I expected the 25-06 to really be popular but it just didn't happen. The 257 gets far more interest here on the 'Fire but I am sure the number of 25-06's out there far exceeds the number of 257 rifles. I have owned three 25-06 rifles 2 were Remington 700 BDL's and one was a custom Mauser. All shot MOA with a number of loads. I sold all three because for what I hunt the 270 offers a bit more overall. I have a 257 presently, a Ruger 77 that took a lot of fooling around with to get it to shoot MOA and that is with only a couple of bullets. I own three 270 rifles and all three easily shoot MOA with a number of different bullets. This said I found the 25-06 to be an excellent flat shooting deer rifle and a jackrabbit destroyer. But there are a number of less loud varmint guns on hand and the 25-06 didn't do anything on deer I couldn't do with a 270. So they went down the road. The 25-06 probably couldn't beat the 243/6MM as a combination deer/coyote round and being a long action round the rifles weighed just as much as your average 270 or 30-06. I'm thinking the market for combination deer/varmint rifles is getting smaller because we all have varmint rifles, deer rifles and rifles that can do both elk and deer. I would build another 257 before I would build a 25-06 though I still have dies for both.

I love the .257 Roberts. Mild recoil and I run 100 gr bullets at just over 3000fps with excellent accuracy. Very lethal on deer and pronghorn.
Like you, I have owned .25-06's. Can't say anything negative about them either, but if I want to go "bigger" than the .257 Roberts, I have an arsenal of .270's, .280's and .30-06's to choose from. Never really saw any reason to keep the .25-06's.
That being said, if I were limited to just one rifle, the .25-06 would receive strong consideration.
Both my kids started on the .257 Roberts.

WB

The basic difference is that you can push a 117 grain or 120 grain bullet in the .25-06 to about the same velocity as a 100 grain bullet in the .257 Roberts. For overall use, however, on deer-sized game the .257 is plenty adequate.

I had a ruger 77 in 257 I bought new. it shot awful! i had a sako model 75 new in the box in 25-06 I rebuilt a transmission for a gunsmith friend of mine on a trade. it was great! the biggest whitetail doe i have ever seen here in SC I killed her with it using 120gr. sierra BTHP gameking and a full charge of H4831 that doe had to be 150lbs! that is huge for here, they run about 90-110lbs,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The 257 Roberts is popular on sites like this because it has a "cool factor" and rifle looneys mostly load their own ammo and are able to tailor a load, or loads, that shoots good groups in his/her rifles. It isn't popular among average hunter/shooter because factory rifles and ammo are both fairly uncommon in most places.

I've been shooting the 257 Roberts for over 50 years in both standard and AI formats. I currently have 11 standards and 2 AIs. It is a good cartridge if you reload, not so much if you depend on factory ammo, I have come to the conclusion that the 243 will do almost anything that a person would buy a 257 Roberts for and do it easier and at a lower cost.

Being a 257 and 257AI guy, I didn't get my first 25-06 until later in life, but now like it pretty well. I like the 25 WSSM more than any of the other .257" bore cartridges because I like the Winchester/USRA 70 WSSMs, speed in a handier size rifle.

I have used and liked the .250 Savage, .257 Roberts and .25-06. My primary interest in the .25 calibers is a deer / antelope rifle used on the great plains. For that the .25-06 is clearly superior for my needs. I don't own a .250 or .257 any more. I found my one .257 Roberts ( a Model 70 Win. FWT push feed) very fussy to load for, and only a couple bullets would shoot well. 2800 fps with 120's was uninspiring but deadly at reasonable ranges. The three .250's that I owned, 2 Savage 99's and a Ruger 77 were hampered by case capacity / bullet speed and /or twist rate and bullet weight that they would shoot. The .25-06 accurately delivers a 100 -120 grain bullet at speeds that don't require hold over at the ranges I choose to hunt. Perfect. My Sako AV 25-06 isn't leaving my hands any time soon.

.257 for short or intermediate-length actions and .25/06 for long ones would be my choice if I ever go down that road again. Performance on deer should be pretty much a wash between the two. .25/06 can do .257 ballistics in “second gear”.

Everything I've ever hit with 25-06 has went straight down. No fuss and brass is everywhere. The Roberts has a unique name but I've never messed with it...preferring 6 creed/6.5 creed in short action.

That about sums it up for me too; .257 Rob is an intermediate length action cartridge, so fewer rifles put there that are “perfect” and need to customize is there. On the other hand they can function acceptably through a short such as the Kimber 84M.

