I just started loading for a circa-1979 Ruger No. 1 I had set aside for another build, and holy ogives, Batman, that is a really loooong throat in that thing -- clearly throated for the old cylindrical 175 RN. This is 160-grain Nosler Accubond that is just short of the lands at 3.325 inches OACL.
If I were a more sophisticated handloader I would probably have all kinds of fun with the additional case capacity, but I don't have pressure testing equipment.

My dad had a Ruger 77 7x57 from the same era that had the same problem. We couldn't get any bullet to even come close to the lands.

I'm not saying you suggested it was a problem. But.... my experience is that getting close to the lands is a highly overrated practice in hunting rifles. Most rifles shoot well with jump. That includes Berger VLDs in two rifles I have used them in. I say load her up and off you go.

By the way some of the drive band and bore riding designs always shoot with huge jump... pretty much to the case mouth! The North Fork CPS and FPS are good examples. Yet my 375 H&H shoots the 300gr and 350gr comfortably amd consistently sub moa.

Many European rifles and calibres have longer throats. Weatherby freebore is another example. I think you scored some case capacity.

Bill, it looks like the 156gr Normas I used to shoot in my 6.5x55.

Bill

Why not use some 175's in that rifle. The 7x57 was originally designed for the 175's. I bet you'll like it.

I have a mid 1970's Ruger 77R in 338 Win. It has a very long throat. Consequently it never shot lighter bullets very well. However it shot 250 gr Sierra's and Partions to the same spot into tiny little groups. It also shot the 275 gr Speer's into unbelievable groups (3 shot cloverleafs @ 100 yds.) I think a lot of the early Rugers had pretty long throats.

Why not load what you want to shoot and see if it works!

I had an early '80's 700 ADL sporter in 308 with a really long throat that I got in a pawn shop about 10 years ago for $250. I loaded 165 grain Ballistic tips to kiss the lands over the max book charge of varget for consistent half inch groups with a 6x Leupold. First bolt action I've used as a single shot, but it shot well enough with that one load that I didn't care. It did so well on an eastern Colorado antelope hunt that the fellow who took me hunting gave me $500 for it. He said it was a good reason to get into handloading. I even told him that a lot of factory 308's with normal throats shoot that well with factory ammo, but he'd never seen a big game rifle shoot that well, so he just had to have it. I've never used any of the newfangled bullets that need to jump to shoot well. If the magazine is long enough, I guess I'll always be a,"kiss the the lands", guy when starting load development. (Please pardon the run on sentences. I just woke up.)

Bill,
I have all the load data one could ask for for your gun, email if your interested, but don't tell Jeffe the snowflake, he has tantrums when I quote velocities, but he knows not my loads, that's my secret, never to be trusted to his kind..

When I got my BRNO 22F about a dozen years ago, I had to wait a while to get rings that would work on it. While waiting for them to come in, I checked the chamber for proper seating depth. Using Hornady 139 gr SPs, I literally couldn't seat the bullets out far enough to touch the lands.

This was the first BRNO sporter I'd ever seen and it was love at first sight. It had every feature I liked...full stock, small ring 98 action, double square bridge, light weight, etc. After determining the throat length, I resigned myself to having a neat rifle that, hopefully, would stay in 'minute of deer chest'. I just hoped that a really long bullet would do that.

When the rings came in and I got the scope mounted, I tried the 139 gr loads used in my Mark X (which were seated to one bullet diameter depth) and they printed about 1.5" from the gitgo. Everything I've tried since in the BRNO has produced perfectly acceptable results. That experience convinced me to not to accept the conventional wisdom about throat length.

Just try it and see what happens.

I had the same problem with a sako bavarian carbine in 6.5x55. Had to seat the 155 megas out so far they barely were held in the case.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:

If I were a more sophisticated handloader I would probably have all kinds of fun with the additional case capacity, but I don't have pressure testing equipment.

If you have a chronograph and a couple of good, credible reloading manuals, you have a certain degree of pressure testing equipment. The laws of physics dont lie.

quote:

Originally posted by mdstewart:
Bill

Why not use some 175's in that rifle. The 7x57 was originally designed for the 175's. I bet you'll like it.

Agree

Fellas, I'd sure consider the 175s for elk, but prefer a lighter bullet for our little blacktailed deer that often dress at 120 pounds. I have an NOE mold to cast 170-grain gas-checked FN bullets that might just be the nuts for plinking.

Bill

Have you tried lighter bullets yet? I dont want to be repetitive but some rofles shoot just great with a lot of jump. It helps to choose a forgiving ogive but thats.most regular designs.

Does anyone sell the H-Mantle 174gr?

This is a very common complaint on Rugers in 7 x57. The sierra 175 is said to be the most accurate by the guys on the Ruger forum in this round.

Try some of the MTH 180gr from Cutting Edge Bullets. They are solid copper(expanding)and really long. Over 1.6inches!

Andy B

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
Try some of the MTH 10gr from Cutting Edge Bullets. They are solid copper(expanding)and really long. Over 1.6inches!

Andy B

roger

Edited. Forgot to turn on Num Lock.

Andy B

I had an early 70'S 77 in 7X57. I ran into the same type problem you have Bill, except it wouldn't shoot any bullet I needed a 7mm to shoot. Many folks suggested I shoot the 175 grain bullet and see how it would group, but that's not the weight I needed. It shot other weights so bad I decided to send it down the road. As it was a near new rifle, I put it on Gunbroker, and sold it to a guy in Oregon, somewhere near Portland if I remember.

Jerry

II have the same #1
!st i recommend H 414 under 140 grain bullets.
I get just at 2900 fps , and accuracy is truly outstanding.
I have loaded hotter withe same components with no ill effect but the gain was very small.
the load looks funny , with the bullet seated way out there like that.
I seat just deep enough for the case to hold the bullet solidly...tj3006