.257 Roberts, next rifle

[beatledog7]

My Bob is a mid 80s Browning A-Bolt, short action. The magazine is the limiting factor, as it is 2.775" capacity. Loading one round at a time will still allow for somewhat longer rounds, but I don't yet know exactly how long as I'm just beginning to learn what this little rifle can do. I suspect with some "skinny" ogive bullets I'll be able to load out to 3.010" easily. Don't know that I need to, yet.

 

[dubbleA]

This is my wife's 1980 M70 FWT in 257 Roberts and she would not give it up for nothing. It's taken alot of game since then, a great little rifle and a classic cartridge.



Been loading this bullet in it for 30+ years and it's always performed well on game.




I am sure there are a few of these M70's floating around too.

 

[Halal Pork]

I might be "enabling" another weird rifle addict, but Buds has Winchester Model 70 FW NIB selling for $715 shipped. I'm thinking about getting one so don't buy the last one.

Edit to add:

The rifle I mention above is chambered in 257 Roberts.

 

[Cemetery21]

I've had three over the years, all short action. The current one was a used Savage .243. Just screwed that barrel off and screwed a Roberts barrel on. Shaw may still make them - chambers are finished and barrel is blued.
So that was got me in the rifle for about $400. It shoots about 3/4" with handloads. My son put down 2 whitetails with it last year.
Had it built for him so he wouldn't have to borrow my old Remington.

 

[zeke]

"My Bob is a mid 80s Browning A-Bolt, short action. The magazine is the limiting factor, as it is 2.775" capacity."

Bought a newer ul A-bolt and carved (dremeled) out the front of the mag insert to allow longer COL. Fortunately the chamber lede can handle the longer COL's.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

I've got 2. One gets most of the use, a M700 with a Shilen bbl, built by Precision Barrel Work down in Texas.

I've got 271 rounds through it, and it was lightly used when I got it. If I'm having a good day, I can shoot at or sub 1/2 moa with it. It sits in B&C stock with the aluminum bed.

The other is an XTR M70. It is built on a long action with the magazine block installed for the Roberts length cartridge. I've only put 40 rounds through it...just too nice a rifle to "wear" out. Though I have been meaning to put a scope on it and do some load development.

Ruger #1s are nice rifles, but those new M70s are really nice as well. With the machining, new MOA trigger, and the claw extractor, that would be something to look at. Hard.

I figure I'll get one before too long myself.

Looking through a bit of load data, mine shoots 100, 115, gr bullets types really well. Using H414, Rl19, IMR4831. The Roberts really shines when you reload for it.

 

[Still Shooting]

Another Roberts Fan

I love my Ruger (tang safety, early 80's) Roberts. No problem with long loads, it's a long action. I have hunted and taken Muley, pronghorn, and whitetail with it, and it is awesome with a 117gr. Nosler Partition - .25 cal. entry wound, and 2-1/2 to 3" exit wound. It is one bullet = one kill, DRT as long as I put the lead into the "boiler room."

I will say that I haven't taken a shot over 230yds., because I live in the Northeast, and Montana($) isn't a frequent hunt! But I love the round, and my wife also enjoys shooting it. Next Saturday, as every year, it will be with me on Opening Day for the regular deer season here in NY State.

 

[Kachok]

257 Roberts is plenty enough for any deer hunting in the hands of a skilled rifleman. Plenty of old cartrages still fill the freezer just fine, 257 Roberts, 6.5x55, 8x57 and 300 Savage all come to mind.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

^^^ it is and does. Lighter recoil, shoots pretty flat, good energy.

The last deer I shot with one (close, at about 75 yds) was with a 117 gr Interbond. The bullet passed through the heart, came out the off side and entered the off side front leg breaking it, and stopped at the outer skin of the off side leg.

Seems like the recovered bullet weighed somewheres around 42 46 grains or so.

 

[arsenal of democracy]

Hi everyone,

Get the Winchester Model 70 Featherweight brand new production by FN in South Carolina.

I was made aware by a Winchester sales rep at the NRA convention this past spring in St. Louis that they were going to make a run of Featherweights in .257 Roberts in the early fall. He told me to go to my dealer and place on order with a down payment asap because most of the rifles will be already spoken for when they go into production. I just saw one on GA for $859, my brick and mortar dealer only charged me $729 though. The production run commenced in September and started being delivered this past week. My dealer called the other day to tell me it had arrived. The Winchester sales rep said they make a special run of .257 Roberts every couple of years and he said they sell out like mad.

 

[Kachok]

I really like my FN Winchester 70, but the Win 257 is long action, I would think it would work better in a short. Now if they offer a Featherweight in 6.5x55 I don't think I could resist