Long is 06 and there are lots of good factory rifles available in that fine cartridge so less need to go custom.

I have both of them and other 25’. The Roberts has given me more in the track kills than any other round. It just seems perfect for SC deer.
GreggH

I have had several .25-06s and still have the last.. I use it some but it used to be one of my 3 top choices.. Had one .257 Roberts.. It was a dog and went down the road.. If I had it today, I wouldn't sell it I would give it away to someone I didn't like..

Especially in the AI version.. That. I recall that the original Roberts rounds were pretty anemic - 117gr bullets limited to something around 2400 fps.. I don't remember why it was done at the time.. Modern ammo and books show 117s at more like 3000 or a hair over... (24" barrel)..

I have a M70 FWT in .257 that I dearly love.. It's just so comfortable to shoot and to carry.. It would be one of the very last rifles I'd sell.

😂😂

I’ve liked the .25’s since my first BDL 25-06 from way back in the 1900’s (as my kids say )
Still own a Pre’64 Model 70 .257 Roberts, Kimber Montana.257 Rob and a Rem700 Classic in .250 Savage.
I’m always on the lookout for a lightweight 25-06 Kimber or Rem Mtn rifle.


Kimber Montana Bob collecting meat-

Fine place to die.

I have a 25-06 in a 700 and a 257 Rob AI. For some reason I can’t explain I love the 257 Rob AI more than the 25-06. I think my Roberts is a little more accurate. Velocity is pretty close to the same, less than a 100fps difference between them. I don’t think the deer notice 🤷🏼‍♂️.

Have both had better luck with 25-06's than bobs.the 25-06 is great on antelope and deer with 120 's while 100 gr bullets are better in the bob imho. My 1st 2 Bob's were short action and won't go there again the last a m77RL has a 3.1 box and is fine. Low recoil easy to shoot well. MB

I'm keeping my Roberts because it was such a pain to dial in. I mean if I were to sell it I would have to put it back the way it was when I got it so the next guy could burn 3-400 rounds figuring it out. I have a goodly number of bullets it shoots well in the 115 to 120 grain range. Plus so far it has been a one shot killer every time though one deer ran a ways (100 yards). I might someday put a new longer barrel on it but as long as it keeps shooting like it is it will stay like it is.

Never owned a 257 Roberts.. but I like old school stuff the best...

but I have a lot of brass around here, that is stamped 257 Roberts on the bottom....

I use it to make 6.5 x 57 rounds... my favorite cartridge...

and then there is the 6mm Remington....my second favorite cartridge...

both on long actions... where they are kinda like the same concept the Creedmoor is...

if I was 20 years younger, and could fill a wish list....it would include a Model 54 in 250 Savage or 257 Roberts...or a Model 30 S Rem.

old stuff that worked long ago, has a cool factor a lot more so than the latest greatest cartridge on the month club...

Love that picture....feels like simpler times...

and I miss back east forest scenes...hunting or hiking in them...

one the thing i like about the 25-06 is the way it feeds. the long case works awesome. the action is built to fit it too.

I like them both. How's that?

Hear..hear!

I just got my 6.5x57 up and running last Friday. I rebarreled a Brno ZKK600 with a 24 inch #1 profile barrel.

I had a Model 54 .250/3000 but sold it to my brother. But I have first dibs to buy it back if he ever sells it.

Never owned a Bob, got a 25-06, fun to shoot. I bet the Bob is too. I’ve never even seen one.

I've never owned a .257 Roberts but i know a few guys locally that do and they love that caliber. On the flip side i've been shooting a 25.06 for around 35yrs and actually had 5 rifles chambered in 25.06 at one time so needless to say i love that caliber. I'm mainly a deer hunter and kill an occasional coyote and the 25.06 has always been like a lighting strike on both. It's accurate, fast, flat shooting with mild recoil and it hits the target hard. It's an easy caliber to load for and just a pleasure to shoot. My favorite bullet is the Speer 120gr Hot-Cor and it's been pure deer poison around here with excellent results on game. The 25.06 here is considered a part of the family .

My son's first deer rifle is a 257 Roberts in a Mod 70. Got it used from a LGS that a friend owned. I walked in one day to look around and he told me he had something for me. Went in the back room and brought out this Mod 70 with a cut down ramline stock on it and told me one of his customers bought it for his son and his son did not want to hunt, so it had about 4 rounds run through it. He also gave me the original FW stock for it which is brand new never been carried. Took it home and gave it to my son and he has killed a lot of deer with it. Funny thing thing is he is in his late 20's now and it still has the cut down ramline on it. I have ask him if he wants the original stock put back on it and he keeps telling me no because he likes the way that stock fits him. I have a 25-06 in a 77 tang that has killed a pile of deer that now resides in my safe that I have not shot in years since I got my 270 WSM. That has become my go to for deer now.

