.257 Roberts for Deer
07-18-2007, 11:27 AM
#11
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: The Republic of Texas
Posts: 12,040
RE: .257 Roberts for Deer
That's why I asked about handloads. Using Winchester'sfactory ballistics, the 100 gr. .243 has a small but significant performance advantage overthe 117 gr. .257+P"on paper".
07-18-2007, 01:24 PM
#12
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2003
Location:
Posts: 920
RE: .257 Roberts for Deer
The 257 Roberts is a good little cartridge. My wife has been using a Win M70 Featherweight for 24 years and has had great success with it. Been using a 120 gr Sierra and R-22 for that long too but just this year found a load using a 100gr Nosler AB that shoots well out of her rifle.
07-18-2007, 01:34 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
RE: .257 Roberts for Deer
ORIGINAL: James B
Having used both the 257 Roberts and the 243 for deer, I would choose the Roberts in a heartbeat over the 243. Any advantage the 243 has is only on paper. I have not used any factory ammo in the Roberts but I load the 100 Grain X bullet to 3050 fps. I do use the +P WW brass. My wife does her deer hunting with the 250 Savage, another great deer round. My lower limit for deer is the 25 calibers.
Having used both the 257 Roberts and the 243 for deer, I would choose the Roberts in a heartbeat over the 243. Any advantage the 243 has is only on paper. I have not used any factory ammo in the Roberts but I load the 100 Grain X bullet to 3050 fps. I do use the +P WW brass. My wife does her deer hunting with the 250 Savage, another great deer round. My lower limit for deer is the 25 calibers.
Its almost moot and I'm sure its probably been done, but has anyone heard of or had any experience necking the 308 case down to .257? With the .260 on the up end and the .243 on the low its really almost not needed, but I wonder what the performance would rival?
07-18-2007, 01:43 PM
#15
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,425
RE: .257 Roberts for Deer
I think Winchester thought about making a 25-08, but they realized that we wouldn't have the fun we have discussing the .243 if they did...I find it hard to believe that one could tell the difference between a .257 bullet at 3,000 fps and a .243 bullet at 3,000 fps...I believe you will see more difference in the makeup or type bullet used than the small difference in diameter...
Remember, the .243 made the .257 Roberts and the 250-3000 Savage obsolete...
Remember, the .243 made the .257 Roberts and the 250-3000 Savage obsolete...
07-18-2007, 01:49 PM
#16
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: The Republic of Texas
Posts: 12,040
RE: .257 Roberts for Deer
ORIGINAL: SwampCollie
I'm with you James. I like the .243 just fine (though I fancy the 6mm Rem more), but the advantages to having just a little bit larger bullet diameter and a heavier bullet with that .257 or the .250-3000 make it a little bit better choice in my opinion.
I'm with you James. I like the .243 just fine (though I fancy the 6mm Rem more), but the advantages to having just a little bit larger bullet diameter and a heavier bullet with that .257 or the .250-3000 make it a little bit better choice in my opinion.
07-18-2007, 02:07 PM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
RE: .257 Roberts for Deer
ORIGINAL: ipscshooter
Again, limiting my comments to factory loads, I'm not sure I see any advantage to using the "little bit larger bullet diameter and the heavier bullet" in the Roberts over the .243. Even with the 117 gr .257 +P load from Winchester, the 100 gr. .243 has more energy at 100 yards and beyond, and sighting both in at 200 yards, the .243 is flatter shooting by 12"over a400 yard trajectory. Do you really think deer are going to drop any better when they're hit less hard by a bullet that weighs only 17 gr. more and has a diameter that is only 14 thousands of aninch larger? If you assume that you need a minimum of 1000 ft lbs of energy for a clean deer kill, the 100 gr. .243 is a 325 yard deer rifle, and the 117 gr. .257+P is a 250 yard deer rifle. Again.... I'm not denigrating the Roberts at all, as I think it's a great deer rifle, particularly considering that most deer are shot at well under 200 yards, but, I really fail to see any advantage over the .243 unless you're a handloader.
ORIGINAL: SwampCollie
I'm with you James. I like the .243 just fine (though I fancy the 6mm Rem more), but the advantages to having just a little bit larger bullet diameter and a heavier bullet with that .257 or the .250-3000 make it a little bit better choice in my opinion.
I'm with you James. I like the .243 just fine (though I fancy the 6mm Rem more), but the advantages to having just a little bit larger bullet diameter and a heavier bullet with that .257 or the .250-3000 make it a little bit better choice in my opinion.
Don't take everything as an attack on your person, intelligence or abilities. I was just sharing my opinion, which happened to be the same as James'.
If you want to limit statements, then I'd have to say that your arguement on 400 yard trajectories is totally moot, because in my hunting scenarios, my longest shot is only about 175 yards. The humidity and mirage are so bad in the south that even if I had 400 open yards (and deer don't linger in the open very long), I couldn't hit them anyway.
07-18-2007, 04:07 PM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: .257 Roberts for Deer
ORIGINAL: SwampCollie
I'm with you James. I like the .243 just fine (though I fancy the 6mm Rem more), but the advantages to having just a little bit larger bullet diameter and a heavier bullet with that .257 or the .250-3000 make it a little bit better choice in my opinion.
Its almost moot and I'm sure its probably been done, but has anyone heard of or had any experience necking the 308 case down to .257? With the .260 on the up end and the .243 on the low its really almost not needed, but I wonder what the performance would rival?
ORIGINAL: James B
Having used both the 257 Roberts and the 243 for deer, I would choose the Roberts in a heartbeat over the 243. Any advantage the 243 has is only on paper. I have not used any factory ammo in the Roberts but I load the 100 Grain X bullet to 3050 fps. I do use the +P WW brass. My wife does her deer hunting with the 250 Savage, another great deer round. My lower limit for deer is the 25 calibers.
Having used both the 257 Roberts and the 243 for deer, I would choose the Roberts in a heartbeat over the 243. Any advantage the 243 has is only on paper. I have not used any factory ammo in the Roberts but I load the 100 Grain X bullet to 3050 fps. I do use the +P WW brass. My wife does her deer hunting with the 250 Savage, another great deer round. My lower limit for deer is the 25 calibers.
Its almost moot and I'm sure its probably been done, but has anyone heard of or had any experience necking the 308 case down to .257? With the .260 on the up end and the .243 on the low its really almost not needed, but I wonder what the performance would rival?
