i have a chance to buy a Model 70 new in box made in 1985 in 257 roberts what do you folks think of the round i dont know any thing about it

Nice round and less common than many of the othere rounds they made in the Model 70. Not rare but less common.

It's better than a than a .243 (for deer) but not as fast or flat shooting as the 25/06. When I lived in South Dakota a friend had one and used it exclusively on deer. Depends on what you want it for. Probably a nice gun!

The 257 is a useful round for deer. Not a knarly kicker but plenty of umph

I had one a while back and wish I had kept it although mine was a Ruger. It is a better round than it gets credit for but the .25-06 stole its thunder. Still the Roberts is a great all around deer and varmint killer.

__________________
Vaya con Dios

It's been on my short list for a long time. If the price is right, grab it. Great for Whitetail, Pronghorn, Coyote down to Ground Hogs / Woodchucks.

I own both the 257 and the 2506 and both rounds kill deer cleanly. The 2506 can be loaded hotter but at a cost of a lot more powder. It's hard to pick one over the other. Both rounds are perfect for varmints to deer size game. You can shoot a heavier bullet weight than the 6mm and 243. Both rifles I have are Remingtons and shoot well under 1 moa. The 257 will probably have a 22" barrel where as the 2506 needs a 24" to really shine. The only reason the Roberts lost popularity was that they were not built on light weight platforms like the 6mms and 243 were. In my opinion the Roberts is a better round than either of them.

If the price is right snatch it up. The 257 is arguably the best all around deer cartridge you can find. I had a Remington 700 ADL, I sold it to my friend and used the money to fund a mauser 98 project in yes, you guessed it, 257 Bob. I prefer the long action so you can seat the 120 gr bullets further out. If you buy it you won't be disappointed.

Yes definitely buy it! I bought a 257 Roberts in the 80's in a Remington Mountain Rifle which I gave to my daughter when she started hunting. She has killed a lot of deer in the past 16 years with it plus wild hogs, sheep, and antelope. We use Barnes 100 grain X bullets or Nosler 110 grain Bonded. She shot a big bodied white tail with it this past December and he didn't go far.


For years I tried to find one of the M-70s like you're considering and couldn't find one in the condition and price range I was in. So in about '06 I ordered one of the new M-70 FWTs in 25 WSSM and the super short action. It is a great gun too. Then this past fall I found a good used M-70 FWT from the 80's in 257 Roberts and bought it. It just loves Hodgdon H414 and Barnes Triple Shocks. Shoots nice half inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards.

Megan is a hunter not a gun crank like me, she doesn't get wrapped up in paper comparisons of cartridges and velocities and such. She knows that anything she hunts with her Roberts is going down. She goes to her big gun, 300 WSM, for Moose and Africa but her Roberts is her hands down favorite.

A couple pictures in her living room:

__________________
KSCowboy

I'm a big 257 Roberts fan. Works best if you are a reloader as factory ammo is hard to find and limited in velocity.

IIRC, the Winchester 70 has a "short throat". I have a NIB Winchester Model 70 Featherweight from about the same time period as the one you are looking at buying. I just seem to recall about it having the short throat which limits your OAL when loading.

I normally shoot my Remington 700 Classic in 257 Roberts and have been very happy with it.

Really depends on what you want to use the rifle for, deer or a mix
of big game - varmint. The first deer rifle I owned was a Herter's
mauser actioned 257 Roberts. Altho often romanticized by gun writers
there is absolutely nothing special about the 257. With most hunting
rifles today being made in both short and long action versions the 257
fits neither. For a deer rifle I would choose a 308 or 30-06 depending
on the gun and never give the 257 a second look unless it's a real
bargain.