Anyone shoot a 257 Roberts Ackley?
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JLT
Member
Great round. Properly loaded it's hair-splitting distance from the .25-'06. RL-17, RL-23, H4831, H4350, RL-26, H100V and quite a few other powders work well in the case.
Terrific performance on medium game. One of my go-to deer rifles is a .257 AI.
Terrific performance on medium game. One of my go-to deer rifles is a .257 AI.
JLT
Member
My two favorite bullets are the 100 gr. Speer PSP and the 117 gr. Sierra Game King. The does a great job on deer - it holds together very well at the high velocities possible with the AI case and I have found it to be very accurate. Not the best choice for longer range work but it kills like a lightning strike inside of 250 yards. The Sierra has proven to be an outstanding all-around performer for medium game - accurate, flat shooting and absolutely reliable terminal performance. If I had to pick one or the other, I'd go with the Game King.
I usually use H100V with the Speer and RL-23 with the Sierra. I got some eye-popping velocity with RL-26 and the 117 gr. bullet but RL-23 delivers remarkable accuracy out of my rifle. H4831SC is a good all-around powder for 100 grain bullets and heavier.
Enjoy your new rifle!
I usually use H100V with the Speer and RL-23 with the Sierra. I got some eye-popping velocity with RL-26 and the 117 gr. bullet but RL-23 delivers remarkable accuracy out of my rifle. H4831SC is a good all-around powder for 100 grain bullets and heavier.
Enjoy your new rifle!
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
I had one, and a 25-06, for years.
Mine really liked 100gr BT's, 115gr Partitions and 120gr Speer Hot Cors.
I used H4350, W760 and RE22.
For fire forming, I used COW and Universal powder.
My rifle is a Mauser '98, that I have since re-barreled to 338-06.
I never found the 257AI come close to my 25-06's. It's a good 100fps behind when +P loads are even used.
Great cartridge, brass lasts ages and is not finicky with loads.
Good luck and great shooting with your new acquisition.
Cheers.
Mine really liked 100gr BT's, 115gr Partitions and 120gr Speer Hot Cors.
I used H4350, W760 and RE22.
For fire forming, I used COW and Universal powder.
My rifle is a Mauser '98, that I have since re-barreled to 338-06.
I never found the 257AI come close to my 25-06's. It's a good 100fps behind when +P loads are even used.
Great cartridge, brass lasts ages and is not finicky with loads.
Good luck and great shooting with your new acquisition.
Cheers.
JLT
Member
Whatever's on sale . . .
It's a good opportunity to familiarize oneself with the rifle and pop a few crows and such. The 75 gr. V-Max is reasonably priced, as is the Speer TNT, and I've found both to be quite accurate in fire forming loads. Just pick a close-to-max load for the parent case from published data and have some fun.
Last edited:
Bret GRAVELINE Graveline
Well-Known Member
Hello,
I'm a little late here, while I wouldn't claim expert status, I do have a bit of experience with this cartridge, I not only shoot one but three currently, two are rebores a ruger Number 1A that started life as a number 3 a Browning safari grade sako that started as a 243 and a ultra light weight Remington mod 7 that tips the scale fully loaded with sling and wears a Leopold 3x9 ultra light at 6 pounds 1 once, I've loaded for these as well as 7 others 8 if you count the shot out and replaced barrel on the remington and have since 1981, I've played with twist rates of 9 10 and 12, and barrel lengths of 21 22 and 26, oddly the 21's were not the slowest nor were the 26's the fastest,
None of these rifles would be considered heavy weights with the number 1 being the heaviest at 8 pounds even with a 2 x 7 leupold,
All rifles produced groups under MOA, a couple by not much but a couple were sub half MOA,
Except when fire forming I've stayed with 100 gr and heavier, the caliber has been a go to gun for nearly 40 years taking everything from ground squirrels and Jack rabbits mostly while forming brass, to elk and kudu,
I've tried and used all types of brass except nosler, I've never found reason to complain about any of it except remington Nickle whose failure rate was a little higher when formingforming, I believe mostly due to nickel being a little harder, about 5% loss.
When forming a full case of slow burning powder produces best results,
The more air volume in a case produces more failures to fully form on first firing.
If the chamber is cut right there will be no need to crush seat the bullets.
