Anyone have any experience with either weight bullet coming from a 7X57 on elk?
I am thinking about taking my 7X57 Schnauser (Remington 700 Mountain rifle) as back up to my Tikka T3 338WM for a elk hunt this year. I know it's like backing up a cannon with a sling shot but the little Mountain rifle is a dream to carry and I figure on using it when I poop out in the mountains. I don't have any experience with 7mm 175 gr. on elk. I know the 175s should be a little better if a shoulder bone is hit but coming out of that little case, the velocity won't be very good. My rifle seems to prefer the 150 gr. Rem. Coreloks leaving the pipe at 2625 fps. Haven't tried any 175s as of yet so I don't even know if it will like thim.
Will try a few Nosler Partitions and see if they shoot well.
Any experienced comments are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

I have shot exactly One elk with the 7x57 and I used a 160 Speer Hot core. I shot a very big bodied Mule deer about a week later and I have nothing bad to say about either experience. I would stay 150 and above in "normal" bullets. The Premium NP and others I would think the 140's & 150's would be great.
If you love the Schnauser, then use the Schnauser. Elk won't care with the notes above as your guide and a shot well placed.

I use 150-160 grains bullets in my 7mm rifles (7x57mm and 7 Rem Mag) with no problem. The 175-grain bullet well be fine if your gun can shoot it accurately, otherwise use the 150, they has killed a lot of elk. I use 150 Nosler BTs and 160 Sierra GK HP in my rifles. The BT is too thin skinned to use in the 7mm mag but works well in the Mauser. The 160 GK works well in both.

Just an aside, I know a lot more people that hunt elk with a 270 than with a 300 or 338 but they’re local boys and not trophy hunting. They’re not paying big bucks on an out of state hunt.

My wife has taken 3 elk, oryx, numerous hogs and whitetail all with her 7x57 and 140gr accubonds.

Pick a bullet that shoots THE MOST ACCURATE at the highest velocity in YOUR gun.

Anything else is just Madison ave hype and smoke and mirrors and what works in THEIR guns.

LUCK

I used a Ruger M77 (tang style safety) 7 x 57 last year on a plains game hunt. Although not elk I killed, among other plains game, two (2) blue wildebeest at approximately 150 yard average.

The recipe was: RWS brass, CCI BR2 primers, 47 grains of H414, 160 grain Woodleigh protected point bullets. These bullets proved very effective: one complete pass thru lung shot & one quartering shot that had great penetration.

That 'backup slingshot' could very well be your primary weapon.

Good hunting with whatever you choose.

quote:

Originally posted by boltshooter:
I used a Ruger M77 (tang style safety) 7 x 57 last year on a plains game hunt. Although not elk I killed, among other plains game, two (2) blue wildebeest at approximately 150 yard average.

The recipe was: RWS brass, CCI BR2 primers, 47 grains of H414, 160 grain Woodleigh protected point bullets. These bullets proved very effective: one complete pass thru lung shot & one quartering shot that had great penetration.

That 'backup slingshot' could very well be your primary weapon.

Good hunting with whatever you choose.

Exactly!
The 7mm is at it's best with a premium 160 gr bullet that opens at medium vel.

m

The 160gn Woodleigh PP at 2700fps with H4350 is what I have as my larger game load. 120GS customs at 3235 with BL-C2 for others.

Von Gruff.

My experience with elk and 7x57's is limited to 175gr Nosler Partitions at rather close range, they will work as well as you can shoot. I've found that 156gr Norma's shoot well in my 7x57R and I would not think twice about whacking a elk with one if the chance presents itself. Range limitations? Well, blanket statements about how far one should shoot with a given caliber are not really relevant since it all depends on terrain, shot placement and the "mood" of the elk in question.

Stick with 160's to 175's and use a good bullet, such as partition, Barnes, Swift, Woodleigh, etc. The 7x57 made its reputation on heavy for caliber bullets not lightweight ones.

Granted our bullets and powders are better today than 100 years ago but the fact is an elk is a big animal and they do have massive bones. You can always do a lung shot, which is much easier on the bullet than a shoulder shot, too.

