The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting American Big Game Hunting who hunts with a 7x57??Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| who hunts with a 7x57?? | Login/Join |
| one of us |
I shoot a 7-08 a lot. Out west, I use 140 partitions or 145 grand slams depending on which 7-08 I am using. Here in West Virginia, where the distances are short, I use a 154 Hornady round nose. My reasoning is that around here if the deer runs off into one of the "hollers", you may have to eat half of him while dragging him out. (also, at 63, I just don't enjoy dragging deer as much as I did when younger) So, I use a bullet that will pretty much do for him right where he stands. Not that the other bullets are not sudden in their own right. | |||
|
| <1LoneWolf> |
The neighbors at the cabin we go to here in PA, they're in their 40s, husband and wife. He's a big guy, in shape and not bothered by recoil at all. But, he and his wife use the 7 X 57 with great success. They reload, and both have decided over the years that they like the Hornady 139 SP. Gus, the husband, however swears that the 120 grain Nosler ballistic tip might be nastier. But he has only one kill with that load, that pushes close to 3000 fps, so he refuses to call it his choice as of yet. But he was very impressed by a lightning quick kill with the 120 on a whitetail in NY state. At this point, he isn't sure if he's going to use the 120 or the 139 this PA deer season. I can say this, the 139s have never let either of them down. | ||
|
| <graff> |
Meeeee! I just love the little caliber. It does a work much beyond what paper ballistics would let one expect. I live in a country whoose gun laws are very restrictive.To own a centerfire rifle, one must have a federal 'shooter certificate' issued by an army branch, and is NOT easily obtainable. Even so, there is a reasonably wide choice of calibers. I have used 30.06, .308, 7.08, and none of them does anything a 7x57 doesn't at least as well. It does, with bullets up to l50 grains, everything the 7.08 does, with 8000 psi less, and with heavier bullets, does better. I have used bullets from 120 gr. at 3000fps - for feral goats - to 175 hornady's spiresoftpoint at 2450fps, for feral hogs and waterbuffalo. What the 175 does is absolutely disproportional to its size, weight and speed. In feral hogs, kills faster than any other of the above 7s and 30s These days, I use only the 175s for everything. No problems, because I never shoot beyond 200 yds, mostly under 150. Stalking is a great part of the fun for me. When hunting buffalo, the first cartrige is the 175 softpoint followed by 162 solids at 2600 fps., old military stuff pointed boat tail, that penetrate like a hot knife in butter. My rifle is a sporter made in a Mauser 98 action, synthetic stock, timney trigger, 21 inches barrel. Not a tack driver, a 1.25 incher with 120s, 1.8 incher with 175s and 2 incher with the mil. solids. Not very impressive, maybe, but the three buffaloes in my bag are. Luck and health! | ||
|
| <bigdog> |
I have been using the 7x57 for as long as I can remember. My rifle is a mauser with 24" barrel and ample space to seat the bullet to a C.O.L. of 3.110. I use it for our AZ whitetail, javelina, mule deer, antelope etc. Its my medium size game rifle. One of my favorite calibers. Its very versitle from a bullet weight stand point in a compact ligtweight rifle. I reload it to reach its full potential. I like the anything in the 130-154 gr. loads. My favorite load is the 139 gr. Hornady using H414 powder. This load will reach 2850-2900 easily with no pressure signs. I also have used H4350 and RL19 with good results, but the best is the H414. My 2 cents worth. BD | ||
|
| one of us |
My 7x57 shoots with laser accuracy, a Ruger Model 77 (old style with tang safety). I've used 140gr grain Sierra Pro Hunter and 175gr Nosler Partions, I like the 175gr Noslers the best, load them with 41gr of IMR4350 or 36gr IMR4064, not hot loads but they do the job! I use it mainly for the Sitka Blacktail. I don't have much of an opportunity for long range in the rainforests of SE AK (over 200 yds) so the 175gr gives plenty of energy and if needed I can use it on Black Bear. This caliber designation was once called the .275 Rigby FYI. | |||
|
| one of us |
Czek S&B 140 gr, round nose soft points. Plenty of lead exposed. Like lightning on boars. | |||
|
| <graff> |
As Bigdog says, military mausers in 7x57 have a long throat, maybe from the first ammo issued for them, a long roundnose 175 gr, bullet. I see it as a good thing, and kept it in my commercial barrel. An odd thing, brasilian military mausers, bought by the gov. (mod. 98) in 1908, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1934 and 1935 from DWM, FN, CZ and Mauser all have .286 barrels. Thus, the commercial .284 in my rifle. I also handload, and with the same C.O.L., 3.11 inches. I have used the S.B. 140gr factory Shikaree uses, and they are deadly and accurate. For those who use factory ammo and shoot bigger game, look at the Lapua ammo with 170 gr - a very well constructed bullet, with forcing bands like those of artillery projectiles, and a vel. of 2560fps from my rifle. Accurate, too. Luck and health. | ||