I own many rifles and many calibers. In NA, I seem to have gravitated mainly to a (2) rifle battery:

Antelope & Deer---25.06
Elk & Moose---35 Whelen

I hunt Antelope in both CO & Wyoming. The terrain In CO that holds Pronghorns is pretty much just like Wyoming, so the shots can be longish. I try to shoot 400 yards or less, but you can take a shot much longer if you have the equipment and skill.

The 25.06 is perfect for Deer/Antelope out here and puts them down hard. I do not reload. My favorite factory load is Winchester 115gr. Ballistic Silvertips @ 3,040 fps.

I feed the 35 Whelen 250 NP or 280 SAF.

Very impressed with a 25.06. I sold it to purchase a 6.5 creed and was very unimpressed with its killing power vs a 25.06. I will be buying another 25.06 at some point!

I should add that I have three friends, two ladies and a man who hunt Elk with their 25.06, very successfully. Still, it's not my choice for Elk, but implies to me at least, that the cartridge is VERY adequate for Deer and Antelope, especially if a bit of reach is required.

I shoot the 257 Roberts, Ackley version and custom 25-06. Out to about 350 yards I can tell no difference in results on Javelina, any Deer or Pronghorn. So my affection is divided among the three and always consider the one I’m carrying perfect for the hunt!

I've had both. The 257 didn't do anything the .2506 couldn't and went down the road. I haven't shot the .2506 in years (10+) due to having three 260s.....owning them made me realize how mediocre the .25 caliber bullet selection was.

Kaiser Norton

I haven't shot my .25-06 for years. I have two Roberts' and a .257 AI that get used much more. I rarely shoot over 100m in the country I hunt so the smaller .25s do the job.

I used to lust mightily over some of the fancy wood stocked 257 Roberts Kimber made. Seems like wood selection has dropped off some. My 708 makes it hard to think another SA cartridge would offer something more/different to justify buying one at full price.

1st if you wanna worry about speed in a 25 caliber then buy a 257 Weatherby mag. this cartridge is fast and yes i hunt with a 257 Weatherby mag.which knocks big bucks down faster . but a 257 Roberts is a great older cartridge the Robert`s is accurate and fast enough as is a 25-06 ,but a 257 Roberts is the old classic and in my household we like the 257 Roberts for the young and the ladies,they like the less recoil ,also when i get older i will use a 257 Roberts too in my Remington 30 express that i had rebarrel`d this year .

I had my .257 AI built in1977. I bought a Mauser Mark X .25-06 barreled action and had my gunsmith cut and re-chamber it to .257 Ackley. It fills the gap nicely between my .22-250 for varmints and my 7 mm RM or .300 Wby for elk. For over 40 years its been my go to rifle for deer and antelope, and I've enjoyed shooting prairie dog with it and it dropped one of my best 6x6 bull elk in his tracks. I also felt that it was the perfect rifle for my sheep hunts.

I had 2 257's, both Rugers, a #1A and a Hawkeye. Neither would shoot to my satisfaction. The #1 went down the road, the Hawkeye got rebarreled to a 7x57 which later became a JES 338-06.

I have had 5 25-06's. All were good shooters. I killed a mule deer and 4 white tails with it this year. It just went to Pac-Nor today to become a 280. There was nothing really wrong with it, I just got bored with the round and wanted a 280.

I am keeping the dies and brass for the 25-06 that I have left, cause I am sure I will own one again. I wanted a 257 Roberts for years, probably wont ever own one again.

The only quarter bore in the stable is my wife’s Ruger #1 in 25-06. She and both of my sons are right handed but left eye dominant. I bought it as a compromise gun so the could figure out which way the preferred to shoot. It has accounted for a couple deer and one raccoon way out there just because. The 115 grain Partitions have produced quick one shot kills and inspire confidence. The gun tends to shoot 3 shot groups right at about MOA but every cold bore first shot I can recall firing since the gun was scoped and sighted in has hit dead center and 1.5” high just like it is supposed to. To me that is more important than grouping ability any day. I doubt I will ever have the need for a Robert’s but could be tempted into a 250 Savage in the 99 platform.

