Back in the days when I had one rifle to do everything. I would work up various loads (both bullet and powders) and the switch and rezero depending on what I was shooting. From varmints to elk. Now that the contents of the safe have grown I standardized on basically one bullet per rifle and switch rifles per intended game.

However, my wife has become my favorite hunting partner. She is 5'4 and I'm 6'1. My stocks don't fit her. I had cut a wood stock down and she used that. Worked great for varmints or hunting from a stand where she could support the rifle. I then built her a real light 20" 7X57 for a carry rifle. She has gotten so used to it she wants to use it for everything except varmints (keep the 22-250 for that). What I would like to arrive at is one bullet for her 7X57 to cover all her hunting. 90% is Texas whitetail and hogs. When we Elk hunt she is comfortable 200yds and less and probably wouldn't take a longer shot for fear of wounding. We will be going to Africa next year. She plans to take and Impala and Nyala. She will not taking a running shot and passes on just about anything but a classic broadside.

I was considering the Nosler 140Pt. Thoughts, suggestions, experiences???

Given you're including larger game such as elk, etc., I think I'd go for a heavier bullet. My preference would be for maybe a 160gr. NP or TrophyBonded bullet. (just my .02)

i'd go hornady 154 flat base or 150 partation with 48.0 gr of h4350..

I would go with toms idea a 150 or 154 gr bullet.

I've played around a lot with different bullets in half a dozen 7x57's, now I don't shoot anything but warm loads with H414 and a 160 Nosler partition. It works well on anything from deer size up to kudu-elk.

I like the Speer 160 Mag-Tips.
They dont blow up or under penetrate.

-Spencer

The major concern I have with the 160 is with the 20" velocity is going to be in the 2500-2600 range. That puts it close to 2050-2150 at 200yds. I had always heard 1900-2000 to expand the partition.

The load will be h414. My other 7x57s have liked it and there is 4# or more sitting on the shelf.

It may not sound very sophisticated but in the 7x57 the 150 gr psp Winchester or Remington, 60s conventional style bullets will do just fine, even at 20 feet.FWIW The 7x57's velocity level does not dictate a premium bullet. roger

bartsche-

I second the 150 Winchester PP's.
If anything, I have found them to be exceptional in accuracy out of my 95 Chilean.
I get under 3/4" groups sometimes, but I would be a little wary of them on heavier game.

-Spencer

160 grain A-frames.

quote:

Originally posted by ShopCartRacing:
bartsche-

I second the 150 Winchester PP's.
If anything, I have found them to be exceptional in accuracy out of my 95 Chilean.
I get under 3/4" groups sometimes, but I would be a little wary of them on heavier game.

-Spencer

Spencer if these early Montana cowboys did it with a 25-35????????????? roger

I have complete faith that the 160 grain Speer hotcor spitzer would do it all for you. An excellent bullet at 2600 fps.

quote:

Originally posted by ShopCartRacing:
I like the Speer 160 Mag-Tips.
They dont blow up or under penetrate.

-Spencer

Another vote for the Speer Mag tip in 160 grain. Second choice would be the 154 grain Hornady, my preference goingt to the round nose.

My powder and load in a 7 x 57, 40 grains of IMR 3031, regardless of bullet weight. 175 grainers in my Rugers & Featherweight give me 2650 fps, and down to a 140/139 grain bullet the velocity is 2750fps. The most accurate across the board powder I have used in my 7 x 57s.

cheers
seafire

Nuther vote for the Speer 160gr MagTip. Only thing I've shot with it was deer but mixed with enough W760 to make a loud bang it just sails through and makes venison.

Used it a bunch in my 7-08 and had Douglas throat my 7mm Mauser for that bullet seated in the cannelure. Just bought 200 as a hedge against Speer discontinuing it.

In my 7x57 I've settled on loads with the 154 gr. Hornady and that will be my standard load for Texas whitetail and exotics. I've also had very good results over the past two seasons with the 173 gr. S&B load, wish I could buy that bullet to reload with. The S&B load upsets readily but punched directly through both shoulders of a large bodied Sika at 165 yards.

If I thought Elk were going to be a regular item I would probably go with a 160 gr. or heavier bullet to get the maximum penetration. I also tend to reload mine on the light side, velocities around 2670 FPS in my current 154 gr. load. The S&B 173 gr. load chrono's 2460 average in my rifle by the way.

