Just wondering if some of you could give me details on what you have shot with a 7X57, and what you think of it's performance. Also, what does it compare to in continental calibres?

A good friend has a lovely Blaser K95 break action single shot in 7x57R which he uses for stalking Deer and Wild Pig.
Nice mild Caliber.
Quite similar to the 7mm08.

which is it, 7x57 or 7x57R?

"which is it, 7x57 or 7x57R?"

Ballistically there is NO difference.

One is rimmed, one is not

true enough, Az

my experiences with the 7x57 (non-rimmed) have been 100% positive.

i own a cz m550 american with this chambering and it has been an easy-to-shoot, accurate rifle that consistently kills game dead with one shot at the distances i hunt. i see no reason why it wouldn't be a good choice for anything from antelope to deer to sheep to elk up to 300 yards.

quote:

"which is it, 7x57 or 7x57R?"

Ballistically there is NO difference.

the R is loaded to lower pressures(ca 2grains) to prevent break-actions getting looser over time

Tasunkawitko,

My experience, like yours, is with the non-rimmed 7x57. My wife shoots a Ruger 7x57 and has taken deer, antelope, and elk...mostly with one shot. All under 300 yards. I handload 140 NP to about 2800 fps. Very deadly, very accurate, and still easy on "her" shoulder.

I think a DR in 7x57R would be great fun

I have one of each and shoot exactly the same loads in both. The 7x57 is a custom on a 1909 action and the 7x57R is a CZ combination. The Mauser has been used very effectively in Africa for plains game up to Kudu but would have no problem using it on ANY plains game. The CZ combination I have only shot on targets. Have no complaints with it either. My favorite small caliber.

Zim,

What is the other half of yout CZ 7x57R combo?

I have the CZ combo in 7x57R/12Ga and it has taken boar and roe in Europe and was my back up for plains game in South Africa. It has no problems digesting 130 to 160gr bullets. For roe I normally use the 130gr Speer and for anything larger I hve settled on the 150gr Partition. Never had to do a follow up shot.

Over all a great light to mid weight rifle and the 12ga doesn't hurt to have for a fox or to have a slug when going after boar, just in case.

Thanks, sounds like I made a good choice.

I am making a break action, so I will be useing the 7X57R. A good freind of mine is bulding a double rifle on an LC Smith action he has, and will chamber it is 7X57R as well. He is one hell of a machineist and has top notch equipment as well. He is useing the book "Building a double rifle on shotgun actions" as a guide, and is taking the new monoblock route. I will make sure he posts here if he isn't already.

Thanks compadres

AzGuy,
It's a 12ga

I've taken mule deer, whitetails and antelope with a custom 98 mauser in 7x57. That rifle will group the 139 gr Hornady spire pts into one ragged hole. That rifle will do anything a 270 will do and that my friend is not faint praise.

Bailey:

The 7X57 is loaded to 15% higher pressure than the 7X57R, a CIP max of 56,564 PSI vs 49,312 PSI. A difference of 7200 PSI isn't insignificant in a drop down barrel action. Loading the rimmed shell to the same pressure as the rimless in a break action is a bad idea.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

I don't plan to reload if I don't have to. Whatever the factory loads, that is what I will use. I know that may go against the grain for some of you, but I just don't have the time to worry with reloading myself. I also like a little slower velocity and less recoil to go with it.

I have a friend that shoots his with Hornady Interbonds in 154gr. He has shot Impala, warthog, blesbok, blue wildebeest and kudu. Performs the same as a 30-06, and the animals did not the difference.

Bailey,

IMO the 7X57R is a fantastic cartridge selection for a break-open single shot rifle.

I've a Blaser K-95 Stutzen in that chambering and a combination (CZ 7X57R-12ga.) rifle also.

For me it has dispatched Continetal & African game without a hitch and as others have mentioned seems to also have the added benefit of extremely mild recoil as it my wife's rifle & cartridge of choice on the few occaisions when she does accompany me. She's mastered it very well and refuses to shoot anything else on game.