I dropped a 400+ lb stag which scored SCI 280 pts and I used a partition with a single lung shot. The slug took out the entire upper half of the lungs. The herd took off but this stag staggered 10 feet and dropped.

Where is Vapoelk with the answer when you need him?

Back in the 1970s I killed 2 small bulls with the 154 grain Hornady. One was killed at about 25 yards and the other shot was at around 90-100 yards. Lots of penetration at 7X57 velocity. Worked perfect.

Regards, Keith

Haven't shot an animal with them, but a friend gave me some RWS factory ammo loaded with the RWS 175gn bullet.
Shot them over the chronograph and they left the barrel at 2700fps ! (25inch 1:8 PacNor select match). Accuracy was better than an inch at 200yrds.
I would not hesitate to shoot any animal up to the size of elk with this bullet, place it right and the rest is just stories around the camp fire...

best wishes,

Finman

I did a lot of Elk hunting in the 80's and one of my rifles was a 19 inch barreled 7x57. It was light, accurate and I shot it well. This was before I felt the premium bullets were more than just hype and used the 160 gr. Speer Hotcor and Sierra's BTHP of the same weight. This rifle took two elk for me and four others by friends I loaned the rifle to, it was my backup rifle to my cannon which was a 30-06. The bullets showed excellent penetration and my warm loads were probably getting 2600 fps. None of us ever intentionally shot a shoulder (Elk are fine eating!) or took a shot past 250 yards but all 6 Elk went down quickly to one shot. I preferred my 30-06 and still do as it is my favorite rifle but there is nothing wrong with a 7x57.

Yeah, I really think on an elk the place you will get into trouble is on the shoulder shots. The lungs are pretty easy targets but that shoulder bone is pretty tough and heavy. Shoulder shots really should have the stoutest premium bullet that works well while the lung areas are really exposed and relatively easy for a bullet to punch through.

quote:

Originally posted by MickinColo:
Just an aside, I know a lot more people that hunt elk with a 270 than with a 300 or 338 but they’re local boys and not trophy hunting. They’re not paying big bucks on an out of state hunt.

I killed a bull with a 270 Win. and 140 gr. Sierra GK about 25 years ago. The shot was a little far back and hit the liver. I'll blame the rearward shot on the fact he was grazing and took a step or two when pulled the trigger. (at least it makes me feel better thinking that) The elk fell right there and died in seconds. I quickly gained a lot of respect for the size of their bones while I was trying to gut him on the side of a steep hill.

I am going to try the 175gr. bullets but in the Mountain rifle, with it's little "coach whip" barrel, I doubt I will get more than 2300 fps., 2400 fps. if I am lucky. Even with the 150 gr. bullets, if I try to push them too hard the accuracy goes to shit and the accuracy is not all that great to start with. Usually 1-1/2 moa. at 200 yards, sometimes more.
But at least with the 175 gr. bullets the B.C. will be pretty good.

(It would probably be wiser to take my 30-06 Featherweight and some 180 gr. Nos. part. at 2750 fps. That gun is not all that much heavier. I have a 300 WSM but it weighs a ton.)

quote:

Originally posted by Chuck Nelson:
Where is Vapoelk with the answer when you need him?

Looking for his calculator I imagine..
After he gets the figures I believe he will have to consult with the other two "musketeers"..
Isn't that how it usually works ???

You might try these: the Barnes MRX in 160g and the TSX in 160g or 175g. The MRX is a tungsten based design, rather than lead. It is denser and creates a shorter bullet. The advantage for the 7x57 is more powder space.

The TSX is becoming legendary-it is the bullet my PH wants me to use in South Africa this year. It is all copper based and penetrates very well, even through heavy bone. But, it is a bit longer than the MRX.

If you use the MRX, do call Barnes and verify it is designed for use at 7x57 velocities.

