Have a friend, bought a ruger..... in 257 roberts. Says no matter what hes' bought, shoots about 3 inch groups at 100 yards.

I bedded it some years ago, I don't even remember doing it. That didn t' change the accuracy.

Are they inherently innaccurate IE that round? Someone also said that Hill Country rifles won't guarantee that caliber and a few others in their accuracy guarantees.

Also, has anyone sent a rifle back to them, saying it won't shoot well enough and what hassle and what cost?

THanks, Jeff

I know of one 257 that could shoot cloverleafs at 100Yds. The issue is the throating of the round. My uncle had a custom built that he used for varmints. That old gun shot lights out. The original spec was a round on a short magazine but extended throat. Try the old Roberts bullet. 117 gr round nose seated to near the rifleing. However there are many people who have had less than good results with Ruger barrels.

I once owned two different Rugers in .257 RBTS, the first a M77, the second a M77MKII. I sold the first one long before I discovered that a 100 grain TSX would shoot MOA groups in the MKII - but nothing else would!

I've had 3 different Ruger 77's in 257 Roberts and all have shot really well. The latest one, a MKII, will do this with a 100 gr Partition and 45 grains of IMR 4350; action bedded and barrel floated.

My brother has a Ruger .257 UL I've done some loading for. With both the 100 TSX and the 110 AB it's a pretty solid 1" rifle at up to about 2800 fps then opens up to 2"

My Son recently bought a Kimber 84M Select Classic .257 Roberts that has been sub MOA with every load we've tried.
We've both had Ruger M77 Mark IIs that were MOA or better with several loads.
Our goto loads are 46-H4350-100 Hornady Interlock, and 44-H4895-75 Sierra hp. These loads have been terrific in 4 different rifles.

What is the twist of your friend's 257 Roberts? If it is 1-12, then keep the bullet weight down to 87 grains. 100 grain flatbase MAY be ok.

If the twist is 1-10, then try 100 grainers.

I had 1 257 roberts. It was on a WWII wartime M98 Mauser with an unknown barrel. Nice sporter, but not high end. It DID have double set triggers(a nice touch). It had a 1-10 twist 257 Roberts sporter barrel (24", unknown made) on it. I've long since sold it (20 years ago), but when I did have it, I did some limited load development with it.

I know the 120 grain bullets were in the 3-4" range at 100 yards. Most 87 grain bullets were in the 2" range at 100 yards.

I was getting discouraged, then I tried 100 grain flat base Hornady bullets over 45 grains of IMR 4350, and I was getting EASY sub 1 moa groups at 100 yards ( more like .6-.7 moa).

It was my first big eye opening moment in reloading, and seeing the huge difference in accuracy with components. I've seen many other internet references for accuracy groups with a 257 Roberts using 45/grains IMR 4350 and a 100 grain bullet. One of the above posters had some nice groups with it. To me, this is no surprise. It was exactly the combination which worked for my 257 Roberts.

Check the rifling twist of that rifle first.

Good luck.

New Ruger. Will have to check on twist. The UL version of the ruger. Would have to assume its 10.

I do know it shoots the heavier round nose the best around 3 inches.... 117 is my guess but I did not ask what weight for sure.

Any thoughts of having it AI'd? That could correct chamber issues?

I can't imagine it being the round... I just twisted together a take-off 25-06 barrel trimmed back to "short chamber" on a Turk Mauser for my son & w/o work it was shooting 1.5" w/ 117 gr Interlocks& 87 gr TNTs.

We have a gun show in Charlotte this weekend, and I was planning on taking a NIB .243 Ruger M77 to the show in hopes of trading it on a .257 Roberts. This accuracy situtation with the Bob has me reconsidering doing this. It appears that some rifles chambered in .257 Roberts can be very picky about bullet weight/configuration. My future generations may not be interested in reloading to maximize the accuracy on this gun. I may hold my nose and stick with the .243. From the .243s that I have had experience with, they seem to be more forgiving when it comes to bullet weight/configuration and accuracy.

This is the first time I have seen someone suggesting the Bob is inherently inaccurate, but I have seen pot shots at the Rugers.

I have owned several Bob 2.8's and 3.0's spanning at least 4 decades and currently own two tang safety M77's and a LT (long throat) M77. They all have been a pleasure to reload and shoot.

Some loads that stand out are 42-43 grains H4895, 75 grain Hornady V-Max. 43-44 grains H4350, 115 grain Nosler Partition. 47-48 grains H4350, 90 grain Sierra HPBT.

