Just started reloading for the first time and am having a lot of fun. Next on the list to reload is 7x57 for my early G&H built on a 03 action.

In the field I'll use the rifle for whitetails here in Michigan, nothing longer than 100-yards. Other than that, plinking and punching holes in paper will be the primary activity. Given the wide range of bullets available, what would be some versatile loads to work up? Right now I am shooting 150gr. Nosler Partitions and the rifle shoots very well.

Thanks,

JDG

In my 7X57, I have had very good luck with 150gr. Rem. Coreloks. They are very accurate and perform great.
Pushing them with RL-22. Haven't tried any Noslers yet.

I certainly don't think you can go wrong with the 150gr NP. When I moved to WV, I shot some deer using a 7-08 and the Hornady 154gr bullet. FWIW, the bullet was a RN and it would do a number on a deer.

I've always liked the Hornady 139 grain spire point flat base. They have performed very well for me out my 7x57's and especially my 7mm08. I k now they have a long jump in the 7x57 chamber throat but they will shoot plenty accurate enough for deer hunting.

Why not have a look at DocM's thread on "Terminal Bullet Performance"? Some great ideas there
Here is the link
http://forums.accuratereloadin...4711043/m/2861098911

Your load w/ the 150g NP shoots well. Great bullet. Why change ? If you want cheaper bullets to plink, get so
me 150g Speer , Sierra or Rem and load them the same.

My 7x57 Mauser rifle likes bullets from 154grs up.
Best performance with 175grs.


Martin

139 Hornadys and 4350 work well for me.

160gn Woodleigh over 46gn H4350 at 2700fps for me. Light animals would get the 120gn GS Custom and 51gn BL-C2 and 3235fps. My rifle and my loads with 160gn cast for plinking.

Check out this video on the 7mm bullet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLfDYon92n0

This is the thread the video came from and where he has the 160gn Woodleigh at 2405 in his 7x57 and 2908 in the 7mmRM with mine running it at 2700fps I get the penetration and expansion balance just right.
http://forums.nitroexpress.com...=0&page=1#Post196029

Mainly using it for plinking and paper punching, maybe try casting bullets. Much less blast and recoil and much cheaper once you get set up.

and I use a 40 grain charge of IMR 3031 with bullet weights from 139 to 175 RNs in my Ruger..
MV right around 2650 fps for all bullet weights..
to include the 175s which are ALL loaded to magazine length as the Ruger is long throated..

in my factory model 70 Featherweight, 44 grains of IMR 4895 and a 140 grain ballistic tip at 2800 fps...also long throated..

I've used both 140gr. NBTs and Part. to kill deer ahead of IMR 4350 at 2700fps. Factory loads I've used to kill deer has been Rem. 140gr. core-locks and Hansen 175gr. soft points. No complaints with any.

Joe A.

I've always used Sierra or Hornady 140-139 gr flatbase ahead of 49grs H4350. I seat the bullet out so there is less jump to the rifling but leave enough bullet in the case neck for security. Accurate and pleasant.

Jerry Liles

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Liles:
I've always used Sierra or Hornady 140-139 gr flatbase ahead of 49grs H4350. I seat the bullet out so there is less jump to the rifling but leave enough bullet in the case neck for security. Accurate and pleasant.

Jerry Liles

Ok, this is where I need to learn more: first, how do I find out how much space there is between the bullet and the rifling? I assume closer is better as long as the action will close. Sorry, guys remember I am a newbie when it comes to re-loading.

Thanks in advance.

If you have a cruddy fired case (must have been fired in your rifle) squeeze the neck slightly out of round enough to grip a bullet.
Push the bullet nose first into the case about 1/16" (not critical). Chamber the bulleted case. The origin of the rifling will push the bullet into the case. Examine the results and set aside.

Next doe the same thing again but make sure the grip on the bullet is firm. Push the bullet into the case base first. Chamber this bulleted case and extract.

This shows you where the bullet will be when it touches the rifling. You can set your seater with this. Hold a bullet along side the case and compare to see how deep the bullet is.
It should be at least 1 diameter deep. If not set your die until the bullet is seated 1 diameter deep.

