I picked up a Custom 257 Roberts at a Gun Show.It is based on a AII action with a Cut rifled 10 twist barrel.Whose??I do not know.I only bought it because of the knock out Walnut stock.So what I was wondering what bullet to use.I do not want to try a bazzilion different manufactures and weights.I would be happy with a 100 grain???What powder seems to work best.How come brass is so hard to come by?Thanks ahead Huntz

I've had good luck with just about any 100-grain bullet, but the 1-010 twist is plenty for any .25 caliber bullet made. My three favorite bullets in the .257 these days are probably the 100-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, 100-grain Barnes TTSX and 115-grain Nosler Partition, partly because all three tend to shoot well in most rifles.

I have no idea why "mainstream" .257 Roberts brass is so scarce, but both Jamison and Nosler cases are pretty common on Internet sites. I've had good luck with both brands. For an all-around powder any of the 4350's is good, including Accurate 4350, along with IMR4451, which is sort of a double-based 4350.

Thanks MD.

I like the 110 grain AB pretty well, rugged and sleek.

If I was able to get the 110 AccuBond to shoot as well as any of the three bullets listed in my post, in any of my .25 caliber rifles, there's no doubt it would be a favorite too. But so far that hasn't happened. Dunno why. Maybe I have a bad batch....

Kind of like my inability to get the 125 grain 6.5mm Partitions to shoot good groups.

The 110 grain ABs shoot good groups in my Marlin XS7/Savage 110 parts gun and Remington 700 CDL-SF, but those are the only 257 Roberts rifles that I've been shooting these days. Both rifles also shoot good groups with my favorite "establish a base line" .257" bullet, the 75 grain VMax.

I got hooked on the 110 grain AB when I was shooting the 25 WSSM.

I just got 50 pieces of Nosler last week from Grafs and Son. I was a little surprised that they are marked +P so I figure I should readdress my loads if the brass is heavier and see how it goes.

The 110 AB has been a great bullet for me in two rifles, an MRC and a P64 M70. I do need to play with the Barnes again but I could never get them to shoot well in the MRC that I have had for several years and both rifles like the Accubond but I still have .25 hanging around in TSX and TTSX. Suppose that's why we're loonies.

I have a couple of boxes of 80 grain TTSX that I've been meaning to try, but it seems as though my "Honey Do" list never gets smaller!

I have a custom Mexican Mauser 257 and during load work-up, no matter the bullet, it always came back to IMR-4350 powder being preferred by a significant margain.

I finally settled on a 100 grain Partition behind good, but not hot, charge of 4350. I get groups under an inch with this rifle, with the majority of the three shot groups hovering around 1/2".

Every deer I've taken with this rifle (75+) has hit the ground and not taken a single step. It's a charmed little rifle. My biggest taken with this rifle was an 8 pointer scoring 140 even and dressing at 242#.

I hope you enjoy your 257 as much as I've enjoyed mine!

Interesting that your "establish a base line" is the 75 grain VMax, mine is the Sierra 90 grain HPBT, not only for the Roberts, but for all 25 calibers I have owned.

My 257 Roberts likes 115 gr. NBT over IMR 4350, great deer load.

That sounds like a great hunting rifle..

That would be my 2nd or 3rd choice, either the 75 grain Sierra HP or the 90 grain Sierra BTHP. I just shoot more 75 grain VMax than all other .257" bullets, so I have more of them on the shelf.

The common old garden variety 100gr Hornady IL is a terrific bullet for deer, antelope etc size critters and the 75gr V Max covers smaller stuff. One of the 4350's covers just about everything for loads you need

The Bob is a wonderful, versatile round and the rifles they reside in are usually light and well balanced. If there is a more accommodating general purpose caliber I am not aware of it.

My 257 is the Ack Imp and i use IMR 4831 but IMR or Hod 4350 would probably be your best place to start. My go to bullet in the 257 is the Nosler 100 gr Partition.

I've had outstanding results from Ramshot Hunter in my .257 Ackley Improved as well as in my son's standard .257 Rob; both with 100 gr bullets. Same goes for IMR-4350 (100s & heavier), H-4831 (115s & heavier), H-380 (75s), and Ramshot Big Game (75s).

As has been mentioned, the now discontinued but still around 100 gr Interlock is a great bullet. NBT of the same weight also. I have grown fond of the 90 gr GMX over a stout load of RS-Hunter sparked by a magnum primer.

I just got a new Roberts and nearly broke down and purchased Prvi Partisan 7x57 brass through Graf's to neck down for it before grabbing a couple UBER EXPENSIVE boxes of Noz instead. Have yet to decide if that was a good choice or not...

Good luck w/ the new rifle; it sounds like a great one!

A couple of questions, what's the AII mag length and if you don't know the barrel I.D., how do you know it has cut rifling?

My favorite .257R load is the 100 TTSX over 47 gr. H100V at 3,250 fps. As gunner says, that load is a real buzz saw.

The reason I asked about the mag length, my Roberts is on a LA M700 and this load is slightly longer than spec.

Here's a link. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/10163944/6

DF

My .257 Roberts likes IMR 4064 with 100gr. bullets, if you're having a hard time finding brass form some out of what was the parent case 7x57.

2.800 mag length.I know because I have worked for a cut rifled barrel manufacturer.One of a half dozen in SE Wi.

Gotcha...

Pictures?

