I went hunting with my neighbor this past week, and he was fortunate enough to take two bucks with a 257 Roberts. I was very impressed, as both deer dropped on the spot.
Ammo: Winchester Super X 117 gr Soft Point +P
First Deer: Shot through neck at 75 yds. Deer dropped on the spot, with a 2" exit wound.
Second Deer: Shot through both shoulders and heart at 30 yds. This deer dropped on the spot too, with another 2" exit wound. Both near and far shoulders were completely shattered, and the heart had a large hole running through it.
Damage on both deer rivaled what any 270, 7 Mag, 30-06, etc. will do.
For those who doubt the effectiveness of this cartridge, I stand witness that it is a very capable deer HAMMER.
I had a pretty long career with the 257 Roberts. I first reloaded it for a friend then later got one of my own. I also use the 250 Savage and now the 25-06. I used the 257 Weatherby for a few years as well. All the game that I harvested with the 257 Roberts was with the 100 Grain X bullet. It was like the bolt of lightning we hear about. I now just use the 250-3000 and the 25-06 to simplify my reloading chores.
I now just use the 250-3000 and the 25-06 to simplify my reloading chores.
Do you still use the barnes bullets for the 25-06? also what kind of velocities can you drive a 100gr barnes to in the 25-06? Never used a Barnes which is why I am curious about them (seems I read somewhere that they can't be pushed as fast a regular jacketed bullet?). I am also thinking of picking up a 25-06 this summer.
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I don't like people who don't like dogs !
In my .25-06 I can push the 100 gr XFB to just over 3,200 fps. Barnes lists the max velocity of 3,300 with RL 19, but I folks that push them faster than that.
CE
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"A hunter should not select a caliber and bullet that will kill when everything goes right, rather,
should choose ones that will kill when everything goes wrong."
"Recoil lasts a second, but gravity lasts forever."
First Deer: Shot through neck at 75 yds. Deer dropped on the spot, with a 2" exit wound.
Second Deer: Shot through both shoulders and heart at 30 yds. This deer dropped on the spot too, with another 2" exit wound. Both near and far shoulders were completely shattered, and the heart had a large hole running through it.
Damage on both deer rivaled what any 270, 7 Mag, 30-06, etc. will do.
The .257 Roberts really IS an excelent deer round, but...
Any deer hit through the center of the neck with any deer rifle will drop it in it's tracks!!! I've seen my share of deer killed with a 22 Win. mag., hit in the center of the neck drop like that!!
Second deer, any deer rifle with a bullet MATCHED to that cal., and size of game animial will ALSO drop a deer in it's trackes with that same hit...
Shoot any deer through both shoulders with a 150 grain "soft" bullet out of a 30-06, or any of the other cals. you mentioned. (matched with lighter weight std. bullets) And the .257 Roberts won't "rival" any of them for the size wounds they leave!!!!
Bottom line is, the Roberts is a really good deer round, but with the hits you posted, any half decent deer rifle round would look very impressive!!!
It's the fact that he can make those shots with that cartridge that's the real issue here I think. I, personally, refrain from taking head/neck shots (excapt as a finishing shot, if needed) because it's just too small a target and there's too much chance something is going to go wrong (like the deer moves its head at the last instant), but if done right it is certainly a quick kill with virtually any rifle. But that's just too big of an IF for my taste.
Always wanted a .257, so I built one last year on a '96 Mauser action. Turned out pretty good, and I am considering building another on a '98 action, too. Took two whitetails with it this past season, and proformance was all you could ask for despite the rifle needing some fine tuning. Load was Hornady's 100 grain interlock spitzer over H-4831 SC. I am impressed with the .257, too!
257 Roberts is VERY impressive!