Here are two links to each of these bullets.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/p...ts/rifle/mrx-bullet/

http://www.barnesbullets.com/p...ts/rifle/tsx-bullet/

Hi Rae59,

I have and use 2 7x57 as my main rifles for big Red Deer here in Patagonia. And use 160 and 175 grs exclusively. I have tried a lot of different bullets. My experience is the Nosler Partition in 160 and 175 grs are, perhaps, the best of the lots. They expand at almost any velocity and shoots extremely well in the 7x57. I have long throated M98 Mauser rifles. I can have a 3,25" OAL with both Nosler P and be 0,04 off the land. But, anyway, you can reach, SAFELY, in a modern rifle like yours, 2750 and 2650 fps with 160 and 175 grs NP. Good for ANY shoot at ANY hunting distance for ANY elk...!!!
If you do your part!

Good luck!

PH

I think the 160 at 2700-2750 in a partition is hard to beat in the 7x57. I have flattened kudu, elk, etc with it.

If you are hunting black timber, 175grn partition.

If hunting more open areas, 150grn or 160grn partition or accubond.

If going TSX, I wouldn't feel the need to go heavier than the 140grn.

quote:

Originally posted by Rae59:

quote:

Originally posted by MickinColo:
Just an aside, I know a lot more people that hunt elk with a 270 than with a 300 or 338 but they’re local boys and not trophy hunting. They’re not paying big bucks on an out of state hunt.

I killed a bull with a 270 Win. and 140 gr. Sierra GK about 25 years ago. The shot was a little far back and hit the liver. I'll blame the rearward shot on the fact he was grazing and took a step or two when pulled the trigger. (at least it makes me feel better thinking that) The elk fell right there and died in seconds. I quickly gained a lot of respect for the size of their bones while I was trying to gut him on the side of a steep hill.

I am going to try the 175gr. bullets but in the Mountain rifle, with it's little "coach whip" barrel, I doubt I will get more than 2300 fps., 2400 fps. if I am lucky. Even with the 150 gr. bullets, if I try to push them too hard the accuracy goes to shit and the accuracy is not all that great to start with. Usually 1-1/2 moa. at 200 yards, sometimes more.
But at least with the 175 gr. bullets the B.C. will be pretty good.

(It would probably be wiser to take my 30-06 Featherweight and some 180 gr. Nos. part. at 2750 fps. That gun is not all that much heavier. I have a 300 WSM but it weighs a ton.)

Rae,
I hunt locally. It doesn’t cost me that much money to hunt elk in Colorado. I can afford to pass up a shot because it doesn’t cost me that much if I come up empty handed. It’s a social event as much as a hunt to me anymore. You on the other hand may be looking at spending some serious money. If it was me, I would pick the rifles that I feel the most comfortable making long shots with. Even though you may get your animal at 25 yards, you might only get one shot at 300+. That shot is possible in a high wind, up or down hill, who knows.
It’s your call but as for me? The more a hunt costs, the less sporting I get about cartridge / rifle selection. If it was my Mauser, it would go on the hunt, your Mauser (as you describe it) would stay home. Give yourself the best chance of filling your tag.

Thanks Mickincolo.
I am thinking along your lines. My Featherweight has been a pretty consistant and accurate shooter. I am confident with it out to the 300 yard mark.

I will still check the 7mm out with some other bullets between now and hunt time. Who knows, maybe it will really click with another bullet in the 150 or 160 grain range.

Good Luck.

Hope you are not hunting them under these conditions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_p...794wEIbHlDc&vq=large

A 160gn Woodleigh at 2700fps would do for any of these.
Von Gruff.

quote:

Originally posted by Von Gruff:
Hope you are not hunting them under these conditions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_p...794wEIbHlDc&vq=large

A 160gn Woodleigh at 2700fps would do for any of these.
Von Gruff.

BOOOM!!!!!
That's the best use of a golf course I've seen yet!

While I did not use a 7x57 to take my first elk last year, I did use a 7mm Rem Mag with 175gr Nosler Partition handloads. One shot slightly angling, entering behind one shoulder and exiting through the forward point of the off-side shoulder. The 5x5 bull took two wobbly steps and dropped. Took the "aortic knot" off the top of the heart. Very little damage to meat. Distance to target: 80 yards. The 175gr Partition worked as intended... meat in the freezer, head on the wall.

