Load DataReloading EverythingRepackboxRotoMetals2
MidSouth Shooters SupplyPBcastcoWidenersInline Fabrication
Titan Reloading Lee Precision
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 41

Thread: 257 bob or 257 roberts ai?

  1. #1
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    windber, pa
    Posts
    1,298

    257 bob or 257 roberts ai?

    since i began shooting, i was intrigued by the 257 roberts. don't ask me why, but i considered it to be the best for hunting whitetail. then as i got older, i found that i "need" a 257 bob ai. i read just about everything that goes with the bob ai. then i got older(but not wiser) and i got into cast boolits, so i said to bob ai, "so long, i'll getcha next time". i was reading http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...t-action-30-30 and the mauser '93 came up. i questioned if i could have the 257 bob ai in a mauser 93? and i was answered by Texas by God that the ai probably won't be a good idea() because of the pressures involved, but a 257 roberts would be.

    i'll try to tell you the things i know(or kinda know).

    a mauser 98 will do a 257 roberts ai
    a mauser 93 will do a 257 roberts

    the 257 roberts ai brass i will not have trim as much
    the 257 roberts brass i will have to trim

    the ai will go 100-150fps( i've read that it will only 50fps faster ) faster than the original.

    the barrels contour is sporter weight.

    the barrel will be 24"
    the ai likes it to be 26".
    the bob likes it to be 22".

    i will only do a 150 to 300-325 yard shot. i will only kill(harvest for those you that are pc) whitetail. it will be 115-120gr bullet, the sst i'll have to try it first.
    it (mauser 93 or mauser 98) will be mine(meaning to have and to hold, to death till us part kinda thing)

    it will be(probably) my last custom gun. it will have a timney trigger, leupold or vortex and wood(laminate is fine). most of the work will go to my gunsmith. money will be tight as i have disablity, so i will probably get $50-$100 every month(and i do mean probably). it will probably 2 or 3 years(could be 4 - 5 years) before i get my rifle finished.


    now comes the question(s) i have. what do you think is better? a 257 roberts(93 mauser) or a 257 roberts ai(98 mauser)?

  2. #2
    Moderator Emeritus

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    7,620
    Neither is "better" than the other, IMO. Just "different." How long will your barrel be? How light will it be? For 300+ yds., the std. .257 should do all you'll ever ask of it to do. The AI requires forming brass, which gets kind'a old after you've done it just to prove to yourself you can. The AI requires you to pay closer attention to your loading proceedures, as any wildcat can do. The std. version is about as easy to work with as any caliber I know of. If your barrel will be 24" or less, if it were me, I'd definitely go with the std. round. If you're building a real long range deer/antelope rifle, with the AI.

    Both are great deer caliber rounds, and should do anything you ask of them that's half-way reasonable, and can surprise you on some bigger stuff if you shoot the right bullet and can place the shots very precisely. Your rifle, your choice. How much sugar do you want for your dime? If it's a classic gun built on a M-98 action, I'd again go with the std. Robts. simply because it's a classic round for a classic gun. Other than that, neither should ever disappoint you, as long as you do your part.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    120 miles North of Texarkana 9 miles from OK in the green hell
    Posts
    5,345
    Parts are way more common today for the 98' than 93-95' .
    I have a soft 93-95' almost all of the data for 257 in current published form is already at the upper limits of that action with start loads . So again I defer to the 98' even with the Bob .
    The cock on closing is abusive to the wrist full of arthritis for me when fire forming new brass formed brass , that's have another bbl for the 98' .
    The AI takes much of what makes the Bob such a long lived delight to run and makes it a 25-06' .
    Data in my books at home show 100 gr Game King at 2800-3000 fps and 2900 for a 117gr the 25-06- will go 3400 and 3200 . I expect the AI Bob is right in there . Last spring I shot a 100# pig with the 93-95' Bob and the 100gr GK at a published data 2800 fps at perhaps 60 yd . The shot was head on , with a hold on the 2 stage trigger that lasted for about 2 hours (that was probably more like 5-7seconds ) , the high neck hit dead over and dead center between the ears exploded the 2nd & 3rd vertibra and had exit wounds at the chest and juncture on the bottom . There was blood jelly in the front of the shoulders at the chest lines . It shoots no hold over 3" high at 100 to 250 yd and only about 8" of hold over at 300 yd .

    I may be influenced by the "local" mindset and have lost the "need for speed" but the straight 257 Bob will do everything you want and in a 98' action can be run on up the the +P loadings currently on the shelf which is running the 117-120s 3000-3100 fps . 400 yd Mulies it might leave a little on the table but a pronghorn , whitetail or pig under 200# is going to be in a world of hurt .
    In the time of darkest defeat,our victory may be nearest. Wm. McKinley.

