Superpig

I have been reloading the 257 Roberts for about 5 years now. I have always used Winchester +P brass. I have seen cut aways of the Winchester & Remington brass. The Remington brass is not +P. My question is can the Remington brass be used for +P loads. I would think because case capacity is greater on the Remington brass that your pressure would be lower in these cases. I'm well aware that the 257 Roberts +P loads are still very anemic. The only reloading data that I can find that is loaded to the potential of the Roberts is in the Barnes Manual. I start with beginning loads and work my way up to max. However, I have yet to use Barnes bullets. My bullet of choice for deer so far has been the Hornady 117 gr. BT Spire Point. I haven't tried the SST's as my accuracy has been in the 1/2" to 7/8" range for 3 shot grups. I would like to know what brass and how hot you go on loads for the 257? All of the loads listed in the Barnes manual are much hotter than anything you will find in the Sierra, Nosler, or Speer manual. Your input will be greatly appreciated.

doubleA

Superpig, I have been using a 257 Roberts for over 20 years. For the most part I have always used Winchester or Federal brass for them. It would be interesting to weigh each of the manufacture's case with water and see how the cases compare. I will do this when I get some time. I bet there isnt much difference between them, heck...just between different brands you will get a slight change in capacities.

I use Hornady, Nosler, and Hodgdon manuals, I dont have the need really to hotrod this cartridge, I'll use the 25-06 or the 257 WBY for that. I use the Roberts for deer and hogs only and have used a 120 grain Sierra behind believe it or not...Reloader 22 that achives right at 2800fps and shoots 1/2 moa


doubleA

Superpig

doubleA, Thanks for the reply. It sounds as if you enjoy the Roberts as much as I do. At the moment I'm going to be using a load consisting of 48.0 gr. of H4831 w/117 gr. Hornady BT, Fed 210 primers, & W-W cases. Over my chrony I'm getting 2831 fps for a 10 shot string average. This load is shooting .863 for an average of 5 three shot groups. I used RL19 last year and was having about the same success but ran out of it and have about 5 lbs of H4831 all from the same lot so I thought I would use it. I also use the H4831 in my 280. In the 280 I'm getting nearly 3100 fps behind a 140 gr. Nosler BT. I use this rifle and load when I will be hunting 2 long fence lines on my property.

James B

I have been loading the 257 Roberts since 1976. I loaded at first for a friend who liked the 117 grain Hornaday bullets. I don't have his loads in my book anymore. I load for my own as well but I think the Roberts is most effective with 100 grain bullets. My load is from one of the old Hornady Manuals. If you try this load, start a grain or two lower at first. I am shooting a 700 Remington with a 22 inch barrel. I am loading 46.0 grains of H414 in the +P Winchester brass with a WWMagnum Primer.and the 100 grain Hornady interlock. They Chronograph at an average of 3084 fps. My OCL is 2.774.

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Superpig

JD338,

Thanks for all of the info. I saved an old article out of rifle magazine. It was an entire article on the Roberts. The info. in the article shows 49.5 gr. to be max with RL19. The bullet in use is the 100 gr. Hornady Spire Point, WLR primers, & it doesn't state what type of brass is used. One note of interest the test rifle was a Remington 722 w/24" barrel. This rifle achieved 3179 fps with the above load. The rifle achieved 2905 fps w/Hornady light magnum 117 gr. BTSP and 1 MOA groups.

I tried 48 gr. of H4831 this weekend and was pleased with 3 shot groups averaging 5/8" at 100 yards. Velocity over my chrony averaged 2831 for a 10 shot string.

The above load with RL19 averaged .9" at 100 yards in the article.

I tried RL19 last year with 117 gr. Hornady BTSP and didn't get very good accuracy. I started at 46 gr. and worked up to 49 with no signs of pressure I just never achieved better than 1-1/4" for a 3 shot group. This rifle I have will shoot Hornady & Federal factory loads at 1" so I didn't continue with the RL19.

I am using RL19 & H4831 in my 280 and have accurate loads with each. The bullet I normally use it the 140 gr Ballistic tip out of this gun.

eldeguello

For some reason, prior to the appearance of so-called Plus P loads, the factories have always sort of short-changed 257 Roberts owners by underloading this cartridge. I say "for some reason", because no weak-actioned rifles were ever made for this round, at least no weak commercial rifles. Maybe some custom-made jobs on M93 or 95 Mausers, but the factories don't load ammo taking such matters into consideration. The .257 Roberts is basically nothing but a Mauser 57mm case necked to shoot .25 caliber bullets, and Mauser 57mm cases are NOT WEAK! In other words, there was no need to strengthen .257 Roberts brass in order to load this round up to its' potential. (Just look at the operating pressures of the 6mm Remington, for example!!) Hence, there is no reason to suspect that .257 brass which is NOT stamped "+ P" is any weaker than that which carries such a mark.

James B

When I got this 257 Roberts I went to a gun show and bought 250 new brass. 200 of them were the +P Winchester. I have only loaded them for this gun. Before that I had just a bunch of old assorted brass very few of them were +P. I quess I loaded them about like I do the +P's.