No.1 .257 Roberts Owners
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wunbe
Buckeye
My black pad 1B does not like 120 gr bullets but shoots lighter bullets nicely.
1B
1B
hammie
Single-Sixer
My Ruger 1-B was made in the late 70's and has a crappy wilson barrel. With proper load development and careful shooting from a bench, it will stay inside a 8 1/2 by 11 inch piece of paper at 100 yards...mostly. My recent vintage, .257 rbts hawkeye, shoots like a target rifle, and that's using cheap, bulk, remington corelokt, l00 grain bullets.
mattsbox99
Hunter
I have a new 1A and its showing a preference for the 90 grain Sierra HPBT loaded long & in the upper velocity range. 115 grain Ballistic Tips shot into 1.5".
308longdistance
Blackhawk
I have a 1B 132 prefix that shoots 110 Accubond, 100 TTSX, WCC PSP pretty well.
A 1A 134 prefix that really likes 80 TTSX into the lands. (same experience as MB99, fast & long @ 3480fps)
A 77 Hawkeye Ultra light that does well with 100 TTSX & WCC PSP, 110 Accubond, & 80 TTSX.
A 1A 134 prefix that really likes 80 TTSX into the lands. (same experience as MB99, fast & long @ 3480fps)
A 77 Hawkeye Ultra light that does well with 100 TTSX & WCC PSP, 110 Accubond, & 80 TTSX.
picketpin
Buckeye
I own 6 "B"s in 257 Roberts (4 are still "B"s, 1 is an "S" and the sixth is a "BH") factory "A" and a Shilen barreled "V". I also own a few more that have had the factory barrel punched to 257 Ackley Improved, 3 "B"s and an "A". One of the factory "B"s became an "S" (with factory sights) and one of the 257AIs is a #2, #3 action with #1 barrel and wood with a straight wristed butt stock.
Other family members own another 8 #1 "B"s in 257 Roberts. That's it for #1s.
If we get into Mauser 98s , Remingtons, Winchesters, Sakos, Styers etc I think my total ownership of rifles chambered in 257 Roberts probably tops 50. Within the extended family there are probably 75 or so.
I've been hunting with the 257 Roberts since 1958 and stated reloading for it in 1960.
In the last 50+ years I've killed one Hell of a lot of big game animals, the vast majority deer. Out of all the deer I've killed 84% were shot and killed with one 257 Roberts/ Ackley
or another.
AS a GENERAL rule the 257 Roberts tends to shoot 100 grain bullets better than heavier bullets. This from the likes of Jack O Connor, Ken Waters etc.
With the 26" barrel of a #1 "B" and medium to medium slow powder you should be able to get an honest 3000 FPS with a 100 grain bullet.
The issue with the BOB in a bolt gun is that many are made as short actions, that makes the SAAMI OAL loaded length 2.75. That pushes the base of any but the lightest bullets past the base of the cartridge neck and uses up case capacity. Add to that that after putting it in a short action rifle many outfits then throated the BOB long. You ended up with a heck of a jump to the lands and poor accuracy.
We own a bunch of bolt guns chambered in 257 Roberts including a bunch of Ruger 77s, Luckily the 77s are all long actions. We simply had them all throated to take a 100-120 Nosler at an OAL loaded length of 3.00 inches. The sets the base of the case at the bottom of the neck and allows you to use the case capacity for powder, not bullets. Puts the bullet .0025 off the lands and produces good accuracy with reasonable velocities.
Hammie: When was yours made?? They weren't cataloged till Jan 1980 though I have one in my data base that letters to having shipped in OCT 1979.
Those released in late 1979 (One) and Jan 1980 stated in the 132-005xxx range. The lowest I show from the cataloged era is 132-002319 shipped 10-79.
There are a very few in the 130- serial number range below 130-10xxx and one non pref, shipped 10-72 that I'm aware of. There are very very few pre warning (1977 #1s in 257 Roberts)
So the vast majority of #1s that I own in 257 Roberts or 257 Ackley Improved (factory barrels) have Wilson barrels and while finicky like many #1s I have never not been able to get any of mine to shoot MOA. A couple that belong to other people shoot 1.25 -1.50 but that's because the owners were happy with that and wanted their rifles back. ;-(
There was a 131 serial numbered 257 "B" a while back on Guns International but he hadn't lettered it. I figure I'll letter it next time I send in a request just to be sure if it was in fact correct. He stated out saying it was pre-warning (several members were very interested at that) but eventually backed off from that as it had a warning barrel. I was a red pad, of course that only narrowed it down to pre 1993.
