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O'Connor's loads for 7x57

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13 September 2003, 02:02
<'Trapper'>
O'Connor's loads for 7x57
In reading all the stories about Eleanor O'Connor and her 7x57, I keep coming up with the 'pet' load that Jack put together for her, using a Hornady 165gr bullet pushed to I believe 2660fps. My question is what the heck did he use to acheive this?? I just can't find a powder that will do this, given the case size and what it will hold - run out of room to stuff anymore in.
Anyone have any info or pet loads they would care to share? Have several 7x57 to work with, latest being a Mod 77 Ruger that I am anxious to get out and on paper.
Thanks for the response,
13 September 2003, 02:27
bobw
Any of these should put you close, 760,h-4831,h414.
13 September 2003, 02:34
POP
http://www.loadyourown.com

http://www.reloadersnest.com/

http://www.loadswap.com/login.php

These might help. BTW hornady no longer makes a 165, they do make a 154, 162, 175. [Big Grin]
13 September 2003, 03:20
R Flowers
Well, now you have my feeble brain trying to remember, but I thought Eleanor O'Connor shot most of her stuff with a 7 X 57 using Sierra 160 grain bullets.

I will have to get out some of my O'Connor books, but it seems to me that she shot a 160 Sierra at about 2650 fps. The load he used was with H 4831 powder, but I do not remember how much.

I cannot remember Hornady ever making 165 grain 7mm bullets.

R F
13 September 2003, 04:38
Bob257
He used to brag about the 139 Federal loads. I have all but two of his books so I'll try to find an answer.

Bob257
13 September 2003, 06:18
LE270
You have to remember, when looking at any loads O'Connor developed using H 4831, that he was using the old surplus H 4831, which was slower-burning than today's H 4831. That old surplus stuff is no longer available, except to those fortunate shooters who laid in a stash of it and still have some left. (Lucky bastards!)

So if you use O'Connor's data with present-day H 4831 you will likely get a load that is dangerously over-pressure.
13 September 2003, 14:51
craigster
Ackleys Handbook (Vol 1) shows 47gr 4350 and 160's @ 2665 fps, and 49gr 4350 @2750 fps. Sierra's MAX (Again MAX!) load for the same is 45.7gr @2600. BIG difference in load data, I'd be carefull if I were you. Ackley's data was published in 1962. Sierra data is from their 50th anniversary edition.
13 September 2003, 15:04
TCLouis
LE270

I still have several pounds of the 60s milsurp 4831 (that i purchased in the 60s). Kept in a Coleman fuel can it will open easily in case of some accidental application of an external heat source. I think it proabably protects the contents much better than modern plastic jugs also!
We went together and bought a barrel of the stuff.

Came out to the ridiculous price of 50 cents a pound I believe.

LouisB
I was unhappy at the time that it would NOT burn with heavy bullets in my 219 Donaldson Wasp.

LouisB

[ 09-14-2003, 16:11: Message edited by: TCLouis ]
14 September 2003, 13:41
<the-moleman>
Trapper,

Eleanor's load is given in the 1974 Gun Digest in an article by Jack entitled Forty Years with the Little 7mm . She used "various 160-gr. bullets pushed by 52 grains of 4831. Velocity in the 22-inch barrel of her rifle is 2,660." As mentioned previously this was surplus 4831, not the currently manufactured H4831 or IMR4831.

Kurt