I'm trying to set up a load for my 7x57. I will be using Win 760 powder with a 140 grain Nosler Partition. I was thinking of using 50.0 grains of powder. Any suggestions???

hglass,

Not sure what make your 7x57 is, but that load may be considered hot in some rifles (read old Mausers).Either way, I would work up slowly to that charge. Also consider that many 7x57 were throated quite long compared to American chambered 7x57, so seating bullets out may be required. Your 140 grain bullet may be too short. I ended up shooting 160gr NP out of my 7x57 for that reason and found it to be a great all around load.

Good luck,
BigBullet

BigBullet:
It is a VZ24 (Mauser 98) action with a Lilja barrel. I am able to load the Nosler part. 140 grain .010 off the lands. I tried IMR-4350 (49.0 grains) and had very good results. I heard that the Win 760 should also give excellent results. I'll keep on trying.

hglass,

WW760 is the same powder as H414. Winchester just puts their label on the can, but the loads you see for each are interchangable.

With IMR 4350, Hodgdon 4350 and Reloader 19, I recieved excellent accuracy and low pressure, but you will find greater velocity with the WW760.

In my 7x57 model 96 with a 24"Pac-Nor barrel, 50.0 grains of H414 gave a 140 gr Ballistic Tip, 2830 fps and was a max charge. I used RP brass, CCI-BR2 primers and the OAL was 3.180".

I believe that you have now found the best powder for your 7mm Mauser.

BigBullet

hglass:
There is a real lack of reloading data for the 7X57 in modern rifles. Hornady's manual was the "hottest", but now has absolutely wimped-out faster than a President with bad poll numbers. I have one in Ruger M-77 garb. Idecided to 'spread my wings' and work up my own load with Sierra 140's, independent of what my dad worked up with Horn 154's. I used to use IMR 4320 but switched last year to WIN 760 and have not looked back. I use either 51 gr. or 51.5 gr (can't remember right now). For MY RIFLE, it is more accurate that I would ever need for deer. (1.5inch @ 100 m) The bullet leaves the barrel at or above 2850 fps. After shooting 1 box of 2X used Win super-x brass, there as been no unusual deformation or flattening or an unusual amount of case neck trimming needed after full-length resizing. Too bad the 7 Mauser gets so little respect. Glad the deer don't know I'm not using a 300 win mag. They might not die in 2 leaps falling end-over-end when I get'em behind the front shoulder. Good thing they don't read!

Both of those loads give pressures greater than 63000 in loadtech. With the bullet set as far out as possible.

The pressures may not be that high if you're only going 2830 fps. I used a load in my Ruger 77 that uses H414 with a 160 partition that goes 2770 fps at 63000 psi on a pressure trace system. Of course bear in mind that 63000 psi isn't a lot over 50000 cup and that the 6mm which is made from a 7x57 case has SAAMI max. pressure of 64000 psi. as does the .270 Win. etc.

Loadtech gives 2730 @ 63000 with H414. I have never used 760 but the program shows a 3+ grain difference in max loads.

What does loadtech say about 50.0 grains of W760 with a 140 grain Nosler Part. And I will be .010 off the lands.

The 7x57 has greater case capacity than the 7mm08, and should use slightly more powder, and give slightly better muzzle speed at equal pressure.

Sorry I can't get a reading that high. With the COL at 3.26" I get 66000 with 46.7 grs of 760. With a 24" it shows 2775.

hglas

I am not familiar with the loadtech program, but I think Hodgons shows abou 47 grains of H414 with a 140 grain in a 7-08 at a pressure of 49500 cup. I can't verify if H414 and W760 are indeed identical, but I've heard that idea promoted before. I have two 7x57's, both will accept a partition at a oal of 3.165 with the bullet off the lands. My 63000 psi load with the 160 grain uses 49.8 grains of H414, even in a shorter throated rifle, 50 grains should be OK, in mine it would be a soft load. I have used the 160 grain load in the heat here in Mo. as well as Namibia, it should be worked up to with great care and application of common sense. With the 140's I've used 52.5 H414 for 2970 in a 24" barrel. If I were starting over working up loads for the 7x57 in new rifle, I'd start with the loads for a 7-08 and work up accordingly, this will keep you safe. I've only owned 1 7x57 in my life that wouldn't shoot well with H414- a Model 70 fwt. I would be curious to know what kind of velocities you were getting with the 4350 load, as my long throated guns only go about 2700 with 51.5 grains of 4350 and a 140 grain,this will tell you a lot about your particular rifle. In a couple of other 7x57 rifles I owned in the past this load went 2925 fps in the Win. and 2875 in a 20 Mannlicher-Schoenauer. I've hunted and shot the hell out of this, my favorite caliber on game up to the size of elk and kudu with 1-shot results with the 160-grain load, don't even fool with 140's any more, most rifles shoot 160's better in my experience. By the way many say to use the Mag primers with the ball powders, I don't in the 7x57.

I only use H-414 in my 7x57 Brno with a very long throat and a 06 length action..I use a very stiff charge of H414 with all my loads, way over book max as the books take into consideration the many old 95 and 96 Mausers out there...

I own a CZ 550 in 7x57mm with a euro-twist of 1x8.66. It has a very, very, very long throat. I shoot 162 grain Hornady SSTs and 160 grain Nosler Partition exclusively in it, primarily because I can get to within .01 inch of the lands with those two bullets and still have enough bullet shank left to seat properly in the case neck. I use Remington cases, Federal 210 primers, H414 powder exclusively and the two above-mentioned bullets. With 48.3 grains of powder and with the bullet seated to within .01 inch from the lands (that is 3.315 COL and it still fits nicely in the magazine and chambers fine thank-you) I can get three shot .480 groups at 100 yards from a bench rest with a velocity of 2,815 feet per second with the 162 grain Hornady SST. There is no sticky bolt, primers are not flattened or cratered, no primer pocket enlargement to speak of and case life usually runs to about six reloads or a bit more. I have used this load for elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, wild hog, javelina, black bear and even a Texas turkey and coyote. I cannot load the 140 grain bullet and get close to the lands on my rifle cause the bullet is too short. I guess I could try to find a shorter sweet-spot but the way I figure it, why try with the load I use doing so darned well as it is? The partition will go far less than one inch at 100 yards, most of the time less than .75 inch, with the same powder and charge and seated to .01 inch from the lands. The 7x57mm does everything I ask of it and then some. Tom Purdom

quote:

Originally posted by hglass:
BigBullet:
It is a VZ24 (Mauser 98) action with a Lilja barrel. I am able to load the Nosler part. 140 grain .010 off the lands. I tried IMR-4350 (49.0 grains) and had very good results. I heard that the Win 760 should also give excellent results. I'll keep on trying.

O.K. Your rifle is a strong one with a good barrrel. So the only question NOW is how long is the throat? I have two long-throated Rugers in 7X57mm, and a Venezuelan FN M1924 with a long throat also. My 140-grain Nosler Partition Jacket bullet load with WW 760 has been worked up to 53 grains, and this averages just at 3,000 FPS. I have been using this load since 1972, so it must not be too hot IN MY PARTICUALR LONG-THROATED RIFLES!! I get at least 10 reloadings out of a lot of Remington cases with this load, and it shoots like this in my No. 1A and M24:





"It seems very difficult to impress most reloaders with the fact that every rifle is an individual, and what proves to be a maximum load in one may be quite mild in another, and vice versa." Bob Hagel, GAME LOADS AND PRACTICAL BALLISTICS FOR THE AMERICAN HUNTER, 1977