We all are familiar with JO’s .270 loadings with H4831 and the 130gr and 150gr bullets. Does any one know what load(s) Jack & Eleanor used for his sheep and elk hunts with their 7X57’s ?

Looked at two of O'Conner books only ref. that I find is he like 139gr bullets.

Said the old Winchester open point was a good bullet.

See Pages 94 and 95 in O'Connor's The Hunting Rifle, 1970 Stoeger Sportsman Library edition, for a number of his 7x57 loads for 140 gr to 175 gr bullets. Given that the book dates from 1970, the loads would probably be considered too hot today. They also do not always include a complete description of primers, cases, etc. In addition, powders may have changed since 1970. In the case of 4831, the specific version is not specified.

quote:

Originally posted by vangulik:
See Pages 94 and 95 in O'Connor's The Hunting Rifle, 1970 Stoeger Sportsman Library edition, for a number of his 7x57 loads for 140 gr to 175 gr bullets. Given that the book dates from 1970, the loads would probably be considered too hot today. They also do not always include a complete description of primers, cases, etc. In addition, powders may have changed since 1970.

In the case of 4831, the specific version is not specified.

Thank you for information. Most of my hunting books are in a different state, including my copy of The Book of the Rifle. Curious what velocities
he was showing for his 175 and 139 grain bullets. He seemed to really like the 7X57 and used it a lot.

2900 for the 139's

that's pretty hot for the 7x57.
maybe doable with the old milsurp 4831 though.
I keep my standard 139gr, 7x57 loads more like 2750 or so.
I barely bump the ICL up to around 2900 and that's all the speed I wanna be throwing a cup and core bullet.

I have Hornadys latest manual and they don't get the 139 grain up to 2900 fps, but the 7mm-08 does.

Lamar the highest velocity is with 4350 the 4831 did quite get there.

I believe the 7mm-08 got to 2900 because they load it at a higher pressure then the 7x57. I thus don't see what the 7x57 would do 2900 fps, but it really doesn't need to.

In a shorter action I think the 7mm-08 is a better round, and I think the 280 Rem beats both of them. A better and more efficient round then the 7mm Rem Mag is the 7mm Sharp & Hart. It's a better shaped case with a longer neck.

O'Connor 7x57 velocities from The Hunting Rifle are:
140 or 145 gr: 2,825 in 22-inch barrel,
139 gr Dominion factory load 2,900 in 24-inch.
154 gr or 160 gr in 22-inch barrel: 2,650
130 gr: 2,960 barrel length not specified.
175 gr: No Velocity listed

The No2 HV version of the 275 Rigby with a 140gn bullet approached 3,000 fps and that was in 1924. - https://www.vintageguns.co.uk/...igby-a-brief-history

We would n't give any thought to loading a 60 or a 70 year old 270 Win with modern ammo with a 140 gn bullet at close to 3,000 fps, so why not take a good solid 7x57 and load it to its intended velocities.

Mind you a 139gn at 2650 fps is pretty effective.

From his book Sheep and Sheep hunting, page 273

130gr bullet (type not specified) 62 gr 4831 (probably IMR), WW cases, this was his go-to load.

quote:

Originally posted by Head Trauma:
From his book Sheep and Sheep hunting, page 273

130gr bullet (type not specified) 62 gr 4831 (probably IMR), WW cases, this was his go-to load.

HT , I don’t believe that is the load for his 7X57 but his .270 Win load. I found that load to be super accurate when I was shooting .270’s.

Anyone able to get 2500+fps with the 175grain out of a 22” barrel?

4WD you are correct, 270 and not 7x57, my bad. The only 7x57 info he mentions in chapter 14 (Notes on a Sheep Rifle) is his use of a Western Cartridge
Company factory load 139gr open-point bullet at about 2800fps from a 22" barrel, as well as a Dominion 139gr factory load at about 2825fps from a 22" barrel.

No 7x57 handload data is listed.

I guided Jack for Mule deer several times and he used a 7x57 on one of those hunts, His load was a 139 gr. Hornady behing 5? grs of IMR-4350..not sure but seems to me it was 53 grs. but I wouldn't swear to it...Talking reloading with him he was big on old surplus WW2, also know as 4350 DATA powder at the time for his 270, 7x57 and 30-06, and at a couple of grs. more than book max so I won't quote, but that WW2 powder would take more powder in a case, give higher velocity and less pressure than anything on the market at the time and still does it seems..I have about 40 or more pounds of the stuff and its good as new as I bought 150 SS container contained in a heavy wood crate marked US Property..I still have that also..bought it from and old gunsmith in Twin Falls, Id in 1982,,His 270 load with a 130 gr. speer bullet was 62 grs. in the 30-06 and .270 also as I recall ir maybe the other way around, 62 in the .270 and 60 in the 06..Sorry but that's been a long time ago for both my memory and my old gray matter..For what its worth Jack was the best off hand rifle shot Ive ever seen in my lifetime, and basically taught me to shoot off hand..