    I was young and stupid then I'm older now. Me 1992 .

    Richard Lee Hart 6/29/39-7/25/18


    Without trial we cannot learn and grow . It is through our stuggles that we become stronger .
    Brother I'm going to be Pythagerus , DiVinci , and Atlas all rolled into one soon .

  4. #4
    Moderator
    Texas by God's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    14,316
    Sarco has Turk 98 actions that will handle both. Cruise the pawn shops for bubba'd Mausers. Man, I love projects. Good luck to you.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Communism running rampant!
    Posts
    4,727
    It is not a "98" nor is it a "93" but it is a Mauser ...... I am referring to the 24/47 from Yugoslavia.

    I have five of them sitting around, bought right and I am pondering projects with them but have been up to my neck in Savage bolt gun projects.

    Three44s

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    NC Arkansas
    Posts
    1,389
    Skip the 93 because of +p loadings that are readily available. My 257 is on a 98 action, not complete yet.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Annapolis,Md
    Posts
    2,662
    .257 Roberts (oh, please don't call it a "Bob"- it shows disrespect for Ned Roberts IMO!) + M98 Mauser = nirvana. M93/95, not so much.

    So what if one has to trim more than one would with an AI? The Roberts' that I have owned were all I could ask for, and an extra 100fps would have been superfluous. Even P.O.Ackley said that the .257 Roberts was one that he never felt AI'ing was worth doing to.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    4,593
    I built one of each, a 257 bob and a .257 AI on Yugo 24/47 actiions.
    They worked great with the slightly shorter action over the standard 98.
    I also built two 25-06's , one on a Yugo action and the other on a Turk 98 action.
    I sold the two .257's over the years, but have two more barrels in 257 Bob and plenty of old Beater 24/47's to build me another in either variation.
    Now, one advantage to the .257 AI was,
    One time I went on a hunt out of state, and Forgot to pack my ammo for the .257 AI
    But was able to find two boxes of .257 Bob without much effort when I got near my hunting destination.
    They fired fine, fire formed and saved the hunt.
    Accuracy wasnt that bad either.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    SE Ohio
    Posts
    2,361
    Have no experience with 257ai, but have had several 257R factories and custom. Had a 721 Rem
    257R/ 6x scope that I used a good bit. For deer I shot 117gr Hornady RN. Later I was shooting
    87gr Horn SP/ 40.0gr IMR-4064/ 3000fps on varmits. Groundhogs at 250yds were no problem.
    I did shoot deer on damage permits with the 87gr SPs. It produced good kills on deer but these
    deer were sniped while feeding. Shot from rested positions they were classic hits. Would go with
    100gr+ for deer hunting in the woods. To me the 257R and 243 are about the same with like
    weight of bullets. I made a little sporter out of a 6.5 Jap one time and had it chambered for the
    6.5/257. Gun was spiffy looking but didn't shoot that well. If it were me I would stick to 257R.
    The gain from ai is not worth the aggravation of fooling with wildcats. I been there done that for
    40yrs.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
    Dryball's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    New York
    Posts
    427
    I made my Bob AI last year on a 98 and sent most of the bottom metal to Turnbull for case hardening. It shoots great and as a few have stated...gets good accuracy from regular Bob loads. No need to hot-rod if ya don't want to but the option is there. I sped through but didn't see on fact that helped swayed me...out of all of PO's improved rounds the .257 Bob is among the top 5 for increased gains.
    Domari Nolo

  11. #11
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    windber, pa
    Posts
    1,298
    i've been thinking about what case i should get and i did decide. i'm going to with a 98 mauser(or something equal) and the 257 roberts. now i've gotta start my "bankroll" .

    thanks everybody!!!




    p.s.
    you all are just a bunch of enablers!!!! thank God i'm not the only one!!!

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    4,593
    @tdoyka.
    You can still pick up Yugo 24/47s and 48's plus turk 98s at reasonable prices, especially if they have a bad barrel or stock.
    You are going to replace them anyway, so why pay for something good that you are not going to use.
    And if money is tight.
    Buy the beater, then replace the barrel, and sporterize the original stock while you wait for your sporter stock.
    Then once you have all the parts, think about sending the metal down to be reblued, if you choose not to do it yourself.
    But Fit the stock Before you spend the money on the bluing job.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Southern Illinois
    Posts
    665
    All this "BOB BUSINESS" is "MONKEY SEE - MONKEY DO"...! John Barnes shame on you for starting that.. Now we have a bunch here in my village (Very Small Town) , leaving their cars and trucks running when they go into the local Convenience store. Try that in Chicago or else where...? Yet they complain about high gas prices.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    4,612
    If you get a .257 R with a minimum chamber diameter and a FL sizer that only sizes the cases the smallest amount you will not have much need to trim it.
    If the case cannot expand much then it cannot elongate. Careful set up of the FL die to near zero clearance helps also.
    EDG