Most guys that shoot the Bob, continue to do so for life and tend to hang on to theirs for a long time. ;-)
Ross
Other family members own another 8 #1 "B"s in 257 Roberts. That's it for #1s.
If we get into Mauser 98s , Remingtons, Winchesters, Sakos, Styers etc I think my total ownership of rifles chambered in 257 Roberts probably tops 50. Within the extended family there are probably 75 or so.
I've been hunting with the 257 Roberts since 1958 and stated reloading for it in 1960.
In the last 50+ years I've killed one Hell of a lot of big game animals, the vast majority deer. Out of all the deer I've killed 84% were shot and killed with one 257 Roberts/ Ackley
or another.
AS a GENERAL rule the 257 Roberts tends to shoot 100 grain bullets better than heavier bullets. This from the likes of Jack O Connor, Ken Waters etc.
With the 26" barrel of a #1 "B" and medium to medium slow powder you should be able to get an honest 3000 FPS with a 100 grain bullet.
The issue with the BOB in a bolt gun is that many are made as short actions, that makes the SAAMI OAL loaded length 2.75. That pushes the base of any but the lightest bullets past the base of the cartridge neck and uses up case capacity. Add to that that after putting it in a short action rifle many outfits then throated the BOB long. You ended up with a heck of a jump to the lands and poor accuracy.
We own a bunch of bolt guns chambered in 257 Roberts including a bunch of Ruger 77s, Luckily the 77s are all long actions. We simply had them all throated to take a 100-120 Nosler at an OAL loaded length of 3.00 inches. The sets the base of the case at the bottom of the neck and allows you to use the case capacity for powder, not bullets. Puts the bullet .0025 off the lands and produces good accuracy with reasonable velocities.
Hammie: When was yours made?? They weren't cataloged till Jan 1980 though I have one in my data base that letters to having shipped in OCT 1979.
Those released in late 1979 (One) and Jan 1980 stated in the 132-005xxx range. The lowest I show from the cataloged era is 132-002319 shipped 10-79.
There are a very few in the 130- serial number range below 130-10xxx and one non pref, shipped 10-72 that I'm aware of. There are very very few pre warning (1977 #1s in 257 Roberts)
So the vast majority of #1s that I own in 257 Roberts or 257 Ackley Improved (factory barrels) have Wilson barrels and while finicky like many #1s I have never not been able to get any of mine to shoot MOA. A couple that belong to other people shoot 1.25 -1.50 but that's because the owners were happy with that and wanted their rifles back. ;-(
There was a 131 serial numbered 257 "B" a while back on Guns International but he hadn't lettered it. I figure I'll letter it next time I send in a request just to be sure if it was in fact correct. He stated out saying it was pre-warning (several members were very interested at that) but eventually backed off from that as it had a warning barrel. I was a red pad, of course that only narrowed it down to pre 1993.
Most guys that shoot the Bob, continue to do so for life and tend to hang on to theirs for a long time. ;-)
Ross
hammie
Single-Sixer
@picketpin: I mis-spoke on the purchase date of my Ruger #1B, in .257 rbts. When you get old, time and dates start running together.
After a considerable search, I found the original bill of sale. It was purchased by my wife on 14 June 1980, and the serial number is 132-05197. That should correspond pretty well with your research and records. (And yes, she's still my wife.)
My #1B may not be a good shooter, but it's a fast one. With a slow powder and a 115 grain bullet, the 26 inch barrel will deliver over 2900 ft/sec by my chronograph. That's close to .25-06 territory. Of course the velocity is not terribly useful if the rifle will not group consistently.
I also had a model 77, chambered for 7 x 57mm, purchased, again by my wife, in november of 1978. It would also never be a bench rest rifle, but still performed way better than the roberts. In the past 10 years, I think ruger has made quantum leaps in precision and accuracy, compared to their rifles from the 70's and 80's.
Blessings to you and I hope your fall hunting season will be safe and enjoyable.
After a considerable search, I found the original bill of sale. It was purchased by my wife on 14 June 1980, and the serial number is 132-05197. That should correspond pretty well with your research and records. (And yes, she's still my wife.)
My #1B may not be a good shooter, but it's a fast one. With a slow powder and a 115 grain bullet, the 26 inch barrel will deliver over 2900 ft/sec by my chronograph. That's close to .25-06 territory. Of course the velocity is not terribly useful if the rifle will not group consistently.
I also had a model 77, chambered for 7 x 57mm, purchased, again by my wife, in november of 1978. It would also never be a bench rest rifle, but still performed way better than the roberts. In the past 10 years, I think ruger has made quantum leaps in precision and accuracy, compared to their rifles from the 70's and 80's.
