Two popular cartridges among hunters are the 257 Roberts and the 30-30 Winchester. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at these two cartridges and compare their performance, accuracy, availability, and cost to help you make an informed decision when choosing a cartridge for your next hunting trip.
Here is the short answer:
The 257 Roberts is a more versatile cartridge that offers better long-range performance, while the 30-30 Winchester is a more popular cartridge that excels at closer ranges and is better suited for hunting in dense woods and brush.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look closely at each cartridge, their ballistics, and how they compare to each other in-depth.
In-depth look at the 257 Roberts
The 257 Roberts was developed in the 1930s as a wildcat cartridge, but it was later adopted by Remington as a factory cartridge. During its day, the 257 Roberts was a fairly popular round among medium game hunters. However, in more recent times the 257 Roberts has been replaced by more modern cartridges such as the 243 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor.
The 257 Roberts has a relatively small case capacity, but it is capable of propelling light bullets at high velocities, making it an excellent choice for medium-range shots on game around the 100-150 pound mark. At long range, however, the 257 Roberts is often outcompete by many other cartridges.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 257 Roberts with a 100-grain spitzer bullet:
| Range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 3016 | 2020 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 2868 | 1827 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.9 | 2726 | 1649 |
| 150 | -1 | 2.1 | 2587 | 1486 |
| 200 | -3.2 | 3.8 | 2453 | 1336 |
| 250 | -6.9 | 6.1 | 2323 | 1198 |
| 300 | -12.2 | 9.1 | 2197 | 1071 |
| 350 | -19.3 | 12.7 | 2074 | 955 |
| 400 | -28.4 | 17 | 1956 | 849 |
| 450 | -39.7 | 22.1 | 1841 | 753 |
| 500 | -53.9 | 28.2 | 1732 | 666 |
In-depth look at the 30-30 Winchester
The classic 30-30 Winchester has had a significant presence in the hunting world for more than 120 years. It was designed to be used with lever-action rifles and still remains a popular choice amongst hunters today. With its relatively short case size and moderate amount of powder, it works best in shorter barrels but this round can still hold impressive velocity even from a barrel length below that most would use to hunt with.
When you look at range, then one can expect the maximum effective distance from this cartridge to be around 200 yards; making it perfect for those tight woods or thick brush encounters. It is an excellent choice for hunting medium-sized game such as deer, and its low recoil makes it ideal for young or inexperienced hunters.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 30-30 Winchester with a 170-grain soft point bullet:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2200 | 1827 |
| 50 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 2044 | 1577 |
| 100 | 0 | 1.8 | 1894 | 1354 |
| 150 | -2.8 | 4.3 | 1753 | 1159 |
| 200 | -8.4 | 8.1 | 1619 | 990 |
| 250 | -17.2 | 13 | 1494 | 843 |
| 300 | -30 | 19.4 | 1380 | 719 |
| 350 | -47.5 | 27.3 | 1279 | 617 |
| 400 | -70.3 | 36.7 | 1191 | 535 |
| 450 | -99.3 | 47.6 | 1118 | 472 |
| 500 | -135.4 | 59.9 | 1060 | 424 |
In-depth comparison
When looking at their performance, the 257 Roberts has more power to offer with better long-range accuracy and a straighter flight path. The 30-30 Winchester on the other hand is best suited when hunting in close quarters like forests or thick brush owing to its shorter range & lower kickback from firing.
When it comes to availability and cost, the 30-30 Winchester is more widely accessible and usually less costly than the 257 Roberts. Moreover, the latter cartridge may be harder to come by and can generally set you back a bit further in your wallet.
Conclusion
In summary, both cartridges are suited for hunting but carry different pros and cons. While 257 Roberts offers better long-range shooting capabilities; 30-30 Winchester works best at close distances making it ideal for dense woodlands or thick brush environments. Ultimately, selecting either of them will depend heavily on individual preferences as well as conditions which one might face during hunt.