The powder is H414 made by Hodgdon. It is one heck of a powder for the 7x57mm Mauser, I know, because Ray got me started using the stuff and now it is all that I use. This powder works best, however, with the heavier bullets. In mine it is the Hornady 162 grain boattail. Tom Purdom
Ken: H414 powder is like an extruded powder that has been sliced into very, very small round discs. If is a slow-burning powder, very similar to Winchester 760, but not the same. I would not use magnum primers with it, but rather standard large rifle primers. I use Federal 210M. I have a CZ550 American in 7x57mm Mauser and H414 is just about the only powder I'll use with the 162 grain bullets. For the 139 grain Hornady SSTs I use H4350 with good results. The Lyman manual shows a max of 47.3 grains of H414 with the 162 grain bullet, however, I am one grain over and no signs of pressure, but the bullet is moving at around 2,800 feet per second. Accuracy is very good with this load, but I am still experimenting with the seating depth. I would not recommend using a hot load such as this in anything but a strong, modern action. Also, the barrel twist on the CZ is 1x8.66. Ruger has a 1x9.5 twist in its 7x57mm. If I can be of further help, please don't hesitate to contact me. Tom Purdom
I have found the old Norma N205,(still have about half a pound!!) Norma MRP, and also Alliant RE22 to be excellent powders with the 160 grain and heavier bullets in the 7X57, capable of giving some velocity and accuracy performance which is nothing short of startling, used in modern, strong actions like the Ruger No.1, or the Ruger 77.
Good luck with your #1. I have one and it has a very long throat, to say the least. I love the thing (it packs so nice) but never have gotten great accuracy out of it. I have used a lot of H450 and 154 -175 gr bullets. Watch W760, I have had some bad experiences with compressed charges in my #1. I will have to try H414. C.G.B.
Posts: 238 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 05 June 2001
Bill: Sorry it took me so long to respond. I have been covering municipal elections for my newspaper, which pretty well consumes time. The Federal 210M is the regular large rifle primer, but in match configuration, hence the "M" for match. I bought a brick of Federal 210M primers when the reloading shop I buy some of my supplies from couldn't get any Federal 210 primers in, but had a brick of the 210Ms. To be honest, I really haven't noticed any difference between the match primers and the regular stuff, except a few dollars more for the match primers. Hope this helps. By the way, I graduated from college at Northeastern in Tahlequah in 1974. Very pretty state, expecially in the Green Country part. Have a nice day Bill ... Tom Purdom
VVN160 seems OK in mine with 154gr Hornadies. I do wonder if it is a touch slow as muzzle flash at night is more pronounced than my other rifles. I allways thought VV needed a N155 there is a hell of a gap between 150 and 160. 550 is in between but that carries it's own penalties (increased muzzle flash, hotter ?increased wear)
Posts: 2258 | Location: Bristol, England | Registered: 24 April 2001
This might appear to be specialized but I need some advice on a good powder to use in a 20 inch barreled 7x57 that will have low muzzle flash. As far as speed goes 2500 fps will get the job done with a 160 grain bullet. We have to reduce the number of feral hogs on a ranch east of Ft Worth, Tx and it will be done at night. Range will generally be less than 100 yards and flash can blind you for too long to appreciate. By the way this is a legal undertaking.
We appear to be on the same wavelength! The N150 might work (but I suspect not), VV data is often pessimistic velocity wise but NOT charge weight wise. Alternatively:-
I thought the 4895 data looked good. For 100yds, 2,300fps and 160gr should do it no? 2,500fps with this weight bullet out of that lenght barrel would IMHO be impossible to do without a really large muzzle flash.
You might have to go really radical. When I was testing my 18" 243 I had to go to H322 and 80gr bullets before muzzle flash was not an issue at dusk. (This was a coincidental discovery to some moderator tests I was making)
Good luck.
Posts: 2258 | Location: Bristol, England | Registered: 24 April 2001
I tried 38 grains of 3031 under a 160 grain speer bullet and found the most accurate load so far and flash is very reasonable. I expect I am getting around 2400 fps and this should do the trick easily.
