257 Roberts AI - What can I expect?

[Ratchet]

And as far as terminal killing power goes i have shot whitetails at two hundred yards with 100 grain partitions at 3200 and they were dead before they hit the ground with my .257 A.I. Ruger m77 ll. No complaints from me.!!

 

[searcher]

I don't know the limits of how far you want to shoot - or how big the deer are that you shoot. I have and love the .257 but if you are looking for a dual-purpose rig that will excel at distance as well as close-in, I'd go to a bigger cartridge with a brake. Then you have more power, more distance, better power for larger deer or if poorly placed shot (egad) comes into play - and still be able to see your hits through the scope. Lots of coyotes hang up way out there. It is nice to still take them way out and have a rifle capable of taking other larger game. When pulling a rifle from the safe for a hunt - my .257 gets left behind a lot because it just doesn't do the job my other files will do better. If I hunted mostly heavily wooded areas - I'd use it far more than I do. Regardless - if you opt for the .257 - be SURE to put a brake on it or you will be disappointed in not seeing hits the way you would like. Pretty much anything over a .223 will recoil enough to lose sight picture unless pretty darn heavy. I even have them on my varmint .223's for that reason. Still - the .257 will do in coyotes and deer just fine at reasonable distance, especially with the big TSX bullet.

 

[Ratchet]

I don't know the limits of how far you want to shoot - or how big the deer are that you shoot. I have and love the .257 but if you are looking for a dual-purpose rig that will excel at distance as well as close-in, I'd go to a bigger cartridge with a brake. Then you have more power, more distance, better power for larger deer or if poorly placed shot (egad) comes into play - and still be able to see your hits through the scope. Lots of coyotes hang up way out there. It is nice to still take them way out and have a rifle capable of taking other larger game. When pulling a rifle from the safe for a hunt - my .257 gets left behind a lot because it just doesn't do the job my other files will do better. If I hunted mostly heavily wooded areas - I'd use it far more than I do. Regardless - if you opt for the .257 - be SURE to put a brake on it or you will be disappointed in not seeing hits the way you would like. Pretty much anything over a .223 will recoil enough to lose sight picture unless pretty darn heavy. I even have them on my varmint .223's for that reason. Still - the .257 will do in coyotes and deer just fine at reasonable distance, especially with the big TSX bullet.

Muzzlebrake would help to see what you hit for sure, but in n.y. that would be getting into the dangerous looking gun area, and i am still a little to old school. Still like the sleek look of a nice wood stocked sporter. Good luck to all who enjoy the shooting sports , with whatever they choose to shoot. My dad left me a .257 A.I. that i had to learn to load, that is going to be my son's gun. Liked it so much bought one and chambered it to ackley. Mine is a standard barrel22", my son's is a real nice ultra light version. Love them both. Max. Range in N.Y. 200 to maybe 300 if i had the right opportunity.

 

[Rdlningcltchdmpr]

For coyote use 70 blitzking, for deer use 80ttsx. R17 powder is hard to beat.

 

[searcher]

I have to deal with the "dangerous looking gun" situation too, though in California. Surprised guns can still be black in color - as that definitely makes them more dangerous. See the news on Remington today in respect to the Sandy Hook shooting? The courts found they will also be on trial as they "knowingly sold a weapon designed to assault humans". Seems the gunman is of little accountability. If Remington loses, things will go downhill much more rapidly than they have been, I'm afraid.

 

[Ratchet]

I don't know the limits of how far you want to shoot - or how big the deer are that you shoot. I have and love the .257 but if you are looking for a dual-purpose rig that will excel at distance as well as close-in, I'd go to a bigger cartridge with a brake. Then you have more power, more distance, better power for larger deer or if poorly placed shot (egad) comes into play - and still be able to see your hits through the scope. Lots of coyotes hang up way out there. It is nice to still take them way out and have a rifle capable of taking other larger game. When pulling a rifle from the safe for a hunt - my .257 gets left behind a lot because it just doesn't do the job my other files will do better. If I hunted mostly heavily wooded areas - I'd use it far more than I do. Regardless - if you opt for the .257 - be SURE to put a brake on it or you will be disappointed in not seeing hits the way you would like. Pretty much anything over a .223 will recoil enough to lose sight picture unless pretty darn heavy. I even have them on my varmint .223's for that reason. Still - the .257 will do in coyotes and deer just fine at reasonable distance, especially with the big TSX bullet.

I have a 30saum and a .270 rem 700, but how dead is dead, i i enjoy making my ackley brass and loads . Satifaction when they work as good as they do on deer . Personal pride is nice , i just like doing different from everyone else i guess.

 

[searcher]

Understood. Nice to shake things up with new projects.