.257 Roberts AI or .25 creedmore?

[Frontrange42]

Hi all! I’m new here and need some advice. I’m going back and forth between these 2 cartridges in a new deer rifle based on the defiant an/ti action. Keep in mind I’m using this for deer under 300yds. High b.c. Bullets not very interesting to me. Yes, I’m splitting hairs but would very much like to hear ya’all’s reasoning one way or the other. Thanks

 

[Supersubes]

I wouldn’t forego great brass to do the .257 roberts, which you then have to waste time foreforming. Nothing wrong with the cartridge but Lapua or Peterson brass for the Creed makes this an easy choice. Since 300 yards is the max, I’d just do a 6mm.

 

[Frontrange42]

I wouldn’t forego great brass to do the .257 roberts, which you then have to waste time foreforming. Nothing wrong with the cartridge but Lapua or Peterson brass for the Creed makes this an easy choice. Since 300 yards is the max, I’d just do a 6mm.

You bring up one of the main reasons for the .25 Creedmoor. Easy to find high quality brass and no fire forming. I also believe I could do the .25 creedmore on a short action vs. the xm action. To my surprise it seems like more gunsmiths have the .25 creedmore reamer vs roberts AI.
But! That .257 Roberts AI case is just so sexy! My best guess is I’m loosing 200ft. per sec. with the Creedmoor? Would the .25 Creedmoor have a better chance of being a real tack driver? I know the barrel is more important to accuracy than the cartridge but all things being equal. As far as .243 your right it would do just fine. It’s just not .25 caliber. There is also some of my own prejudices involved to get over. I’ve never been a “creedmoor guy”. First for everything I guess.

 

[Blackgloves]

I favour my 257Roberts over all other rifles but really don't see what a 25cal CM would offer in advantages over the 6.5.

 

[RTH1800]

300 yard deer hunting. It all works. 6mm, 6.5 cm etc. Get something that your local hardware store has ammo for.

 

[Eric_F]

If you're worried about accuracy of the 25 CM, don't be. I'm an okay not great shooter, but borrowed a local pro's gun during a match at 1000 yds, went wayyy too well, just effortless to hit steel IPSC plates. The short action and quality brass make that the easy choice if you're set on the caliber. But I'd agree that the 6mm or 6.5mm's would be even easier.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

For hunting, nothing beats being able to goto a store (even some country convience stores) and picking up a box of ammo. Bad times happen but finding rounds you can shoot, can really save a hunting trip (forgot the ammo, or it rained and the rounds sat underwater for a few hoursfinding the die slipped and the headspace is all wrong)

Though not my favorite a 243 will fill all your bills. Heck we own one and it drops deer as dead as our full power .35 Whelen. Another choice, which is a favorite is the .25-06. Easy to find ammo and no one, anywhere says a fellow has to handload maximum loads.

Sexy is fine, but after decades of handloading some really esoteric rounds, common and practical suits me just fine. Think about it.

 

[Smithcollector]

I'm at the opposite point as some of the more practical posters here, I like cool and unique cartridges and a 257 Bob AI'd is very cool. Not likely to run into another one at the fire after the hunt. Might also look at 250 Savage, assuming you reload. At 300 yards most anything will work, so I'd factor style points into the equation.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

Might also look at 250 Savage, assuming you reload.

Had a 250 Savage once. One of the firearms I REALLY regret selling. I really like them. Might well be one in my future.

BUT, Please don’t tell Brenda Lea about this post. (I’m pretty sure she is not terribly happy about the MPA I have on order)

 

[Frontrange42]

Had a 250 Savage once. One of the firearms I REALLY regret selling. I really like them. Might well be one in my future.

BUT, Please don’t tell Brenda Lea about this post. (I’m pretty sure she is not terribly happy about the MPA I have on order)

This will be my first custom centerfire rifle. I’m set on .25 caliber in a short or xm action. As far as cartridge available at Walmart or local hardware store means nothing to me since I would never buy factory ammo anyway. Never have.
I have been hunting the last 20 years with the same a factory rem. 700 in 7mm mag. It can do 3/4” 3 shot groups @100 yds while pushing a 160 gr. Nosler partition to 3100 FPS. It works on everything very effectively. I want something different, more accurate, and lighter weight. I realize that 7mm-08 or 308 would work but I don’t find those cartridges interesting anymore. I’d like to hear from some guys who can tell me real world velocities from both .25 creedmoor and .257 Roberts AI using 100-110 gr. bullets. I get the feeling that published data for the Roberts AI is rather conservative. As far as the .25 creedmoor (when folks aren’t talking about the blackjack bullet) I believe the velocities stated are a bit optimistic. I don’t really know just the feeling I get.

 

[Supersubes]

As far as capacity, the creed and standard Roberts are very nearly identical in water capacity with a slight edge to the Bob. I’d say They’re a wash frankly. The AI will add ~100 FPS on top of that.

 

[Frontrange42]

As far as capacity, the creed and standard Roberts are very nearly identical in water capacity with a slight edge to the Bob. I’d say They’re a wash frankly. The AI will add ~100 FPS on top of that.

