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6.5-257 Roberts Ammo....What To Do?

Fairlane66
OK, I feel like a dope. I was at a gunshow this afternoon and a guy was selling 5 boxes of what appeared to be professionally reloaded 257 Roberts ammo. He claimed he obtained them as part of a large lot of ammo at an estate sale. Bullets are 100-grain Sierra hollow points loaded with IMR 4831 in Winchester brass, all in the original 20-round, 257 Roberts factory (unprimed brass) Winchester boxes. Loading data on the inside flap of each box indicates the ammo was loaded in 1965, but it is as bright and shiny as factory new stuff. Anyhow, the guy made me a great "dirt cheap" offer so I walked off with all 5 boxes feeling pretty good about life and my opportunity to pop some prairie dogs when the weather breaks. Unfortunately, when I got home and looked a little closer, I discovered it's not 257 Roberts, but 6.5-257 Roberts ammo. Now, I know the 6.5-257 was a popular wildcat in the 60s, but I haven't heard much about it of late. Nonetheless, I hate to ditch 100 rounds of ammo, no matter how dumb I feel or how little I paid. I'm wondering if there's a market for this stuff on GB, i.e. would it be worth my time/effort to try to sell it? I did a quick GB search and found two sets of dies for sale, but no ammo. If it's not worth selling, I suppose I can pull the bullets and use them in my 264 Win Mag. However, can I resize the brass back to 257 Roberts dimensions?

Boy, did I learn a lesson today! Oh well, another day older...and another day older!
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • 5mmgunguy
    Pull the bullets, save the powder and run them through your 257 Roberts resizing die and convert it back to 257 Roberts. Assuming the shoulder wasn't radically altered.
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  • Hawkshaw
    Fairlane66----Do not save the powder---dispose of it!!!! After resize, check brass for lenght/ trim if necessary. IMHO HAWKSHAW
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  • perry shooter
    Hello The 6.5 257 Roberts was popular conversion for the 6.5 Jap rifle of WW II all they did was run a chamber reamer in the Jap 6.5 because ammo was only available from Norma for the Jap model 38.

    EDIT
    Hello Cbyerly I don't want to get into a war of words but could you tell me where you got your information on the 6.5 Jap Arisaka base diameter being larger then 257 Roberts[?]I show the 6.5 Jap as used in the model 38 as .455 base and the 257 Roberts as .470[?][?][?][?]
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    "I hate to ditch 100 rounds of ammo,"....hell. no problem at all, just buy the set of dies and build a rifle[;)]
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  • sandwarrior
    Fairlane66,

    A. I vote with Mike...build a new rifle.
    B. Pull the bullets, Use them in your .264. Resize the cases to .257 If you use the powder keep it separate and go with minimum load for the .257 you intend to fire-form with. I hate throwing away powder too. It keeps well, but sometimes you don't know what the last guy did.
    C. Sell it on auction or at the next gunshow.
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  • cbyerly
    It appears that most of the reponders have had no experience with the 6.5X257. To convert a Jap rifle is no simple task when it's done right. The barrel must be set back to ensure that the rear of the chamber is not oversized. The "bubba" method of just reaming the chamber will result in cases that will stretch to the point that they can't be safely reloaded. If you pull the bullets, check for powder deterioration. It is advisable to anneal the necks when reducing them back to 257 since they were stretched.
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  • Fairlane66
    Thanks for all the inputs, gents. After about 24 hours to get over my errant purchase I'm thinking a little more clearly. I'm not interested in building a rifle to shoot 100 rounds of ammo. I also have lots of 257 Roberts reloading components, so I think I'll just list this stuff on GB and hope to at least recoup my investment. Any guess what 100 rounds of reloaded 6.5-257 Roberts might bring? I'll probably just start it off at a penny with no reserve and let the market run.
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  • babun
    Put it up for auction. I"ll bid on it. And NO I don't have a
    6.5/257 gun. But I don't have a .264 mag either and I got ammo for it
    on the rack ..."just in case". It must be a sickness....[:)] Bob
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  • Fairlane66
    Just put this stuff up for Auction on Gunbroker....see Auction #162027636.
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  • FEENIX
    quote:Originally posted by Fairlane66
    Just put this stuff up for Auction on Gunbroker....see Auction #162027636.


    Excellent and safe course of action. Good luck!

    Ed
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