The go gauge becomes a no-go gauge on a AI, Factory brass serves as a go gauge,
in every gun at least six firings of 5 cases were used to set a safe load standard,
58 grs of vn170 ( about all that one can get in the case ) produced loosening primer pockets, with velocities over 3000 fps,
The following powders all produce velocities within 25fps or over 3000 fps with 120 gr slugs. Some were over 3100,
All 4350, Re19 22 and 25, IMR and Hodgon 4831, H1000, IMR7828, AA3100 if one has any, Ramshot hunter, magpro, big game, Win WMR again if one has any,
Primers from the different rifles have pretty much covered the gauntlet, if I had to choose just one it would the win WLRM,
Preferred bullet would be a Barnes x, or nosler partition,
I've taken game from 10 to 600 yards, over 100 with the X bullet, and more with a partition, the X bullet will take game cleanly when others will not,
As a foot note i will add the 257's are not my only rifles it's just my go to gun most of the time,
I'm a big fan of the 6MM rem but it's a little light, I owned shoot and hunted with 2 25 06's longer actions longer barrels heavier rifles i don't like heavy rifles, great for antelope though,
im a big fan of the 338 Win Mag, and might be the one gun I'd never give up, for big game,
Enjoy it's a fun and capable cartridge.
I'm a little late here, while I wouldn't claim expert status, I do have a bit of experience with this cartridge, I not only shoot one but three currently, two are rebores a ruger Number 1A that started life as a number 3 a Browning safari grade sako that started as a 243 and a ultra light weight Remington mod 7 that tips the scale fully loaded with sling and wears a Leopold 3x9 ultra light at 6 pounds 1 once, I've loaded for these as well as 7 others 8 if you count the shot out and replaced barrel on the remington and have since 1981, I've played with twist rates of 9 10 and 12, and barrel lengths of 21 22 and 26, oddly the 21's were not the slowest nor were the 26's the fastest,
None of these rifles would be considered heavy weights with the number 1 being the heaviest at 8 pounds even with a 2 x 7 leupold,
All rifles produced groups under MOA, a couple by not much but a couple were sub half MOA,
Except when fire forming I've stayed with 100 gr and heavier, the caliber has been a go to gun for nearly 40 years taking everything from ground squirrels and Jack rabbits mostly while forming brass, to elk and kudu,
I've tried and used all types of brass except nosler, I've never found reason to complain about any of it except remington Nickle whose failure rate was a little higher when formingforming, I believe mostly due to nickel being a little harder, about 5% loss.
When forming a full case of slow burning powder produces best results,
The more air volume in a case produces more failures to fully form on first firing.
If the chamber is cut right there will be no need to crush seat the bullets.
The go gauge becomes a no-go gauge on a AI, Factory brass serves as a go gauge,
in every gun at least six firings of 5 cases were used to set a safe load standard,
58 grs of vn170 ( about all that one can get in the case ) produced loosening primer pockets, with velocities over 3000 fps,
The following powders all produce velocities within 25fps or over 3000 fps with 120 gr slugs. Some were over 3100,
All 4350, Re19 22 and 25, IMR and Hodgon 4831, H1000, IMR7828, AA3100 if one has any, Ramshot hunter, magpro, big game, Win WMR again if one has any,
Primers from the different rifles have pretty much covered the gauntlet, if I had to choose just one it would the win WLRM,
Preferred bullet would be a Barnes x, or nosler partition,
I've taken game from 10 to 600 yards, over 100 with the X bullet, and more with a partition, the X bullet will take game cleanly when others will not,
As a foot note i will add the 257's are not my only rifles it's just my go to gun most of the time,
I'm a big fan of the 6MM rem but it's a little light, I owned shoot and hunted with 2 25 06's longer actions longer barrels heavier rifles i don't like heavy rifles, great for antelope though,
im a big fan of the 338 Win Mag, and might be the one gun I'd never give up, for big game,
Enjoy it's a fun and capable cartridge.
MNbogboy
Well-Known Member
Also late to this one. Have chambered & built three 257 Bob AIs. These are all 10 twist & loved 100 grain Nosler ballistic tips & h4831sc. All three barrels shoot 1/2 to 3/4 moa between 3100- 3200 fps.
Brass is biggest obstacle, having formed it from 257 Roberts, 7mm x 57 & 8 x 57. Problem with the Roberts & 7mm cases always end up with short necks.
