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How big of plains game would you be comfortable shooting with a 7x57. With premium 175 gn bullets, loaded to the 7x57 full potential and with a full length barrel (no carbine). Out to 300 yards would you use it on zebra and eland? Allen It's a Mauser thing, you wouldn't understand. | ||
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I'd use it up to kudu, just to be safe. But if there's no alternative........ | |||
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Allen I think young_ph is right. I'm no expert but I have shot quite few animals as big as and including eland. I'd be more comfortable with a 300 Mag or bigger but the 7x57 has killed everything on the continent of Africa. Personally I think if possible you should be armed for your worst possible shot and a zebra or eland presenting a raking shot let alone a THS would be tough with a 7x57 unless you hunt with solids and that not a recommendation. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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Well...I guess I wouldn't use it on anything to 300 yds. But then again...I would never take a 300 yd shot. But to answer your question...impala/blesbok size Mike Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Used a 7x57 last year for all my plains game. Used 175gr Nosler Partitions. Took several Kudu out to 200yds (my absolute limit with and on ANYTHING) with no problems at all. The gun is a custom Clayton Nelson built Mauser with 22" bbl. Shoots 1" or less with the 175's. I would take an Eland but only if it was standing and under 100yds. I have great confidence in the 7x57. SCI Life Member NRA Patron Life Member DRSS | |||
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There is an old addage that says "take the largest caliber with the heaviest bullet weight per caliber you are comfortable with" when going on afari. Sound advice. DC300 | |||
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Best advice you could ask for............. Brad Brad Rolston African Hunting P.O. Box 506 Stella 8650 Kalahari South Africa Tel : + 27 82 574 9928 Fax : + 27 86 672 6854 E-Mail : rolston585ae@iafrica.com | |||
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The reason I asked is for my wifes plains game rifle. We have been planing on making it a .300 H&H.Nice caliber, African history,classic, ect. Most of our hunting will be in Namibia. My understanding is a fair number of shoots can be a bit on the long side. I'm not a long range shooting fan. We were talking about possably a lighter cal. for her and was thinking about the 7x57. But wasnt sure how good it would as her plains game rifle Nothing wrong with the H&H just getting brass is a little bit simpler and not having to deal with opening up a M98 action. We may very well stay with the H&H, just thoughts. Allen It's a Mauser thing, you wouldn't understand. | |||
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I wouldn't use it on anything if I had a choice! I have never liked that cartridge, but that doesn't hender those who do like it! It always amazes me when I hear people say women can't shoot real rifles. That is pure bunk! There are many women who regularly shoot 458 LOTT rifles, and many more who shoot 375 H&H rifles. Any women can handle a 300 win mag, or at least a 30-06, with 180 gr premium bullets! Either is head, and shoulders above the 7X57, with any bullet! If I were forced to use a 7x57, I would limit my shots to 200 yds on most small African plains game, and 150 yds on zebra, and 100 on Eland, and place the shots very carefully in all cases, or pass!  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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And herein lies the key! As has been so often repeated, caliber is is no substitute for shot placement. Your wife should take a gun with which she has supreme confidence in regard to bullet placement, regardless of whether it is a 7x57 or 300 H&H. Put a well constructed bullet of any of the above mentioned calibers through the vitals of any South African plains animals and that animal will not go very far. Geronimo | |||
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I wouldn't use a 7X57 on any plains game, But I would use a 7-08 or a 280 rem on any plains game including Zebra and Eland. (Leporad also) Dr B | |||
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My Model 70 in 7mm Rem. Mag. is a pussycat to shoot (thanks to the B.O.S.S.), and it will do .5" with 175 grn X bullets. A perfect Wife (or anybody) gun. Scott | |||
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I agree with MacD37! Women can handle the 'heavier' guns. My 12 year old niece shot her first whitetail last year with a 300 WSM. She is pretty small and it didn't bother her at all. Mind you she only had to fire one shot. There is always a big difference between the kick off the bench and a hunting situation. | |||
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The ballistics of the 7x57 and the 7-08 are essentilly identical ? Geronimo | |||
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Geronimo-I agree,but why let logic get in the way of bias and preconceived notion? We seldom get to choose But I've seen them go both ways And I would rather go out in a blaze of glory Than to slowly rot away! | |||
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Geronomo It's not a balistic thing who wants to use a European cartrige when a Americiam designed cartrige will do the same or more. Dr B | |||
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With a premium bullet the 7X57 could be used on any plainsgame. A heart shot is a heart shot. The difference is in the blood trail. A 30 caliber will leave a better blood trail than a 7X57. I happen to love the 7X57, but when I'm in Africa, my light rifle is a 30-06. Geronomo had it right. If your wife is a better shoot with the 7X57 take that, if not go with the bigger gun. TerryR | |||
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Allow me to be another to say that MacD37 got it just exactly perfect. My beter half shoots my Lott with minor difficulty, my .375 with no difficulty.
