I bought a 7 X 57 M70 rifle. I have powder, I have bullets - Speer, Nosler, Barnes cup and core, Sierra, BBC, and Remington - and I have brass. Also have an RCBS die set.

What I don't have is a clear idea of how to load the 7 X 57 for performance. Every source I look at (including Nosler, Lee, Norma, Hornady, Speer, Barnes, Woodleigh and Hagel) has conflicting information regarding attainable velocities and permissible pressures. Is 60K PSI about the top?

Is there some standard reference or generally agreed standards for performance loading the 7 X 57 in modern bolt action rifles?

AT - confused in Arizona

You use the books as a starting point and work up loads from there, using the usual pressure signs to know when to stop. Much load data is low, based on the proliferation of the 93 Spanish Mauser. That is why all the books are different.
Look at Ken Waters Pet Loads for some more energetic data.
The top pressure is what your rifle, and brass will take; since you have no way to measure it. For your Model 70, it can take any load that is developed and safe, meaning, usually, that the cases come out easily, and the primers aren't too flat. Each is different.

Thanks, dpcd. I will figure out a rational approach and start from there, then.

I used classic loads in my old 7x57 featherweight .. 100 years ago ...

start here
https://www.barnesbullets.com/.../7X57mmMauserWeb.pdf

Ken Waters' Pet Loads comes in two volumes. My volume two is well worn and dog eared and dirty. My volume one is like new. Why? Because volume one stops at 30 caliber. That is revealing something significant: not sure what. Just sayin. Sorry, not relevant to your question.
Barnes data tends to be lightish too. PM me your email and I'll send you some. The 7mm is a great round.

When loading for both the 7mm-08 and 7x57 I used the same powder charge for both with the same 140gr bullet and achieved the same velocity. The 7x57 was in a 24" barrel while the 7mm-08 was in a 22" barrel hence the slightly larger capacity 7x57 case lost a little velocity using the same charge as the 7mm-08 but gained it back again in the longer barrel.

Any load for the 7mm-08 will be safe in the 7x57 in a good bolt action. You can then load on up a little from that 'starting' level in the 7x57. The 7x57 will operate at the same pressure levels as any of the so called modern rounds, 243, 7mm08, 308, 270, 30-06, etc., irrespective of what SAAMI or the books may say. If using a 98 Mauser or any of the modern bolt actions just load having respect to the primer indications and bolt lift feel. Full width flattened primers with slightly sticky bolt lift, back off the charge a bit. A chronograph will also give you the information you need supposing that you are using powders suitable for the cartridge.
IMR 4064 and 4320 were powders I found excellent in both the 7x57 and 7mm-08.

You will find H414. Very useful in your 7x57 when loading for top performance. I loved the old 160 Speer in mine. Better bullets exist today but that one never failed.

I have a Mexican Mauser in 7x57. It was a Bubbaed sporter. The stock was shaved so thin along the forearm it was splitting.
It shot poorly. 6-8 inch 50 yard groups. With a new Timney Sportsman trigger and into a Boyds Classic stock It now shoots into less than 1.5 inches at 50 yards.
This is with loads using the Hornady 139 gr SP, H4350 Powder WLR primers and PPU bras.
I'm about out of these bullets but I have about 250 of the Hornady 139 gr GMX bullets I got from Midway as factory seconds. They may vary a bit by weight or have the tips a bit off center.
I would shoot at longer ranges but that's about as far as I can get in my back yard. The closeesrt range to me with longer ranges is about an hour. Much easier to set up my stuff here and shoot over the chrony and get some idea of group size.
Once I get a load worked up to a comfortable max with good accuracy with a few different component combinations. I have a couple different power and bullets to try. I have hornady buklets of the 139, 154, 162 and a 175 gr Sierra to work up.
Once I can the loads figured out here I can load a box or two of each good combo to take to the range and shoot at longer ranges to see how they shoot there.
I'll use not only the look of the primers and case extraction, I can measure for case head expansion and how quickly the primer pockets expand.
Ther are a couple ways to get pressure readings in your rifle. One is with the Ohler Chrony's. They have a kit that uses a sensor you mount on the rifle, bottom of barrel under the chamber. This sensor measures how much the chamber swells under pressure. It uses this info to determine the chamber pressure. I was just reading about another company that has a similar set up but can't recall the brand.
I would like to have one but they are a bit out of my price range.
Leo

I've been loading the 7x57 for years, most of mine have 30-06 magazines and long throated to match the magazine, thus I seat a 160 gr. Barnes X half way to the cannalure so to speak, or .284 into the case...

I use only H414 and according to most loading manuals that's about 5 grs. over max sometimes 8 grs..Why? because all the books underload the 7mm and 8mm drastically because of frivoulos law suits by folks blowing themselves up with mod 96s, 95,s and Rem drop boxe single shots etc..In a good Win, or Mauser you can load to the same pressures as a 270 or 06...not the book 40,000 PSI..IN doing so the 7x57 is gun enough for most DG and all the PG, anything in NA, includidng the big bears in a pinch..Ive seen it work on elephant on two occasions and was amazed.

Its a caliber that made its rep by daring do's, it earned its rep in the bush of Africa, and the mountains of the Americas, the world over..not in the pages of a hunting magazine or internet blog..

Thanks to all for the help.

Lots of good advice. I have a favorite load for my sons M70 and my custom M98 of 49.5 gr H4350 behind a Hornady 139 gr bullet. Gives about 2800 FPS and is accurate and pleasant. Both rifles seem to prefer the flat base bullet seated one caliber deep. Could safely load hotter but this was the most accurate and it is deadly.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
I used classic loads in my old 7x57 featherweight .. 100 years ago ...

start here
https://www.barnesbullets.com/.../7X57mmMauserWeb.pdf

How is loading a solid copper monometal bullet a "classic" load from 100 years ago? The only "monometal" back then was lead.

I have had outstanding results with Reloader 15 and IMR 4350 in the 7x57. My wifes rifle loves the 140 Accubond and R 15. 1/2 inch groups or better if I do my part.

My hunting load for the last 50 plus years in my Brno mod 21 has been a heavy max load of H414 and its the 175 gr. Nosler at 2733 fps average of 12 rounds and repeated over the years in a number of 7x57s..That duplicates the 180 gr. 30-06 and results are similar for sure..
I won't quote the powder charge but its sure proven to be safe in my guns for many years..and its way over book max..The 7x57 without the long throat and magazine but of quality steel can get about 2550 to 2600 FPS on average with the 175 Nosler, and a lesser load of the same H414..

Kilamanjaro Bell did just fine with mil surplus ammo.

"He shot exactly 1,011 elephants; about 800 of them were shot with Rigby-made 7x57mm (.275 Rigby) rifles and round nose 173 grain military ammo."

The 7x57 is a fine cartridge. Whatever you load will work just fine. Go for accuracy over power.

The 175 at 2400 will act like a mini 9.3x62 with a 286 at 2400 which is to say a mini freight train of whoop ass for about anything it strikes. What's not to like about that?

Thanks to all. You guys are great.

Of course a long round nose .284 bullet at 2200 FPS will penetrate a elephants skull from about any angle, that's what big slow bullets do or did for bell..but they sure don't reach out yonder and hammer a Kudu or Eland, like a 160 at 2800 fps or a 175 at 2700 plus...and that's the rest of the story!