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!!!
Robert