Also formed it down from 25-06, 270 & 30-06 (three later result in proper length necks but are more labor intensive to form).
Best results however came from 8mm x 57 mauser cases. Necks come out to length & depending on brass & chamber neck turning may only be optional. I use a 260 body die to bring the 8mm cases to "crush fit" length and then partial neck size them with the FL Ackley die. Fireform with "full" (47 gr) of h4831sc and 100gr bullets.
I use exactly same method with my 3 other Ackleys (6.5/257 Bob Ackley 40deg).
Good luck & have fun.
Brass is biggest obstacle, having formed it from 257 Roberts, 7mm x 57 & 8 x 57. Problem with the Roberts & 7mm cases always end up with short necks.
Also formed it down from 25-06, 270 & 30-06 (three later result in proper length necks but are more labor intensive to form).
Best results however came from 8mm x 57 mauser cases. Necks come out to length & depending on brass & chamber neck turning may only be optional. I use a 260 body die to bring the 8mm cases to "crush fit" length and then partial neck size them with the FL Ackley die. Fireform with "full" (47 gr) of h4831sc and 100gr bullets.
I use exactly same method with my 3 other Ackleys (6.5/257 Bob Ackley 40deg).
Good luck & have fun.
Bret GRAVELINE Graveline
Well-Known Member
That sounds like a lot of work, my first thought is headspace is excessive, what is the length of the fired case's, I've found a fired case usually end up 10 to 20 thousands under, depending on case length before firing and how close case tolerance is to Sami specs,
MNbogboy
Well-Known Member
If properly chambered to Ackley chamber dimensions standard 257 Roberts cases will have a slight interference fit (.003-.004). This eliminates any headspace problems, but if an Ackley reamer is used to punch out and clean up the Roberts chamber this interference will be lost. Creating a false shoulder or jamming bullets can be used to keep the case "tight" during fireforming.
Yes the standard Roberts case will end up short, .010 - .020 is common. The 7mm may see case will end up short also. As I mentioned before forming 8mm x 57 may see cases do end up longer. I believe the saami case length is 2.233 (memory without looking it up). You can end up full length by forming from the 25-06, 270 or 30-06 length cases but as said way more work. Also the neck shoulder junction is moved and donuts may form and need removal.
You will have fun with them.
Randy
Randy Tidwell
Well-Known Member
Here is an artical in this month's Shooting Times about the 257AI.
I have one on a sleeved Rem 700, love it
I have one on a sleeved Rem 700, love it
I have had two, first one a Ruger 77 long action with 24in Douglas bbl 10" twist that shot 117gr Hornady SST's around 3150fps with RL19. Current one is a Remington 700BDL short action with 24in Shilen bbl 10" twist that moves 100gr Ballistic Tips around 3250fps with IMR4350. The Remington also shoots 110gr Accubonds around 3140 with H4350. All loads used new Remington cases and CCI200 primers. I generally fireform with 100gr bullets and starter loads of 4350, bullets seated into the lands. Funny, the Ruger seemed more accurate with heavier bullets and the Remington prefers lighter ones. OP, make sure to use new brass to fireform. Hunting in Texas, I use a 7mm Rem Mag as my "heavy" "big buck" rifle, the .257AI for everything else (cull deer, does, pigs, coyotes, etc). The .257 excels in that "light rifle" role, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a big deer, either.
Clark
Well-Known Member
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- Oct 19, 2006
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I shoot 25acp, 25-20, 250 Sav, 257 Roberts, 257 Roberts Ackley, 257 Roberts Ackley rimmed, and 25-06.
The first 1" group I ever got was with my 257 Roberts Ackley in 2002. It gave me a 1/2" 5 shot group a week later.
I can remember that at 3900 fps 75 gr Vmax, the brass was good for one firing, and primer pocket was loose. I hated fire forming more brass.
What would get me back into 257RAI is if Nosler sold the brass. They sell 280AI, and it great stuff.
The first 1" group I ever got was with my 257 Roberts Ackley in 2002. It gave me a 1/2" 5 shot group a week later.
I can remember that at 3900 fps 75 gr Vmax, the brass was good for one firing, and primer pocket was loose. I hated fire forming more brass.
What would get me back into 257RAI is if Nosler sold the brass. They sell 280AI, and it great stuff.
