257 Roberts Improved, regular twist or fast twist vs 25CM

[The Guide]

So a year ago I won a Gunbroker auction on a Tikka stainless 270 WSM that came with a decent scope and almost 400 rounds of ammo with over 300 of them nib factory loads. The value of the glass and the ammo made the rifle damn near free. As we were visiting when I got the rifle, he mentioned he had a 257 Roberts Improved for sale too. I said I would think about it as I was heading to go tuna fishing and was on a short timeline. I texted him a half hour after I left and asked him what he wanted for it. He said there was the rifle, an old scope, dies, some brass, some hand loads, and some factory loads for $600. I figure why not and became the owner of a Remington 722 in 257 Roberts that had the chamber improved.

The photos he sent me...





Got the gun home and tried to shoot it. The rounds wouldn't chamber a round easily and it tore the rims up when it did chamber a round. Fired it at a target and the hand loads grouped well but the scope it had (a Burris compact 3x9 from the early 80's) wouldn't adjust left to right just up and down. I didn't feel like messing with it as hunting season was upon us and I had other guns that didn't need work so I put it in the back of the safe. I did some research and Remington 721 and 722 bolts use a c-clip style extractor (that is non existent if you want a new one) and it is common for them to fail or get bent and become unusable. My research lead me to finding the best way to fix it was to send the bolt to LRI and have an M-16 extractor installed. I kind of forgot about the rifle and its needs until last month. Ordered the bolt upgrade on the LRI website at the end of August and shipped it off to be upgraded. Between me shipping it to them and LRI sending it back, the bolt was only gone from me for 2 weeks! Excellent turn around time.

I tried the repaired bolt out on a piece of new unprimed brass and chamber nicely and extracted easy. That made me look around for a scope for it and take it to the range. I got it sighted in and decided to see if the handloads the previous owner (the father of the man I bought it from) had made with 87g NBT would shoot well at distance. I guessed 3200 fps for a velocity and hit a rock at 467 yards. Not bad for a 1950's rifle and some unknown reloads.

This has gotten me kind of excited about the 257 Roberts Improved. The 722 is a pretty gun and not something I want to drag around the western woods with me plus it has a slower twist that really can't take advantage of the new heavy bullets. I do have a Savage in 243 that I really don't shoot but wouldn't mind making into either a fast twist 257 Roberts Improved or a 25CM.

Has anyone built a fast twist 257 Roberts or Roberts Improved? I know the 25CM has the advantage of better and more abundant brass but what can it do that the Roberts Improved can not do?

Jay

 

[wildwilderness]

My main thought is you would not have to fire form the brass for the 25cm. That’s about it

 

[The Guide]

My main thought is you would not have to fire form the brass for the 25cm. That’s about it

That is all I could come up with too. No need to fireform and better brass is available. I could order 100 loaded rounds of 25 CM from Unknown Munitions and have years of shooting life for almost the same price that 100 pieces of Nosler 257 Roberts brass costs!

Jay

 

[Unclecroc]

That’s a cool rifle and a great story.
The 257 roberts is based on the 7x57 case and it falls in a length category that’s a tweener between true short action and true long. So if you’re shooting heavy bullets you’ll be at a real disadvantage in a short action so you’ll have to step up to a long action. At this point you’d be better off running a 25-06 a little bit more capacity and easier brass to find, plus no fireforming.
I myself would go with a 25 creed or if you want something unique and want to fireform get a 250 ackley improved.
Just my thoughts. Check the twist on your rifle it may be a 1-12 not a 1-10.

 

[The Guide]

That’s a cool rifle and a great story.
The 257 roberts is based on the 7x57 case and it falls in a length category that’s a tweener between true short action and true long. So if you’re shooting heavy bullets you’ll be at a real disadvantage in a short action so you’ll have to step up to a long action. At this point you’d be better off running a 25-06 a little bit more capacity and easier brass to find, plus no fireforming.
I myself would go with a 25 creed or if you want something unique and want to fireform get a 250 ackley improved.
Just my thoughts. Check the twist on your rifle it may be a 1-12 not a 1-10.

I'm kind of sticking with the 257 AI or the 25 Creedmoor since I already have dies for the 257 (came with the deal) and I have multiple 6mm and 6.5mm Creedmoor rifles in the family as my wife and kids shoot too. If I did a LA cartridge I might do the 25 Sherman (based of the 270 Winchester case) to wring the most out of .25 caliber bullet in a Tikka action. In all reality, brass availability is pushing me towards the 25CM.

Jay

 

[BLJ]

Interested in what you decide. I’ve got a 257 Roberts built on a Mauser 98 action that was my dads.
The bad part is that it’s like a 1/12 or 1/14 twist. I’ve thought about rebarreling to something faster many times.
Personally, I think the Roberts is kinda cool.

 

[The Guide]

Interested in what you decide. I’ve got a 257 Roberts built on a Mauser 98 action that was my dads.
The bad part is that it’s like a 1/12 or 1/14 twist. I’ve thought about rebarreling to something faster many times.
Personally, I think the Roberts is kinda cool.

I have some 90 grain CX I bought if this doesn't like the heavier 110 to 120 grain bullets. I'm going to try and honor the guys dad and shoot an antelope or a doe mule deer this year with his old handloads before I do too much with this gun. It is a pretty cool rifle with the nice wood stock and the iron sights with a long and short range rear sight. Whatever I build will be on a Savage SA I have in the collection or a Tikka if I can find a good donor for cheap.

Jay

 

[BLJ]

Dads load used 87 grain Hornady SP.
I’m lucky in that I’ve got a bunch of brass and the now discontinued bullets.
I’ve never hunted with it. Maybe this year.
And since everyone likes pictures.

A lot of overtime sitting right there.

 

[The Guide]

Speer has an 87 grain Hot Core that is in-stock on midwayusa.com. Would be similar.

Jay

 

[The Guide]

I found a package of NOS Winchester 25WSSM brass at a LGS today and they were cheap. Always wanted to build one so I think I'll build a fast twist 25WSSM to run some of the new .257 heavies in.

Jay