Blessings to you and I hope your fall hunting season will be safe and enjoyable.
Thanks for the replies. It gives me a fairly good picture of what to expect if I decide to go that route. I was hoping that the 120 gr. bullets would be accurate, but the general consensus seems to be that they are not. Plenty of food for thought in the replies, thank you.
c4
c4
Lloyd Smale
Blackhawk
Ive got one of the newer 1a guns. Its not a tack driver. Best loads go about 1 1/4 for 5 shots at a 100 yards. It shoots either 100 bts or 117 hornadys into 1 1/4 so i guess it really doesnt have a preference. Most any other bullet will shoot around a 1 1/2.
hammie
Single-Sixer
@Mr. Smale: I dunno. A 1.25 inch, 5 shot group at 100 yd., sounds pretty good to me. Using a 3 shot group, it would probably shrink even more. As you said, it won't win a bench rest competition these days, but I think that's pretty darn good for a hunting rifle. I wish some of my rifles shot as well as yours. Then again, you're probably a better marksman than I am. When blaming the rifle, I shouldn't forget to include myself in the equation. I'm guessing I could shrink some of my groups with more range time and practice.
mattsbox99
Hunter
Cobalt, with the performance of the 110 grain Accubond you won't need the 120 to shoot well. Even the 115 Partition is such a solid performer you never have to question its reliability.
308longdistance
Blackhawk
1B .257 Roberts, 110 Nosler factory Accubond, 380 yards, stumbled forward 2 steps and fell dead.
picketpin
Buckeye
If you WANT to use a 120 then I would. You'll just need to work up a load. It isn't that the 257 Roberts WON'T shoot 110s, 115s, 117s or 120s. It just that many/most show a preference for 100s when it comes to accuracy.
A guy might well give up a bit of accuracy for less wind deflection an more energy at extended ranges.
I tend to stick to 100s in the standard 257 Roberts for hunting because I like the combination of the accuracy along with the honest 3000 fps out of a 26" barreled #1 B. I usually use a Nosler Ballistic Tip or Partition predicated on what I'm hunting.
I've been playing with the 110 Nosler Acubond and the 115 Nosler Combined Tech bullets over the spring and the summer.
I switch to 115s and 120s when I switch over to the 257 Ackley Improved. A 26" barreled 257 AI and a 115 will yield a honest 3000 fps. Hitting 3000 fps with a 120 is pretty hard and not as accurate as one throttled back just a bit.
The go to load that we/I have worked up for all the 257s both standard and Ackley Improved uses the old Nosler Solid Base bullet loaded to 3.00 OAL in either case at just a tad over 2800 fps in a standard Bob and just over 2950 in a bunch of different AIs. The only difference being a few grains of IMR 4831. If I HAD to settle on one load for all of the 257s around here for whatever game it's suited for, I'd be perfectly happy with that load and bullet. Thankfully I still have 4 or 5 boxes of bullets and figure it's enough to see me out. ;-)
Accuracy. the second most accurate #1 I own is a 1970 22-250 "V" that I sent to Doug Shilen back in 1970 and re-barreld to 257 Roberts set to shoot the 75 grain Sierra HP at an AOL of 2.75 with the bullet just off the lands at 3355 fps out of a 28" barrel. If I do my part it has shot 5 groups into the mid .3s more than once.
Hammie: I had your serial number in my data base, so you must have given it to me. Thanks
I have probably worked with 20-25 #1 "B"s mine and other guys over the years and to be honest I've yet to find one I couldn't get down around 1.5" five shot 100 yards groups with enough tinkering and load work.
Cobalt: If you want to use/work with 120s there is no reason NOT to. You'll lose a bit of velocity but the higher B.C. makes up for most of it. "They shoot 100s better" is a GENERALIZATION not a rule and may or may not hold true for a specific rifle. Heck your rifle may just love it. You won't know till you try. If you are NOT a hand loader some of the newer +P loadings and the Light Mag loading are awfully hard to improve on.
Good luck and enjoy.
Ross
A guy might well give up a bit of accuracy for less wind deflection an more energy at extended ranges.
I tend to stick to 100s in the standard 257 Roberts for hunting because I like the combination of the accuracy along with the honest 3000 fps out of a 26" barreled #1 B. I usually use a Nosler Ballistic Tip or Partition predicated on what I'm hunting.
I've been playing with the 110 Nosler Acubond and the 115 Nosler Combined Tech bullets over the spring and the summer.
