Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5x257 Roberts

Anybody reloading for this old Wildcat ?

Id be interested on knowing what has worked well for you...so far im going to base myself from my 6.5x55 data /experience and some notes and data I found on 6.5x57 which is very close .

regards,

Umm......How is the 6.5x257 any different than the 6.5x57?

The x57 case is the parent in all instances and readily available data for the 6.5x57 is out there.

Ken Waters' Pet Loads has 30 loads listed.

Tell me what weight bullet are you looking at and I could post some loads for it.

www.reloadersnest.com probably has several loads for the 6.5x57 as well.


BTW welcome to the Campfire!

I see now that the .257 Roberts and 7x57 cases are ~.024" shorter to the point of the shoulder than the true 6.5x57.
Data for the 6.5x57 would still work as long as you work up to top loads with an eye on the pressure signs.

i was thinking about this 6.5x57 last night!! but is there any real advantage over a 6.5x55 ? have not went to look up any info yet and this comes up ? how cool lol

Both have nearly identical case capacities of ~50 grains of water, so ballistically they are identical WHEN LOADED TO THE SAME PRESSURE.

The relative rarity of the 6.5x57 as opposed to the 6.5x55 is a negative as far as ammo availability and reloading die prices are concerned but that same rarity has always been a positive to me because I like having cartridges few other have.

right, not much difference other than angle of shoulder. 6.5-257 dies are expensive so Im going to work with my 6.5x55 tools for now (neck size then fireform).

Im going to start by shooting for 140 gr. Sierra Matchkings that I have no other use for and see how that goes. I also have 130 gr. Accubonds and 140 gr. Partitions. Probably wont bother with the 85 gr. HP's I have.

Not really any advantages....just having fun with which a cheap wildcat I picked up.

6.5x257 data is listed in the older Hodgdon #26 and 6.5x57 is almost everywhere. Both are based on the 7x57 case and brass should be formed from the parent case not 257RBTS brass. This warning was given in the hodghon book and explained as the due to the difference in shoulder position and the need for a false shoulder to properly fireform 6.5x257.

Right,

Im trying to track down some older manuals that have 6.5x257...I found a little bit of 6.5x57 in my newer Hornady Manual but I think it was limited to one powder or so. Nothing on the Hodgdon data website....like i said bits and pieces . The best I found so far for 6.5x57 was the Supplement in Ken Waters Pet loads as pointed out earlier by another member.

I do plan on necking down the 7x57 so I should be go to go in that respect.

The 6.5x57 is listed in the new Hornady and all the older editions back to #1. I also found it in the VV manuals of course.

Is everyone fully aware that the 6.5x.257 and the 6.5x57 are different cartridges? 6.5x257 was developed after WWII for rechambering various military rounds in 6.5, while the 6.5x57 was created in the very early 1900's. Their lengths and shoulders are enough different that you have to use the right die to load the specific cartridge.

Northcoast, do you know which rifle you're loading for? Makes a big difference.

Dennis

Rechambered type 38 Arisaka. 6.5x257 roberts

OK...got it. Different from the 6.5x57, which is a German Mauser cartridge from the early 1900's. I have a 1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer, which used to be a 6.5x54 and was rechambered to 6.5x.257. Not by me, I hasten to add...

I'm looking for a genuine 6.5x57, some day...

Dennis

I have always thought the 260 AAR (all around rifle) was pretty nifty; its a 6.5x57 AI or 6.5-257 AI if you will...

I actually have a Mauser action sitting on my bench right now that was originally a 6mm Rem so a 6.5x57 would be a perfect fit... can't decide between that, the 6.5x55 Swede, and 6.5-06.

I love these decisions. !

so what have you been feeding her' ?

41.5gr IMR4320 and a 125 gr. Partition gets me 2714 fps and 3/4" groups out of an 18 1/2" barrel.

42 gr H414 with a Hornady 129 gave me 2754

I've also shot 140's but never chronographed them. I pretty much stopped searching when I got to the 125 gr load. My wife shot a deer with it and I've shot several antelope. I played with some 100 gr ballistic tips and but that was pre-chronograph - Denny

Mine is a type 38 carbine. Timney trigger,restocked,scoped, with a butter knife bolt handle. They can be quite accurate.

thanks for the notes.....I should get to try it in about a month...that should leave me some time to collect brass for it.

Well gang, you are talking my favorite cartridge here..

so I have waded deep into the waters here on learning about it.. which isn't that complicated..

had a 28 inch Pac Nor heavy mag contoured barrel put on a Model 70 Action..one in 8 twist..

the gun smith stamped it as a 6.5 x 57, but it won't chamber when resized in a 6.5 x 57 Die from Forrester...

So I picked up a 257 Roberts die and took out the decapping rod, and then bump the shoulder back with that.. then neck size it with the Forrester..

what the smith gave me was a 6.5 x 257... oh well no big problem

Before building this rifle, I had access to a 6.5/06 and AI version, a 6.5 x 284, and a 6.5 Rem Mag..also had access to a 264 mag but didn't want to even compare it..

was looking for a long range shooter..

built on a long action and with the barrel throated out to magazine length, I found it would keep up with the 6.5/06 all day long and actually bettered the 6.5 x 284 and the 6.5/06 AI in velocity.. all built on long actions...

so I went with the 6.5 x 57...

my motivation was Hornady's Manual saying you won't run into many of these on the game trails of America... COOL>!

once I got it back I just used some of the unending data available with the 260 and the 6.5 x 55..and worked up from there..

I already own multiple 260s and 6.5 x 55s..therefore I wanted something different.. not run of he mill...

the 6.5 x 57 also appealed to me due to brass availability...
I don't shoot a 257 Roberts, but the availability of brass is plentiful, when compared to the 6.5 x 55..

minus the little quirk courtesy of the gunsmith... I love it..

the gun smith offered to correct the problem when I brought it up to him, but a $20.00 die solution solved the problem..

it you like having something different than other folks, then that is the one advantage of the 6,5 x 57 over the Swede...
that and maybe brass availability..

essentially you have a cartridge that is like a 257 Roberts with bullet selection stateside from 85 to 160 grains..

which isn't a bad place to be..

Interesting..thanks

Are you using 7x57 cases ?

Any powder bullet combos to try.

I think im going to start with 140gr. Sierra Matchkings and H4831 and then switch to RL-22 if that does not work .

I use 257 Roberts cases.