Need a rifle, thinking about .257 Roberts

[lawandorder]

.............don't know much about rifles. Quit deer hunting in the late 80s, and had for years used a .270.

Have some open ground now and am thinking I need a varmint rifle that is pretty versatile.

Saw a .257 Roberts, and thought I would get some opinions on it.

Thanks for any thoughts on the caliber.

 

[ColbyBruce]

The .257 Roberts is a fine, versatile cartridge that is practically obsolete. Look at a 7mm/08, unless you enjoy hand loading and load development.

 

[gregintenn]

If you reload, you can't beat it. If not, I would suggest something like a 243 Winchester, so you will be able to find ammunition for it.

Brass isn't what I'd call plentiful, but you'll find it occasionally.

I don't understand why the 257 Roberts isn't more common than it is. There are numerous threads about them on every gun forum, and used rifle prices show the 257 demands a premium over most any other caliber, all other things being equal.

 

[Big Cholla]

Two things about the .257 Roberts: It is a great middle level cartridge. The design is so old that there are still many less than stellar rifles out there that use the 'Bob". Therefore the factory loadings are not loaded to the pressure that this cartridge can easily handle when used in late model bolt actions. To get the best performance from the "Bob" one must handload. The best version of it is the 257 Ackley Improved. Near 270 performance in a really versatile cartridge. Of course the problem is that the AI must be handloaded. The AI can be chamber reamed to headspace on the the original Roberts case so one could shoot either version when appropriate. I was glad that I built mine that way when I wound up in the Nevada hills with the Roberts Ackley Improved and .30-06 ammo. I just stopped in Ely and bought a box of .257 R hunting loads and went on to take a nice Mule Deer.

The line of .257" bullets that are commercially available is very broad and several seem to be above average accurate. This is a great varmint/deer rifle combo.

IMHO, The Rem M 722s in 257 R seemed to be of average accuracy. Certainly good for moa of deer. But, when the Rem 700 was available in 257 R the accuracy of the OEM rifle took a big forward step. Find a beat up old cheap 722 and have it rebarreled and reblued. Don't do what I did and buy a Rem Classic in 257 R and rechambered it to the Ackley Improved. I got just what I wanted in an accurate walking varmint/deer rifle, but ruined its future value as a Classic. ............. Big Cholla

 

[Geno44]

If I was only going to have one rifle, a .257 Roberts wouldn't be my pick. I would get something a little more conventional like the previously suggested .243 or a .270 or 25/06. Ammo would be more readily available as would components if you were hand loading.

 

[bmcgilvray]

lawandorder; you really need a .257 Roberts in particular.

A very accurate cartridge is the .257 Roberts. It should be considered to be an effectively flat-shooting round for shots out to 300 yards which covers a lot of hunting ground, more than many have any real business shooting. Recoil is manageable and the round is so pleasant to play with over an afternoon's bench rest session at the range. One of the most gratifying cartridges for which to handload, it's easy to build really accurate loads from mild to wild. Speaking of wild, it gives up less in truly useable velocity and trajectory to the .25-06 than fans of that cartridge are willing to admit. Is a real good deer getter for this part of Texas. The .257 Roberts is everything the .243 Winchester cartridge is and more and ought to be more popular than it is. One of my very favorite rifle cartridges of all!


A 1947 vintage Winchester Model 70 .257 Roberts frequently puts whitetail snacks in the freezer at our house.

 

[alwslate]

A popular concept for gunwriters looking for subject material is the
why aren't they more popular theme while praising one of the more or
less obsolete cartridges like the 257 Roberts or 358 Winchester and
others. The authors extol the virtues of their chosen overlooked great
cartridge. The first centerfire rifle I ever owned back in 1966 was a
257 Roberts in a Herters Mauser action rifle. That's when I began my
handloading career because factory ammo was very limited even back
then. The 257 will give decent performance in a good rifle just like
any one of many obscure cartridges if fed good handloads but there
is absolutely nothing special about it regardless of the gushing of
gunwriters looking for article material. Too long for short actions
and too short for long actions with factory throating. For a practical
all around rifle there are several better choices in readily available
guns and ammo-components than the 257. If you're going to be
shooting varmints at long range the 22-250 is still viable and the
243 and 7mm-08 are good choices for the occasional deer. The 25-06
or 270 in a long action rifle would work. My first choice for a good
all around cartridge would be the 308. Not everyone would agree
with that choice but the 308 probably has replaced the old 30-06
as the most useful centerfire cartridge available.

 

[NYlakesider]

.............don't know much about rifles. Quit deer hunting in the late 80s, and had for years used a .270.

Have some open ground now and am thinking I need a varmint rifle that is pretty versatile.

Saw a .257 Roberts, and thought I would get some opinions on it.

Thanks for any thoughts on the caliber.

The 257 is a great cartridge a good buddy has had a couple of them one a full custom build.

With that said back in about 1972 when I was a apprentice and only received about a 1/3 of what Juryman got I need a good anything rifle( would not make real good money for about 5 years). I most definitely considered the .257. I wanted a good long range deer rifle a good wood chuck gun and something to shoot at targets. I considered everything that was out there from 22- 28.

My choice was a 700 Remington BDL in .25.06. (Put a Redfield wiedfild 3x-9x on it) It was the perfect choice) A good friend that knew Remington’s quite well floated the barrel glassed the action and tinkered with the trigger. I still have the rifle (set up as described above) and it still will shoot very small groups.( I reload, but regular factory ammo shoots quite well)) It has killed many deer, many chucks and decimated quite a few paper targets. I have shot it at our long distance range (600 yards) and it does very good.

The 257 is good, the 25.06 is great!

 

[lawandorder]

Some great advise and opinions, but then that is what this Forum is famous for, Good folks, willing to share opinions, and advise.

Thanks all.

The rifle I looked at was a Remington Custom shop model 7 and after reading a lot of comments about it am pretty much steered away from it as the general consensus that I have read says it is overpriced for what you get.

Will probably settle on a Ruger or Kimber when I do spring for a rifle.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I saw a Winchester 70 in 7x57mm a few weeks ago in a north GA pawn shop. While also a near obsolete cartridge, it is extremely versatile when hand loaded. Not many factory offerings in ammo either. I can check on this one if you like.

I own a Remington 700 Mtn. Rifle in 7mm/08. Great gun and cartridge.

I have owned several Ruger 77 rifles but only three of them would shoot. I personally would not put serious money into another Ruger rifle. My bolt action center fire rifles are 1 Brno, 4 CZ, and 7 Remington. I do have a Browning B78 .25/06 single shot rifle that I am fond of, but is best not handled with gloves on. I do like the cartridge though.

 

[RDFabsRep]

I've contemplated building/buying rifles in off-the-cuff calibers on more than one occasion--.50 Beowulf, 300aac Blackout. However, all my handguns, shotguns and rifles/carbines are only chambered in common rounds--and I like it that way.

Run out of ammo and need to buy some? It's on the shelf. SHTF and you can only bring a few with you? Chances are you'll find some more of it pretty easily.

As stated above, for a first and (currently) only rifle, look to a caliber that's more common.

 

[bmcgilvray]

As an avid handloader, I've never once run out of ammo for any occasion in nearly 40 years, whether it be .30-06 and .38 Special or .351 Winchester and .41 Long Colt. Realistically not going to happen, in the field, on the range, in the emergency scenario that most envision. If one has the gun on hand and any presence of mind at all then the ammo will be on hand too.

Only one viewpoint but what a waste to miss out on wonderful and practical cartridges for the sake of that which is common. I'm very much into firearms for the hobby aspect though. I enjoy 'em.