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

The 7-08, 154 round nose combo SCREAMS Adirondacks....substitute 120gr NBT's for speed goats.

What rifle?

Savage_99, How do you figure a cartridge closing in on it's 100th birthday hasn't caught on?




That said, to the OP, between the two I would go with the 7-08 (or btwm 3: 7x57), just because you can load it with heavier bullets, which is my personal preference.

If you were a real man, you'd use a 223.

I like and have used both...the 7/08 mostly in New England and the 257 Roberts for deer and antelope out west.Even though hey will handily kill the same game, to me they are different guns.

I like the Roberts for that light game ,open country stuff,along with varmints and it works very well for that.I have shot a pile of western game and varmints with the Roberts and it's my favorite 25 caliber.

I like the 7/08 and consider it as more of an "all around" cartridge, the same as its' famous ancestor, the 7x57.

Personally I would own both....and have.Asked to pick one for the Adirondacks it would be the 7/08;and I would use it for antelope as well. No sweat.

The 7mm08 is a great round but never really turned my crank. I would go with the Roberts just because it is a classy old round. I wouldn't mind havin one in a 84M Classic Select.

Love em both. Bob'd be my choice, but I went with a 250 Savvy!
I seem to always root for the underdogs!
DMc

A 7-08 with a 140gr Partition will kill anything in the lower 48. If you want to go after antelopes, use 120 gr BallisticTips or better yet Barnes TSX.
My 7-08 is probably my 3rd favorite deer rifle, right after my .264WM & my 7X57.
But I just ordered the new Limited Edition Remington Model 7 in .257 Roberts
Better Hurry if you want one, their only making 257 of them !!!!
Either the 7-08 or the 257 will be a great deer gun. Shot placement is always more important than caliber choice. Buy the one YOU like & go hunting....

I googled Rem 7 Limited Editions, but couldn't find any press releases about an up-coming 257R release? I know the Custom Shop offers it? Please elaborate.
DMc

Jeff,

The selection of .257 Roberts factory ammo these days is quite good. I tend to handload for the Bob, but with the exception of the retro Remington 117 RN Core-Lokt ammo, all the factory loads available today are +P or even faster, featuring 117-120 grain bullets at 2780 to 2945 fps. I've used most of them on game and they work very well. I'd happily hunt elk with the 120-grain Nosler Partition load from Federal, listed at 2800 fps. In my experience in several rifles it's a little faster than that.

It's a special run. I think it is for either Lipseys wholesale or maybe Sports South??? I'll find out and let you know. It is a Model 7 Remington with a Curley maple stock that is engraved 1 of 257. Cool looking rifle! I think Dealer cost was about $800

Interesting John. These only average 2685 in my custom Pre 64 with a 24" Krieger.

Alan

How long is the throat in your custom barrel? If it's more than the standard SAAMI that would account for the difference.

I ask because it's common when having a .257 built on a longer action to also ream a longer throat.

2.9" when right against the lands.

Alan

The curly maple sounds like it might be Grice's?

After shooting and seeing shot a pile of deer and antelope with a 257 Roberts from close to 300+ yards, the Bob is more than adequate despite what Savage 99 envisions in his dreams.

I really like both cartridges, and in my old age, I am beginning to get a feel for what I like to carry in a hunting rifle. The .257 Roberts in the house, is a Ruger 77mkII ultralight. The 7mm/08 is the same thing in stainless and dressed out in the boatpaddle stock. Which one I carry depends more on the weather, than the cartridge.

Posting this, do you realize how many guys are going to hate you for having a boat paddle in 7-08? Geez, I hope you get an ingrown nose hair!

If faced with that choice, I'd let the gun dictate the choice of which round to use. If a fine, classic Mauser, pre-64 custom, I'd choose the .257R, or even a 7x57. If I went with a short action, like a M-700, I'd go with the 7mm-08 or maybe look at the .260.

They'll all do what you want to do. Go with the gun and round that "lights your fire."

I had a 700C from the custom shop in 7mm-08. It was a fine rifle and very accurate round. The "fire" sorta went out on that one and it went down the road. No regrets here, but a great gun and round, nevertheless.

IMHO,

DF

I was also thinking, but didn't write, that 257 Roberts ammo is much less common, at least in the states that I hunt in, than the 7mm-08.

I've shot some Hornady 257 factory ammo in recent years, but mostly reloads over the past 30 years. I still have a couple hundred rounds of old white box Winchester/Olin factory ammo, a mix of 87, 100, and 117 grain bullets, purchased in 1982/83 at Fort Riley, KS, to feed a tang safety Ruger 77R.

Jeff

Personally I'd take the 257BOB. I'm sure the 7-08 is ok but I'm a life long 25 caliber guy
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