If the bullet touched the rifling and was at least 1 diameter deep set the seater die to seat it about .020 off the rifling.
If this is not clear PM me.

This load worked great for me. That oal was taken useing my homebuild gauge.

For a 100 yd max deer load just about anything it shoots well would work. I'd probaboy light load a heavier bullet so it doesn't blow the beegeezus out of the veny.

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
and I use a 40 grain charge of IMR 3031 with bullet weights from 139 to 175 RNs in my Ruger..
MV right around 2650 fps for all bullet weights..

Seafire, the same MV for different bullet weights, using the same charge? And with that fast powder, no less? I'm surprised. I'm not doubting you, mind you; I'm just surprised.

I have found two throat lengths in the 7x57. A longer 'euro' throat and my gunsmith has a reamer from the USA with a shorter throat more suited to 140's.

If 150's work well then I would stay around that weight. I would have no problem with the Hornady 154 both Spt and RN. It is cheap, and if you do hunt at 100 yards then the RN will give you better expansion.

Here's a 175 weight test looking for quick expansion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIPnl3IRS4I

You will love the 7x57.

The standard 7x57 chamber is throated for a 175gr round nose bullet. It makes for a long throat. I find in my rifle I cannot seat a 140gr spitzer far enough out to touch the rifling and still have enough bullet in the case neck for security. As a compromise I seat the bullet just an RCH shy of one full diameter deep. This gives enough bearing for security and, at least in my rifle, makes for an accurate load. Boat tail bullets have to be seated deeper because the boat tail does not provide bearing surface. I get decent accuracy with the Sierra and Hornady boat tails but much better with the flat base. I haven't tried heavier bullets in the rifle as Louisiana deer have not managed to develop immunity to 140 gr bullets.

By the way I had planned to seat the bullet one diameter deep but managed to slightly mismeasure. The load shot so well I left it as is.

Jerry Liles

Interesting thread. Persoally, I don't think one needs a 150 gr. Nosler Partition for Whitetail Deer at 100 yards or less. I might look at a 150 gr. cup and core bullet and load it to right around 2600 FPS and feel I was good to go. I haven't seen any deer wearing Kevlar lately.
One load I've used in the 7x57 was a stiff load of W760 and the 140 gr. Nosler Ballisitic tip. The load is fine in my Winchester M70 Featherweight and Ruger #1A but is way too hot for my custom Mauser. Velocity was 2800 FPS from the Winchester and accuracy was .75" groups on average. I've only shot one deer with that load and the bullet literally blew up on a rib. To be fair to Nosler though, this was an early ballistic Tip bullet from when Nosler was still selling them in 100 bullet boxes. Sadly, that deer was never recovered.
I just did a bit of playing with the 175 gr. Hornady round nose while duplicating the original 1892 load or roughly 2300 FPS. I got that velocity from the Winchester and Ruger but in my custom Mauser which has a match grade chamber and barrel, the velocity was 2410 FPS. Accuracy was great in all three rifles.
I did have, at one time, neat mauser sporter made by some small british gun shop. The action was based on the 1893 Mauser and a neater light weight rifle you never saw. it did almost sour me on the 7x57 though as when I bought it, the only ammo in town was two boxes of Federal 175 gr. round nose, supposedly at 2400 FPS. Early morning opening day found me on the hunt at about 8 in the morning I got a shot at a nice eating size Mule Deer at quite close range. I knew my shot was good and although the deer took off, i didn't think it would go far. Boy was I wrong. My wife and I looked for that deer until it got too dark to look any more and we didn't find it. I was out the next morning and found what the coyotes and birds had left. Kind of soured me on the 7x57 and I hunted the rest of the season with my .308.
When I had my custom mauserbuild done, I still had some of those 175 gr. federals on hand and went to Sportsman's Warehouse and bought a fresh box. My thoughts were was the original batch of ammo bad or were they all too slow or what? Now my custom rifle has a "fast" barrel due to tight dimemsions and the original Federal loads did 2010 FPS. Then, I tried the fresh factory ammo and it too was right at the 2010 FPS level, actually slightly higher with an average of 2017 FPS. They advertise 2410 FPS IIRC. One gun writer recently wrote I an article that he'd chronographed some of the same ammo and 2010 was close to what he found out they were shooting. So much for truth in advertising.
I'm thinking of playing some more with the 170-175 gr. bullets in round nose form. The 7x57 made it's world wide reputation with that load so maybe I'll shoot a few animals with the load and see where they're coming from. I'll also be playing with the 160 gr. Grand Slam and 150 gr. Nosler Partitions as well. I find the 7x57 to be a really cool fun gun and those are the best kind.
Paul B.

