Tinkering a bit this week and would like to use my .257 Rob in a 70 FWT for woods whitetail this coming season. How would you build a woods load?

Parameters: Mixed hardwood forest, hilly terrain, visibility under 100yds except rare occasions, deer averaging 175lb+, lots of sitting in a tree & tracking when snow shows up, like to practice shoot lots during the Summer (why I want to start loading now), most/all components for hand loading in stock.

Help me think this through.

Well, speak of the devil... this showed up in my inbox today...


The best deer cartridge you've probably never shot

Get yourself a couple bags of the SPS 25 cal Partitions in each weight (115/120), load them up and see which shoots the best.
Good luck and have fun! Tom

i really like Reloader 17 powder ,115 Berger Bullets in my 257 Roberts all seem to shoot well with this combo ,but if you have a 1-10 twist barrel 100 grain bullets may shot better but some 10 twist 25 caliber barrels do shoot 115 gr. bullets fine. good luck,Pete53

100 TTSX at full speed.

Only deer I ever shot with a .257 was with a Federal factory 120gr NP. Saw no difference between its performance and similar hits with .270s, ‘06s etc. Doubt a TTSX would suck either. Main thing IMO is to use a bullet that won’t come apart up close, or load it down a bit.

The only thing I'd add is since this is a woods rifle I would pick a bullet that would penetrate to the vitals at more angles than just broadside.

The only thing I'd add is since this is a woods rifle I would pick a bullet that would penetrate to the vitals at more angles than just broadside.

115 gr PT

JD338

I'll be odd man out on bullet suggestion.....give the Hornady 117 gr round nose a try.

That is a really good bullet.

yup

SouthTexas,

Have you used this bullet in the .250 savage at about 2,650 FPS??

Hornady 117gr RN and superformance works for me.

Is Hornady still making this bullet? I thought they dropped several RN offerings to keep up with demand.

JD338

A good point, often overlooked! Assuming the rifle shot it decently I'd look no further than a 115 partition (as an alternate a 100 TTSX).

The "woods" part of this makes me think I want as little recoil as possible so I can watch the deer; hopefully at bullet impact. This way I can maybe see the deer drop in it's tracks......see how the reacts to the shot.......watch the deer depart on it's death run to give a better chance of recovery. I'm thinking lighter weight; Barnes 80 or 100 gr TTSX. The new 101 gr LRX, by Barnes. Nosler 100 gr BT or PT. Just my opinion.

Alan

Not in a 250. Works great in a Roberts at 2850ish. If I were building a load for a Roberts assuming a max of 200 yards, that's the bullet I'd start with, FWIW.

I hunted for years with the 117 btsp interlock and had no complaints sending them at about 2,800fps. I switched to a 115 Ballistic Tip when I was going to be setting up for longer hunting shots and was looking for a softer bullet, but to be honest I can't tell them apart in performance regarding penetration or toughness. Both have been excellent and accurate.

Agree. One of the best, most predictable expanding, .257" bullets. Moreover, shoots well even in 1:14" Savages.

Believe it or not, they still make it.

I've used the 100gr Hornady for years in the Roberts, as well as the .250-3000. Seems to knock the snot out of deer, and the farthest I've seen one run is about 70yds, and that was down hill. Usually DRT or within 20yds.

Thanks for the advice fellas! I’ve got both the Nosler 115 PT & Horn 117gr to send down range as the weeks unfold.

Just curious: did you decide on the RN or the SBT? Let us know how things turn out either way.

That is what I'd choose also....

and knowing me, 100 yds is what I'd call 30/30 ranges.., so the powder would be 30 grains of 4198 or RL 7....

If you still have to have full power, then what ever max charge is of 4064...right around 40 grains of so..

I'e never shot a 257 Robert's or a 250-3000 but have used the 25-06 quite a bit. I don't have woods hunting close anymore but what ever load shot to my satification is the bullet I'd use regardless where I was using it! In my 25-06 I tried 100gr bullet's and didn't like them at all. Killed like lighting but God forbid you nicked anything you wanted to eat! Went to 117gr Hornady SP and didn't kill as suddenly but deer never went more than a few yds and would just lay down dead. Now this was all open country shooting. But other than the range the shot is taken at I don't see a lot of difference in what bullet to use. You either have a clear shot or you don't. Then it is a matter of bullet placement. Then a heavy for cal bullet will be driven at lower velocity to hold together better and heavier bullet driven at the same velocity as a light bullet should penetrate better. I don't think I'd care for the 117gr RN but then shouldn't be a thing wrong with it either. The important thing in this discussion is not so much the load you choose to shoot but rather the shot your willing to take!