The 7X57(R) has it's own reputation which is pretty sterling as cartidges go and many others even get compared to it's performance but certainly the 6.5X57(R) 7mm08 & 308 Winchester could be considered similal performers; if that's not enough I've personally not noticed much difference between it and the 7x64 Brenneke, 7X65R, .270 Winchester and .30/06 Sprg. either. It seems to do it's job just fine.

I've used 120 gr. Barnes, 140 gr. Nosler BT's & Partitions, 154 gr. MEN's, 154 gr. Hornady RN's & 177 gr. Brenneke TIG's in my loadings and they all have provided VERY satisfactory performance.

I started with the TIG's many years ago and after playing around with all the bullets mentioned above seem to have gone full-cirlce. I load my carefully hoarded supply of TIG's for game complimented by the Hornady's for everything shot with this cartridge.

Gerry,
I am also very fond of the TIG, Cone point, H mantle and TUG bullets and also have a small stock pile of these projectiles for my 6.5x57s, 7x64,308, 30/06 and 9.3x62.

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:
Loading the rimmed shell to the same pressure as the rimless in a break action is a bad idea.
-----------------------------------------------

Unless you use a Blaser K95 where this is totally accceptable.

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:
Loading the rimmed shell to the same pressure as the rimless in a break action is a bad idea.
-----------------------------------------------

Unless you use a Blaser K95 where this is totally accceptable.

Keep dreaming.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

Oz,



Good on ya, pal!

While the 7x57R isn't the world's most powerful cartridge the penetration I've received from the comnination of this cartridge and the Brenneke 177 grain TIG's just seems to defy all the laws of physics.

I've shot Wild Boar & Red Stags of all sizes from stem to stern with this bullet and only recovered one; which was under the skin in the rump - the remainder just kept on going......

DUK.....



We know the score.....

http://www.blaser.de/Calibers-Standard-Imperial.129.0.html?&L=1

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:
Loading the rimmed shell to the same pressure as the rimless in a break action is a bad idea.
-----------------------------------------------

Unless you use a Blaser K95 where this is totally accceptable.

Keep dreaming.
----------------------------------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

400NE, no dreaming involved. I don't know how familiar you are with the K95, but the "Jaeger" tilting block locking mechanism is the strongest you find in breaktop rifles. So strong, Weatherby cartridges like .300 Wby are chambered in these guns. I would have absolutely no problem loading a 7x57R to 7x57 pressures if intended for use in a K95.
- mike

quote:

Originally posted by mho:
I would have absolutely no problem loading a 7x57R to 7x57 pressures if intended for use in a K95.
- mike

Agreed. The K95 locks up like a bank vault. The same can be said for single shot rifles using the falling block-type actions.

I don't have a 7x57 myself (have two 8x57's), but there was this WDM Bell fellow who liked it a lot. He hunted a lot in a faraway hot, dry/wet continent a while back...

quote:

Originally posted by mho:
400NE, no dreaming involved. I don't know how familiar you are with the K95,

Obviously more familiar than you.

It's pronounced BLOWZER by the way...for a reason.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

That would be "Blah-zer" knucklehead.

Words to the wise: Whereof one does not know, thereof one should not speak.

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:

quote:

Originally posted by mho:
400NE, no dreaming involved. I don't know how familiar you are with the K95,

Obviously more familiar than you.

It's pronounced BLOWZER by the way...for a reason.

Wow, you do seem to be a truely knowledgable guy!
- mike

Just my 2c - 7x57R was my "first date" (CZ combo with 16 gauge) - I have used it on a hoofed game from roes, chamois, reds, boars...could get some objection with brown bears but with good bullet and apropriate shot placement litle or none - I prefer 177 gr vs 140 gr bullets (TIG, Nosler Partition...) rifle didn't liked 154 gr. ABC (hinterberger) for some reason...did not noticed much difference according to 7x64 (~280)

I use a 12/7x57R (in an Antonio Zoli) for driven hunts on roe deer. This little rascal is utterly dependable, some 30+ years and while there are nicer guns around this is the gun I shot my first game with at the age of 10 or 11, something.

