Quarter bore thoughts

[thorborg]

Ever lamenting the sale of my 25-06, your idea is a good choice. When I downsized my hunting power, I entertained replacing mine, I ended up with a 6.5 X 55 , without regrets, but I believe the 25-06 loads can be manipulated to shoot a bit flatter than the Swede. I liked loading for it. Were I much younger, it would have been something to ponder, though likely not changed my mind.

 

[Retired Guy]

I looked at the 25-06 a long time ago but didn't think there was enough of a difference between it and my 30-06. So I got a .257 Roberts. I have been very happy with it.

It's not as fast as the 25-06 but it uses less powder. I think it a more efficient round. Not finicky at all.

Now that I have shoulder problems, it's become my primary hunting rifle.

 

[Bobbygun]

I looked at the 25-06 a long time ago but didn't think there was enough of a difference between it and my 30-06. So I got a .257 Roberts. I have been very happy with it.

It's not as fast as the 25-06 but it uses less powder. I think it a more efficient round. Not finicky at all.

Now that I have shoulder problems, it's become my primary hunting rifle.

You probably look at the .25-06 the way I look at the .257 Wby Mag, and maybe feel like the added recoil over the .257 Roberts isn't worth the gain in velocity. I got started with the .25-06, so that's what I roll with. Never owned, or even shot, a 257 Roberts. Certainly wouldn't knock it though. I've got a set of dies inherited from my dad. He didn't have a .257 Roberts either, but loaded for a friend that did. I hang onto those dies because you never know when a .257 Roberts might follow me home. I think I could learn to love one.

 

[CLT65]

I think the 257 Roberts is one of the most underrated rounds out there. A lot of people have never even heard of it. I don't have one, but have a couple different friends who do, and they both love it.

 

[oremike]

I'm seeing the quarter bores are very popular with those who hunt. That is what I'm thinking of for me a no frills Western Oregon Deer rifle.

 

[Bobbygun]

I'm seeing the quarter bores are very popular with those who hunt. That is what I'm thinking of for me a no frills Western Oregon Deer rifle.

I'm surprised @Spitpatch hasn't weighed in. If I recall correctly, he's as much of a quarter bore fan as anybody. Maybe even worse than me.

 

[Koda]

I'm seeing the quarter bores are very popular with those who hunt. That is what I'm thinking of for me a no frills Western Oregon Deer rifle.

the quarter bore hits a sweet spot for medium game. Its pretty much the perfect medium game caliber, the bullets shoot flatter and are the right diameter without the recoil of the larger diameter calibers for medium game, saving meat.

 

[Cerberus Group]

A side question, did Remington ever make a 700 in 257 Roberts?

 

[Bobbygun]

A side question, did Remington ever make a 700 in 257 Roberts?

I believe they made the 700 Classic in that caliber in 1982. Not sure about the standard 700.

 

[CLT65]

I know it's not what you're looking for, so I hope you don't mind me wandering a little off topic, but I have a story about another, older quarter-bore. If if you don't like irrelevent stories, feel free to skip this post.

I spent a lot of time with my grandfather when I was young, and loved listening to his stories, which he repeated almost daily sometimes, especially as he got older. He was born in 1907 and passed away in 2003.

When he was a young man in the 1920's, he would spend months at a time in Montana, hunting and trapping with his buddy who lived there. My grandfather was a farmer more than a hunter, but he enjoyed tagging along with his buddy "Irvy", who was a hard-core outdoorsman.

Long story short, Irvy loved his "25-35 Winchester carbine". He was a crack shot with it. My grandfather carried Irvy's loaner rifle, a 45-90. One of his stories was about dear hunting, where they came across some deer. As he was getting his sights on one of them, he heard two quick shots from Irvy, looked over and Irvy had two deer on the ground already. That "25-35 carbine" held mythical status, in my grandfather's eyes.

Another story was of running the trap line one day, and they crossed a nice clearing where people would occasionally come to shoot. A guy was there shooting a target rifle "testing his reloads". He had a bench, sand bags, and a tiny little target way across the clearing. They stopped and talked a bit, and in the course of conversation, Irvy opined that he could hit that target with his "25-35 Winchester carbine". The guy says sure, take a shot.

Irvy snapped the rifle to his shoulder and popped off a quick shot. They walked across the field to see the target, and the guy's mouth dropped open when he saw a little .25" bullet hole dead center bullseye!

When he could finally speak, he said "Wow, do that again! That's amazing, never seen such shooting, do that again!"