I reload for my CZ 550 American in 7x57mm and my brother's CZ 550 Full Stock in 7x57mm. With 48.3 grains of H414 and the 160 grain Nosler Partition, I was getting something like 2,745 or 2,765 with the partition in his 20.5 inch barrel and 3/4 inch groups. At 400 yards that partition is going 2,043 fps and still has 1,481 foot pounds of energy left. If you don't mind the partitions being off color a bit, go to the online Nosler Store and order some of their seconds. The sell for $12.60 for a box of 50. Not at all bad. Tom Purdom

I have loaded the gambit, from 175 gr. to 130gr and used just about all in the 7x57 over the years. The 175 grs are too heavy really and I think a bigger is case is warranted for these bullets. The 130 grs are too light and the 7x57 isn't a varmit rig. That leaves the middle: 140 gr-160 gr. several great bullets in that range. I use 154 gr Harnady's for range practice ammo, and they work excellent for that use. For Elk I have used 160 Speer Grand Slam and if you keep your shoots under 175-200 yards they work well, ( there are better elk cartridges though).

But what I have settled on now are Nosler Partition 150 gr. These are very accurate in my rifle. I have heard of others having accuracy problems with Noslers but in my rifle I am consistant sub 1 MOA, and have taken a lot of game with these with no failures.

If Swift made the A frame in a 150 gr I would definately give them a try, but they make 140 and 160 grains only.

I would start working with the 140 grain Barnes Triple Shocks. You should be able to maintain decent velocity/trajectory and the Triple Shocks have excellent accuracy (also excellent ballistic coefficient).

Also Nosler Accubonds in 140 grain are excellent bullets. For Texas whitetails and hogs the 140 grain is just right and the accuracy will be a morale booster.

For the Africa trip load up 160's by the same manufacturer's, even though the 140's should be adequate.


Without guns we are subjects, with guns we are subjects

Has anybody loaded for the 160 gr Sierra HPBT Gameking? Any suggestions?

quote:

Originally posted by Virginia7:
Given you're including larger game such as elk, etc., I think I'd go for a heavier bullet. My preference would be for maybe a 160gr. NP or TrophyBonded bullet. (just my .02)

A very good recommendation. I use the Nosler Partition 175-grainer in both the 7X57mm and the 7mm Rem. Mag., but see no reason why the 160 would not be just as good.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
Back in the days when I had one rifle to do everything. I would work up various loads (both bullet and powders) and the switch and rezero depending on what I was shooting. From varmints to elk. Now that the contents of the safe have grown I standardized on basically one bullet per rifle and switch rifles per intended game.

However, my wife has become my favorite hunting partner. She is 5'4 and I'm 6'1. My stocks don't fit her. I had cut a wood stock down and she used that. Worked great for varmints or hunting from a stand where she could support the rifle. I then built her a real light 20" 7X57 for a carry rifle. She has gotten so used to it she wants to use it for everything except varmints (keep the 22-250 for that). What I would like to arrive at is one bullet for her 7X57 to cover all her hunting. 90% is Texas whitetail and hogs. When we Elk hunt she is comfortable 200yds and less and probably wouldn't take a longer shot for fear of wounding. We will be going to Africa next year. She plans to take and Impala and Nyala. She will not taking a running shot and passes on just about anything but a classic broadside.

I was considering the Nosler 140Pt. Thoughts, suggestions, experiences???

Well, that would probably work for deer and hogs, although I've never seen the need for a premium bullet for deer, I mean thay're not like T-rex or some such. What I think I would choose, if the rifle likes them, would be either a 150 gr. Sierra or Speer Hot-core for deer and hogs and substitute the 150 gr. Nosler for elk.
IIRC, the late Jack O'Connor's wife used 154 gr. Hornady (pre-interlock) and 150 gr. Nosler Partitions for just about all her use of the 7x57.Just looked it up. (quote) " Using a 160 gr. Speer bullet in front of 52.0 gr. of no. 4831 (Surplus I believe) for a velocity of about 2,650 in a 22" barrel my wife has shot elk, black bear, Dall and Stone sheep, mule deer and Rocky Mountain goats. Her bag with this combination includes two big bull kudu, roan antelope, several bull sable and about a dozen zebra, mostly with one shot." (unquote) That's from his book THE HUNTING RIFLE.
Personally, I use Winchester W-760 in my 7x57 rifles. W-760 and H-414 are just different lots of the same powder. Either powder makaes the 7x57 sing.
Paul B.