Head shot on a black grouse, 180meters, iron sights. No luck there at all, I claimed to have aimed for the head ;-) Too bad the hens (females) weren't in season

I have also made the most weird shot ever made with that gun. At a driven hunt, a shot rang from a distance where I had seen a roe doe with a fawn heading to. Then the fawn came back in my direction. The guy had shot the doe!

Well, so I took a shot on the fawn that I wouldn't have taken in another situation, 70 meters through foliage. It was winter so there weren't any leaves on the brushes but there was plenty of twigs indeed. I shot ant the fawn dropped dead after some 50 meters.

When gutting the fawn, I realized that I had shot it behind the ribcage, behind the diaphragm and nagging the liver, but without ripping up its intestines! No vegetables anywhere, perfectly clean shot. The spleen was cut in two halves but the stomach was whole.

No way I could repeat that in a million shots.

Well, that were the war stories. I load a 156gr Norma Oryx bonded bullet, and it shoots unbelievably well. I load this one to 2690 fps. Absolutely a dependable load for anything up to moose.

quote:

Originally posted by HerrBerg:
I have also made the most weird shot ever made with that gun.

Speaking of the devil - It was early august 1991 and I was calling a roebuck when suddenly a young red deer spiker appeared behind a short pine 7 m away. He was slowly feeding head-on my way and was only visible with head up. I took an aim with 7x57R and wait for him to step out in clearing. However next time he lifted his head he was staring right at me - no time to waste I took a blind aim where I thought his chests would be and let one go. It was the most peaceful death I have ever seen - deer didn't twitched for a milimeter - just slooowly layed down in hist tracks (that took 3 seconds - imagine leting the air out of a gumtoy) and died like going asleep...

I read this article with no small interest - I know next to nothing of the 7X57R but have enjoyed a long relation with the 7X57 Mauser - virtually all positive. A question that always arises when I read such articles is exactly how many of us use the light for caliber bullets in the 7X57 - say less than 150gr - as opposed to the heavier bullet the gun originally used, some 172-175gr. I've loaded as light as 120 and as heavy as 175 and found that most rifles chambered for the 7X57 will shoot them all, albeit some weights better than others. Alas, this has not been my experience with the 7-08 in two rifles that were very much given to the lighter bullets – but that’s another story.
I shot a whitetail doe square in head with a 139gr Hornady loaded to ~2700 fps and virtually decapitated the deer. I do not intend to shoot anymore deer with this load combo but have worked up a load with the Hornady 154gr RN. Very accurate round in both the Ruger 77 and in a custom Mauser, still haven't shot anything with this combo except paper.
Wondering if anyone else had tried with the heavier vs lighter bullets and what results you had?

I like the 160 and 175 grain NP bullets in the 7mm.

Yo Trapper....

I tried quit a few bullets in my 7X57R's - the lightest being the 120 gr. Barnes TSX's. They got the job done neatly with their typical cookie-cutter exit wounds - no hickup's; lost a pedal or two here & there along the way on the several that didn't exit but I'm not anal about weight retention either - just about not having to look around too far after the shot or crawling around on my hands & knees in blackberry thickets looking for supposedly expired animals (real easy to follow the blood trail that way though; 'cept you have to wipe most of it off your face & clothes). I don't collect used bullets, rather trophies and alot of meat.

The 140 gr. Nosler Partitions are a great bullet period - and they perform flawlessly but are a liitle too much of a good thing during the summer when my primarly target is a 50 lb. Roe Deer. Great on the larger Deer & Boar and accurate also.

At the other end of the spectrum the 140 gr. Nosler BT's are much too explosive on Roe Deer sized game (they will almost tear a Roe Deer Fawn in half) and did ho-hum on Fallow & Red Deer and Wild Boar due to no exit wounds. Does not assist much in tracking during quickly fading daylight. They are extremely accurate, no doubt about that but paper punching isn't the same as field use. I still load them now & again when I want to impress myself with small groups. Don't know if my rifle appreciates the itty-bittiness as much as I do.