No, Irvy says, it's getting late, we've got to finish our trap line, gotta go, no time. They shook hands and walked away. As soon as they were out of earshot, my grandpa asks Irvy, "You know, it's not that late. Why didn't you do it again?"

Irvy looked at him and chuckled, "I couldn't do that again in a million years!"

That was one of his favorite stories.

 

[CLT65]

And I know, photos or it didn't happen. I don't have any photos of that target a hundred years ago, but I do have some of the actual ammo.

When my grandpa moved out of his house to live with family in his later years, my parents went to help. They came back with an old wooden box with some knick-knacks and souvenirs that he had collected over his lifetime. He wanted me to have it. I wish I had been able to go through it with him so he could tell me what they all meant. I knew what some of them were though. He had told me that he had kept a couple 25-35 and 45-90 rounds that he got from Irvy, and his older brother Otto had given him some 30-06 rounds that he brought back from the war (WWI). The 1933 dated .50 BMG round in the photo is a mystery to me, no idea where he got that one.

The mystery .50, great-uncle Otto's 1918 dated '06 ammo, Irvy's 25-35 Winchester round, and Grandpa's 45-90:

 

[JRuby]

I remember when I use to hear those old stories to the point I could recite them. I wish I could hear them told one more time

 

[oremike]

I love the old story's. My Dad was too busy for me and my Grand father died while I was in the Navy so I never got to sit down with him as a young man and talk. He was born in 1898 so I can only imagine all the wonders he got to experience first hand at the dawn of the industrial revolution.

 

[Spitpatch]

I could tell y'all a tree fell on my house and crunched about 40% of it this week (my reason for not "checking my trapline" on NWFA), but y'all would know for a fact I was shinin' ya on.

But I ain't.

Back to task at hand: DO NOT castrate a .25-06 with anything less than a 24" barrel.

I like your Axis idea, but only to the extent it'd be the cheapest way in for brand new.

Lots of beautiful wood/walnut .25-06's out there that you'd be much more happy with. Shop critically: this is a caliber that can be abused in an otherwise good rifle.

I'd be on the hunt for a peachy Model 700 Classic. If you want a 22" barrel, your purposes are better served with the Roberts.

 

[Provincial]

I married a widow. Her first husband hunted with various Remingtons and Winchesters, but when he got established in a good job, he bought a Ruger No. 1 heavy barrel in 25-06 and put a Redfield 6-18 scope on it. The wife was a farm girl, and an experienced hunter herself. She asked Tom why he got a single shot rifle to hunt deer with. His answer was "If you need more than one shot, you aren't a good hunter." Clearly, he wanted a rifle that could hunt deer and varmints, too. Also clearly, he wanted a long-range rifle.

 

[eustace_stelio]

What about 4 bore rifles?

 

[Retired Guy]

I believe they made the 700 Classic in that caliber in 1982. Not sure about the standard 700.

Oh, I lusted after that 700 Classic in .257 Bob but couldn't come up with the coins. I have a Ruger M77 instead. Good rifle and what I could afford.

 

[Retired Guy]

You probably look at the .25-06 the way I look at the .257 Wby Mag, and maybe feel like the added recoil over the .257 Roberts isn't worth the gain in velocity. I got started with the .25-06, so that's what I roll with. Never owned, or even shot, a 257 Roberts. Certainly wouldn't knock it though. I've got a set of dies inherited from my dad. He didn't have a .257 Roberts either, but loaded for a friend that did. I hang onto those dies because you never know when a .257 Roberts might follow me home. I think I could learn to love one.

Especially when you're reloading. I can vividly remember seeing a friend charge a case from a RCBS powder measure. He cycled the lever and I swear the powder level dropped by an inch!

 

[Mark W.]

Well another vote for the .243

 

[Spitpatch]

What a .257 Weatherby is NOT good for:



Pelt Hunting. This Coyote was shot with a Cooper .257 Weatherby Magnum. 100gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, muzzle velocity 3700fps. Shot near the top of the mud butte in the background, he tumbled down over 200 feet and arrived looking much like Beetle Bailey after Sarge was done with him.

What a .257 Weatherby IS good for:


Healthy Eastern Montana Muley taken at a fortuitous 257 yards with the same rifle/same year.

I am normally a conservative student toward cartridges. My absolute favorite is the .250-3000 Savage toward marksmanship.

Roy Weatherby's favorite of his children has shown me that magnums ain't all that bad.