I would also vote for a 160gr bullet. I settled on this for my .280, I use Speer HC for deer & antelope & switch to a NP for elk (backup rifle). I think A-frame are a bit hard, maybe a Speer GS or Hornady Interlok as an all rounder.

quote:

Nosler for elk

Paul,

Thats exactly the reason I use the Noslers. I usually do a combo hunt deer/bear/elk tag and these bullets cover all bases if the need to.

If I am specifically on a Elk hunt I don't normally carry my 7x57, I move up to a 30 mag. But last few years I just buy my combo tags
(small price difference) and am not really on a elk hunt, just legally tagged if the opportunity presents itself. Unless I have arranged pack animals and at least a week of time allocated I don't consider myself getting serious about elk hunting.

I have shot the Sierra's also and I while the acccuracy is excellent and I have no misgivings on there use on deer, I just don't think they are the best bullet for heavier game.

Thanks for all the imput. While I agree that the 7X57 might not be the best Elk round I feel that a rifle that she can shoot well and have faith in means a lot. I know she will only take a nice simple broadside shot. I had forgotten I bought a couple hundred 140Accubonds. So I'm going to work up a load for that. She will use it for deer and hogs this fall. Provided it works well on the big hogs will use the same for the game she will shoot in Africa next spring. I still have 1.5 years until the next elk hunt.

Reading the responses I am amazed at the lack of support for the 140 partition. Loaded to 2800 fps it will do fine on the animals mentioned, although the heavier premiums will of course be fine as well. The 140 will kick less so it may be more comfortable for the wife to shoot.

Rick I was surprised as well. My first two elk were taken with 140Part from my 280 Wildcat. Yes the velocity was higher but the bullet exited in both cases. She currently shoots the 140BT over H414 at 2750. I don't dare try and shoot against her out to her comfort zone. I haven't tried the Accubond in her rifle if it shoot great if not I will try the 140 or 150 Part.

Ramrod, the accubond may be the flavor of the month, and is no doubt a great hunting bulet, but at the velocities and ranges you mention I fail to see how it is in any way superior to the good old partition.

Rick, I don't think it is any better. I was planning on loading her rifle with the 140Part unless I was convinced differently. Then as I was looking on my bullet shelf I saw I had 200 Accubonds I needed to order partitions. So I decided to try them instead. I haven't use them on game so this will be a first for me.

quote:

The 140 will kick less so it may be more comfortable for the wife to shoot.

There isn't going to be any real difference in recoil between 140 gr and 150 gr in a 7x57.

The original point was an all aound bullet for everything, and my preference is the slightly heavier bullet. The 140 gr is pretty much the 7mm equivilant of the 130 gr bullet in a 270 win, and that has taken a LOT of game over the years from Havelina to Grizzlies. I recently was reading a Jack O Conner book and he took a moose and a grizzly with a 130 gr. He admited that he thought the bullet was a little light for both applications but he was on a sheep hunt and his heavier bullets were in camp and he used what he had, or passed on the shots.

A lesson from his experience is most hunters seldom carry multiple ammunition types into the field, so I opt for slightly heavier always. I am pretty consistant on this with all my rifles, I shoot the heaviest bullet I can and still get reasonable trajectories. Individual rifles come into play on this, the older 7x57 with 8.5:1 twists do really well with 160-175 grain bullets, the 9:1 twists I have played with do down to 140 well, but the unfortunates who have a 11:1 twist will find the lighter bullet group the best. This is very general rule of thumb rules.

One bullet for both elk and deer is pretty hard to recommend, considering recoil is a factor...

In which case I would think that you are limited to a monolithic hollow point of light weight...A light monolithic will penitrate as well as a heavy conventional bullet and recoil will be substantially less, so that solves all your problems...

My choice would be a 130 to 140 gr. GS Custom, or perhaps a Barnes X, I prefer the GS Customs bullets over the Barnes bullets, but thats your choice...A 130 gr. .284 GS Customs will give you penitration to spare on elk from most any angle except going directly away and it just may do that, don't know.

I love the 7mm caliber in that I think it has an amazing array of wonderfull bullet choices. Possibly even better than the .30 cals.

Rodger makes an excelent point in that standard bullets were originaly concieved with 7X57 velocities in mind.

Any of the bullets mentioned should be fine although I would stay away from anything lighter than 150 gns in a standard bullet for all around use. My personal choice would probably be between the 154 gn interlock, 160 Mag tip or any of the Accubonds in that caliber. The 160 gn would be better than 140's for all around use.

Another real good one is the 145 gn grand slam, the new ones tend to be more accurate than the old dual alloy core Grand slams and yet they are still a great bullet.

