257 Roberts

[looseprojectile]

Just bought a Ruger #1B. Can hardly tell it from new.
has an old Weaver 4X sportsman scope.
I have searched and found some loads for the RCBS 25 100 fn boolit I have the mould. I also have the little 25 20 gas checked mould. 85 grain?
I plan on starting with 15 grains of SR 4759 and dacron. Also will consider 2400. Will use the longer boolit to start with.
There is very little loading info for the 257 Roberts using boolits. Seems that everyone wants to shoot maximum loads and the other bullets in this caliber.
What works for you in your 257Bob?
What alloy?

Life is good

[VA Shooter]

I have not loaded my 257 with cast boolits yet but do so with Barnes triple shock 115 grs with H-380. I would like to know how you make with the FPS and any leading issues

[scrapcan]

Try this article on castpics

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/ByCaliber/Cast%20in%20the%20.257%20Roberts.pdf


I am also trying to go down this path. I picked up a custom on a small ring mauser last year. It shoot very well with remington 117 gr RN factory loads. Does well with random first series of jacketed hand loads. Have not had a chance to work on cast as of yet though.

[smoked turkey]

manleyjt thanks for posting the article on castpics. I went to the link and it was exactly what I needed. I recently ordered the RCBS 257-120 for my Roberts. I admit that I ordered it before doing much research on boolit weights for the .257. I see now that I should have gone for something a little lighter than 120 Gr. But I now have the mold and want to experiment with it. So I was in need of some loading info for that weight boolit. The article had info for the 118 boolit, so that gave me a good place to start. Thanks.

[scrapcan]

No thanks needed on my part. We should thank the author.

[DIRT Farmer]

I bought a mdl 70 feather weight for my granddaughters, the first load I tried was the 120 grn RCBS mould and the book load from the Lyman manul of IMR 4227. It would shoot close to 1 inch from the start.

[TCLouis]

Dirt Farmer

Do you know what the twist is in the Model 70.

[looseprojectile]

Hornady used in their seventh edition reloading manual is one in ten.
I think my Ruger #1 is one in twelve. I am begining to have doubts. will check it.

Life is good

[beagle]

I have used the following loads in my M722 Roberts with the 25-100-FN. The Lyman 257312 also shoots well in it but the better shooter is the 25-120-SP RCBS. The Bob's agood cast rifle and I probably should shoot mine more./beagle

257 Rob 25100FN 109.9 4198 18.0 1925 13.9 259 WLR 2.668OAL 1"@100

257 Rob 25100FN 109.9 4198 19.0 1945 16.7 259 WLR 2.668OAL 1 1/2"@100

257 Rob 25100FN 109.9 WC820 13.0 1697 7.4 258 HLP 2.688 OAL/L50276 1 1/2"@100

[DIRT Farmer]

I never checked a thing, boreor twist, I just sized at 258, loaded it up and shotless than 1/2 inch at fifty. I was looking forward to working up a load and the first out the barrel worked. I guess I should have checked for copper fouling to.

[smoked turkey]

beagle:I have the RCBS 25-120-sp and I need some loading info for that boolit. None of my Lyman manuals have any info on that boolit. Actually I don't find much info for the heavier boolits. Incidently my mold throws a boolit at 127 gr right out of the mold. That seems heavy for the caliber. I am hoping to find some info from others that use this mold with the Roberts. Thanks.

[beagle]

25120SP 128.1 4198 18.0 1838 8.2 259 WLR 2.700OAL 2"@100 yards
25120SP 128.1 Unique 11.0 1637 14.9 259 HLP 2.678 OAL 2"@100 yards
25120SP 128.1 4895 22.0 1709 14.6 259 WLR 2.700OAL 2"@100 yards
25120SP 128.1 4895 25.0 1907 8.3 259 WLR 2.700OAL 2"@100 yards
25120SP 128.1 4198 18.0 1838 10.4 259 WLR 2.700 OAL 1" @100 yards
25120SP 128.1 MS4759 16.0 1784 12.4 259 WLR 2.700 OAL 3"@100 yards
25120SP 128.1 WC820 13.0 1581 16.1 258 HLP 2.675 OAL/L50276 3"@100 yards

The above loads are from my 722 Rem Roberts. I like this bullet better than the 25-100-FN and have HP'd it/beagle






beagle:I have the RCBS 25-120-sp and I need some loading info for that boolit. None of my Lyman manuals have any info on that boolit. Actually I don't find much info for the heavier boolits. Incidently my mold throws a boolit at 127 gr right out of the mold. That seems heavy for the caliber. I am hoping to find some info from others that use this mold with the Roberts. Thanks.