DF

The 100gn Swift Scirocco is another good bullet in the Roberts. I've only recovered one from a fallow buck taken at 20m and it weighed 79gn (79% weight retention).

Some complain about SSII accuracy.

If you work with the COAL, they can shoot. I've seen groups tighten with increased jump.

I don't see criticism about their terminal performance, they seem to perform very well on game.

DF

I like the heavier bullets as to me that's what seperatesthe 257 from the 6mms. For deer I've had good luck with remington cl 120s and the Hornady 117s in two different rifles. For powder I tend to use h414/ww760 as I have a lot of it. The AA, IMR and Hodgdon 4350 powders are also good bets and where I'd start.

They are not the most accurate .25 cal bullet actually. About an inch and a quarter is the best I can get them.

The 100gn Hornady IL is the most consistently accurate bullet I have loaded in several Roberts, two .250 Savages and a .25-06. And now they have stopped making it.

4350 and the 100 gr Ballistic tip or Barnes TSX shot best for me in several rifles. The 100 Hornady wasnt bad either.

I have had good luck over the years with H or I4350 with 100 grain partitions or ballistic tips in the Roberts.

The 110 Accubonds shoot extremely well in a 9 twist for me with H4350....

Monday I can post some.Huntz

I've loaded for about a dozen 257 Roberts over the last 40+ years and I currently own four different Bobs although I'm trying to reduce that number to just two...LOL!

All of them shot/shoot the 100 grain weight the best. Usually the most accurate bullet has been one of the Sierras (either the SBT or the SPT), although the 100 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip runs an extremely close second in my load data records.

As for the powder, the first choice has always been one of the 4350s (usually H but also IMR or A) for top velocity and accuracy, although recent tests with the new IMR 4451 show great promise. When not trying for top velocity, I used to use either IMR4895 or IMR4064, but nowadays I prefer H4895 or Varget.

Always thought I should get a Bob to "fill the gap" between my .25-20 and .25-06 AI.

My Bob likes the 110 gr. Accubond at 2900 over IMR 4831, don't recall the exact charge. But the current load of choice is the 100 gr. Hornady over 100V. It's exceptionally temp sensitive, though. I've had good luck in other bobs with the 4350's, but not this one for some reason. It's a #1 RSI and shoots very very well with both the Hornady and the AB.

Is there any real difference in the brass between the regular and +P or just hype?

It's usually a heavier, but why I don't know, because the standard brass is plenty strong enough for +P loads.

Yes. I was using +P loads in the Roberts before there was +P brass.

I think someone got nervous as soon as they figured out the Roberts could be loaded with powder slower than 3031 and 4064....and give more velocity.

Thanks for the information,Huntz

I tried hard to get them to shoot well in mine. No deal! I use 100gr Hornady SPs and 100gr NPs with IMR4831.


Scrounge around and try to find some new leftover R-P 257 brass. There's still a bit out there and it's a lot cheaper than the alternatives. I just bought 200pcs to go with my stash.

I see your WTB ad for dies .....



Don't overlook the Lee Collet die for the 257R. Works great, no lube, brass lasts a loooooong time.



.

the 110 Accubond did not shoot well in my Kimber.

For an easier conversion that is the way to go. I'd use 30-06 brass but that's one heck of a lot more involved. That involves multiple dies and steps and neck turning, but it does result in some very good well fit brass.

I had a short action Ruger 77 Hawkeye re-barreled to .257 Roberts with a 24-inch Krieger 1-in-9" twist barrel specifically for heavier slugs. I've had the best performance out of 42.4 grains of H4350 behind a Hornady 117 grain BTSP seated to an overall length of 2.780" in non-Plus P Winchester brass with a WLR primer for 2812 FPS and groups of 0.793" and 46.0 grains of RL19 with the same bullet and primer combination in Remington brass for 2914 FPS and groups of 0.561".

4350 (I use H) is likely the best powder to start with. Bullets these days are so good, that just about any of them will sort a deer out in short order. The only 257 I have right now is a Ruger Ultralight. They aren't known for being tack drivers, so when 42 grains of H4350 pushing a 115 grain Partition gave me 1.5 inch groups I went hunting. I get similar accuracy with 115 NBTs. I haven'experimented much at all. Every deer I have shot where I have involved a shoulder has dropped in its tracks. I have recovered one bullet just under the far side hide.

Be patient with the brass. Cabelas just had RP in stock. I bought 2 bags for normal price. Reseller prices are obnoxious and unfortunately that's probably where a lot of the Cabelas brass went.

Lastly, it's just plain wrong to boast of a knock out walnut stock and not post pics!

My crappy photography does not do the stock justice.

http://s264.photobucket.com/user/OLBIKER_photo/slideshow/TC44%20mag/Sako%20257

Nice!

DF

Nice rig Huntz ...................

Sweet rifle Huntz.....

I don't know why but when I looked at that stock Al Biessen(sp) came to mined?? Cheers NC

Very nice looking rifle there sir!

That is one very nice piece of walnut--and a very nice rifle too!

Nice looking outfit, you going to bloody it this fall?

Yes,going to take it to Montana .Hope to put the smack down on a nice Mule Deer.Thanks for all the compliments everybody!!!

That one would have come home with me. Nice score.

100 gr Sierra Pro Hunter and H 4350 add me to the list that couldn't get the 110 Accu Bond to shoot in any rifle I've tried them in.