Wow, a thread on one of my favorite cartridges and I didn't evenpost on it. Anyhow, good decision to go with the 7x57, and also an excellent decision to go with the N0. 1 International. One thing I would suggest is to try the S&B 173 gr. SPCE load. It's not the most accurate load in my 275 Rigby but it will shoot around 1-1 1/4" and is deadly on game. I've taken Axis Deer, Japanese Sika and a Texas Dall with it. Ranges were from 45-165 yards and every animal dropeed like a stone when hit with it. It does leave a bit of an exit wound but appears tough. The Japanese Sika was about 225 pounds on the hoof and I shot completely through both front shoulders at 165 yards. He managed one jump and piled up within 10'.

If this load will shoot within 1 1/2" or so in your rifle it's definately worth trying, you can also mail order them for around $10/box which gets you more practice shooting for your money.

I used the 154gr RN at 2,650fps out of my 7x57 custom for about 2 years. It killed well and was immediately accurate after just 12 shots. In fact shots 13 and 14 were roe bucks within 20 hours of taking delivery of the rifle.

But the RN does have it's limitations. It drops MUCH faster than the ballistic programmes calculate (I do not think it has a G1 drag coefficient) and as such is not a good all round bullet. Also despite giving good expansion it is quite a soft bullet and is not going to penetrate stern to stem. I recoved a couple from 35lb deer shot quartering away.

They do work well within limits but from experience a 139gr interbond is going to be as hard hitting and a site flatter. As such it or a 140gr partition is a better all rounder. When you come out of the woods and spot a buck 250yds away in a field you don't want a 154gr RN. Given a reasonable whitetail and a 150yard zero you will have to aim off fur.

I really liked them but found them too limiting.

Russ. I'm of the thought that sales for that bullet are so slow that it will soon be dropped. Sierra dropped their 170 gr. RN a few years back and refuse to make any more. I found some of those that a little old gunshop that was shutting down as the owner had passed on. I bought up all four boxes that he had. There's just something about that 7x57 with that long round nose bullet that exudes history and class.
As far as a Ruger #1A in 7x57, well, I have a small collection of Ruger #1 rifles ranging from .223 Rem. to .416 Rigby. If I were to have to sell them for any reason, that little #1A in 7x57 would be the last to go, and I would damn well fight having to part with that one. It is a favorite. It's sufficiently accurate for my style of hunting, is probably the most perfectly balanced rifle I own and it doesn't kick the snot out of me, even with my very hot handloads.
While I feel that handloading is necessary to bring a 7x57 up to it's full potential, for most hunting of deer and equal sized game, one could do just fine with factory ammo. I would suggest Winchester's 145 gr. load as it has proven to be very accurate in three 7x57 rifles that I have. (.75 to 1.0" depending on which rifle I use it in.) Save that brass, because I'll bet that before long, you will want to handload for the rifle.
Paul B.

I don't know about the Horn Light Mags but you'll find a lot of the domestic ammo for the 7x57 is loaded kinda anemic due to the age of some of the old milsurp rifles.
I too think its a rifle that can do its best only thru hand loading. Might as well get your feet wet. 'course if you're gonna be a "box a year" shooter, get the 06 and use ready-rolled ammo from Wally's.

Alf. Methinks I disagree. I have three rifles in 7x57, one custom mauser, a Ruger 31 and a Winchester M70 Featherweight. All three rifles have throats long enough to accomodate the 175 gr. bullet. As far as the long throat affecting accuracy, I can push the 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic tip to 2880 FPS and groups run in the .375-.400" range. The Ruger #1 will will keep the same load in 1.0" average. I have not used it in the Mauser yet, bit it will place 5 shots with Winchester's 145 gr. ammo into a .75" group consistantly. When I had one, my Ruger 77 tang safety model also had the long throat to take 175 gr. bullets. It too was highly accurate.
I can load the Hornady 175 gr. RN to 2500 FPS in either the Winchester or Ruger with good accuracy. That load is rather mild in my rifles, but it works. I would not hesitate to take on any North American animal, including the great bears with that load. Like someone once said, "It ain't what you hit them with. It's where you hit them."
As I grow older, shooting the hard kickers like my .416 Rigby just isn't as much fun as it used to be. More and more, I gravitate to that "old" 7x57 Mauser round, because I know it will do any job I ask of it.
Paul B.

I have a 1A in 7x57 that I want to replace. I had some 7mm Norma stuff I wanted to shoot up but never got around to it. While shooting for zero we did get a 3 shot group in an inch, that seems good for that short bbl rifle. The stock has been refinished but everything else looks real good. has the red recoil pad which some prefer. Let me know if you are interested

i have a 1a in 7x57, it is a nice rifle but has a very long throat and i would not want to shoot factory ammo in it.. i hand load hornady 154 round noses with 48.5gr of h4350 & get 1" groups with it..

My 7x57 is a Ruger M-77, and it also has a very long throat. With the cartridge OAL set according to the manuals, accuracy is inconsistent, and runs between 1.5 and 2 MOA. With 175 RN bullets seated out a bit, the groups are more consistent and average around 1.25 MOA. My best powders have been RL-19 and IMR 4350.

You will never regret getting a 7X57! However, I really believe that it is better if you handload for it, since no U.S. ammo companies load it to its' potential. This is particularly true if you are shooting it out of a Ruger No.1, which is strong enough to use some pretty impressive loads!



IF you are adamant about using nothing but factory ammo, get the '06.

Excellent cartridge! Mild recoil, enuff whoof to do the job if you do your part, and doesn't have magnum in its name. Roughly ballistically equal to the 7-08 Remington. You're right, factory load offerings are a tad slim. Sounds like a great excuse to start handloading...





Hank

I am looking at getting a Ruger No. 1 in this caliber, but I don't know that much about it. I am not a reloader so I am wondering about available factory ammo, ballistics etc. My preliminary research shows that Hornady's light magnum seems to be the way to go, but I don't know much about that ammo either. Or should I just go with the same rifle in .30-06? There are much more available bullet weights and everybody makes them. There is something cool about the 7x57 though.

Thanks

Thanks for the great response, Gents. I've made up my mind. I'm going to order the Ruger No. 1 International in 7x57 this week. I am neither an accuracy or speed freak, and this rilfe will be for short shots (under 50 yards) with open sights. That's my hunting style.
Therefore, I'm not going to let myself worry about ammo, too much. I'm going to go with the factory ammo for now and take your suggestions to start reloading. I've always wanted to and this will be my best excuse yet.

The first 10 shots I ever fired from my first 7X57, a Ruger M77 roundtop I bought in 1972, just to get brass so I could load some "real" ammo for it, were Remington 175 grain roundnoses. Imagine my amazement when I discovered that all 10 had gone into 1" @ 100 yards from this rifle, right out of the box, with a boresighted Lyman 4X All-American on it.

I still have five rounds from that box left!