ar 2k fps the expansion would have been nil.
any 139-140 gr bullet can easily be shot over 2700 fps and will take any deer in the usa.
i use the hornady 139 interlock for deer and elk.
i keep my shots under 300 yds.
and push them to 2850 in one rifle and to 2750 in the other one using rl-19.
i bought a bunch of remington 140gr coreloks
a couple of years back and use these for plinking and rock shooting practice over a mild load of 4831sc.
they shoot just a bit lower than the hunting load but close enough for the distances i use them for.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Bore Fan:
My 7x57 Mauser rifle likes bullets from 154grs up.
Best performance with 175grs.


Martin

+1

I took Von Gruff's advice and I'm running 46grs of AR2209 (H4350) behind a 154gr Hornady RN. I think my Ruger 1A has fallen in love with it.

The down side is, Hornady have discontinued the RN 154gr.

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the advice so far. A lot of great info to process and digest.

When I think of my 7x57 I don't think of shooting anything heavier than 150-gr ammo. Now, I am sure that's just my inexperience but when I start thinking 167 - 170 gr bullets I immediately think of my trusty old 06. I guess my question is why would I shoot anything over 160 out of my 7x57 vs my 06?

Thanks,

JDG

quote:

Originally posted by Doublegun:
Gentlemen,

Thanks for the advice so far. A lot of great info to process and digest.

When I think of my 7x57 I don't think of shooting anything heavier than 150-gr ammo. Now, I am sure that's just my inexperience but when I start thinking 167 - 170 gr bullets I immediately think of my trusty old 06. I guess my question is why would I shoot anything over 160 out of my 7x57 vs my 06?

Thanks,

JDG

Answer: S.D.

I thought the same thing when I had my 7x57 built. I was going to load only 140's and use it as a step up from a .243W. (Now there is a sacrilegous statement with the 7x57 and .243 in the same sentence). It didn't plan out that way as I can't get it to shoot 140's accurately with it's long throat. I went up to 154, 160 and 175's. This is where it gets interesting.

With the longer projectiles the 7x57 starts to 'do things' you don't expect on really large animals. Without sounding like a 'right wally' there is a magic about the round that has lead to its reputation.

The .30-06 is a great round with 180's and up and I wish I hadn't sold mine years ago. The 7x57 does the same job with a lot less fuss. More like a rapier than a club.

quote:

Originally posted by Doublegun:
Gentlemen,

Thanks for the advice so far. A lot of great info to process and digest.

When I think of my 7x57 I don't think of shooting anything heavier than 150-gr ammo. Now, I am sure that's just my inexperience but when I start thinking 167 - 170 gr bullets I immediately think of my trusty old 06. I guess my question is why would I shoot anything over 160 out of my 7x57 vs my 06?

Thanks,

JDG

Nothing wrong with that as long as they shoot well. I have a couple boxes of 160 gn Speer Mag tips just in case I feel like taking my 7X57 after Elk. Havent shot them yet though.

I also agree that a 140 gn cup and core is plenty for deer. I like 150 gn Core locks and a stiff charge of W-760 or H-414.

My son's custom 7 X 57 on a Springfield '03 really likes the Speer 145 Grand Slam pushed with 45 grains of AA 4350 lit with a CCI-200. I use Winchester brass and like to seat the bullets about .010" shorter than COL determined the way SR 4759 does it, as he explained above...

Ok, starting to feel overwhelmed. I have so much to learn. This I can tell you: my G&H 7x57 is my favorite rifle to carry. Is's so light and handles so well.

