First deer with .257 Roberts

by woody, Monday, November 25, 2013, 17:44 (3959 days ago)

With this being the first year rifles are legal in my county I was happy to be able to use my Ruger 77 UL 257 Roberts. Passed on a few deer the first weekend. Had a chance to fill a doe tag the other day. Here is a picture of the bullet. Started out as a 117 gr Sierra SPT over IMR4350 ended up at 110.6 grains. I hit her behind the last rib and found the bullet under the hide on the off shoulder took out the liver and heart going through. About 18" penetration. I couldn't ask for any better performance!!!I had the .44 out but changed my mind at the last minute. I've shot a bunch with handguns. Had to get the rifle thing out of my system. I have to say a shotgun is probably a better option at the ranges I hunt. They definitely put them down just as quick as a rifle. 45-70 and 30-30 will put a few down this week.

Most the counties in NY are going to rifles from shotgun/handgun/ muzzleloader only. The adirondacks and Catskills have always been rifle zones but the southern tier and western NY are adding rifles. Most guys are staying with there shotguns unless they are gun guys like me.
[image]

First deer with .257 Roberts

by uncowboy, Monday, November 25, 2013, 19:57 (3959 days ago) @ woody

Congrats, Great bullet performance.

.257 Roberts - classy rifle and calber

by John Meeker @, Monday, November 25, 2013, 20:44 (3959 days ago) @ woody

,

TRUTH BE KNOWN THE .257 ROBERTS,

by SIXGUNNER, Monday, November 25, 2013, 22:21 (3959 days ago) @ woody

.25-06, .250/3000, .243 WINCHESTER, 6.5 SWEDE AND 7-08 WILL DO ABOUT 99.999% OF THE HUNTING CHORES IN THE LOWER 48 WITHOUT BEATING UP THE SHOOTER.

You listed all my favorite rounds!!!

by woody, Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 11:26 (3958 days ago) @ SIXGUNNER

My next rifle is going to be a 250 savage. I have a ton of reloading/casting stuff I inherited for the .250 savage. Dies,brass,moulds etc. My reloading/casting mentor had a savage 99 in 250/3000. Too bad I didn't end up with the rifle. My first rifle was a .243 unfortunately gone not by my choice. Long story. But I have another 700 in .243 I have been using since I shot the deer with the .257 Roberts. I've always thought a 7mm-08 would be the perfect deer round. I have a set of dies I bought from fermin and traded into some brass and bullets. Now just need to find a rifle. My problem is now that I can use a rifle in my area it is a new field to explore!!!

Carried my .250-3000 model 99 again this morning.

by Hobie ⌂ @, Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 12:35 (3958 days ago) @ SIXGUNNER

Much freezing rain, no deer. Still had fun!

--
Sincerely,

Hobie

My 14 year old loves his .250 Savage bolt rifle.

by Wildcat, Flint Hills of Kansas, Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 16:45 (3958 days ago) @ Hobie

I have a nice 99 in the same caliber, as well as a neat .300 takedown. The .250 works great for the kid. This is last year's buck, his first. Hoping for something bigger this year, and season starts on December 3rd.

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Very nice buck for the first one.

by woody, Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 19:52 (3958 days ago) @ Wildcat

I like that savage is still chambering several bolt guns in 250.

First deer with .257 Roberts

by sjcollins69 ⌂ @, SW MO, Monday, November 25, 2013, 22:59 (3959 days ago) @ woody

I sighted in quite a few rifles this year for other people. .243 Winchester, .25-06 and .280 Remington were ones that I would have chosen for most game here in MO.

Switching from shotgun to rifle.

by cas, Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 00:41 (3959 days ago) @ woody

It's funny, for years I sat on the edge of corn fields, or lay in the middle of them, with a shotgun, wishing I had a rifle because everything was just out of range.

That ultimately lead me to scoped revolvers, then to single shot pistols. Finally I had the ability to shoot 150-300 yards with ease.
I hunted exclusively with "technical handguns" for a bunch of years. As fate would have it, I never shot one farther than I could have with the shotgun. Most were close.

Eventually we switched to rifle as well. About that same time, I either lost access or the fields themselves. With a lifetime's worth of rifles I was never able to hunt with, I broke them out. Since I've switched to rifles, I haven't shot a deer farther away than 30 yards. Go figure.

The even more ironic part is most the rifles I've been hunting with now are older ones... shorter, fatter cartridges. Pistol rounds, black powder rounds, paper patched bullets… shooting things with about the same ballistics I lamented being stuck with 25+ years ago. I've come full circle. lol

Switching from shotgun to rifle.

by woody, Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 11:37 (3958 days ago) @ cas

I took the same path. When slug guns were not that accurate I hunted with contenders. Then I switched to open sighted handguns for the challenge. I'm a big bow hunter so I like to hunt close. Then I started hunting with a 20 ga slug gun fully rifled with open sights. Now a new field to explore. When the newness wears off. I will end up using an open sighted lever gun. I like iron sights. Never had a scope on a slug gun. Never really needed to shoot past 50 yards anyways. You know how are terrain is in NY.

Good show!

by Hoot @, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 07:27 (3959 days ago) @ woody

I have been pretty happy with Sierra's out of a few different arms.

Good show!

by woody, Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 11:19 (3958 days ago) @ Hoot

Only based on this one bullet performance but I was impressed. I've shot a bunch of .22 sierras over the years and they are my favorite bullet in .223 and 22-250.

First deer with .257 Roberts

by Mark, Thursday, November 28, 2013, 05:49 (3957 days ago) @ woody

Congratulations on your deer and finding your bullet. I hunt in Wyoming County and we have had legal rifle hunting for two years now (I think it is two). I started with a shotgun back in the '80's and never got a deer. I always wanted to try a handgun but the group that I hunted with didn't approve. One year I had my shotgun jam. I have hunted with a handgun since. That had to have been 1990 or so. These days hunting is about time with friends and accomplishments with a handgun. Now that I can, I don't see myself wanting to hunt with a rifle. I can't imagine what path I would have taken if I could have hunted with a rifle when that shotgun jammed.
Mark

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