"If you can get closer, get closer. If you can get steadier, get steadier." | |||
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Yes but the 7x57 penetrates better than a 308 with 180gr bullets... So a good bullet selection (Trophy Bonded Bear Claw for example or A-frame or CDP) will fit the bill. | |||
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7-08 is about 300 feet slower with a 150 Grain Bullet than a 7x57 and about 500 less of energy. Statistic was taking from the Book, Cartridges of the World. Mink and Wall Tents don't go together. Especially when you are sleeping in the Wall Tent. DRSS .470 & .500 | |||
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Not really the best reference for realistic load data. I would bet if you check a current reloading book, you'll find that for most loads are within 50 fps between the two calibers for the same weight bullet. Case capacity for the 7-08 is 52.2 grs. of water and 55.5 grs. for the 7x57. This means that these two cartridges are essentially the same with a slight edge going to the 7x57 when both cartridges are loaded to the same pressures. Geronimo | |||
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Perhaps the differences cited are due to having to seat the heavier bulletsdeeper in the 7-08, as this caliber is usually chambered in short actions. I doubt it would amount to 300 fps. but I guess that's possible. Geronimo | |||
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Take the rifle your wife feels most comfortable and shoots best with, use the best(most accurate) premium grade bullet and get closer to the bigger game (Eland, Zebra) and you will have an enjoyable hunt. Take 1/4 away shots and aim for the farside front leg on the bigger animals and the 7x57 will do the job. I would rather guide a hunter with a small caliber that can put the shot where he/she aim than a hunter that cannot hit the side off a barn with a bigger caliber rifle. There are woman who can shoot a 470 and men who can't handle the recoil off a 375. Wimpie | |||
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We are still on the fence as to which Cal. we will go with. We know it will be a 98 Mauser action with a stock made to fit her. Using a 25" LW barrel with the H&H contour, short quater rib(thanks to Ray A. giving them a pattern!) Throated for 175GN bullets @ about 2600fps. If we go 7x57 we may make her a 9.3x62 later if she wants something a bit biger. I think this would knock over any plains game at any reasonable range and angle. Allen It's a Mauser thing, you wouldn't understand. | |||
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I shot a 55 in. kudu, and my son shot game up to the size of gemsbuck with the 7x57 and 160 Noslers at 2780 fps, one shot kills. Most discussions of calibers reflect personal opnions more than anything else. I have a friend that shoots a .300 Weatherby that thinks a .30-06 is just a crippler while his will kill at 600 yards, doesn't add up. The 7x57 has and will continue to work on elk sized game. A shot not taken is always a miss | |||
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properly HANDLOADED I'd not hesitate to use the 7 X 57 (aka .275 Rigby) on any plains game to 250 yards. I'd prefer the .30 cals but the 7 X 57 isn't a serious handicap at all. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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Don't confuse the 9.3X62 with the 7X57. There is a huge difference between them. As for the 7X57...just take tons of money with you....I'm sure sooner or later if you shoot enough of them one of those Zebra and/or Eland will fall to the 7X57.All kidding aside, I would limit the 7X57 to deer size game, i.e. Impala, reedbuck, bushbuck, blesbok.The 7mm08 is in the same class. | |||
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