.257 Roberts for antelope?

Kermit

Kermit

New member
I'm interested in a good rifle for antelope. I've been considering either the .243 or the .25-06. I've been leaning toward the .243 as I'm somewhat recoil sensitive. A friend suggested I should strongly consider the .257 Roberts. He swears it's a very good round, and is easy on the shoulder.

Any input, information, or opinions on the .257 Roberts would be appreciated. Also, how would the .257 Roberts stack up against the other two rounds for use on antelope? Thank you.
 
I have killed a lot of deer with mine (Ruger M77 Mk II). I have been using the Hornady Light Magnums (117 gr.) that is basically the ballistic equivelent of the 25-06 without the recoil.

The down side to the .257 Roberts is the selection of factory ammo. I don't reload and often can't find the ammo I want in my area (the light mag is hard to find around here for some reason).

If you reload, there isn't really a down side. The .257 Roberts is superior than the .243 for deer and antelop in my opinion.

History and Cartidge Data

The .257 Roberts by Chuck Hawks

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6mm Remington (actually better than the .243), .257 Roberts (better than the 6mm or .243)


The 20th Century's Top Rifle Cartridge
 
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I don't know why that wouldn't work, excellent cartridge with good velocity and mild recoil. Both the others are used here in Idaho along with the 270 and many of the 7mms and 30's.
 
I bought my son a Ruger 77 in .257 and it was an antelope killer for sure. When he was in college he sold it without telling me first. Boy, was I ticked! I am on the look out for a #1 in that caliber. I agree with Yellowhammer, but I reload so that gives me more options.
 
Kermit, the .257 Roberts is a decent enough cartridge and if you already HAD one, I could see why you'd want to keep using it in the field BUT...if you're buying a brand new rifle for antelope, I'd strongly consider the .25-06. Anything the Roberts, the .25-06 can do at least as well. On a 400 yard antelope, it would shoot flatter, buck the wind better and hit harder. Plus, ammo availability is a piece of cake. You won't have to rely on hard-to-find Hornady Light Magnums or reload with the '06. There are a plethora of quality factory loads readily available. I think the .25-06 does best with a 24" barrel whereas a Roberts can do very well with a 22" but on an antelope hunt, barrel length should not be an issue. The .257 Roberts is a great blast from the past no doubt but not a very pragmatic choice!
The .25 WSM is a nice cartridge too but I don't know enough about it's ammo availabilty to comment on it. I know it gets almost all of what a .25-06 gets from a 22" barrel and a short action but how long will it be with us? Who knows; it's pretty new. The .25-06 has been around for a good long while (decades), has alot of good factory ammo choices to select in easy to find (i.e. local) sources and has all the ballistics most of us could ever want or need in a .25.--- Mike
 
.257 Bob all the way, I have one, a ruger, with 117 Sierra's it's about an inch gun. Nill recoil too, I can shoot it all day. It's probably the one I prefer most in my cabinet.
 
Kermit, my hunting buddy used a 257 Roberts to take a lot of Wyoming antelope. I used a 25-06. Both are fine cartridges, but the 25-06 has a slight edge. I have taken five antelope with mine, all with 100 gr. Speer sptizer boat tails. Great cartridge and great bullet for the job. My caliber of choice for antelope is the 25 cal.

Everyone has their preference, and there are a lot of good calibers for the job, but the 25-06 has been mine. Accuracy is top-notch, which makes long range shooting easier.

The 257 Roberts is a good cartridge, but for me, I prefer the 25-06.
 
6mm06,

Nice to hear from you..been a while since you have posted a good insight to the world of gun blue and wood.

Thought you made the trip to the happy hunting ground. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Kermit,

The 257 Roberts is a real sweetheart of a round. Plenty of punch for deer/antelope out to 350 yds without much recoil.
I have a M700 Classic that shoots .5 MOA with 100 gr and
115 gr BT's. My buddy used it to take a couple of Bull Caribou with the 115 gr BT, both were one shot kills.
Reloading will put the 257 Roberts on the heels of a 25-06.

JD338
 
With the same weight bullet, the 25-06 should better the 257 Rob. by about 250 fps.
At 300 yards the diff. in trajectory is less than 2 inches.

This data comes from the Nosler manual for 120 gr. Partition, which IMHO is not needed for killing antelope.

The antelope won't know which cartridge took his lungs out.

YellowHammer, How can you get the ballistic equivelent with the same bullet, without the same amount of recoil?

I know all about the so called speciality powders and hype, if you push the same weight object to the same velocity, you are going to have the same reaction on the other end of the weapon, provided same weight platform you are launching them from.

I run a 25-06 in a Rem 700 BDL matte fluted sporter barrel, I've never seen another gun like it in any caliber.

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Clayman
 
Hoginator204,

I'm still here. Not kicked the bucket yet. Seems I travel a lot from one forum to another. I've been mainly on predator hunting this fall. Last year was mainly varmint.

Thanks for the "hello" and for caring.
 
The 243 is a classic caliber that was specifically designed for Pronghorn Antelope hunting and developed by Warren Page. Think it's original name was the 240 page super pooper....really, no kidding.

100 grainers pushed with IMR 7828 gives you the best velocity around 3300fps and excellent accuracy. Took many many Antelope, Whitetails and Muleys with this caliber with no problems. Even a couple of bull Elk. Not that I recommend it for Elk, but if it's all you have at the time as in poor kid years ago, it works in a pinch. Kind of like using a 17cal for yotes. The 243 has a nice selection of light bullets for varmints too.