Keep in mind there is no glass on this rifle, just a Lyman 48 and I am going to be able to shoot it only so well. That's why I am looking for optimal performance on deer sized game out to maybe 150-yards.

Before I gave up on the 140's I put a Sierra 140 SptBt into this NZ Red Stag at 120 yards (lasered). Here is the entry hole with the hide removed. The path of the projectile went towards the right front shoulder and did not exit. The Stag took four steps straight down hill and collapsed. dead on its feet. Optimistic estimated live weight by the guide was 220lbs .



If your rifle shoots 140's and 150's they will work beautifully.

(I'm getting sick of posting this photo but it graphically illustrates the result)

quote:

Originally posted by Wismon:

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
and I use a 40 grain charge of IMR 3031 with bullet weights from 139 to 175 RNs in my Ruger..
MV right around 2650 fps for all bullet weights..

Seafire, the same MV for different bullet weights, using the same charge? And with that fast powder, no less? I'm surprised. I'm not doubting you, mind you; I'm just surprised.

hey, I don't mind the question at all..

the results surprised the pants off of me also, the first time I used it...and I went with that powder, right before I was ready to pull the barrel off for not being able to shoot worth a crap..

got it out of an older Hornady manual..

but I found that combo for the 7 x 57..

I also have found for my 338/06, that 50 grains of 4064 pretty much will shoot a 200 to 250 grain bullet at 2500 fps also..

another nice little flexible convenience..

that one came from looking thru the Sierra Manual and applying it to other bullet weights.

crazy huh?

quote:

Originally posted by Code4:
Before I gave up on the 140's I put a Sierra 140 SptBt into this NZ Red Stag at 120 yards (lasered). Here is the entry hole with the hide removed. The path of the projectile went towards the right front shoulder and did not exit. The Stag took four steps straight down hill and collapsed. dead on its feet. Optimistic estimated live weight by the guide was 220lbs .



If your rifle shoots 140's and 150's they will work beautifully.

(I'm getting sick of posting this photo but it graphically illustrates the result)

Geesh! What a mess... Guess that is great for those that like to have a blood trail..

Here's is a similar sized Oregon Blacktail deer take that weight 210 on the hoof..most are usually 100 lbs or so anymore...this one was a well fed one in a suburban area...

even tho the pic has my son and his friend from Scouts in it...as they wanted to post a pic like they had taken the deer for their facebook web pages...

This shows what flexibility the 7 x 57 has for the handloader...we hunt 1/2 mile from the house in a wooded area, where 150yds is a long shot..so I always load my rifles to match the game and the distance I am going to shoot..

traditional open country, have a load of 140 grain ballistic tip, behind 44 grains of IMR 4895 for an MV of 2800 fps out of my Model 70 Featherweight....



The load that took this deer, with a heart shot no less, at 50 yds or less...

28 grains of SR 4759, shooting a 115 grain Speer HP...

has same point of impact at 100 yds as the above load...

the used bullet at lower speeds, acts much like a ballistic tip would, even tho it is considered a varmint bullet...

recoil was much like shooting a 223...

but at the ranges we were hunting, that was more than what was needed...

Well I have a great load if you ever wish to shoot the 140gr TSX bullet in your 7x57, 51gr of Reloder 19 is just lights out in my 26" Shilen fluted stainless barrel on the Chillean mauser action. FS

Picked up a box of 110 gr Speer HP's for "plinking" but my manual does not have any loads for that light of a projectile. Can/will someone share with me a recipe for 110's over 4350?

Thanks,

JDG

Lee's book shows a 110 bullet and a 51 to 54gn H4350 for 3046fps at 46454psi and My older books show a 115 bullet but with imr 4350 but at similar load levels.

quote:

Originally posted by Doublegun:
Picked up a box of 110 gr Speer HP's for "plinking" but my manual does not have any loads for that light of a projectile. Can/will someone share with me a recipe for 110's over 4350?

Thanks,

JDG

no love for you in the speer manual with 4350.4895,4064,4320, r15 plus a few others are listed.fs

If anyone's interested I have several hundred once fired 7x57 brass on hand I'd like to sell.Mostly Rem but I also have Win brass.Let me know how much you'd like and I'll give you a price.