Today at the Bench.....

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Originally Posted by JeffreyDeGraff

Rcbs lube is slick, interesting that it made sizing easier than imperial wax. I’m still looking for dies for my 9.3x57. What powder are you going to use in the 41 mag?


JTD

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My Hornady dies are working very well for 9.3x57. I've got both Husqvarna rifles shooting with decent results. The most recent loads were made up with IMR4064. My dies were a gift. I have no idea about the vendor.

41 Magnum: I had started out with Shooter's World Powders. The first rounds was with Ultimate Pistol. This powder did work well. The burning rate information and data takes me out of my comfort zone. There is no Lovex date on this powder. The last small run was done with SW Heavy Pistol-similar to Accurate #9. There is data from SW or Lovex for 41 Magnum. I'm having to ration large pistol primers.

I would have lost money on a bet about the RCBS lube. The nickle plated brass is a different critter.

Ive been away from the bench for way too long. Ive been redoing my reloading room and a buddy built me a new bench. I’m in the final stages of getting everything organized, and I’ll be back in action. Ive got a ton of projects to work on once I’m done.


JTD

Today: We did some work on the Mauser based 256 Newton. We may have a scope malfunction. Plans are to make two more small batches of test reloads. Right now sure likes like the problem is on the outside of the rifle. All indications are that rifle will be extremely accurate. The test rounds we ran today was loaded with 48.5 grs. of RL-19 and an old Speer 130gr. flat base spitzers. The next two batches will be using RL-17 and Shooters World 4350, In the meantime I'm trying to find some Sierra 140gr. bullets.

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Originally Posted by Mowgli Terry

Today: We did some work on the Mauser based 256 Newton. We may have a scope malfunction. Plans are to make two more small batches of test reloads. Right now sure likes like the problem is on the outside of the rifle. All indications are that rifle will be extremely accurate. The test rounds we ran today was loaded with 48.5 grs. of RL-19 and an old Speer 130gr. flat base spitzers. The next two batches will be using RL-17 and Shooters World 4350, In the meantime I'm trying to find some Sierra 140gr. bullets.

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That sounds like an interesting one. I hope you get the problem sorted out. Do you have a picture of that rifle?

So far I have only tried RL17 in my K31 7.5x55, with 175gr Berger VLD hunting bullets. Ive had great results with it in that platform. I’m planning on trying it in 257 Roberts also.


JTD

A 256 Newton rifle: I don't know how to post pictures here-still being back in the last century is sometimes awkward.. This rifle was on the "bucket list" The rifle was built up by two local gunsmiths. One is deceased and the other retired. A matching Mauser-Byf 43 action was the basis. Bell&Carson supplied the stock. A 5R Bartlein 1:9 twist that is 26" long was used.

Cases are formed from 270 brass. The shoulder is set back to 23 degrees. The cases are trimmed to length. Two sets of FL dies are used to form cases. The C&H that is several years old. The other is a vintage set from RCBS. There is enough solid reloading data to get started.

I insisted that the hump be left on the receiver bridge. To me, to remove the hump does not look very good on a converted military action. We used Leupold bases and rings. I am personally convinced one could get good highly usable loads in Roberts using most anything between IMR 4895 and RL-17. Varget has given some very good results with 100gr+ bullets

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Originally Posted by Mowgli Terry

A 256 Newton rifle: I don't know how to post pictures here-still being back in the last century is sometimes awkward.. This rifle was on the "bucket list" The rifle was built up by two local gunsmiths. One is deceased and the other retired. A matching Mauser-Byf 43 action was the basis. Bell&Carson supplied the stock. A 5R Bartlein 1:9 twist that is 26" long was used.

Cases are formed from 270 brass. The shoulder is set back to 23 degrees. The cases are trimmed to length. Two sets of FL dies are used to form cases. The C&H that is several years old. The other is a vintage set from RCBS. There is enough solid reloading data to get started.

I insisted that the hump be left on the receiver bridge. To me, to remove the hump does not look very good on a converted military action. We used Leupold bases and rings. I am personally convinced one could get good highly usable loads in Roberts using most anything between IMR 4895 and RL-17. Varget has given some very good results with 100gr+ bullets

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Sounds like an incredible rifle. Right up my alley. Ive got mausers that have had the stripper clip guide removed and others that haven’t. I don’t think I mind either way, but it’s definitely cheaper just to leave it alone.

Ive always used slower powders in my 257 Roberts. H4350 and H414 have given me excellent results with 115, 117, and 120gr bullets. I don’t think I’ve ever shot a 100gr bullet out of any of the three of them.


JTD

I used 100 gr, bullets in my Number One B 257 Roberts caliber rifle. Those guns were slandered for having a very long throat. Actually, the guns were not made as dual purpose guns. The 100gr. bullets did very well. The 87 and 75gr. bullets were not practical. There was zero interest in making those rifles dual purpose.

The Roberts is amazing cartridge. My "go-to" bullet had always been the 87gr. Sierra or 75gr. Hornady. Those favorites did not apply to that Ruger. I don't care about making up varmint loads for the Newton or the 7mm-08. The Roberts does just fine.

I had the impression that the 256 Newton was that basis for the 25-06 , sounds like it was more a 6.5-06' and named from the .256 bore not the .264 groove . Something new every day .

The 257 Roberts is a much shorter being one of the x57 sisters .

Ive never used the 257 Roberts as a varmint rifle, but I’m sure it is a dandy. It’s been an excellent deer and hog round for me with the Hornady 117gr BTSP.


JTD

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Originally Posted by Harter

I had the impression that the 256 Newton was that basis for the 25-06 , sounds like it was more a 6.5-06' and named from the .256 bore not the .264 groove . Something new every day .

The 257 Roberts is a much shorter being one of the x57 sisters .

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Sometimes the way rounds got named is crazy making. The 256 is the bore diameter not the groove diameter. Like the English people speak of a 256 Mannlicher. We call the cartridge 6.5x 54 Mannlicher.

Basically, Newton was doing his own thing. He was a prolific designer of cartridges and two rifles. The 25-06 is spoken of as the 25 Neidner. Niedner was the designer of that round.

Ned Roberts knew about the 25-06 but understood too much capacity for the powders of the day. Roberts had support for his experimentation from both Remington and Hercules, now Alliant. for the development of his cartridge. Neidner barrelled up Roberts' crew Mauser's and Springfield's Shooters are ecstatic sbout contemporary 6.5's. They are just now catching up from what we could buy in 1914. Wooooo