257 Robert's

[E270wsm]

I found a pre-64 Model 70 in good condition in .257 Roberts last year. Expensive, but I'm retired and the children are moved out and doing OK, so I tumbled for it. A friend had some boxes of old commercial ammo he gave me, and I am now waiting for shoulder surgery to heal so I can start to work up a load. Now all I have to do is figure out what I'm gonna do with it since Ohio doesn't allow anything but shotguns or straight-walled cases for whitetail. So I'm gonna follow this thread, all the time wishing I hadn't waited so long to get a rifle in this classic caliber.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I live in Illinois, it's shotgun with limited straight wall single shot rifles. I have a brother in Alabama and Alabama has a generous deer season. I would love to have the Roberts shooting well and take it along with the 270 WSM.

 

[Rflshootr]

How much did the Hart services cost? What barrel twist and what diameter and length. Sorry for all the questions, but I don't know much about rebar telling/changing calibers. Thank you

Hart charges $850. That includes a custom barrel of your choice, truing the face of your action, chambering, threading, crowning and installing the barrel.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I have a Ruger Hawkeye in 257 Roberts. Most times it's 2 to 3 inch three shot groups at 100 yards. Put in a timney trigger and bedded it. Still not good. I've gotten so frustrated that I haven't messed with it for a while. I like the cartridge and the rifle, just not the accuracy. Once in a while it tosses a good group, just often enough to give me hope.
It may be barrel and a professional bedding job. Open to suggestions.

Yep I was in the same boat. Had a new barrel and bed job done and now it's a 1/2 inch gun at 100. May be worth the time and investment. Mine was because it was the first gun I was given by my dad.

 

[Seabeeken]

How much did the Hart services cost? What barrel twist and what diameter and length. Sorry for all the questions, but I don't know much about rebar telling/changing calibers. Thank you

 

[spladi]

I have this rifle that's been the hardest rifle that I have ever loaded for. Now I'm thinking maybe it's a brass issue. What's the best brass out there for the Robert's?

Cartridge brass is all good in my opinion, sorting it by weight and length doesn't hurt, prep the pockets and the flash hole and ultimately careful neck resizing and shoulder bumping makes it great.

 

[thomasbangs]

I have a pre-64 Winchester Model 70, standard weight that I've been loading for 50 years. I started with Remington brass because in early 70's 257 Roberts brass was scarce where I lived and Remington was all I could find, years later I did find some older Winchester brass on shelves in some stores here out West. I full length resize in RCBS dies and have not had any problems. I have also sized down 7X57 cases in the 257 Roberts die with no problems although lube neck with finger lube good and or necking down midway like the 260 Remington would help but just a extra step. Back east I harvested groundhogs and red fox with it, for the last 45 years out west I've used it to take several deer and more than a few coyotes. It will shoot 5 shot one inch groups at 100 yards from a bench with 75 gr. Sierra hollow points, 87 gr. Sierra Spitzer points, 100 gr. Speer Spitzer points, and both the Nosler 100 gr. Ballistic Tip and the 100 gr. Nosler Partition. I use IMR 4064 for the 75 and 87 gr. bullets and IMR 4350 for the 100 gr. bullets.

 

[Rflshootr]

Ken,
I just called Hart on the phone and they quoted me $850, which I thought was insane and they are 10-12 months out.
Has it been a while since you had yours done?

 

[watersfam]

I was going to say, I emailed Pete today over at quality cartridge and had him add an order in for some with my 7 stw order. Just got to wait until they run them again.

I've been waiting on Pete to put together a run of stamped 257 AI's for two years. He needs more volume before making a run. Anybody needing 257 AI brass should contact him and express their desire for that cartridge.

I came across a lonely 257 AI by chance (it was unmarked at an auction and left handed, which I am) and picked it up for $210. It is by far the best hunting rifle I own. The only real drawback is the brass, which can be easily fire-formed from 257 BOB's. BUT, as the group here points out...quality Bob's are getting real hard to find in good shape. Old or poor quality 257 brass can look real ugly after fire-forming and it isn't great for your receiver when those rupture near the rim.

 

[VinceMule]

Rugers, only tighten that center screw fingernail tight, no tighter. Nothing wrong with removing the center screw entirely. That center screw bows the action in the middle, harmonics are terrible when this happens.

Roberts with 117g Sierra is shore nuff quick death for white tails and hogs, magic in fact!

I ran Rem, Win brass, and even some frontier. Never a problem with accuracy. I got 1/2" groups with 100g Nosler partitions, and they liked a little jump from the lands, IMR 4350.

If you re barrel, go roberts AI, there is NO DOWNSIDE to going AI!

 

[Mike Matteson]

Some of the cases mention above would be a better way to go. Using top of the line brass. I would be looking at Petersons or Lapua brass. For whatever reason you are stuck on Norma brass, and I don't fully understand why.
No mention of flashhole work, Setting neck thickness, setting neck tension, bumping shoulders. Fireforming cases, and annealing case necks. No mention of case weight by volume either. No mention of different primers, powder, changing seating depth of bullet to lands either again.
These item mention above works toward getting better groups.

 

[Web1350]

Optics Planet has Norma in stock but it is way pricy.

Nosler Custom Rifle Brass .257 Roberts +P 10135 Caliber: .257 Roberts +P, Condition: New, 10% Off w/ Free Shipping

Shop Nosler Custom Rifle Brass .257 Roberts +P | 10% Off 5 Star Rating on 2 Reviews for Nosler Custom Rifle Brass .257 Roberts +P + Free Shipping over $49.

www.opticsplanet.com

Optics Planet has been known to advertise and take orders on items they don't have in stock. Then, after receiving an order, notify the buyer them item is on back order. It's happened to me and I've heard of others as well.

 

[Raudy707]

My great uncle left me a Ruger tang safety 257 Roberts. Shoots bugholes with Sierra 100 grain Game Kings and 115 Nosler Ballistic Tips. H4350, H4831 and Reloder 19 all get it done. I don't even care what brass I use so long as it's the same manufacturer. Federal, Win, Remington. It shoots em all. Great little rifle and my favorite youth gun for deer. All the kids shoot this rifle and have great success with it. Love the Roberts!

 

[Hard rock]

My great uncle left me a Ruger tang safety 257 Roberts. Shoots bugholes with Sierra 100 grain Game Kings and 115 Nosler Ballistic Tips. H4350, H4831 and Reloder 19 all get it done. I don't even care what brass I use so long as it's the same manufacturer. Federal, Win, Remington. It shoots em all. Great little rifle and my favorite youth gun for deer. All the kids shoot this rifle and have great success with it. Love the Roberts!

6mm rem , 257 Roberts and 7x57 Mauser brass will all work The parent case is the 7x57 , if you neck down , you may need too turn the necks .

 

[Seabeeken]

Ken,
I just called Hart on the phone and they quoted me $850, which I thought was insane and they are 10-12 months out.
Has it been a while since you had yours done?

Date on that invoice is 11-27-2017