  15. #15
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    windber, pa
    Posts
    1,298
    i have(well had, my oldest boy has it) a customized 98 mauser. it has a plastic stock(i'm having a brainfart, i don't remember it, i think that the business is no more.) that looks like wood. i had the bolt bent foreward to better fit a 3-9x swift(back in the day, swift had a over the counter warranty. nowadays, you send it to swift and they give you a ***.). he had holes tapped and threaded. the safety was moved to the left side, i'm a lefty. the trigger was replaced by a timney trigger, its set at 3lbs.

    at the time(1993ish), i was torn between the 7-08 and the 7x57. then i decided it should be a 7x57 mauser. me and the gunsmith considered ourselves as friends. i was the young and dumb friend and he was older and wiser friend(he passed away 2 years ago). we decided that the barrel was a douglas premium featherweight. and thats were we had a discussion about the barrel length. i said since will be a primary woods, brush,laurel... rifle an 18.5" barrel will be enough. he said that a 22-23" barrel will cover anything that a 7x57 will do and then some. we had this "discussion" some months before i decided on a 20" barrel. when it was all said and done, WE have a pretty good 7x57 mauser. it will do a 1/4 - 1/2" group at 100 yards(5 shots). 139gr hornady fn with imr 3031



    its the only pic that i have. i used to kill bucks and does regularly. i had a rem m7 in 7-08(18.5" barrel) that i would give to eldest boy. then he turned 16y.o. and he thru a growth spurt and i gave him the mauser. i've only had to shoot 30-50 yards. although the shot difference is much the same thing, he did an 175+/- yards offhand. the bullet hit behind the shoulder, thru both lungs and exited two ribs. it was drt. when we got up to the 6pt, i said "great shot " and he goes "i was aiming right for the shoulder". i gave my 16y.o. boy a hug and said"you DID a great shot".

    anyways, it could '98 action or a rifled barrel, it don't matter to me. i have a 6.5 creedmoor and a 270 that will tide me over...

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master
    white eagle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    718 miles E. of Wall Drug
    Posts
    6,149
    don't know a hoot about mauser actions
    but I do know AI versions of cartridges
    I have had 2 and still own 1( a 220 swift ai and a 280 ai )
    that said a competent gunsmith will chamber the rifle so a factory
    cartridge can be fired in a improved chamber not all improved cartridges
    get more velocity some only offer a mechanical improvement in the case
    like the 220 swift did not much of a velocity gain
    its not that hard to make and use improved rounds and if you are loading for a specific
    rifle load development is a breeze as well
    my vote goes to the A.I.version
    Hit em'hard
    hit em'often

  17. #17
    Moderator
    Texas by God's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    14,316
    Let's start calling it the Ned.
    All kidding aside the Yugos are the nicest Mauser actions currently and commonly available.

  18. #18
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    windber, pa
    Posts
    1,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    Let's start calling it the Ned.
    All kidding aside the Yugos are the nicest Mauser actions currently and commonly available.
    lets see, we have the 257 roberts and it becomes 257 bob and then as you say it becomes the 257 ned or Ned. whoa-hoo!!! i'll call'er Ned!!!

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    central arkansas
    Posts
    1,363
    I'm Gona throw you a curve ball, how bout a 6.5x55! But if you set on 257, don't spend to much worrying about the ai, the std. 257 will do what you want to do, if you need more there's always the 25-06! It just my opinion, but I would try to find a different action to use, nothing wrong with the Mauser 98, but there's better actions to be had. 700, post 64 70 would be my pick, and in long actions so you can take advantage of the powder space cause you can seat the bullet out further. I love projects also!

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    120 miles North of Texarkana 9 miles from OK in the green hell
    Posts
    5,345
    Nothing wrong with going to a Savage 110 base either . An Axis is under $300 NIB . Add a couple of bolt heads and 3-4 magazines and in about 30 min you swap from 25-45 to 250-300 to 257 to 25-06 to 25/300 WM (I can't remember the 257 Weatherby probably needs a magnum length action) and both WSMs . With proper headspace gauges , an action wrench and Savage bbl nut wrench of course .
    In the time of darkest defeat,our victory may be nearest. Wm. McKinley.

    I was young and stupid then I'm older now. Me 1992 .

    Richard Lee Hart 6/29/39-7/25/18


    Without trial we cannot learn and grow . It is through our stuggles that we become stronger .
    Brother I'm going to be Pythagerus , DiVinci , and Atlas all rolled into one soon .

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check