Three .250s, one .250AI, three .257Rs, and one .25/06 cover my .25 cal needs, although I would like a .25-35. I find all to be delightful to shoot, and quite effective on deer and antelope, but I've taken more with the Roberts than the others. A guy I met in '01 in Sheridan, my first Wyoming trip, felt the same. He managed a small, 30,000 acre, ranch, and his only rifle was a tang safety M77 in .257. It was used with great effect on prairie dogs, coyotes, deer and antelope, elk, black bear, sheep (1), and mountain goat. It was never going to be sold.

.26-06’s are for folks who can find or didn’t by a .257 Roberts in the first place. It’s not a “Bob”, unlike the little feller behind your zipper. If you really need a fast stepping .25, get the Weatherby. Go big or stay under the porch. I’m good with my Roberts and .250-3000. That is all, carry on.

I love the Bob a lot. Had an AI’d Bob now I wish I’d not have sold that. It performed like a .25-06.

I now have a 6.5-06 which, due to an erroneous ROT claim on GB, it won’t shoot anything heavier than a 100 GR so it’s essentially a .25-06 and running TTSXs at full throttle it’s a KILLER!

So yeah I’ll side with Tom’s lame rifle loonie idea that they’re both awesome.

I just built a 25-06 in the way I always wanted.

2506 AI
26" Benchmark Barrel
1:7 twist
on a gorgeous #1 Action





Before after Cream of wheat treatment

That looks pretty wicked Fotis!

I'm hoping the 130 grain class Blackjack bullets and Hammer Bullets will be liked at 3100 fps or so

I know this is an old post but thought I’d see if any opinions have changed.
For me I’m a 1/4 bore fanatic.
I have 3 25wssm, 25/06, and my favorite Sako custom 25/06 AI, and a 257 bee that I’m quickly taking a liking to.
I shoot 115bt in the 25 wssm, 110 accubombs in both 25/06 and 100 gr ttsx in the bee. They all have their nitch. I would be comfortable shoot at whatever distance I needed to but the little wssm is handy for shorter range while the ackley is built just right for all around. The weatherby is 26” barreled and works perfect for hunting off the ground over bean fields.
I have bought and tried many different rifles through the years but always make my way back to the 25s

Kimber Roberts worked a few weeks ago for me. 256 yards. 100 grain Interlock.

If you handload and want max efficiency and a short action, the 250AI is extremely hard to beat.

80ttsx at 3565fps and 115vld and 2950fps is crazy impressive with such light recoil. Of course you can do the same with a 25-06 but with more powder, more recoil and long action.

A bud and I had rifles built at the same time by a local gunsmith. His a .25 Souper on a M700 SA, and mine .257 Bob on a M77 LA. We hunted the hell out of those rifles on Mulies and Pronghorn.
Another bud and I would hunt Black Bear together with our .25's - his a 25-06. This is where a 300lb BB is a big bear.

These days the .257 Bob is my dedicated Pronghorn getter using 110 gr. NABs exclusively.

Ran a Rem 700 25-06 back in the 70's with the 120 Sierra SPBT. Killed a smallish mule deer with a Texas heart shot which exited the chest. As a youngster, I moved on and sold the rifle. Didn't get my first 257 Roberts until about 10 yrs back when I was looking to build a super wood stocked custom rifle; caliber undecided, though I had a list of 1/2 dozen possible candidates. Talked to a gent on the East coast who had a Pre '64 M70 action for sale. He asked what it was for. Ended up selling me his recent acquisition he commissioned Glen Morovitz of South Dakota. A mis-communication in the LOP when placing the order is what caused the sale to me. It took a bit of experimentation but have figured out how to get it to shoot. It's a "fair weather" rifle; sunshine and snow but no rain! I've taken does and cows. My son and step son have both taken their first deer with it. It will be the last rifle I ever sell. In fact, it's going to my son when i'm gone.





Several years later I picked up a Kimber for more foul weather use. I really enjoy both rifles. Getting ready to run another reload series with our new Barnes Bullets 101 gr LRX and IMR 4451.

Any of these 25s with today's powders & bullets kill way above their size! I still prefer the shape of the 40 deg Roberts over the original, love a 25-06 for all around and nothing beats a 257 Wby for "point and shoot" out to 350 or so...it "seemed" to me!

I’ve had several 25-06’s, never a Roberts, never say never. You all are making me want one.

Nothin's better for Hill Country hunting!

I like both of them.