I agree same powder capacity between creed and standard bob. Most guys claim they can launch 131 gr. bullets at 3000 FPS. out of their .25 creed. Which leads me to believe close to 3200 FPS. for a 100 gr. bullet in .25 creed. Well that is right up there with published .257 rob AI velocity. I understand the creed is operating at higher pressure but in a new rifle shouldn’t I get even more out of the rob AI?

 

[Deleted member 113831]

Hi all! I’m new here and need some advice. I’m going back and forth between these 2 cartridges in a new deer rifle based on the defiant an/ti action. Keep in mind I’m using this for deer under 300yds.

For deer under 300 yards you can use whatever you want. Deer don't need much killing.

High b.c. Bullets not very interesting to me. Yes, I’m splitting hairs but would very much like to hear ya’all’s reasoning one way or the other. Thanks

If high BC bullets aren't interesting, then why worry about the case they are launched from?

Agonizing over deer cartridges is like agonizing over which tires are better for smashing oppossums on the highway.

 

[Frontrange42]

For deer under 300 yards you can use whatever you want. Deer don't need much killing.

If high BC bullets aren't interesting, then why worry about the case they are launched from?

Agonizing over deer cartridges is like agonizing over which tires are better for smashing oppossums on the highway.

Do high b.c. Bullets matter under 300 yds? Does the case matter under 300 yds? I see your point and enjoyed your tire analogy.
This rifle is for deer yes. But it will be shot many, many more times at the range than at an animal. I’m looking for under 1/2” groups @100yds. To me over 1/2 the fun of a new cartridge is load development. So yes, the case matters a great deal to me even if others see it as 6 of this and 1/2 dozen of that.

 

[Supersubes]

I agree same powder capacity between creed and standard bob. Most guys claim they can launch 131 gr. bullets at 3000 FPS. out of their .25 creed. Which leads me to believe close to 3200 FPS. for a 100 gr. bullet in .25 creed. Well that is right up there with published .257 rob AI velocity. I understand the creed is operating at higher pressure but in a new rifle shouldn’t I get even more out of the rob AI?

3000 FPS is on the very high end, and well over max pressure imo. Don’t use that as a basis.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

Do high b.c. Bullets matter under 300 yds? Does the case matter under 300 yds? I see your point and enjoyed your tire analogy.
This rifle is for deer yes. But it will be shot many, many more times at the range than at an animal. I’m looking for under 1/2” groups @100yds. To me over 1/2 the fun of a new cartridge is load development. So yes, the case matters a great deal to me even if others see it as 6 of this and 1/2 dozen of that.

Jeezus, this the latest version of "284 Win vs 280 Rem?"

If you want a 25 cal to really go fast, look sexy, fit in a short action...and go back to the future, just rediscover the .25 Souper (not misspelled, it's a .25-08).

If you want it to look more "Creedmoor-ish" then put a 30 degree shoulder on it and call it the 25 SLR ("Super Long Range", reference the 6.5 SLR), you will definitely be the only one you know who has one. Nothing is new under the sun.

110 grain bullets at 3100 fps easy.

 

[Frontrange42]

I'd do a 25x55ai over a 257ai. Plenty of lapua 6.5x55 brass around, easy neck down a s fireform. Would maybe be a grain less than the improved Bob. For simplicity in a short action the 25creed is optimum, I personally like the 291nk 160fb reamer. In fact I just ordered one from blackjack. The 290 neck is only leaving 3k clearance on peterson and alpha brass, that's a wee bit tight in my opinion.

I’ve looked into “rediscovered” the .25 souper, I’ve concluded the only thing it has better than the standard Roberts is better and more available brass. Now this 25x55ai mentioned by Khuber84 needs to be researched by me. Thanks for the new idea Khuber84.

 

[FreddyG]

Since you mentioned short action, the bob is going to be mediocre. Go with the creed.

 

[Frontrange42]

Since you mentioned short action, the bob is going to be mediocre. Go with the creed.

I ordered a defiance xm action an/ti nitride coated. If I decided on .25 creedmoor I’d change the order to short action. It’s still early and defiance says they are 3 months out.

 

[Matalpa]

Seems like your heart is in the Bob AI, so do that but call it the 25 Swedemoor and it will be this years hottest cartridge.

You can never argue this stuff based on the merits, if you did we would all be shooting the same stuff. I have a 6mm AI and a 280AI and I have to say they have both always been really well-behaved cartridges with great brass life. And I think they look cooler than most other cartridges.

 

[6x6]

Just buy a Ruger M77 Ultralite. It comes with a long action, slim barrel and light weight, slim stock, plus all the other benifts of a tang safety M77. Mine shoots Hornady 87 grain spitzers at 3275 and 117 grain SBTs at 3020. Been shooting that rifle since the early eighties. What's not to like?

 

[DocRDS]

Since we necro'd this

My aunt (grandma's twin sister) used a 257 Roberts and was the one who let me go with her when no one else would take me hunting as a youth.