Sorry for the confusion. There isn't anything the 7x57 could shoot that would have too high a recoil for my wife. She shoots my 340PDK amd 35 Whelen from the bench or the rail on her blind. She just likes the feel of her 7X57 with the short barrel it balances better for her to shoot off hand or shooting sticks. Plus it was hers start to finsh not one of mine made to fit her. Pride of owner ship. LOL

I wrestled long and hard with this with my 7x57. Without a shadow of a doubt it would have been the 140gr partition but that unfortunately delivered patterns not groups.

I have tried a few bullets now - I can tell you that if I can recover 154gr Hornady RN from deer the size of coyotes that it is not a wise bullet choice for elk. People seem to forget that the RN design as applied by Hornady is to increase expansion not penetration.

I gradualy came to realise that to have a box of 175gr A frames, a working load and the adjustments necessary in hand is not a terrible inconvenience. Thusly I would load 140s (of any persuasion) until the elk trip came along, adjust sights, quick practice and I'm ready.

quote:

Originally posted by RickF:

Ramrod, the accubond may be the flavor of the month, and is no doubt a great hunting bulet, but at the velocities and ranges you mention I fail to see how it is in any way superior to the good old partition.

I think that the Accubond usually gives superior accuracy to the Partition.

150 gr Nosler Partition. Best all round choice considering recoil, velocity, trajectory, expansion, penetration, etc.
If hunting elk in heavy timber I would consider loading her up some 175 gr Partitions, the 175 grain bullets is what made the 7x57 famous for Big big game.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
150 gr Nosler Partition. Best all round choice considering recoil, velocity, trajectory, expansion, penetration, etc.

Bingo, always worked for me.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

What I would like to arrive at is one bullet for her 7X57 to cover all her hunting.

Generally, the 180 grain bullet is considered to be the ideal one-bullet-for-everything weight for the 30-06. Also, one can assume that, within reason (i.e. excluding very large and very small diameters) and other things being equal, bullets of the same sectional density will have approximately the same penetrating power.

Given those two somewhat dubious assumptions, we can note that the sectional density of the 180 grain 30 caliber bullet is .270, and the sectional density of the 150 grain .284 bullet is a near-identical .266, and conclude that a 150 grain or slightly heavier bullet in a 7mm rifle should perform about the same as a 180 grain bullet in a 30 caliber rifle, all else (bullet shape and construction, velocity, etc.) being the same. This would suggest that a bullet of that weight would be the ideal one-bullet-for-everything choice for the 7X57.

ramrod - follow in the footsteps of history. jack o'connor's wife, if i remember corectly, used 160 grain bullets in her 7x57. he referred often to an "obselete, open-point western bullet." i am not sure what a modern version of this would be, but if it is a bullet that isn't made anymore, try something else of that weight.

i would bet that at 7x57 velocities, an 160-grain Sierra GameKing would do very well.....


question: what's wrong with the 7x57 as an elk cartridge? aut to 250, and probably even 300 yards, it should be outstanding.

Ok, since she can handle recoil, I would go with the 160 gr. Nosler partition, I have shot some very big stuff with it...

Also the new Barnes triple X bullets may be a good bullet for all around use, but I would have to use them some more as I did have a failure with the first one I shot, but the GS Customs monolithics sure do work as do the Northforks..

ramrod340,

This tunred out to be a really interesting read - thanks for starting.....there appears to be alot of really good 7x57 bullet experiences out there.

My wife doesn't hunt very often at all but on the odd occaision where we get to be each other's best hunting buddy she has never complained (or even remarked - I think she just doesn't realize and I'm SURE not going to tell her!) about recoil, rather always mentioned that she found all my rifle's generally heavy.

Sorta like your story, I used this to my advantage by selecting a Blaser K-95 Stuzen for ME! Which she considers a really nifty, neat, light hunting rifle. I could have chosen the .243 but figured the 7x57R covered more bases. She loves it and shoots it well.

I use the 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips in the 7x57R and consider the bullet performance is optimized by the somewhat reduced velocity in the short (read:stubby) barrel. I also use a pretty stiff load of H-4350; actually the 7x57 rimless load as opposed to the somewhat reduced data offered for the rimmed version - doesn't seem to make any difference in a modern rifle IMHO.

From your given criteria I'd start with the 140 grain Nosler Partition and see how the accuracy develops. As an alternative (because I've been itching to try them in this cartridge) would be the Barnes 120 gr. TSX. Don't have any expereince with Barnes but this bullet may offer excellent expansion & penetration with light recoil.