"meat on the freezer, head on the wall"

Dang!! Can't beat that with a stick!

:-)

quote:

Originally posted by HunterMontana:
My experience with elk and 7x57's is limited to 175gr Nosler Partitions at rather close range, they will work as well as you can shoot. I've found that 156gr Norma's shoot well in my 7x57R and I would not think twice about whacking a elk with one if the chance presents itself. Range limitations? Well, blanket statements about how far one should shoot with a given caliber are not really relevant since it all depends on terrain, shot placement and the "mood" of the elk in question.

No elk with the Mauser round, but three red stags using the 7x57R and the same 175 grain Nosler Partition and 156 grain Norma Oryx bullets as HunterMontana.

Based on my experience, I would think that any 140 to 175 grain quality bullet should do the job if put in the right place.

Winchester and Remington loads both run 2375 fps or so out of my 22" M95 Chilean sporter. I load 175 gr Hornady RNs to 2400 fps out of the same rifles over H4831 staying within the SAAMI PMAP for the 7.57. Velocities and psi are with an Oehler M43. zeroed at 175 yards it is 2.5" high at 100 yards, 2" low at 200 and 8" low at 250 yards. Not a "long range" load but will certainly suffice for 95% of most elk shot. That Horandy 175 RN, or either of the factory loads, will give all the penetration needed on elk, even through the shoulders with the possible exception of a Texas heart shot.

Numerous other bullets mentioned that will work as well but there is nothing wrong with a plain old 175 gr cup and core RN bullet for the old 7x57. Worked a century ago and will certainly work today.

Larry Gibson

It seems to me that the plain, jane Hornady 154gr SP or RN bullet would be ideal for the 7x57. I've shot a few deer with the round nosed version (in a 7-08) and it really laid them down.

For nostalgia etc, I load 175 grain Barnes or Hornady 175 grain RN's in my 7 x 57 for elk hunting..I hunt timber areas, and can also run them at 2650 fps out of my rifles...

but a good 160 GR or the 154 Hornadys will work just as well on a large critter...

the right bullet, 150 grains or more, and the 7 x 57 is more than enough gun for a guy who knows what he is doing, and can place the shot where he needs to put it..

of course, a 338/378 Roy is not a good elk round if you don't hit where you need to..

sure the elk will die, but 10 miles away and 3 days later...

quote:

I am going to try the 175gr. bullets but in the Mountain rifle, with it's little "coach whip" barrel, I doubt I will get more than 2300 fps., 2400 fps. if I am lucky.

try 40 grans of 3031.. from an older Hornady manual, they said to expect 2400 fps..

my two Rugers and my Featherweight all show more...250 fps more... I get 2650 fps with that bullet weight in 22 inch barrels..

on the other end, I have shot 175 grain bullets at MVs as low as 1700 fps MV... and still how much they penetrated thru a large pine as a back stop was AMAZING to say the least...

My own experience with a 7x57 was not a lot because I had preference for my 7x61 which could really move 160gr bullets at 3000fps.On the animals I did shoot with the 7x57 I found 175 grain loads did not kill anywhere near as quickly on red deer as did loads with the 139gr Hornady and the 145gr Speer at MVs of around 2800fps.

We have the American elk here in NZ, we call them Wapati. By all accounts from experienced hunters in our country, Wapiti are nowhere as tenacious as red deer to kill, many being shot by early hunters with light calibres. Red deer hinds especially, are very tenacious of life and many a hunter has found to their dismay that these animals can take a lot of punishment and still be lost.

Very few, if any, hunters here would now use 175gr bullets in their 7x57 or the modern equivalent 7mm-08, to hunt red deer or any of our other deer species in addition to chamois or tahr, animals also hard to put down at times in their alpine environment.

If I were using the 7x57 on elk I would be loading a good 140gr at 2800-2900fps or the Sierra 160gr SPBT and drive it as fast as I could.