I switch to 115s and 120s when I switch over to the 257 Ackley Improved. A 26" barreled 257 AI and a 115 will yield a honest 3000 fps. Hitting 3000 fps with a 120 is pretty hard and not as accurate as one throttled back just a bit.
The go to load that we/I have worked up for all the 257s both standard and Ackley Improved uses the old Nosler Solid Base bullet loaded to 3.00 OAL in either case at just a tad over 2800 fps in a standard Bob and just over 2950 in a bunch of different AIs. The only difference being a few grains of IMR 4831. If I HAD to settle on one load for all of the 257s around here for whatever game it's suited for, I'd be perfectly happy with that load and bullet. Thankfully I still have 4 or 5 boxes of bullets and figure it's enough to see me out. ;-)
Accuracy. the second most accurate #1 I own is a 1970 22-250 "V" that I sent to Doug Shilen back in 1970 and re-barreld to 257 Roberts set to shoot the 75 grain Sierra HP at an AOL of 2.75 with the bullet just off the lands at 3355 fps out of a 28" barrel. If I do my part it has shot 5 groups into the mid .3s more than once.
Hammie: I had your serial number in my data base, so you must have given it to me. Thanks
I have probably worked with 20-25 #1 "B"s mine and other guys over the years and to be honest I've yet to find one I couldn't get down around 1.5" five shot 100 yards groups with enough tinkering and load work.
Cobalt: If you want to use/work with 120s there is no reason NOT to. You'll lose a bit of velocity but the higher B.C. makes up for most of it. "They shoot 100s better" is a GENERALIZATION not a rule and may or may not hold true for a specific rifle. Heck your rifle may just love it. You won't know till you try. If you are NOT a hand loader some of the newer +P loadings and the Light Mag loading are awfully hard to improve on.
Good luck and enjoy.
Ross
wunbe
Buckeye
Picketpin,
I know a guy who uses a custom 257 Roberts to commercially cull deer from orchards pretty much year round. He uses a spot lights at night -- which is legal for such culling operations -- and considers "any shot behind the ears as a gut shot."
Given your long and deep experience with the 257 Roberts, you might be interested in my latest #1 custom project. It is a 'tarted up' take-off based lossely on the 1A but made to my specs. Since I already have a 1B, I chose a .257 Roberts AI format to compensate a bit for the fps loss in the shorter 22" barrel. The barrel will be a full length, McGowan octagonal in a standard weight profile -- not the ltwt. It will have custom scope mounts that bring the scope further rearward than the standard Ruger mounts allow -- no quarter rib. The slim free-floated foreend will have an ebony tip -- no AH -- and it will be glass bedded to the hanger and use a 90 degree mounting screw to the hanger rather than being mounted in the traditional Ruger 45 degree angle to the action. The receiver will be color case hardened and the wood is personally selected black walnut with lots of features and the rear stock will be straight -- no pistol grip -- and have a shadow-lined cheek piece. MOA guarantee.
Promised date -- Feb 2013 but we'll see...
I'd be interested in your AI loads with the Noslers.
Regards,
wunbe
I know a guy who uses a custom 257 Roberts to commercially cull deer from orchards pretty much year round. He uses a spot lights at night -- which is legal for such culling operations -- and considers "any shot behind the ears as a gut shot."
Given your long and deep experience with the 257 Roberts, you might be interested in my latest #1 custom project. It is a 'tarted up' take-off based lossely on the 1A but made to my specs. Since I already have a 1B, I chose a .257 Roberts AI format to compensate a bit for the fps loss in the shorter 22" barrel. The barrel will be a full length, McGowan octagonal in a standard weight profile -- not the ltwt. It will have custom scope mounts that bring the scope further rearward than the standard Ruger mounts allow -- no quarter rib. The slim free-floated foreend will have an ebony tip -- no AH -- and it will be glass bedded to the hanger and use a 90 degree mounting screw to the hanger rather than being mounted in the traditional Ruger 45 degree angle to the action. The receiver will be color case hardened and the wood is personally selected black walnut with lots of features and the rear stock will be straight -- no pistol grip -- and have a shadow-lined cheek piece. MOA guarantee.
Promised date -- Feb 2013 but we'll see...
I'd be interested in your AI loads with the Noslers.
Regards,
wunbe
hammie
Single-Sixer
@wunbe" I've been around plenty of guns for plenty of years, and it takes more than the average to get my full attention.
Honestly, your project left me in awe. I sure hope that you get the custom #1 by Feb '13, and you sure better post some pictures.
