Just picked up a really nice .275 Rigby/7x57 in an older Rigby Mauser.
Anyone have a "go to" load for that caliber? This would be stalking and stags in the UK and Europe.

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Just picked up a really nice .275 Rigby/7x57 in an older Rigby Mauser.

First of all, I see you're in Denver so if you need to let it cool, hide it from the wife, that sort of thing... I can be of assistance.

Don't have any loads to share but would love to see it!

I’ve had good results from the Norma 154g load on rusa deer

pretty much everything American made is almost as powerful as your run of the mill 30-30 ammo.

I have good luck with 139-145gr stuff loafing along at more like 27-2800 fps.

I, too, had a 275 Rigby Mauser that was stocked by JJ Perodeau. My "pet" load was 48gr of RL19 with a 160 gr Sierra boat tail. Very accurate and deadly on deer and pigs.

160gr Partition, and IMR 4350 loaded to 2700 fps. Should be around 47 grains powder. PPU cases and WLR primers. Pretty mild load.

This load is what my wife shoots and it has been very reliable on zebra, sable, and whitetails.

Jeremy

Congratulations, dogcat.

I have a circa 1950 NRA reloader's guide. You're be surprised at what your reliable and thoroughly capable cartridge can do when it's loaded to its abilities in a modern rifle.

I have a 7MM Rem Mag that I bough before I got in to hand loading. After I got in to hand loading, I learned of the superb sectional densities of .284 caliber bullets.

If I had to do over again, I'd go with a much lighter 7x57 with a 22" barrel. Anything the 7MM Rem Mag can do, and it can do it all in North America, the 7x57 has already done it.

Load your 7x57 with 160 grain Partitions to 2800 FPS, and you'd be good for the largest North American big game. Now here's the rub: I get 3100 FPS with 160 grain Partitions out of my 24" barreled 7MM Rem Mag that weighs over 10 pounds. It will not kill any big game animal any deader than a 7x57 loaded with 160 grain Partitions at 2800 FPS. Wisdom being a function of age, I'd much rather have a lightweight 7x57 with a 22" barrel. My regret is not knowing what I needed to know when I needed to know it. Velocity -within reason- is not as important as accuracy and penetration, which the 7x57 has in spades.

I hope your 7x57 brings you many years of successful seasons.

dogcat,

That circa 1950 NRA guide lists 49 grains of IMR-4350 mas max for 156 grain bullets.

I'd probably work up loads using RL-19, My guess is you'll hit 2800 FPS with 160 grain bullets without any indication of pressure.

I have enough 160 grain Partitions loaded for my 7MM Rem Mag to last longer than the rest of my life. If I were given a do-over, I'd have given 160 grain GameKings a long look. I've read of spectacular results using 160 grain GameKings on Rocky Mountain bull elk. According to Sierra's Website, it appears that it designed the 160 grain .284 caliber GameKing for use on North America's largest game.

I've had excellent luck with Partitions. They'll produce one-shot kills every time. But I've experienced phenomenal accuracy with GameKings. I've had Rocky Mountain mule deer disappear into dirt that were standing upon after they were hit with 130 grain GameKings fired from a .270 Win

Thanks all. I have a starting place!

Ive used H414 over the years on all weight bullets, I have a strong rifle and most reloading books are weak on the 7x57 due to law suits, as many junk milsurp mod. 95s and 96 Mausers and single shots are out there..So I load a good deal over book max and have for years..Same with the 8x57..

RL-19, RL-22 are also good powders, A 175 gr. bullet should get you up to 2650 or better, same for the 160 gr. I recommend a long throat and a 30-06 length magazine box on the 7x57, it helps increase the powder capacity of the 7x57 case..

I hesitate to mention exact loads as you never know how that kind of information is used or misused, misinturpeted, and what gun it would be used in..

Hi Ray,

I agree with you.

I have decades' old boxes of Rem 7MM Rem Mag 150 grain Core-Lokts that I've chrono'd at just over 3200 FPS. From what I understand, now a 7MM Rem Mag hunter would be lucky to get 3100 FPS with the same bullet. From memory alone Jack O'Conner wrote of getting 3000 FPS from factory 175 grain Core-Lokts, but bullets were too stoutly constructed and didn't expand on elk. Apparently, they were designed to break bones belonging to America's big and dangerous bears.

Speer #9 guide has what I'd call normal loads for hunting cartridges. Now 60 grains of H-4831 & 130 grain .270 Win bullet is considered unsafe. God only knows how many unsafe rounds I've fired out of my 45+ year-old Model 700 .270 Win with nary a sign of pressure.

RL-19 is amazing powder. I have at least a 100 rounds of 130 grain GameKings loaded with H-4831. But I might load a 100 with RL-19 & 130 grain GameKings for this year's Rocky Mountain mule deer hunt. I figure I can burn powder on thinning out fawn eating coyotes.

I've gotten 3200 FPS out of my 24" barreled 7MM Rem Mag with 160 grain bullets and a max load of RL-22. I went with just under an early 70's era max load of H-4831 and 160 Partitions because accuracy was better.

H-4831 will produce 3000 FPS with 175 grain Partitions fired out of my 7MM Rem Mag.

It sure seems that if a hunter wants to get his cartridge to perform as advertised, hand loading is the only option.

My friend who works for them (Rigby) said many people use there 139 grain Hornady ammo.

.

Ross, I have a new .275 Rigby and it digests 139 grain Hornady SST very very well in the 7x57 Mauser. Bought 1.000 rounds and bases covered from pigs to stags to roe buck !

Would love to see pictures of your new, old Rigby!

Cheers

.

For deer, the 130 gr. flat base or boat tail Speer is awesome, Ive shot a lot of deer with that bullet in my 7x57s, 284s and 7mm-06s over the years, The 145 gr. Speer is another awesome bullet on deer and such if one likes a bit more weight...For and all around shoot anything bullet I like the acccubond or partition, rock chucks to Moose. Big Bears, ok in a pinch but my choice there is a 375 H&H or Ruger.