getting new rifle - 243 or 257 bob?

[tahoe2]

never shot a .243 Win, the .257 Roberts that I did shoot was a Ruger 77, tang safety, red pad,
that would cluster (all holes touching) a full magazine every time, but he (friend) wouldn't sell, regardless of offer.

 

[MachIVshooter]

The 257 died out years ago. It's too big for chucks ricochet wise and too small for big game common sense wise. That's why it died out, it's best for nothing.

That's just flat out nonsense. The .257 can be used for anything the .243 can, plus a little. 75 gr. pills for vermin, 117 or 120 for larger critters. It's on the light side for elk, but will take them cleanly if you do your part. I hunted elk with my .25-06 until I finally found my 8mm Mag, but I still carry the .25-06 if I'm only after cow elk. Granted, the .25-06 has a bit more oomph than the Bob, but not a ton (about 200 FPS on the outside with 117's). The only real consideration is that the Bob should be used at slightly more conservative ranges.

For deer hunting, it's tough to beat the quarterbores, and the Bob has it's place among them, being a bit more efficient and less obnoxious on the muzzle end than the .25-06 or .257 Weatherby for those hunters who do not need the extended range of the screamers.

The Bob didn't fade because it wasn't a good cartridge; It was that American rifles became standardized in a couple of action lengths that the Bob fell in between. Really doesn't fit in a short action, and most figure if they're going to have a long action anyway, might as well get the extra performance of the .25-06. However, not popular does not equal no good. A lot of excellent rounds didn't make a big splash or got sidelined a bit by other cartridges, even though they shoudn't have. The .280 Rem is a perfect example.

 

[Abel]

Man, I'd like a .25-o8!

 

[gpb]

In reply to post #53

"Man, I'd like a .25-o8! "

Look at the 250 Savage. Not quite a .25-08, but close.

 

[T.R.]

Since the advent of Premium bullets for .243, this cartridge is more lethal than ever! Please do not assume that 257 Roberts will out perform the .243.

TR

 

[stubbicatt]

I love these sorts of threads. So many opinions.

So, OP, the only opinion which matters is yours. Which do you prefer? Will you hunt with this new rifle? If so, what will you hunt that would justify a different cartridge? Of the cartridges suitable for that pursuit, which one do you like best?

If for other tasks, like lazy Sunday mornings blasting at debris on a hillside, what would bring you most pleasure? 7.62x39? 223? There are many.

Hope you find what you desire, and your desire is sated.

 

[303tom]

Since the advent of Premium bullets for .243, this cartridge is more lethal than ever! Please do not assume that 257 Roberts will out perform the .243.

TR

We can argue all day over the .243 Win. & the .257 Bob, but they don`t none of em, not even my fav. the .25-06 out-perform my .270 Win..................

 

[MachIVshooter]

We can argue all day over the .243 Win. & the .257 Bob, but they don`t none of em, not even my fav. the .25-06 out-perform my .270 Win..................

But they will all make a deer just as dead with less recoil, and the .25-06 does have a flatter trajectory than the .270, just the same as the .270 shoots flatter than the .30-06.

 

[mnhntr]

Both the 243 and 257 are too big for a pelt friendly cat gun. The .243 with 58gr Vmax is at the edge of too big for a yote gun. The .223 .22-250 .220 swft and .204 are much better choices unless you like getting huge holes in the hides making them worht less. If you are dead set on those two I would get the .243

 

[mljdeckard]

I just need their ears and jaws.

 

[targetshooter22]

Wow! Lots of really good opinions and info there, plus some really funny jokes too.

Personally, I would (and did) go 243 for ammo availability and ease of reloading. My current whitetail round is a 100 gr SP and (discontinued) Win 785. It's very accurate, and moving at a little over 2900 fps. There is also a wealth of info for other loads with current powder that suggest similar performance. Brass and bullets (and loaded ammo) is everywhere and (relatively) cheap. Performance is certainly satisfactory for the upper midwest relative to most game size. Recoil and blast are very modest, no problems with people of slight build or sensitive ears.