25.06 is also awesome for deer sized game but the cartridge takes a longer action. The 257 still has a large following but as was pointed out you need to reload it to realize it's potential. I don't think you could go wrong with any of these calibers for the purpose you specified.
 
If i could only have one gun to hunt anything in america it would be the 25-06 period no if ands or buts.P-dogs all the way up to elk,bear or moose. well placed shots of course
 
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100 grainers pushed with IMR 7828 gives you the best velocity around 3300fps and excellent accuracy. Took many many Antelope, Whitetails and Muleys with this caliber with no problems. Even a couple of bull Elk.



Boy I'd really like you to share the documentation for that load with me.
 
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YellowHammer, How can you get the ballistic equivelent with the same bullet, without the same amount of recoil?




I'm not a physics professor, but it's all physics. If you are shooting a .257 Robers and a 25-06 and both are using .117 grain bullets, where is the difference? The amount (weight) of the powder.

The two are not ballistically exact, but so close it would be hard to notice in a hunting situation. The difference in recoil would not be as hard to notice. I think I have covered this in another .257 Roberts thread somewhere in the past.

.257 Roberts Hornady LM muzzle vel. = 2940 fps, muzzle energy = 2245

Zeroed at 100 drop is -3.3 at 200, -12.4 at 300, -28.4 at 400 and -52.8 at 500.

For the 25-06 with a 117 grain bullet (varies only slightly by factory) the muzzle is 2990 fps, and energy is 2322. Drop is -3, -12, -27.7 and -57.9

Not much difference in those numbers.
 
The diference is not much to normal hunting ranges 400 yards or so, but when you start stretching somethings legs, velocity does come in handy. Reloading the 25-06 to max levels puts it around 200-250fps above the roberts, that comes in handy at longer distances.
I cant see how some would say they can shoot a 243 all day, but not a 25-06. The 25-06 dont kick any more then a 243 for a couple reasons. First, the rifles in 25-06 are always heavier, so that will knock recoil a little. Second, if you shoot 100g at 3300fps, its only going 200fps faster give or take then the 243. If someone cant handle 200fps difference in a heavier gun, I think something is wrong personally.
The 25-06 is a great cartridge and I would not hesitate to wack an antelope out to 700-800 yards with it and the 115g NBT. 257 BOB and 243 would poop out around 500-550. Thats the difference between the 3 in my opinion.

Take a 115g NBT at 3200fps which is easily achievable in the 25-06 with reloads and RL-22 or IMR-7828 powder, among others. 3200fps with a .450 BC beats the snot out of factory loaded 117g soft point boat tails at 3000. For one, its going 200fps faster then factory loads, and 2 the BC is greater which only helps you at longer ranges.

Heres a quick chart on the 25-06 w/115g at 3200fps. Sight in 3in high at 100 yards will put you dead on at 295-300 yards. At 400 yards your drop is -9.5, at 500 yards its -24.8, and 600 yards is -47. I think that falls under the category of "flat shooting."
 
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First, the rifles in 25-06 are always heavier



Not so. A Ruger M77 in either caliber are the same weight. Same with a Rem. 700 or Ruger #1.

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The 25-06 is a great cartridge and I would not hesitate to wack an antelope out to 700-800 yards



How many animals have you "waked" at 700-800 yards with a 25-06 or anything else?
 
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The 25-06 is a great cartridge and I would not hesitate to wack an antelope out to 700-800 yards with it and the 115g NBT. 257 BOB and 243 would poop out around 500-550. Thats the difference between the 3 in my opinion.



Anyone taking shots like these at big game animals are hunting irresponsibly and lacking serious hunter skills and ethics. The only time a shot like this would be warranted with these cartridges would be if the animal was already wounded.

These animals are out there trying to survive 365 days of the year and don't need idiots lobbing shots at them. Have a little respect for the game. If you don't possess the skills to stalk within 400 yards, call it a day and score one for the game.

P.S. The 7828 load I'm using in the 243 is actually averaging around 3270 on the chrono. The load is substantially lower than what is published in current manuals and is only 2/10ths of a grain from a sticky bolt, so I will not post the load. Get a chrono and gradually work up on the 7828...you'll be surprised.
 
I was comparing weight of rifles with the 243 vs the 25-06. 243's are short action and come with 22" barrels most of the time. 06's are long action with 24" tube usually, 25-06 is usually the heavier gun of the 2.

I"ve wacked a few yotes and a muley buck out at 600, along with an antelope at 550, and few black bears out to 450 with my 25-06. I shot my buck last year with 1 shot out of my 7 RM at 618 yards with a remington factory sporter weight rifle. I've also rang quite a bit of steel at 700 and 800 with my 25-06 and 7mm, 300 mag rifles. I dont see a probelm with an antelope out to 700 or maybe even 800 with a 25-06, it is pushing the limits of things, but thats what I like to do, push the limits a little bit. It gets kinda boring (easy) shooting animals at 300 yards and closer, to me anyways. I'll take what I can get. If a shot is 300 yards I'm not gonna pass it up in an attempt to find a 600 yard shot. Thats not the way it works, or the way I work. I take whats given to me and depending on conditions, and the rifle I have in my hands at the time, that will be the deciding factor.
 
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