I always thought the caliber wasn’t enough for deer, being way behind my 270 in horsepower. Well, after 5 years or so with a 260 and shooting 120 gr bullets, I have come to see that the 260 is plenty (as would the 6.5 CM), and that the 257 AI is ballistically essentially equal to the 260 and that the regular 257 is close enough. All that gunwriter praise for the 257 is now understood.

Now, before you BC-focused long range guys go wild on me, I’m talking about deer hunting.

I have a Kimber 257R. Its a great caliber for deer. It's been a while since I've had it out. I've used 115 Ballistic Tips and the now discontinued but wonderful 120 Hornady Interlock HP. Killed a 2 deer and a hog with it. All exited and the deer were bang flop, the hog went 15 yards. Currently wears a Meopta 6x fixed. It's a no nonsense set up.

257 Roberts works very well on deer, wish I had kept the one I had

I have a 257 Robert's, ruger model 77 lightweight, has a Leupold 1.5x5 scope. On our land, this little gun has taken more deer, than all my other guns. If you use store bought ammo, its nothing special, but reloading it really performs.

I shot several deer with a .257 and handloaded 117 gr. Sierra bullets. Had as many or more dead right there kills as with a .270 and .308. I believe it to be very effective, and deadly, on deer.

The 257 lacks the long range BC coolness, but they will flat hammer a deer or pig. Wife shoots the 117gr Sierra through her 257wby.

The only reason i don't recommend the 257 Roberts as a low recoil/beginner hunting round is there are several other options that do just as well and are much more available both in ammo and rifles.

There is thousands of cartridges that will kill a whitetail at 100 yards, it isn't that difficult.

I have no doubt the 257 Bob is on the list.

The name "257 Roberts" is cool enough to justify having one.

Both my son’s killed their first deer with 257 Roberts. It was a Browning Micro Medallion and was accurate enough with 90 gr Sierra’s to head shoot pigs at 350 yds. Close family friend is still using it and when she shoots stuff dies.

I hate generalizations but am going to make one anyway:

Any cartridge that will deliver around 1000 ft lbs. of energy at 300 yards is a fine deer cartridge. If you want to loosely define medium game cartridges go on down the ballistics chart to those that will deliver 2000 lbs. of energy at 300 yards and draw a line. Everything between the lines are fine medium game rounds without getting into what many might consider heavy recoil rounds. Of course, bullet type and placement play equally important roles.

(Not to say others won’t work or kill deer or whatever.)

Nothing about any of it is magic. Or particularly complicated.

Not magic. 257R just has nostalgia. It was very popular and filled demand for a mild recoiling deer rifle. Now there are many cartridges to choose from that do the same thing. 243 Win pretty much killed it as it was marketed as a varmint/deer round.

There is a reason the 257 Roberts has the nickname "Gentleman Bob" it is mild mannered and works great. It is enough for any deer without delivering more recoil than needed. I worked up a load a few years ago for a wildcat and used the 257 Roberts brass necked up .007 inch to make it a 6.5 caliber. He got his New Mexico Gemsbok with those loads in an old Jap Ariska chambered for that round.

One can handload a "Bob" with 120gr bullets at 2900-2950 fps pretty easily. It's right on the heals of a 25/06. And after taking many deer with it, and many others with the classic 270/130gr combo, I'm pretty confident that the critters can't tell the difference.

To me the 120gr Roberts shooting a good 120gr bullet is a sweet spot considering trajectory, recoil, and terminal bullet performance. And it pretty much duplicates what the 6.5CM does with 120gr bullets (and IMHO, 140s aren't needed, and are no better for deer hunting)

Agree that 120s work just as well on deer. It also applies to the 120 Nosler ballistic tip from the 7mm-08 which has almost a cult like following with hunters on another popular forum.

I’m confident that is correct. In fact, I have worked up a load for my 280 using the 120 BTip. Anxious to try it out.

Exactly. I love mine, don't hunt with it much cause my .270 is such a tack driver but yes, it performs well and is more than adequate for whitetail.

This thread got me to pull my Kimber Select 257R out of the safe, slap a Leupy VX3 3-10 on it, load up some 117 Sierra Pro Hunters and go to Garland gun range today.

Got it sighted in at 100 yards. I think I'm good to go with one click left.

This whole topic made me bust mine out of the safe and it’s headed to the blind next few days.

Thanks !