[smoked turkey]

WOW! Thanks beagle. That is exactly what I was looking for. I assume the 128.1 is the fully dressed weight after sizing/G.C. ? If so what is the alloy mix? So if I can ask, did you do the hollow pointing? Thank you because I was beginning to think that the 25-120-sp was a mistake for me since I had no info.

[303Guy]

The Bob's agood cast rifle and I probably should shoot mine more./beagle
I'm wondering whether the 25-303 would be a good cast boolit gun. It is a bit smaller but has a shallow shoulder and the same case length and rifling twist rate. It's almost a rimmed 257. A 120gr round nose sounds about right.

Does one need gas checks to get reasonable performance from the Roberts? I'm seeing 1838fps for 1" at 100yds. I can live with that. I would prefer a powder that near fills the case though.

[looseprojectile]

What is the twist on your 25 303?
I bought the RCBS 100 grain gas check mould for my 25 35 Win. 94 carbine. The twist on that is 1 in eight. Boolit did not work. I was trying for a deer load.
My mould drops boolits at .259" and with check and lube they are 108 grains.
Have a .258" sizer.
I hope I am getting the playing field leveled a little with the #1 Ruger.
If your twist is 1 in ten or twelve you are in the ball park with a 100 -120 grain boolit, I think.
I am shooting for 1,800 fps.
And enjoy your summer, I shoveled a path to my shop through two feet of snow wednesday. Raining and turning to slush now. What a mess.


Life is good

[beagle]

Yep, that's sized and GC'd. The numbers afte the velocity are the SDs of the various loads.

Alloy was WWs with a little tin to "sweeten" the alloy.

My machinist shooting partner did the hollow pointing as he's amaster machinist. The HP cavity is .090" and the final weight on the HPs is 122.8 grains.

Here's some data for the HP rounds:

25120SPHP 122.8 WC820 13.0 1625 7.6 258 HLP 2.695OAL/L50276 2"@100 yards
25120SPHP 122.8 MS4759 16.0 1817 6.2 258 HLP 2.684 OAL Not acc
25120SPHP 122.8 4198 18.0 1780 17.1 260 HLP 2.668 OAL 1"@100 yds
25120SPHP 122.8 WC820 14.0 1728 21.6 260 WLR 2.695 OAL/L50276 1.5" @ 100 Yards

Good luck with it./beagle



WOW! Thanks beagle. That is exactly what I was looking for. I assume the 128.1 is the fully dressed weight after sizing/G.C. ? If so what is the alloy mix? So if I can ask, did you do the hollow pointing? Thank you because I was beginning to think that the 25-120-sp was a mistake for me since I had no info.

[looseprojectile]

to Beagle for the comprehensive load data and comments and also the alloy.
This will enable me to get right to the meat of shooting the 257.
Beagle has always been the go to guy when looking for somewhere to start with a new gun and cast boolits.
The comment that more people are looking for help than are posting results is well taken and I will be sure to post my experiences with this cartridge.


Life is good

[looseprojectile]

Shot twelve rounds today.
RCBS 100 FN boolits. 15 grains SR4759 and dacron. Sized to .257".
At a hundred yards the best it did was two shots next to each other and a low flyer to make it a three inch group.
I now am going to load the fire formed cases with 16 grains of the same powder and no dacron and see how it goes.
No leading and a nice lube star. Cleaned up with two patches.
Gonna have to get a 120 grain mould.
I will probably have to polish out the sizer die a thou. or so. So far it works.
It is according to how the boolit fits the fired cases.
I really like this gun.

Life is good

[gandydancer]

My 257 roberts-- & my 250/3000 all like the 100 grain HPBT sierra or berger

bullet with 34.5 gr of 40/64 and my 250 donaldson ace will only shoot the 87 grain spier point

same load. they all shoot great and don't beat you up. have not tried lead as yet. that's next.

[Lefty SRH]

Just bought a Ruger #1B. Can hardly tell it from new.
has an old Weaver 4X sportsman scope.
I have searched and found some loads for the RCBS 25 100 fn boolit I have the mould. I also have the little 25 20 gas checked mould. 85 grain?
I plan on starting with 15 grains of SR 4759 and dacron. Also will consider 2400. Will use the longer boolit to start with.
There is very little loading info for the 257 Roberts using boolits. Seems that everyone wants to shoot maximum loads and the other bullets in this caliber.
What works for you in your 257Bob?
What alloy?

Life is good


I have a .257 RCBS sizing die for sale if you need one.

[gandydancer]

I have a .257 RCBS sizing die for sale if you need one.
thanks very much for the offer. I have dies and stuff for my 257. but I will ask around. what do you want for it?? TOM