occaission; a fun rifle.The Roberts works ducky and I don't need or want the extra FPS,offered by the 25/06 or Weatherby.If I'm gonna burn that much powder,in a heavier rifle,I want more bore diameter and heavier bullets than 25's offer.

My first rifle given to me from my dad is a Ruger 257 Bobby.Killed my first 2 moose with it using 117gr Hornady Roundnose.I like it but would perfer a 25-06 I reckon.

I'd say split the difference and get the .257 Roberts Ackley.
Longer case life, Good velocity, very efficient. Put it in a 22" barrel with a little meat on it.

I had one done up in a 78 Sportsman Long action for my "Wyoming" rifle. Had Kimber detachable rings for a 6x Leupold to shoot 115 grain Partitions and a second 12Xleupold set up with detach rings sighted in with 75grain Sierra HP's for coyotes and PD. The 12x was a little too much for Coyotes, but just the ticket for PD.

Really, You can't go wrong with either one.