257 Roberts?

[Plainsman]

Actually, the Russians have been using it for around a century, the 7.62x54R!!  It's basically a rimmed .30-06 with a .311" bullet diameter!

So said, people have preferences for their own unique reasons.

I like the .25-35 because it is a .30-30 case necked down to .257" basically.  Who doesn't love the .30-30?!  Not to mention, in a bind, .30-30 can be necked down if brass is low.  

I like rimmed cases for ease of loading and extraction, esp. with single shot break actions like the NEF's.  I had a TC Contender and the .223 for one really annoyed me.  The .44 was a fine barrel as were the rimfires.  Ever since, I prefer rimfires.

The .25-35 can be downloaded with 65gr bullets and be a suped up .22WMR or a .223...I like downloading myself and the .25-06 can't go as "low" as I'd like to go.

And as mentioned above, the .257" can be cast and that seems to go perfectly with a .25-35!

[Otony]

There are so many "classic" cartridges to choose from, it was difficult to sort through the wishes of all the members here. Certainly the .25-35 is a great choice for a Handi, as are the .25-20 and .32-20 rounds. I imagine a case could be made for virtually any of the current pistol and revolver cartridges. I suppose that any rimmed case has its adherents.

Then there are current and former military issue rounds. I for one would much rather have a 7.62x54R Handi than a .30-06 Handi, but that is part of what makes horse races, right? A strong point in favor of those chamberings is availability, and indeed, four out of our past five G.I issues are current Handi offerings. We just need that darn .30-40 Krag to make it complete. Oh, and the .50-70 Gummint!

For the most part, I fall strongly into Larry's camp. I am not entirely certain the .25-06, .270, .280, .30-06 class should be chambered in a Handi. There are quite a few reliable posters (like Larry) who have reported stretching issues in the past. That is why I tended to choose milder cartridges for the most part.

Frankly, I would have even substituted the .250 Savage for the .257, but there was less of a call for it. And the .25-35, while one of my favorite cartridges, just didn't have the numbers of past posts like the .257 Bob to justify inclusion, although it is pure plumb perfect as a Handi chambering.

If we have to explain the "need" for a certain cartridge, or justify the ballistics, then there isn't much point in suggesting any cartridges, y'all just don't get it. I would have to say that, yeah, I could get along fine with three or four. Well, maybe five or six!    But that would make this hobby boring...to me.

There can be no pleasing everyone, and I was trying to be realistic in my choices. I honestly did look at many back postings for suggestions, but it doesn't matter in any event, you can see that the poll is slowly dying. Quite a few folks posted that they didn't see the cartridges THEY were interested in, but there is no telling if those choices would have inspired a better response either. Unless you want to make your own poll, we will never know.

Maybe if we are lucky, someone at a distributor will have watched this and run with the idea, or maybe H&R will try a limited run "classics" program. But I wouldn't hold my breath......

[Darreld Walton]

To the original question of what does a .257 Roberts offer over a .243....quite a bit of bullet weight. 
I started three of my boys out on 257's, and then turned them loose with them on Wyoming Speedius Goatius.  It puts meat in the freezer.  I've busted several Idaho and Wyoming mule deer with it, and it makes venison faster than any other round I've hit 'em with.  Don't know why, must be 'magic', but that little 120 gr. Nosler at 2700 fps is right in the 'sweet spot', and it works!  With the little 75 gr. Hornady's and IMR 4350, it also turns prairie dogs into red mist, and flips rock chucks about twenty feet in the air when you hit 'em right.
I've used the .243 on game.  I've a cousin who's used nothing else, and has on occasion successfully taken elk with it near his home in Utah, but then I've 'heard' of elk taken down with .22 Long Rifles, too.  To my way of thinking it makes a lot better long range gopher gun, and I don't appreciate the meat damage I've seen it make.
If you wanted a "Classic" combination, the Roberts in a Handi ain't it.  The round works REALLY well in a small ring 98 Mauser, or '03 Springfield, especially when done up in a light handling little stock.  There is NO moss growin' on the Roberts in the right gun with a good handload.
By the way, a fella might as well have a .243 AND a Roberts!  AND, a 6.5 Swede, AND a .270, AND a 7X57, AND a .30-40................

[glwenzl]

A rimmed 257 Roberts has always been a dream of mine, I have 100 rounds of brass made up from 444 brass. Although I was wanting it on my TCR, might do the stubbed barrel thing and have me one on a NEF someday. make a great youngsters first deer rifle.... Hmmm got the old three boys into the larger ones now and the oldest girl got her first buck last year (age 12) with a NEF 243 but I still have 2 daughters to get started.... sounds like a good excuse to me 

[Couger]

A rimmed 257 Roberts has always been a dream of mine .....

Why not just "go for it!!!?"

Norma offers "rimmed" 7X57 brass!   All you'd need is a different shell holder than the standard .473" shellholder,
one up-stroke in your .257R sizer die and whoa-lah, you'd have your "rimmed Bob" case!

Presently I'm comtemplating a prohect that might make me familiar with that rimmed Norma brass - a light weight
take-down big game Handi for storing in a backpack until time to shoot.  Cartridges I'm considering are a rimmed version of the 7X57 AI, or the 7.62X54R.  Norma makes brass for both.