He was very fond of the Old Western open point bullets in .270, 30-06, and 7x57, He also spoke highly of the 100 gr open point expanding bullet and gave me 500 of them for my 250-3000, I still have two or three boxes of the 25 cal. and 308 caliber..The expand wildly and kill quickly but sometimes the explode in the chest cavity a little too quick, or I pushed them too hard back in the day..

Speer's Number 9 manual has some pretty impressive velocities for the 7x57 and get this, tested with a 22 inch barrel! I know from talking with Hornady one time about one of their first manual of about 1964 vintage that they told me to throw that book away, that powder has been reformulated and it was dangerous to go by that manual anymore. Maybe the Speer #9 may be like that too, it's dated 1972. If anyone is interested I'll list the Speer loads here.

quote:

Originally posted by vzerone:
Speer's Number 9 manual has some pretty impressive velocities for the 7x57 and get this, tested with a 22 inch barrel! I know from talking with Hornady one time about one of their first manual of about 1964 vintage that they told me to throw that book away, that powder has been reformulated and it was dangerous to go by that manual anymore. Maybe the Speer #9 may be like that too, it's dated 1972. If anyone is interested I'll list the Speer loads here.

I would enjoy seeing what Speer had listed in the 1970’s.

Well there ya go, manufacturers competition, wit bull shit advise..There is nothing at all wrong with those loads for a modern bolt action rifle...in fact they are fairly mild in my 7x57s that Ive owned over the years, all mod. 98 Mausers and a few pre 64 mod. 70s and a custom Sako.. They might be a tad warm for a mod. 95 or 96 but not likely...I used that book and still do at times but I load beyond that book with my present long throated guns.

Ditto what Ray says in my own 7x57's, over 40 yrs shooting them.

quote:

Originally posted by 4WD:
Anyone able to get 2500+fps with the 175grain out of a 22” barrel?

175gr Sierra GameKing SBT at 2575 fps mv using Re22. Hunting load for my 20" barrel 7x57 Zastava full stock carbine. Reference - Woodleigh manual.

Jacks load for Eleanor's 7x57 was 160gr Sierra with 52.0gr of the old H4831 for a MV around 2700fps. With this load she took 17 head of game in Africa with 19 shots, the extra two shots put into a big Kudu, heart shot with the first and given the two follow up. All other animals were one shot, most dropping in their tracks. Jack said this load was "highly effective on big and small antelope".

The sleek Sierra bullet at that velocity would range well and should be a perfect load for Elk etc.
I used the exact same bullet for decades in my 7x61 at a MV of 3000fps and it was deadly on hoofed animals ranging well and hitting hard.

When loading for my BSA Hunter (24" barrel) 7x57 I used 45.0grs of 4320 with a 145gr Speer for an average MV of 2864 fps and in a Ruger 7mm-08 (22" barrel) I used 44.0grs of 4320 with the same 145 gr Speer for an average MV of 2863 fps.

A grain less of 4064 in each of the 7x57 and 7mm-08 gave similar results with either 145gr or a 139gr bullets.

The above loads were not absolute maximum, extracted normally and gave good case life, but would work up in other rifles as is standard practice.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
Jacks load for Eleanor's 7x57 was 160gr Sierra with 52.0gr of the old H4831 for a MV around 2700fps. With this load she took 17 head of game in Africa with 19 shots, the extra two shots put into a big Kudu, heart shot with the first and given the two follow up. All other animals were one shot, most dropping in their tracks. Jack said this load was "highly effective on big and small antelope".

The sleek Sierra bullet at that velocity would range well and should be a perfect load for Elk etc.
I used the exact same bullet for decades in my 7x61 at a MV of 3000fps and it was deadly on hoofed animals ranging well and hitting hard.

When loading for my BSA Hunter (24" barrel) 7x57 I used 45.0grs of 4320 with a 145gr Speer for an average MV of 2864 fps and in a Ruger 7mm-08 (22" barrel) I used 44.0grs of 4320 with the same 145 gr Speer for an average MV of 2863 fps.

A grain less of 4064 in each of the 7x57 and 7mm-08 gave similar results with either 145gr or a 139gr bullets.

The above loads were not absolute maximum, extracted normally and gave good case life, but would work up in other rifles as is standard practice.

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

Thanks for pulling up that JOC information.In the past his loads have been very accurate in the rifles I have tried them in. I have found loads starting out around 2900fps to be pretty consistent on game provided the right bullet for the task is used.
We have used the 7mm/08 with 140 gr Nosler partitions for MO whitetails on my friends farm with great results. Some years we have taken 20 deer a season and I don’t remember one deer requiring more than one shot. All shots were within 100yds with the 7mm/08.

I am thinking the Woodleigh 160grain .284 bullet might make a decent elk round in 7X57 out to 300yds. Anyone using the 160 grain Woodleigh for elk/kudu sized game with good results? For me 2700fps is a little slow for the rounds I am use to hunting with.