|
| <RAO> |
S&B 140gr,round nose soft points are very deadly and accurate.On my upcoming hunt of "Urial",I intend to use same load.But for larger game like "Nilgai" or hard to kill "Wild boars" of plains,heavier load like Brenekee 154gr tarpedo or any 175gr round nose soft point is better choice. | ||
|
| <'Trapper'> |
I don't own a 7X57mm at the moment but do have plans for another one and I also load for a couple of friends. My very favorite bullet for the 7X57 is one that I don't think you can buy anymore - at least I can't find any - and that is the Norma Tri-Clad 139GR offering. I loaded a LOT of these, usually with either H4350 or H414. Never went for max velocity but tried to stay around 2800fps (about 48.0gr of H414, I believe) and this combo worked wonderfully well. I will surely get some flak here but I can't understand why the 7mm RemMag is so very popular when it does so little more while requiring so much more in recoil, blast, powder, etc. Just the thoughts of an idle fellow. "Shoot straight, shoot safe and shoot a lot!" Best regards, ------------------ | ||
|
| <K9> |
Well, I don�t hunt with a 7x57 but I do hunt with a 7x57R which, basically, is the same. I�ve used it for the last ten years or so on our Swedish roedeer, nothing else. Until four years ago I used Norma factory loads (154 grain bullets @ ca 2600 fps) but now I load my own. Norma�s factory load was actually quite good. I know that Hornady used to supply those bullets for a few years and don�t have much to complain about them! If I should mention anything it is that I find those bullets a little to soft for my taste. If hunting from a stand under controlled circumstances where you can place your bullets just behind the shoulder on a broadside animal they�re great. But if hunting driven game or with dogs or just still hunting you sometimes are better of shooting them in the shoulder and then those bullets mess things up a bit�.. I have however only recovered two of those 154 grain bullets. Both from previously wounded animals which I had to shoot from behind while tracking them with my dog. Both the bullets had stayed in one piece (the remaining weight was not impressing but they had done what I asked of them!) and had penetrated the full length of the roedeer through the paunch! I now use Norma�s 170 grain Oryx @ ca 2300 fps, which I find kills just as well but holds together better and spoils less meat. Their trajectory is a bit more arced but I can shoot out to ca 200 meters without ever having to hold up or down. If they are further away I just stalk closer or lift my hat!
| ||
|
one of us |
I've had much success on PA whitetails with the 7x57 and the 7-08 with Speer's 145 flat base when loaded to around 2800 FPS. Tried the 145 Grand Slam for the heck of it the past few years, and didn't really see a major difference, although the accuracy was a trifle better with the Grand Slams. Do any of you have trouble with 7x57 brass needing to be trimmed a lot? Even with relatively mild loads, I have about .010" case stretch each time I fire/resize. I'm using R-P brass and RCBS dies. I thought the die might be 'working' the brass too much when I resized, so I tried a Lyman die, but, same problem. I've noticed this in two different 7x57's, a Ruger and Remington. Any ideas? | |||
|
| one of us |
I pretty much consider the 7x57 my medium rifle and I have shot more game than I can count with it, including some very big stuff... For Deer I love the 130 gr. Speer as it is one of those rare combinations of velocity and bullet weight that just perform perfectly. I use the 160 gr. Nosler and the 175 gr. Hormady or Nosler for the bigger animals and it has always worked fine.. I load large doses of H414 with all bullets. My 7x57 is a Brno Mod 22F and has a very long throat so I load way over book max and get 7mm/06 or 7x57 IMP. velocities with all bullets as I can seat a 175 Spitzer above the cannalure, now thats a long throated gun!. ------------------ | |||
|
| one of us |
ringneck, I have used a custom made Mauser in 7x57 for the past twenty years with great success. This past weekend my number three son laid claim to my Mauser for this coming deer season. I hope he has the same success with this gun as I have had. For the first fifteen years I had this gun I shot nothing but hand loads. A few years ago I started using Hornady Light Magnums, they are murder on whitetail deer. Bryan | |||
|
| <graff> |
