257 Roberts

I do and really like it. I have a Ruger Mk II. I have taken a lot deer a few coyotes and a javalina with it. More than a few dropped in their tracks.

I shoot the Hornady LM 117 grain bullets. I had trouble getting these a while back as they were back ordered or something. I did find 4 boxes on Gunbroker.com during that time. I have looked for them lately.

My wife took her first deer with it, and I expect my son will use it when he moves up from the Youth NEF .243 he is using now.

If I hand loaded (which I don't) I would use it for predator hunting more using the 87 or 75 grain bullets.

The Roberts is a very efficient round with that is over looked in my opinion. If more factory offerings were available, I think it would get more attention.
 
I think it is one of the most versatile over looked rounds out there. Love shootin mine, use it for yotes up to deer. (even got an elk with it but wouldnt recomend it) Easy on the shoulder and just plain fun.
 
The 257 Roberts was the pet cartridge of P.O. Ackley which he made an improved version of. He wrote that this cartridge was of ideal case volume to bore capaicty for wonderful efficiency. His Ackly Improved version changed the shoulder angle from the 21 degrees to 40 degrees which increased the case capacity and thereby increased the cartridges potential velocity up to the level of the 25-06. However, the 257 Roberts was initially factory loaded to accomodate the popular military actions of that era, and as such were not nearly up to the potential level of performance that this cartridge was capable of producing. That was one of the main reasons this cartridge lost the popularity contest with the 25-06. However, given today's strong actions and wonderful bullets and poweders, this round is capable of producing wonderful results in a light recoiling and extremely efficient cartridge. I think it would make an ideal whitetail rifle. And if you ever decide you want to squeeze a little more out it, you can always have it Ackley Improved! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Hope this info is helpful.

Kyle
 
I was wondering about the AI. One guy at the shop today was talking about it, as he was working on a gun of his own and said that there was a 257 AI reamer in the shop. He mentioned that this was what I should do, and it would be close to 25/06 speeds. I don't know about AI, and thought I would need different brass, but he said it would be the same brass as 257 Roberts. Anybody know about this?
 
You can fire form the brass.

The Hornady Light Mag is very near normal 25-06 velocities (muzzle velocity of 2940 fps for the Roberts and 2990 for the 25-06). The bullets are the same (117 grain).

Ballistics chart
 
I agree with all the above. I bought one for my son and when he went to college he sold it without letting me know first. That was about 10 years ago and I would still like to ring his neck for that stunt. IMO, that is one darn fine caliber. Someday I hope to get another one and you can bet I won't give it away. You will not regret going with it.
 
Go for it. You should love the caliber. In my opinion it is one of the list of long list of underrated calibers in a mag and short mag world.
 
My LH Sako is chambered for the 257 Ack Imp. . This rifle groups the 100 gr Nosler Part with IMR 4831 into 1/2 inch groups all day long if i do my part. I have killed 9 bucks and 5 does with this many shots with this rifle and the distant was from 100 yards out to around 400. The 100 GR Nosler Part is like a death ray on whitetail deer. I have never used this rifle for calling but i am sure it would work just as well or better on coyotes. I don't believe you can go wrong with either the standard Roberts or the Improved version. I would say go for the Roberts , you just can't go wrong and it may just become your favorite whitetail and calling rifle. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
sako1.jpg
 
If you are re-barrelling anyway then go for the AI version. It's a really great cartridge (IMHO) and very user friendly in the recoil department. I built one a few years back on a Mark X Mauser action it was a real tack driver. You can use standard .257 Rob. ammo to fireform the AI case it works fine. The best loading data I have found is in the Accurate Arms manual.
Bob
 


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