One the plains game species weighing 250-500 lbs is there any real difference in using a 160gr bullet verses a 140gr bullet. In particular a TSX or A-frame. Thanks

Perry

Heavier bullets of the same type equate to a higher sectional density.
Given proper construction, higher sectional density equates to deeper penetration.

I'd go with the 160gr. bullets.

George

I had my 7x57 built to shoot nothing but 175gr Nosler Partitions. I've never seen any REAL reason to use anything less than this on several Kudu and lesser plains game out to 275 yds (longest shot I've made on a Kudu) with this combination. I don't take REALLY long shots as I'm not a very good judge of distance at all.

A 160 or 175 gr. .284 bullet is pretty hard to beat in a 7x57..I mostly use the 175 gr. Woodleigh or Nosler, but the 160 gr. GS Customs monolithic is a super good bullet and it will penetrate as well as the 175s.

One thing I should have added was the throat on my rifle is extremely shallow. As a result case capacity it greatly effected. With a full case of 4350 and a 160gr bullet my velocities are around 2500fps. Is that adequate????

P III

perry:

For what it's worth to you, I used a 154 gr. Hornady (I forget the bullet type)on two black bears in Ontario. Both were at perhaps 300 pound weight. (My camp had no scales and the guide did the estimating after field dressing done by me) Both bears dropped instantly -One bear was shot clean through after a shoulder hit. (I retrieved the bullet in a mudbank) The other was shot as he faced me and dropped as if a cannon hit him. The range in both cases was perhaps 80 yards. The black bear doesn't take a bullet well (in my opinion anyway) but certainly on the issue of "penetration", I'll take the 7x57 any day! It really is that good in my humble opinion.

Gerald
What is your velocity/recipe with the 154s.

P III

Ray,
What is your velocity with the 160 Noslers? I have had great success with them in the 7mmRemMag, but haven't used them with the 7x57. Kudude

You can shoot 160's to 2750 to maybe 2800 fps in a modern 7x57 with H414 or RL19 in a 24 in. barrel. It will certainly work on most anything.

My 7x57 is long throated and long magazine and I can get 2900 FPS with a 160 gr. GS Customs bullet and 2600 FPS with a 175 gr. Nosler.. and that equals or beats the 280 and 7 Mag in factory loads..Of course they can be loaded much hotter in handloads...I can only do this however with H414 and in my converted rifle I go quite a bit above any book load...In essence I have improved the caliber without blowing out the shoulder...It works on the 7x57, 257 and the 250-3000 very well indeed, but not on some other calibers.

In a short throated rifle I would opt for the 130 gr. or 140 GS Customs or Barnes X bullets and H414..I won't use any other powder in the 7x57, my chronograph told me so!

Have had excellent results with the 7x57 loaded with H-4350 (it is "less" temperature sensative than many other powders, important in Africa) and the old 160 grain Barnes X. Never recovered a 160 Barnes X bullet from either Zebra, Wildebeest, or Lesser Kudu. All were down with less than a 40 yard run. But the Wildebeest, true to the breed, took two more before his lights went out.
Strongly suggest the greater bullet weight of 160 instead of the 140 grain for a shot at any angle.
The head-on chest shot, as in the case of my Wildebeest, can require feet of penitration to get through the heart lung area. Go with the heavy bullet.
The A-Frame and I only know each other in the 375 H&H where the 300 grain is excellent.
Suggest you try each - Barnes and Swift - for most accurate in your rifle.
Either manufacture of bullet will do the job in the 160 grain and 7x57 size.
Sincerely,