R WEST, I have the same problem not only with 7x57, but with any cartrige. It is more pronounced with long neck ones. Brushing and lubing the internal surface of the neck minimizes the problem, but is bothersome to take the lube out. I solved this problem using Lee collet dies, that neck sizes only. Very rarely I need to trim now. And Atkinson, long throats in a standard action bolt rifle are a bonus in cartriges of the size of 7x57, sort of improoves them. I can, without any sign of over pressure, get 2550 fps. with 175 grain bullets, but why, since the standard load at 2400 does so well? Luck and health. | ||
|
| <'Trapper'> |
Back again! IF I remeber correctly this was the gun that Eleanor O'Connor used all over the world and for everything - I think she took a couple of lions with the 7x57. Alos, couple of years ago a doctor from FL killed a world class brown bear with a 7x57 - one shot, one bear. The 7X57 has always worked well for me. Regards, ------------------ | ||
|
| <ringneck> |
Ray, You mentioned the 160 and 175 Nosler and the 175 Hornady for large game. Do you prefer one over the other for elk sized game in the 7x57 or does the Hornady work as well as the nosler due to the lower velocity? Shawn | ||
|
| one of us |
Either the 175 Nosler or the 175 Hornady will be splendid bullets in the 7x57. No doubt about it... Joel Slate | |||
|
| one of us |
R-West. Ken Waters, in his book PET LOADS also complained about the case stretching with the 7X57. Seems like that may be an inherant problem, as I get a lot of stretch also. I just got a neck sizing die for mine, and I'll just have to see if that helps alleviate the problem. My latest rifle, a Winchester Mod. 70 Feathereight is really picky about what bullets it will shoot. I absolutely hates the Nosler 140 ballistic tip. The bullet it seems to like best is the Hornady 175 gr. RN. (.80 inch) but with the Hornady 175 gr. spitzer? Fageddaboutit! (4.0 inches) My Ruger #1A shoots just about everyting to about 1.25 inch or less, and a semi-custom Mauser on an FN action shoots Winchester factory ammo under .75 inch consistantly. Oh well. If great loads came easy, it wouldn't be as much fun. Right? Paul B. | |||
|
| one of us |
Ringneck, I, being a practical sort, would choose the 175 Nosler on Elk just to be on the safe side, but they both seem to work fine, it just that I know the Nosler is a little better. ------------------ | |||
|
| <PrimeTime> |
I chronographed some federal factory loads with a 140 grain bullet. It was only 2400fps! Despite this, I killed 8 deer with 8 shots all from my Mark X 7x57. I handload now and am trying loads for the 140 grain ballistic tip. I would like to get 2800 fps but so far only 2700 with 4064. Going to try some H414. One of my favorite calibers and I believe one of the best ever. | ||
|
| <1LoneWolf> |
Whoa! We certainly got off on a long string of posts about a cartridge that it seems most everyone agrees is a damn fine deer cartridge. Just no one agrees exactly what bullet to go with. Now, do we ever "all" agree on the bullet choice for any caliber? Nah, that would be damn near un-American! [This message has been edited by 1LoneWolf (edited 11-08-2001).] | ||
|
| one of us |
Primetime, You will get more velocity with H414 in the 7x57, if you work up to max carefully and that is usually over what the books call for..It is THE powder for the 7x57. ------------------ | |||
|
| <ringneck> |
I think what we all agree on is that when we pull the trigger on the little 7 it's time for the skinning knife! Shawn | ||
|
| <8mman> |
All of my three mausers in the 7x57 caliber seem to shoot the heavyer bullets (160+) much better than the lighter ones. Because of the weaker actions on which they are built I can not push them to the best potential of the cartrige but it does all I need it to on deer here in NY. | ||
|
| one of us |
I currently have two rifles in this offering. One is a pre 64 super grade M70 the other a custom Sako in 7x57AI. I let a Ruger #1 slip through my hands which loved the 140 partition as does the M70. I have used the 150 Ballistic Tip and the 160 Speer Mag Tip in the Improved. Both shoot extermely well and are great on whitetail and muleys. IMR 3031 and the Speer bullets go together best while the ballistic tips like R19. | |||
|
| <Bearhunter> |
I must agree with the others. The 7x57 is truly underated. I've found it to be extremely effective on deer (both Mulies and Whitetails) and Antelope. I use a Dakota M76 and it seems to like Hornady 154 gr. spt. flatbase, with Winchester 760 or H414 (same stuff). I'm getting approx. 2850 fps with Nosler 150 gr partitions. Great combination. | ||
|
| <10point> |
I had two of them in my younger years and was left with a lifetime soft spot for the 7X57, I think its a Grand round. Best of all is its versatality, especially if you re-load ; Its also ones of those few rounds that really , really fun to load for. I consider it The Perfect short action deer round, with a capability of doing much more. I'd love a slick little carbine, or LW, mountain PKGE chambered in 7x57. And I wouldnt hesitate to use it for anything I'd shoot with my 3006 either..........10 | ||
|
| one of us |
