My 7x57 Mauser is finally ready for hunting season. Good thing as it's only two weeks away.



It's a M98 Mauser sporterized into something a gent would have carried in the late 1890's. I used one of the walnut stocks Midway sold last summer with the steel buttplate and gripcap. Added a 26" Douglas barrel, 10" twist, throated for long bullets, Smith Enterprises iron sights.



So far I've had good luck accuracy wise with the 160gr and 175gr Speer Hot Cores pushed out of the bore with H414 at about 2,400fps. Has anyone used these bullets for deer and how'd that go?



I'm probably going to use this for whitetail deer for a while, I know the heavy bullets are overkill but they're more. . . traditional for this cartridge. Then who knows, West for elk or back to Africa for plains game.

I'm giving the 175 gr Hornady RN's a whirl on the NM muleys this weekend...hopefully, I'll let you know how they do. At 2400 fps or so I really think you'd have a hard time finding a bad bullet. The premiums might be too tough..hmmmmmm. Hope they work 'cuz I only have 1500 or so of them...

tasunkawitko,

Which GameKing do you have? Sierra says the bthp GameKing is designed for the magnum cartridges and probably won't expand at "normal cartridge" velocities.

I've got some of the 7MM 160gr bthp GameKing bullets and haven't shot anyting except paper with them yet.

FWIW the Magtips seemed to expand quickly, at least it blew the first two jugs in my "test media" into oblivion. After those the slug punched a half inch hole through to the end of the stack and stopped at the surplus ballistic vest I use as a bullet catcher.

rick -



it sounds like, from your experience, that the 175-grain bullet expands very well even on deer. good news!



i have a box of these in sierra gameking, but have not loaded any yet. it looks like the weight combined with the 7x57's moderate velocities will produce a very good expander AND penetrator.