Have two in the house now. Both are ruger mk11, and one of those is a ul. Try IMR 4064 with 100 gr. bullets. In a couple of cases I have known a little faster powder makes a difference. Nothing at all wrong with the Roberts as far as accuracy goes. One of my favorites.
GreggH

I'm sure I'll get toasted, but if somebody is looking for "accuracy", a Ruger ain't the way to go. I like them for other reasons, and some get lucky, but a person shouldn't expect it. Tht said, I've not seen any that shoot REALLY bad. Not 3 moa with handloads, for sure.

have him try free floating the barrel. it ain't the cartridge.

I once owned a custom Mexican Mauser in 257 Roberts that was
very accurate with a cheap scope. Wish I would have kept it.

I have several Rugers and shoot only factory loads. They are plenty good for what I need. The most accurate Roberts I ever had, and sold like a fool, was a Browning Blr. It was freaky accurate with Winchester 117g round nose loads. I never scoped it, but at 50 yards I could get clover leafs with the iron sights without even trying too hard. Should have kept that one and played with it some more.

Dale

I have a tang safety M77 in the Roberts, and mine is very accurate.

The Roberts is not magically inaccurate or hard to get to shoot in my experience. If you can't get anything to shoot well, it is more likely a rifle bedding problem than a cartridge problem.

Try loosening the 2 action screws and the trigger guard screw. Tighten the angled screw first tighter than seems appropriate, tighten the back trigger guard screw almost as tight, and then snug up the front trigger guard screw, don't torque it, just snugged up. That usually helps a troubled Ruger.

Seeing if it shoots better squeaky clean or dirty may be another thing to try.


Try a 100grn bullet with a fast powder, and a 115-117grn bullet with a slow powder. Whichever is more acurate is the rabbithole you need to go down to sort out the rest. Mine shoots best with RL19, but h4350, h414, RL22 and 4831 all have been good powders for the Roberts in 100-117grn.

First part ... nothing inherently wrong with the Ruger in .257, but there does seem to be a lot of variation in accuracy gun to gun. Especially if you're talking about the RL model with the light 20" barrel. I've had 2 of those.

The first was a little booger to get to shoot but I won eventually. It never shot accurately 'til about 2 years into my ownership I got pissed off and just shot up all my ammo, over 100 rounds, within a couple minutes. It got HOT. I could smell wood charring. It melted the rubber on the gun rack when I put it back in the truck. Prior to that day, it would not reliably shoot under 2-1/2 inches. After that, I had an small number of loads that went very reliably sub 3/4 inch. I can't explain it other than to guess that either the heat burned out a high spot in the barrel channel or that much shooting pounded down a high spot around the tang or bedding block. (Shrug) All I know is it worked.

The other one beat me. It was quite a few years later, a Mark II version of the 77 RL, not a tang-safety gun like the first. I shot 1000 rounds or more through it looking for accuracy, gave up, sent it back to the factory (so this answers both of your questions) ... it left shooting no better than 3-1/2 inch groups and came back shooting 3 inch groups instead. "Wow." Well, at least all I had to pay was shipping.

Not sure what I'd recommend ... probably the simplest answer is to sell the damn thing and, if you're set on .257, buy another and start from scratch.

Tom

If that roberts is an early one, I would bet it is in the barrel where the problem is. I had one of the early 257 when Ruger brought them out. No matter what i did to that gun, it was not accurate. Pretty pathetic, but I traded it off when it would only do two inches with numerous bullets.

Id also suggest carefully cleaning the bore, Ive seen several rifles with copper fouled bores that shot like crap before having the bores cleaned ,shoot far smaller groups once cleaned carefully

Ok, lt, don't want to disappoint.

Mule Deer: Re: old or new Ruger77 accuracy
I've owned a pile of 77's of all eras. While one barrel truly sucked (a 7x57 with a bore that had numerous loose spots, with the tight spots measuring .287"), all the others shot anywhere from acceptably to very well. My acceptable rating is three shots in an inch for big game rifles, and five shots in an inch for varmint rifles, and very well is half that. Most of them required some work on the bedding and the trigger, but then a lot of factory rifles do.

The big problem I've seen with some of the tang-safety rifles is very long throats in some older chamberings, such as 7x57.

Boxer � Big Stick
I�ve Ruger familiarity and accept them for what they are. Light or bullet proof they are not, though curiously enough they are oft maligned by the masses for �accuracy� woe which I�ve yet to see, though of course I shoot a bit, which tend to tip numerous scales.

Thanks for the input

I never thought it was inherently not accurate, was just asking.

Have the bedding and floating covered already.

Seems like a few have had accuracy issues but mostly they shoot well enough.

Prompts me into trying a bit of loading for him when I get time.