 

[DanTheFarmer]

Hi All,

I hope this isn't a thread hi-jack but I keep reading that the 257 Roberts is too long for a short action and doesn't make maximum use of a long action.

I'm looking at the Lyman #49 it shows max length as:
308 Win: 2.810
257 Rob: 2.775
243 Win: 2.710

Isn't the 308 (and all its children, 243 Win, 260 Rem, 7mm-08, 338 Federal, etc.) a short action? If so then the 257 Roberts is o.k. for short action too.
If the 308 isn't a short action then the 243 isn't either??!! Does the 257 Roberts miss out by 65/1000 of an inch?

What am I missing?
Thanks.

Dan

 

[303tom]

Hi All,

I hope this isn't a thread hi-jack but I keep reading that the 257 Roberts is too long for a short action and doesn't make maximum use of a long action.

I'm looking at the Lyman #49 it shows max length as:
308 Win: 2.810
257 Rob: 2.775
243 Win: 2.710

Isn't the 308 (and all its children, 243 Win, 260 Rem, 7mm-08, 338 Federal, etc.) a short action? If so then the 257 Roberts is o.k. for short action too.
If the 308 isn't a short action then the 243 isn't either??!! Does the 257 Roberts miss out by 65/1000 of an inch?

What am I missing?
Thanks.

Dan

I believe that is 65/100`s not 65/1000`s & that`s 1.67mm`s...........

 

[MachIVshooter]

I believe that is 65/100`s not 65/1000`s & that`s 1.67mm`s...........

No. 2.775 - 2.710 is 0.065, or 65 thousandths.

I hope this isn't a thread hi-jack but I keep reading that the 257 Roberts is too long for a short action and doesn't make maximum use of a long action.

The .257 Bob will fit in short action guns, you just can't seat long with the heavies like you can in a long action. It's really not a problem unless you're trying to drive the heavier monolithic bullets at high velocities, as they are long for their weight compared to jacketed lead pills, and the OAL limits for the Bob in a SA rifle will mean encroaching on powder space.

 

[lefteyedom]

Being different is a good thing, I prefer to be independent. There is nothing wrong with ether the 243 or 257 Bob. That said, I prefer the quarter bore over a 6mm. The Bob is a great old round and the success of the 243 in the market place does not diminish the Bob's performance in the field.

Ammo availability:
Ammo availability is not an issue if the hunter plan properly before hunting season.

Performance:
Since before Remington standardized it in 1934 the 257 Roberts is an outstanding cartridge in its own right. A 100 grain bullet at 3100fps is more than capable of killing any deer. 75gr bullet going 3500 fps will hand any varmint

Needs a Long action:

The difference in the real world between short action and long action hunting rifles is mostly about marketing as apposed to performance. For the record all pre-64 Model 70 were the same length.

IMHO, The 6mm Remington and the 243 Winchesters are varmint rifles that can take deer, The 257 Roberts is a deer rifle that can take varmints.

 

[Abel]

All this talk about rare ammo rifles has me concerned. Should I sell my 35 Rem and replace with a 32 Winchester Special, err, I mean 30-30?

 

[meanmrmustard]

I believe that is 65/100`s not 65/1000`s & that`s 1.67mm`s...........

65 thou, 65 hundredths would be pert near an inch!

 

[Kyle M.]

Yeah 65 hundredths would be 650 thousandths, slightly over 5/8".

 

[303tom]

All this talk about rare ammo rifles has me concerned. Should I sell my 35 Rem and replace with a 32 Winchester Special, err, I mean 30-30?

I would say go for the 32 Winchester Special..............

 

[j1]

Sniper you will like the Hornet, almost everyone does. Great to reload for too. One doe at forty yards right in the eye. Zero steps taken. Six hundred and fifty reloads to a pound of powder and mine likes the Speer 45 grain Hornet bullets.