Some cartridges get all of the glory. The .30-06 Springfield sits on a throne. The .270 Winchester has its Jack O’Connor fan membership. The .308 Winchester runs the precision rifle world. After which there’s the .257 Roberts — a cartridge that does every part nicely, asks for nothing in return, and in some way nonetheless will get neglected on the gun counter. That is a disgrace, as a result of the “Bob,” because it’s affectionately recognized, is among the most well-balanced rifle cartridges ever designed.
Ned Roberts and the Quarter-Bore Obsession
The .257 Roberts traces its lineage to 1 man’s cussed ardour for .25-caliber rifles. Ned H. Roberts was a rifleman, author, and experimenter who spent many years chasing the perfect medium-game cartridge. Roberts was an everyday contributor to firearms publications within the early twentieth century, and he was satisfied that .25-caliber bullets provided a uniquely helpful mixture of flat trajectory, average recoil, and enough killing energy for deer-sized recreation.
Roberts wasn’t the one one desirous about quarter-bore wildcats. All through the Nineteen Twenties and into the Nineteen Thirties, a variety of experimenters have been necking down the 7x57mm Mauser case to simply accept .257-caliber bullets. The 7x57mm dad or mum case was an impressed alternative — it is a mild-mannered, environment friendly case design with a mild shoulder angle that feeds slick as butter via bolt actions. Roberts himself labored with gunsmith A.O. Niedner — together with collaborators together with Harvey Donaldson, Townsend Whelen, and F.J. Sage — on creating what he known as the .25 Roberts. Niedner’s Rifle Company was the primary to chamber the wildcat commercially.
From Wildcat to Manufacturing facility Spherical
Remington made the cartridge official in 1934, standardizing it because the .257 Roberts. However here is the place issues get fascinating — and the place some Roberts followers get aggravated. Remington modified the shoulder angle from Roberts’ unique design. The unique wildcat used a 15-degree shoulder angle, whereas Remington bumped it as much as a sharper 20 levels and 45 minutes — matching the shoulder angle of the dad or mum 7x57mm Mauser case. The intent was improved headspacing, extra constant chamber dimensions throughout manufacturing facility rifles, and dependable feeding from normal Mauser magazines.
The Roberts identify caught regardless of these modifications, and Ned Roberts himself reportedly had combined emotions concerning the industrial model bearing his identify with a special shoulder. That stated, the cartridge carried out fantastically regardless. Remington chambered it of their Mannequin 30 bolt-action rifle initially, and Winchester adopted go well with — first within the Mannequin 54, after which within the Mannequin 70 when it debuted in 1936.
What Makes the .257 Roberts Particular
Should you’ve by no means shot a .257 Roberts, you are lacking out on what I take into account one of the nice centerfire rifle experiences obtainable. The recoil is remarkably delicate for a cartridge this succesful. We’re speaking about pushing a 100-grain bullet to round 2,800-3,100 fps out of a standard-length barrel, or a 117-120 grain bullet to roughly 2,650-2,800 fps in normal masses (Hornady’s Superformance +P pushes a 117-grain SST to almost 2,940 fps). That is real 300-yard deer efficiency with out the punishment of a magnum.
The .257 Roberts operates at comparatively modest chamber pressures. SAAMI most common strain is listed at 54,000 PSI, which is significantly decrease than many fashionable cartridges. That is really a sore level for some lovers — many consider the Roberts was saddled with conservative strain limits to accommodate older actions, and that the cartridge is able to considerably extra when loaded in fashionable rifles. The “+P” designation you generally see on .257 Roberts ammunition displays masses pushed to increased pressures (58,000 PSI per SAAMI) which are protected in fashionable bolt actions however shouldn’t be fired in older rifles with out having them inspected by a certified gunsmith first.
Ballistic Efficiency within the Discipline
On paper and within the discipline, the .257 Roberts has at all times punched above its weight class by way of sensible efficiency per unit of recoil. Contemplate the ballistic profile: a 100-grain Nosler Partition or Sierra GameKing at 2,950 fps zeroed at 200 yards drops roughly 7-8 inches at 300 yards (actual figures range by particular load, altitude, and circumstances). That is a hold-on-hair trajectory for the overwhelming majority of searching conditions in North America. The wind drift is average — higher than a .30-30 or .35 Remington, although not fairly as wind-resistant as a heavy .270 or .30-06 bullet. For searching in open prairie, foothills, or mountain terrain the place photographs are inclined to run 150-350 yards, the Roberts trajectory is almost splendid.
Terminal efficiency with high quality bullets is greater than enough for deer, antelope, and similar-sized recreation. The .25-caliber bore diameter means barely much less frontal space than a .270 or .308, however sectional density on the heavier .257 bullets is great. A 115-grain Nosler Partition in .257 caliber has a sectional density of .249, which interprets to deep penetration relative to caliber. Elk with the Roberts? Some individuals do it, and I will not say they’re improper in the event that they use a troublesome bullet and hold photographs cheap. However the cartridge is at its greatest on recreation underneath 300 kilos. That is not a weak point — that is the overwhelming majority of huge recreation hunted in North America.
