The 7x57 is a great cartridge, I would have a hard time choosing between my 06 and 7x57. A lot of your loads, accuracy will depends on the rifle barrel combo you are using,my rifle has a long throat thus I suffer a little in the accuracy department.
I have been playing with a custom Mauser 95 for several months. I have yet to find the best bullet and powder combo. I have been working with the following powders RL19, RL22,IMR4350, IMR4831, H414 and bullets from 140-175 grains. My rifle tends to like the slower powders and to date the best loads are with RL19 with 140/150 gr stuff. If you are looking for an all around load I would choose a 160-162 gr Hornady or premium bullet, it will do all.
Ken Waters in Handloader did two articles on the 7x57 using the old stand by powders and then a follow up with the newer powders. The lastest can be found in the Feb. 1995 No.173 issue.
Absolutely my favourite caliber for all round hunting. In more than forty years I have not been without one and hunt anything from duiker to eland with one load. If you have a modern action or 98 Mauser action, this is one caliber that is much improved over factory loads with reloading your own ammo. Ours work best with bullets around 1.3" in length. We have four in the family. The exception in the bunch is one with a very slow twist (one in ten and a half) and for that one we use bullets around 1.15" long.
I've got a Ruger Mark II in 7x57mm Mauser and I use it for everything from deer to elk. I even shot a turkey last season in Texas at 182 yards with a 162 grain Hornady backed by H414 powder for an average of 2,735 fps. I've tried IMR 4350, H4350, IMR4064, Win760 and IMR4230 and H414 and by far, the H414 is the best and most consistent. My load is 48.5 grains of powder, a Federal 210 Large Rifle primer inside a Remington case with the bullet seated .035 inch off the lands. It is exceedingly accurate and deadly. Now, my rifle is a modern action. If you have an older military 7mm Mauser, Do Not use this load as it is hot according to the books. I get about eight loadings per case with this combo. The 7 is my only big game rifle. With it, I do not feel the need for anything else I can possibly hunt here in New Mexico. Plan on taking it to Montana for an antelope hunt with my little bro if we can draw out. Good luck! Tom
I shoot a 1912 mauser with a 29" barrel that my uncle got back in 1945.I had always thought that the axis forces used only 8x57 chambered rifles?But he left this rifle to me when he left to walk with the Great Spirit in 1984.He told me that 175grain round-nose bullets are all that I would ever need to hunt with in the lower48.He had empty boxes of 275Rigby ammo that came with it.I still shoot a varmint or six with that rifle and round-nose ammo at ranges that make people gasp when they see that open sighted long-tom of a rifle.For a rifle pushing 90years old,it goes to show how when they bring out something new,they are just inventing something that already existed for a long time already.
I shoot a Ruger #1 in 7x57, and Hodgdon 414 is the best powder I've found, at least for 140 grain bullets. If I had to choose other powders, I'd look at 4350 or Reloder 19.
Reason I asked was that I am a Brewton, originally from Georgia. Now transplanted in SoCal. The reason I own a 7x57 is because of an Uncle, also a Brewton. Strange coincidence?