And yeah, the .257 is a handloaders cartridge, but in reality the 25-06 is too...
Not an issue with me as I've been loading since I was in high school

What cartridge can a guy use and not wanna load for?

I’ve got two Robs - a 77mk II that is super hard to get shooting well & a M70 XTR FWT that digests everything like it was accidentally supposed to shoot under 1”. I guess that’s the story of the Roberts & the guns that were factory chambered for it.

Like someone said the .257’s of any stripe kill better than they should - surprisingly so.

I had my Model 70 FWT rebarreled to .257AI. It was pretty finicky so I had it rebarreled again to .25-06.

Not much difference in velocity, less work to form, and the .25-06 seems less fussy although my best groups so far have been 100 GR bullets.

I think my .257 AI barrel was a lemon but not upset that I now have a .25-06 on my featherweight.

I also have a Ruger 77 Mark II that shoots the 120 Speer BTSP very well.

I picked up a Ruger Tanger the other day in .25-06. Trying to figure out how to justify keeping a third one around. Maybe load it with light bullets and use it as a dedicated rock chuck rifle???

I think my 6mm-06 is superior ballistically due to bullet options but doubt I will ever be without a 1/4 bore. I just like them.

I’ve had 5 each .257 Roberts, a 722, 2 M70 XTRs, a Savage 110, and a M77. All sold or traded except the M77 which I still have. They were all good shooters. The 77 I still have shoots near cloverleaf groups at 100 yards if I’m having a good day.

Here's my .257 Roberts, a Ruger #1-A, that I bought thru Lipsey's. It took some work to get her to shoot, but it is now a 1 MOA shooter with Barnes TTSX bullets and H 100V powder. It's 22" barrel and short action makes for a very compact, easy to carry firearm for when I don't need a long-range rifle, like meat-hunting for whitetails and fallow deer in timber. Recoil feels very light and manageable, and the addition of a Jard trigger was a huge improvement in the factory trigger pull.

Don't have a problem with either as I have both. Looking at the ammo shelves today at stores the normal guy would conclude he needs a 223 and 308. Haven't seen any factory 243,257, and 25-06 ammo for sale in a STORE for over a year. Mb

I currently have a 257 AI on a tang safety M77, which was also a pain to get shooting good. Went through a lot of bullet/powder combos but finally got a load with the 115 NP between 1/2-3/4 groups with imr4831 and a little better with Barnes 100 TTSX and RL-22.

Also have a 25-06 M70 in a MPI stock that'll do 1/4" with the 100 TTSX and RL22.

Just put in an order for a 25 bbl to become a 25-06 on a Springfield 1903, and I'm being very tempted to order a 250 Savage bbl for my M70 Lightweight, that is currently a 243, and I'm also ordering a standard 257 Bob bbl for a VZ.24 I picked up a few months ago.

25's are for the loonies!

Even though your's is an AI and my custom is a standard Bob, it too is finicky. like yours it like the 115 NP/PT....IMR 4831 combo. it was the first combination i was finally able to get to shoot in this rifle.

Alan

My opinion has not changed since the OP started this thread. That opinion is the .257 Roberts is more than adequate for the big game that I have used it on. Mountain goat, Antelope, Mule deer and Whitetail deer. Then my youthful thought process asked would more be better and I laid down the cash for a used Model 70 24" bbl 25-06. Used it on some Mule and Whitetail deer, but I lost interest and sold it.

These days I use it as Ned Roberts wanted, a deer and varmint rifle. Shoot some deer with 100 gr bullets and coyotes and ground hogs with Hornady 75 gr V-Max. I have a Ruger 77 black pad that shoots lights out with the V-Max. 42 grs H4895 @ 3300 fps.

I tried out a Hawkeye 77 in the Bob a few years back. It hovered right at 1.9 to 2.5 inches. It was a real lemon, and a big disappointment to me. The rifle felt good in my hands, was well made, but I couldn't get it to shoot for squat. I'm glad yours shoots well pard, have a ball!

I also shoot a 1 in 8 .260 and agree on bullet selection

But...
My 25-06 shoots rings around my .260 with several loads. The worst grouping loads in my 25-06 are adequate for any hunting I may do, and the best loads are regularly 1/2" capable.

If my .260 shot like my 25-06, I'd prefer it for a lot of uses. As for now it's my bad weather rifle

Edit; Wish I had sent the .260 to Redneck like I did the Model 70 he made into a 25-06 for me.

Way to go Cheesy!

2-7x33 on top?

Nut, nice "as it fell" pic!