Honestly, your project left me in awe. I sure hope that you get the custom #1 by Feb '13, and you sure better post some pictures.
picketpin
Buckeye
Wunbe: A few years back for my 60th birthday I had the long promised "Special/Fancy" #1s I had planned for .......years started. I figure if nothing else I can hunt with them a few times,drop them in the rocks etc. before giving them to my son and grandson.
The first has a full octagon tapered barrel in the "B" propfile the Dale Storey made for me a BUNCH of years ago with an intergal rib and sling stud. This one will have factory wood. It just happens to be the best set I've ever owned on a #1 out of 150 or so #1s owned since 1967. Wayne De Angelo is doing the engraving. Guy in NC will recut the checkering and the refinsh will be done by a guy in Idaho. Right side will be the best mule deer I ever shot and the left side will be the best Antelope. That engraving will be Bulino (banknote) engraving and the borders will be early American scroll. Some engraving on the lever and the barrel tip with gold bands at the chamber and barrel tip. Screw heads all engraved and indexed. The rifle will be in 257 Roberts.
The other is a fancy version of the #2 I already use a lot in 257 AI. Half round half octagon barrel, Non factory wood with a straight wrist and a slimmed down and shortened SB style forearm with a Mequite tip. IT contrast better with the walnut than the ebony option. #3 levr cut and restyled to flow with the stock with a mequite disc/losenge at the tip to cock the lever. (Copied from a Highwall in the Midas book) Same engraving pattern but will have my California Big Horn on the right side and my best Black Tailed deer on the left. Similar but not Identical engraving. Checkering left up to the guy doing the work to match the wood the best but full wrap at wrist and forearm.
Projected dates for completion................... before you die. Okay 2015 ...or so.
Speed hammer and spring a K trigger but not many other internal mods.
My #2 257 AI is a slimmed down factory stock with a straight wrist and barrel band with the AH forearm. My "Light" one is an "A" but with a cheek piece and butt stock and an AH forearm with a "A" stainless barrel from Shilen that has be fluted and frozen etc.
Both set to drive the 120 Nosler Solid Base bullet load at the 3.00 OAL mentioned above.
Both are painted Great Basin Camo, they are "working rifles".
I just have to NOT think about all the #1s I could buy for the cost of the two customs. But hey, a guy owes himself a couple of fancy ones, before he cashes it in.
Ross
I'll PM you the AI loads.
The first has a full octagon tapered barrel in the "B" propfile the Dale Storey made for me a BUNCH of years ago with an intergal rib and sling stud. This one will have factory wood. It just happens to be the best set I've ever owned on a #1 out of 150 or so #1s owned since 1967. Wayne De Angelo is doing the engraving. Guy in NC will recut the checkering and the refinsh will be done by a guy in Idaho. Right side will be the best mule deer I ever shot and the left side will be the best Antelope. That engraving will be Bulino (banknote) engraving and the borders will be early American scroll. Some engraving on the lever and the barrel tip with gold bands at the chamber and barrel tip. Screw heads all engraved and indexed. The rifle will be in 257 Roberts.
The other is a fancy version of the #2 I already use a lot in 257 AI. Half round half octagon barrel, Non factory wood with a straight wrist and a slimmed down and shortened SB style forearm with a Mequite tip. IT contrast better with the walnut than the ebony option. #3 levr cut and restyled to flow with the stock with a mequite disc/losenge at the tip to cock the lever. (Copied from a Highwall in the Midas book) Same engraving pattern but will have my California Big Horn on the right side and my best Black Tailed deer on the left. Similar but not Identical engraving. Checkering left up to the guy doing the work to match the wood the best but full wrap at wrist and forearm.
Projected dates for completion................... before you die. Okay 2015 ...or so.
Speed hammer and spring a K trigger but not many other internal mods.
My #2 257 AI is a slimmed down factory stock with a straight wrist and barrel band with the AH forearm. My "Light" one is an "A" but with a cheek piece and butt stock and an AH forearm with a "A" stainless barrel from Shilen that has be fluted and frozen etc.
Both set to drive the 120 Nosler Solid Base bullet load at the 3.00 OAL mentioned above.
Both are painted Great Basin Camo, they are "working rifles".
I just have to NOT think about all the #1s I could buy for the cost of the two customs. But hey, a guy owes himself a couple of fancy ones, before he cashes it in.
Ross
I'll PM you the AI loads.
Citizen X. Legion 16.
Bearcat
Wow....
Now that is a magnificent toy collection... Dad?
Now that is a magnificent toy collection... Dad?
chilidog
Single-Sixer
Love to see some of Picketpins thoughts!
Anybody know what happened to him? Used to message him a lot then it stopped…
Anybody know what happened to him? Used to message him a lot then it stopped…