One thing ... I'm not sure free-floating is the way to go on a Ruger. There's a local gunsmith who claims he's never failed to get a 77 or 77 mk II to shoot MOA or better. He says what he does is bed the action only, retain or even increase the front pressure point, then make sure there is no contact between the stock and barrel from the front of the action to the pressure point.

Dunno. In this wet country, with a wood stock, I insist on free floating with a wide enough gap I can verify it at any time 'cause wood warps and moves POI. His method probably works fine under constant humidity, but here, constant it ain't. A half MOA group that moves 3 inches a day is no better than a 3 MOA group.

... just thinkin' out loud, worth at least half what you paid for it.

80 grain ttsx's and imr4064 works wonderfly in my hawkeye.
3300-3400 fps, and 5 dead antelope says it works. The longest being 550 yards.

This post will upset many of you. You have been warned. My rifle mentor made a practice of rechambering pre-64 model 70's in 257 Roberts to 25-06. This was in the 60's. He said they always shot better as 25-06's. I had this done to my first hunting rifle which was a transition Super Grade.

Oh yes, it shot better groups. Killed thousands of Idaho jacks with it.

Talked with his brother at lunch... reminded me I'd gone the reloading route before and nothing changed, still shot 3ish MOA..

I dont' even remember that unless i gave him a few of other loads I've loaded for other friends.

At this point I'd say rebarrel it would be a close guarantee, at same or less cost than new gun. But its a ruger and I just don't care for them, but I've seen some rebarreled that shoot really well.

A friend sent in a 7 mag with a ring in it to them once, they barreled it for little of nothign. Probably won't do it here unless there is an obvious issue.

I think he is set on trading it and buying a Winchester in 257 Robt at this time. Not sure the Win would be any better?

Any bad or good news on Kimbers? Lately?

"I think he is set on trading it and buying a Winchester in 257 Robt at this time. Not sure the Win would be any better?"

I have a Winchester M70 FWT push feed in .257 Roberts. I also have a Ruger #1B in the .257 Bob.

I'll comment on the Ruger first. When I bought it at a gun show it came with 5 boxes of Norma ammo. The seller said it was sighted in with that ammo. Not only was it sighted in but the rifle put 5 shots into a hair over .50". I hoard that ammo like it was gold as I don't see the .257 Bob on Norma's site.

On the M70 FWY, my ex-son in law bought one and I helped him with load work up. before shooting it he took it to my gunsmith for a well needed trigger job, had the action glass bedded and the barrel free floated. MOst of he loads we rann through it have been one inch or less; mostly less.
About 6 months later I found ond at a gun show NIB and snapped it up like a hungry cat on a slow mouse. THis one did not shoot so good. Off to the gunsmith's for a glass bedding, trigger job and barrel float. Not much help. I absolutely hate 120 gr. bullets and the 100 gr. Sierras (Pro-hunter & Game king) would do much better than 1.5-1.75". Not much help there.
About this time my ex-SIL decided to play with 100 gr. barnes TSX bullets and as usual his rifle put them into very nice groups. I figured I might as well give them a try. I worked up to the max load in the Barnes manual but accuracy was not better. At least they met my maximum allowable standard of 1.5" so I could use the load for a hunt.
One day I got a bit of a wild hair up and hit the range with the .257 FWT and my Lyman tong tool. I fired 3 shots with the bullets seated as is. I let the rifle cool and set the seating die of the Lyman tool to just touch the current load setting, then turned it down one full turn. The next 3 shots did 1.25", the best group that rifle has ever given. I gave the rifle a good long time to cool down and shot another group at that setting. This one was at 1.20". I have to wonder if seating it any deeper will make a difference. Couldn't try it that day as I'd shot up the last 9 cartridges I had loaded up. I'm gonna try that with the 140 gr. Sierra and the 120 gr. Speer and see if they too will give better groups. One of these days I'll have to try those loads in the Ruger.
According to the reference section in one of my Speer manuals, Reminton, Ruger and Winchester have 1 in 10" twists.
Paul B.

How does the Crown look on the rifle. Maybe have a recessed target crown done???

140 grain Sierra ????

+1, minute of big game and truely accurate is two different things

I bought one of the Rem 700 Classics in .257 Robt. when they came out in either 1982 or 1984 (memory fails me as to exactly when).

The gun had a 3'' chamber. Light bullets under 100 grains shot well as did 120 grainers especially the Hornady 120 gr. H.P.

Never did find a good load with the 100 grain bullets but this never bothered me.

It was a pleasant caliber to shoot and I liked it just a little better than the .243 calibers I've had.