Barrel Life and Case Effectivity
One of many less-discussed virtues of the .257 Roberts is barrel life. As a result of it operates at average pressures with an environment friendly powder column, the Roberts does not erode throats the best way hot-rod cartridges do. Shooters routinely report barrel life of three,000 rounds or extra earlier than accuracy degrades (this varies by barrel metal, capturing cadence, and cargo, however the basic consensus is favorable). Evaluate that to overbore cartridges just like the .264 Winchester Magnum or the 6.5-300 Weatherby, which might burn out a barrel in 800-1,200 rounds. For a cartridge you wish to shoot repeatedly — whether or not for observe, varminting, or load improvement — lengthy barrel life is a severe sensible benefit.
The Roberts additionally makes environment friendly use of powder. A typical cost weight for the .257 Roberts runs within the vary of 40-48 grains relying on the powder and bullet (don’t use this as load knowledge — at all times seek the advice of a broadcast reloading guide for particular cost weights). That is noticeably lower than what a .25-06 burns, and the rate distinction between the 2 is surprisingly slender — typically solely 150-200 fps in favor of the .25-06, at the price of considerably extra powder, extra recoil, extra muzzle blast, and quicker barrel erosion. Effectivity issues, each in how far a pound of powder goes and in how lengthy your barrel lasts.
The Competitors That Overshadowed It
So if the .257 Roberts is that this good, why does not it dominate? The trustworthy reply is timing and advertising and marketing. The .270 Winchester had a nine-year head begin, arriving in 1925, and it had Jack O’Connor beating the drum for it in each outside journal in America for many years. The .243 Winchester confirmed up in 1955 and carved out the “gentle recoil, flat capturing” area of interest with the benefit of utilizing .308-family short-action rifles. The .25-06 Remington went manufacturing facility in 1969 and provided comparable bullet diameter with extra velocity from its full-length .30-06 case.
The Roberts acquired squeezed from each side. Shooters who wished delicate recoil and flat trajectory drifted towards the .243. Those that wished extra punch in .25 caliber went for the .25-06. And the .270 already owned the “do-everything” medium-bore dialog. None of this displays poorly on the Roberts — it is purely a market dynamics drawback.
The Reloader’s Cartridge
The place the .257 Roberts actually shines is on the reloading bench. The case is environment friendly, it does not burn barrels the best way overbore magnums do, and it responds fantastically to handloading. There’s a variety of .257-caliber bullets obtainable from producers like Sierra, Hornady, Nosler, and Barnes, starting from 75-grain varmint bullets up via 120-grain choices appropriate for bigger recreation.
The case capability is such you can develop masses spanning every part from a varmint rifle to a strong deer and antelope cartridge. A 75-grain hole level at most protected velocity makes for a devastating prairie canine load, whereas a well-constructed 115-120 grain partition or bonded bullet at average velocity will deal with any whitetail or mule deer that walks. In my view, this versatility is unmatched at this recoil degree.
I will not print particular load knowledge right here — that is what your reloading guide is for. Should you’re loading for the .257 Roberts, get a present version of the Nosler Reloading Information, Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, or Sierra Reloading Handbook. All three have wonderful .257 Roberts sections. For a cartridge-specific reference, the Full Reloading Handbook for the .257 Roberts is a devoted compilation value having on the bench. Observe their revealed knowledge precisely and work up from minimal masses. This is not elective recommendation — it is the one protected technique to develop handloads.
Should you’re setting as much as reload the .257 Roberts, you will want a set of dies. RCBS’s full-length 2-die set is the usual workhorse — dependable, well-made, and broadly obtainable. Lee’s Pacesetter 3-die set is the funds entry level and features a manufacturing facility crimp die, which is a pleasant contact on the worth. For the reloader who needs tighter tolerances, Redding’s full-length set is a step up in precision and worth.
Fashionable Standing and Availability
The .257 Roberts hasn’t fully disappeared, however it’s not thriving both. As of this writing, manufacturing facility ammunition is offered from a handful of producers — Hornady, Nosler, Remington, and Winchester have produced runs lately, although it is not at all times sitting on the shelf at your native sporting items retailer. You could have to order on-line or, higher but, load your personal. Brass is offered from Nosler, Hornady, and infrequently from Remington and Winchester.
Rifle availability is extra restricted. Ruger has chambered the No. 1 and the M77 Hawkeye in .257 Roberts from time to time. The cartridge reveals up in semi-custom choices from firms like Cooper and Kimber every now and then. However you will not discover rows of .257 Roberts rifles at a giant field retailer. Most shooters who fall in love with the Bob find yourself having a rifle constructed on a {custom} or semi-custom motion, which actually fits the cartridge’s persona simply tremendous.
Who Is the .257 Roberts For?
In my view, the .257 Roberts is good for a couple of particular sorts of shooters. First, anybody who’s recoil-sensitive however needs real medium-game functionality — the Roberts delivers deer-killing efficiency at recoil ranges nearer to a .243 than a .270. Second, handloaders who recognize case effectivity and barrel life. Third, anybody who hunts in open nation the place 250-300 yard photographs are widespread however 500-yard bombing runs will not be the objective. And actually? Anybody who simply appreciates a chic cartridge that does its job with out fanfare.
The .257 Roberts might by no means reclaim a top-ten spot on the best-seller charts. The market has moved on, and there isn’t any going again. However cartridges do not change into out of date simply because newer ones exist. The Bob nonetheless does precisely what Ned Roberts meant it to do — put .25-caliber bullets on the right track with precision, effectivity, and minimal fuss. If that sounds interesting, seize a reloading guide and begin down the quarter-bore rabbit gap. You will not remorse it.
If you already know of any boards or websites that must be referenced on this itemizing, please tell us right here.