Hello. I hunt a lot with my "Combi". It's cal.7x57R / shotgun Ga.12. My favorite bullet is the 170 grs. Norma "Oryx". It is a bit to heavy for roedeer, that i basicly what i use it on. But now i heard that Norma is about to produce the "Oryx" in 156 grs. and that much better. ------------------ Arild. | |||
|
| <RAO> |
460wby, I have always been interested in 12ga-7x57R combo gun. Can one safely shoot regular 7x57 cartridges in 7x57R.How many rifle cartridges can be fired accurately before they start to string.What about accuracy potential of combo guns.I will appriciate your response. | ||
|
| one of us |
RAO. You can safely shot standard 7x57 loads in a 7x57R, but it's recommended to go down a grain or two. (I don't know about the whole cartridge!!) This because the mechanism always permit some sort of stretch in the cases. It's not recommendable to use to hot loads in these guns, just like a double rifle. I usually can fire two shoots pretty quick without no more than 1" spread on 100 meters, but the third shoot moves approx. 3" down on the target. The reason it goes down is because the rifle barrel lyes above the shotgun barrel. I'm very pleased about the accuracy of my old and UGLY Brno ZH104!! (It really is UGLY!!) ------------------ Arild. | |||
|
| one of us |
I have a 16/7x57R. I would never shoot 7x57 in it for fear of damaging it because of the higher pressures. And don�t forget that this cartridge is loaded in Europe as it was meant to be. If You get too hot in a combo gun, you get difficulties on opening. BTW how do You get those emties out? There�s no rim where one should be ... Also don�t forget that one cartridge headspaces on the rim, the other one on the shoulder. Be careful! H ------------------ | |||
|
| one of us |
Karamojo Bell? s | |||
|
| <thomas purdom> |
I've owned three 7x57mm, two in Ruger 77 and the current one in CZ550 American. I am still working with the CZ, but the Rugers seemed to have a preference for the Hornady 162 grain bullets coupled with H414. The CZ seems to be running the same direction, but school is still out on this topic as I'm in the process of glassbedding and only have 40 rounds through it. I got hooked on the little 7 by reading Jack O'Connor as a kid, then seeing what the thing will do on whitetail, javalina, wild hog, elk, mule deer and the like. Absolutely a devasting cartridge on game, pleasant to shoot and the best part is, the little thing is 103 years old and going as strong as ever, despite magamania. It is my only big game rifle. A little Howa Lightning in .223 does the rest for me on these coyotes and p-dogs we have here in New Mexico. | ||
|
| one of us |
quote: Yes, I've read this about Eleanor O'Connor too. I understand that on one of the O'Connors' African hunts, Eleanor took 17 animals with 19 7X57 cartridges, and one of those was an unnecessary second shot. What I haven't seen is any information about what bullet and load Eleanor used in her 7X57. Does anyone here know that? | |||
|
| <manhasset> |
LE270- The loads Eleanor O'Connor used in Africa and the U.S. are listed in his book The Hunting Rifle. She favored 160gr. bullet with 52gr. of 4831 for the 7x57. He liked the 139/140gr. @ 2900fps and his buddy Prince Pahlavi used the factory Dominion Brand with the same bullet and vel. There are also some of his loads in The Complete Book of Rifles and Shotguns. | ||
|
| one of us |
Manhasset, Where the Dominion brand ammo is made? Is it American? What bullet weight was available in 7X57? Thanks | |||
|
| one of us |
quote: I know that Dominion brand was Canadian, but I don't know what bullet weight was available, or whether it exists today. | |||
|
| <manhasset> |
It looks like Dominion and I think CIL are no longer made. One and the same, both from Canada and no longer listed in Gun Digest. O'Connor said it was 140gr.bullet. Shikaree: if you want something comparable Maybe someone from up north, Canada way could jump in about the Dominion/CIL question. | ||
|
| one of us |
To sum up the 7x57 I would say it is the lightest recoiling rifle that I would hunt the worlds largest animals with, including elephant and Buffalo with a solid.. I have seen Elephant shot and killed with a 7x57 and with shoulder shots and I was quite surprised in the fact that the elephant only traveled about 150 to 200 yds. and blood loss was profuse...I have used it on Buffalo sucessfully. the 7x57 is not my first choice for dangerous game as I just feel better with a 9.3x62 or better yet with a 404 or any one of a dozen large bores for such business.... I would however use it for anything if thats what I had at the time..beats sitting home watching TV... ------------------ | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata | Page 1 2 |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia
| View $GS_USERNAME's Public Profile |
| Add $GS_USERNAME to my Buddies |
| Add $GS_USERNAME to my Ignore List |
| Invite $GS_USERNAME to a Private Topic |
| View Recent Posts by $GS_USERNAME |
| Notify me of New Posts by $GS_USERNAME |
!!).