Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 257 Roberts or 7mm08

I cant decide beween these 2 guns. I hunt in the adirondacks in new york and a long shot is 75 yads. But me and my dad are planing to go to wyoming again for some spped goats. What would you choose.

I think I'd go with Bob, based on the retro cool factor alone. OR you could regain your senses and get a .270 WCF, everyone knows it kills things much deader than ANY 7mmm.

Unless your a rifle and cartridge aficionado who has all the chamberings but those already and you handload I would consider other rounds that will do about the same but will be easier to find ammo for.

The 7-08 is adequate for the game you mention and the 257 Roberts is borderline too small. Also the 257 r never caught on so it's ammo is very hard to find.

Other suitable and even more popular rounds are the 30-06 and the .308.

I feel a burr under my saddle.....

Get something that burns over 70gr of slow burning powder and shoots real fast. That's how you have fun with speed goats.

Might want to take the saddle off then and put it back on the goat....

Seriously........zeesh

Dober

ok, here is what I think,,, and it is in line with most of the above notes. Use a 270 winchester (Jack would say Yes.)if you don't handload.....but, if you do reload and are a rifle loony, like most on this site, go with the Bob..it is a cool "retro" round. Just my view.

Seriously....you got to get off the farm Toto


Dober

Seriously....he asked about the Roberts or 7/08 to hunt lopes and you come up with load of gackola....

Dober

obviously, either will work fine for the uses you describe, so get the one that blows your skirt up. no game animal is going to feel the difference, so get what makes you happy.

My choice would be the 7mm-08, but then I'm biased. In truth, either one will get the job done.

I hunt a lot in PA, not much different from what you have in NY. I've owned a 257R since '72, and a number of calibers similar to the 7mm08. I have not hunted antelope. I love the Roberts, but for the North East deer woods, I'd go with the 7mm08. The trajectories are really not that much different, so I don't think an antelope would know the difference. Deer prbably don't either, but the Roberts is not a meat hunter's dream. But go with what you like.
Just my thoughts.
Bfly

Having been a 7mm-08 fan/user for over 30 years, that's my preference for what you suggested. It'll do the job.

However, a +1 to what Steve NO said:

"obviously, either will work fine for the uses you describe, so get the one that blows your skirt up. no game animal is going to feel the difference, so get what makes you happy."

If you don't reload and try to buy ammo locally - check availability of each - may help you decide. Also look at availability in specific rifles you have a preference for.

kbruceM7KID -

Either will work just fine. I use my Roberts with 100g TTSX and 110g AccuBond for antelope. If I had a 7mm-08 I'd use 140g bullets.

If you don't handload the 7mm-08 is probably a better choice in terms of ammo variety and availability.

Either will do, but these are factors to consider:

1. Budget. A rifle chambered in 257 Roberts will almost always be more expensive than a comperable rifle in 7mm-08.

2. Ammo. The 257 Roberts is better, IMO, as a reloader's cartridge, due to the limited variety of factory ammo. 7mm-08 ammo is easier to find and there is more variety.

3. YAHOO. You always have other options. What about the 25-06 or 270 in lieu of the 257 Roberts and 7mm-08? Long actions verses short actions, but the difference isn't all that much. I bought a 25-06 Marlin X gun from a 24HCF member for under $300 and it shoots MOA with Fed/Rem factory ammo.

Jeff

The 257 Roberts definitely will kill antelope.

I guarantee it!





donsm70

"the Roberts is not a meat hunter's dream" ???????

To Savage99 , have you ever even seen/fired a 257 roberts or seen it used on a 100 lb antelope or deer?


Come on guys we refer to ourselves as rifle looneys because we like rifles not because we're touched in the head.

To the op both would be fine for your intended use but as you have probably guessed I am a big roberts fan and have used it over the past 30+ years. It is a great round. I will stipulate that factory loads can generally be improved on by reloading and you don't buy your ammo at walmart generally but it is not hard to come by and some of the hornady and federal premium loads are quite good.

Well a 257Bob would be what I would do, for a couple of reasons, one light recoil. Plenty of good 25 cal bullets, Plenty cartridge for White tails and Antelope. At least it is for those who tend to shoot game as apposed to paper. I some times wish Blaser made barrels chambered for that round, they don't.

You can't go wrong with either of these fine cartridges. I have both and they're soft on the shoulder, ez to reload for, and versatile as both will handle bullets with a 30-40gr weight difference. The 7mm-08 now has better options as far as factory loads are concerned.

I hunt in upstate NY also and use these for coyotes to black bear.