Jim

Remington classic in 257 was 1982. Have two of them.

"140 grain Sierra ????"

Sorry, typo.
Should have been 100 gr.
Paul B.

It may be worthwhile to get a chamber cast of the rifle (Cerrosafe from Brownell's).

Could be any number of issues: reloading, bore diameter, uniformity of bore (tight/loose spots), rough /diry (copper fouling) deposits, poor chambering (which may be related to an earlier post stating rechambered 257 Roberts M70s shot better as a 25-06), headspacing, amount of freebore/throat length).

Try slugging the bore with a soft lead projectile, but do it in 2-4" sections (push slug 2-4 inches IN from chamber, then out back through chamber, then do another slug 4-8" in, then out, then another slug ~ 12" in/out, then another ~ 16" in/out, etc. Kepp them in order. You are fingerprinting the diameter of the bore. You may find a tight or loose spot. Heck, do it every 2" if you have enough soft lead slugs. The more the better.

Other potential issues: stress on action (front/rear action bolt tension bending the action? You said it was bedded though.), Scope ring lapping (stress to action), crown (nicks, oval/round, square muzzle for uniform gas relief upon bullet base exited barrel, lug contact (both lugs at least 50%? may need lapping, but then watch headspace).

Could try firelapping the bore.

Could be something else-just have to systematically try each thing, and keep records.

My tang safety M77 was built in 1989. I acquired it very slightly used in in 2004. The throat is long and I seat bullets accordingly. It is very accurate with 75g V-MAX, as the photo below demonstrates.




In addition to the V-MAX, accurate handloads include 100g TTSX, 110g AccuBond, 115g TSX and 120g A-Frame.

There are reasons it is my favorite rifle and accuracy is just one.

I have a 257 BYOB MkII. Floated the barrel, did the "lug" bed and a trigger job on it.

It's flung bullets from 75gr V-Maxes, 85 BT's, 90 Sierras, 100 Sierras, Nozzy Parts and TSX's all under an inch for 5 shots.

Only turd bullet has been the 110 Succubond.

All seated to their individual ability to kiss; should note some brass, new WW's in particular, with horrid runout, even after truing and firing.

My Ruger 1A in 257R shoots 3 - 110AB � H100v into less than an inch at 100. It ain�t target rifle accuracy, but then it ain�t a target rifle.

I have a Kimber Classic Select in that chambering and it also does well with that load. I have not shot it from the bench so I can�t give specific numbers, but off hand it shoots accurately enough.

Added - the 1A Ruger has a long throat and I seat to the lands. One of the nice things about a #1, no magazine OAL to contend with. The Kimber is loaded to the magazine max allowed COAL.

I have a Browning 223 like that. If I seat to the lands, the cartridge gets really long, and inaccurate and will not fit the magazine. If I seat to SAMI spec, it is very accurate.

Well, there ya go. Load up, find the sweet spot and kill stuff.

Never saw an accuracy issue with a dozen different ones over the years..... Great cartridge!

I have an early tang safety, If you clean the barrel it couldn't hit a barn if you were in it , but get the thing good and dirty about 15 or 20 rounds then it will shoot under a inch with 100gr. b tips and 4350 Could be you have a ruff barrel and needs to be dirty to shoot .. OZZIE

have 2 257 roberts in my safe a M70 made in 51 and
a 760 remington pump forgot when it was made. But anyway
both will shoot under a inch with the right load. My
M70 really like those 117 semi-round noise Noslers until
they ran out. I shoot IMR 4064 with all the lighter bullets
and W760 with 100gr bullets. Anything heavier I use IMR 4350,
IMR4831, H4831SC,and RL22.

Overall I believe the 257, while not a BR round, is plenty accurate.

I sent a 25-06 to Ruger and they rebarreled it at no cost other than shipping. It was a 2 inch gun @100 and I simply called them and told them it didn't shoot near as good as the other Ruger rifles I own. I received it back and traded it off without shooting it as I had lost interest. To be honest I should have tried factory ammo in it first. The only thing I tried was assorted handloads with 100 grain Hornady Spire points. Having said that, Ruger CS was top notch and very nice to deal with.
I have owned an M77 and currently own an M77MKII UL. Both shot/shoot 75 grain V-max handloads very well. The M77 hated 120 grain SSTs but liked sub 100 grain stuff. The UL shoots the 75 grain handload the previous owner worked up (I got 150 or so rounds in the deal) that I haven't even messed with working up new loads. My 14 y.o. daughter has taken the UL as her deer rifle, I see no reason to argue as the 75 V-max is quite effective on deer.
Has he double checked the scope or scope mounts?
Good luck.