I read some of the old threads on the 7X57 and noticed that you have had good luck with IMR-3031, which prompted my use of it for one last try with some stubborn 150 grain bullets. I had tried at least 4 different powders, all of them slower burning, with dismal results with this Rem. PSPCL, with the best average of 2.87" for 3 groups.
Yesterday, I went up to your reccomended 40 grains of 3031 and shot 3 groups, which averaged 1.34". There was no pressure signs at all and I probably could go higher without problems. I didn't chrono them because, frankly,I had lost confidence in them and wasn't expecting them to do much better than previously. Hey, I know that won't win any benchrest medals but, I'm pleased that I've cut the groups in half. Now I can use up the rest of the 500 with a little more confidence.

Seafire has written that the load books are not balanced, but biased towards slow powders. Once he pointed that out, I can see it is true.

So I was not surprised to read of his using 3031 in 7mm Mauser.

quote:

.. On those 175 grain Spitzers, try a load of IMR 3031, with 40 grains ( work up etc). I have two Rugers that had that problem. Until I stumbled onto that load, by shear dumb luck.

99.9 % of all my loads in a 7 x 57 is 40 grains of IMR 3031..

He does allot of IMR4198 for 8mm, but with powder charges more like Hodgdon's H4198 loads than IMR's data [12.5 gr extra].

I am doing my small part to spread the word about faster powders. I just loaded some 154 gr HNDY round nose moly 7mm Mauser for my brother with 48.1 gr IMR4350 [it's what he wants] and 43.2 gr IMR4895 [what I am trying to convince him to use]

I also have a 7X57 in a 95 Chilean.

It absolutely loves 150gr Winchester PowerPoints and 36 or so grains of H4895.

-Spencer