I've also used some now out of production 154 gr. MEN "Scharf Rand" (monometal) bullets that were excellent. Sorrily gone the way of the Dodo-Bird; they were fantastic bullets in every aspect in my 7X57R's.

Then I decided to try some Hornady 154 gr. RN's and brother was that an awakening -staid predicatable performance at mucho less than premium prices - just like the Hornady .308" 180 gr RN's I use in the .30/06 Sprg.; accurate and outstanding bullet perfomance on a wide spectrum of game - from small to large.

Then.....while cleaning out the basement found a Tupperware container with 400 RWS .284" 177 gr. TIG's that I had completely forgotten about. Can't say enough good about 'em. Fantastically accurate, with mild-shooting loads they penetrate European & African sized game animals beyond any reasobable expectation. I hope to use them up shortly (on game, not targets) and then be an Old Grump telling stories about the "Goòd Ole Days" while using the 154 gr. Hornady's.

Yeah, I prefer the heavier bullets in the 7X57R and they seem to work better on game but thats alot of what made the 7X57's legend but then to live the ultimate 7X57 realization I guess I'll have to use the 175 gr. Hornady RN's.....gonna order some tomorrow.

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:
Loading the rimmed shell to the same pressure as the rimless in a break action is a bad idea.
-----------------------------------------------

Unless you use a Blaser K95 where this is totally accceptable.

Keep dreaming.
----------------------------------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

One should not confuse the R93 with the K95 which's action and locking block are used for cartridges from the .22 Hornet to the .300 Weatherby, 8x68 mm S and similar cartridges.

A 6,5x57 mm R or 7x57 mm R loaded to their rimless sister's pressure does not even come close. Where is the problem?

You can even have the extractor of the rimmed version modified with a claw and officially proof-shot the rifle for the rimless versions. Mr. Werner Reb, father of the excellent 8.5x63 mm (R) cartridges had this done at the Blaser factory with a rifel which was modified first from 6,5x57 R to 6.5x65 R and then to the rimless version. He is still alive and so am I...

Hirtenberger, which is back in business under RUAG, has loaded both the 140 and 175 grain NPs in the 7X57R. I like the heavier bullet loads for most applications, but the 140 is superb on deer and small to medium antelope.

Norma loads the 156 grain Oryx bonded bullets in the 7x57R as well, and those are good loads too, good for everything up to and including big deer and antelope.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerry:
Yo Trapper....
I guess I'll have to use the 175 gr. Hornady RN's.....gonna order some tomorrow.

WHERE will you order them?

I need 200 - and no one in Austria is selling those ...

Regards, Hermann

Armenius,

Expensive.....but if you're in need.....

http://www.midwaydeutschland.com/apps/eproductpage.exe/...ct?SaleItemID=106124

Kettner & Frankonia also hasd them in stock at a better price; out of their current catalogs.

I have only shot 175gr Nosler Partitions in my 7x57. They work wonderfully on Kudu. When I ordered the gun (the only custom I have ever had made) I specified to Clayton I wanted it specifically for 175gr bullets. Don't know what twist he specified but it shoots wondefully. Have no real reason to shoot a lighter bullet.

MHO and DUK,

I use a K95 in 6.5x57R that I load to 270winchester pressures. I never have had a problem and get some truly impressive performance, I also know of at least one other (Montero) who does similar with no problems.

I have been warned however that there is the potential for an issue with such practice in that the exctractor cut for a rimmed cartridge is cut deeper into the chamber with the potential for a case to let go sideways if the web is shallower than the cut.

I have never seen any pressure signs in this area on my RWS brass and have it down as internet folk lore BUT others more knowledgeable than I may be able to comment.

The K95 is a fantastic little rifle, the 7x57R perfectly suited if a 6.5x57R is not chosen!