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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Rifles
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benny
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Reged: 11/03/06
Posts: 33
Loc: PA, USA
7x57
      #59040 - 20/06/06 09:28 AM

I was wondering how many have experience with the 7x57? I have just got back into hunting non-winged animals last year after about a dozen years and was able to harvest a whitetail with my .41 magnum handgun. I'm looking for a rifle that will be an "all-arounder", although I know that really doesn't exist outside the 375 H&H. I'm not after any really "big" game at this point though, whitetails (and maybe black bear) at home, various other deer species, pronghorn, and plains game in the near future. Not sure I even want to shoot Kudu or Gemsbok on my 1st trip, mostly smaller antelope, such as impala. I love the idea of this cartridge in a Ruger No 1 light sporter for most of my hunting.

IF I wanted to harvest the larger species, such as Eland, Gemsbok, and Elk, is the 7x57 with a heavy 160 to 175gr bullet up to the task? The sectional density of the 175 is very high, and in the No 1 it definately can be loaded a bit hotter than normal, I imagine.

I know I can buy the same gun in 30-06, but I like something you don't necessarily trip over every 10 feet in the woods

At one point I was considering a 300 mag of some type, but it just doesn't seem necessary for what I want to do.

Any help from you experienced hands will be much appreciated by this amateur.

Thanks!

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benny
.224 member


Reged: 11/03/06
Posts: 33
Loc: PA, USA
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #59042 - 20/06/06 09:35 AM

Forgot to add, I would probably consider the 7mm Remington mag along with the 30-06 if more gun is required than the 7x57 for my needs.

Thanks,

Ben

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WyoJoe
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Reged: 18/02/04
Posts: 234
Loc: Cheyenne, WY USA
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #59060 - 20/06/06 02:17 PM

In reply to:

I know I can buy the same gun in 30-06, but I like something you don't necessarily trip over every 10 feet in the woods



Why not consider a Ruger #1 in .30/06 rechambered to 300 H&H. It is a very easy job for a gunsmith. I used to have one on a bolt action and it is a great all around cartridge and a classic. It just seems to say "plains game".

--------------------
There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor polite, nor popular -- but one must ask, "Is it right?"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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ozhunter
.400 member


Reged: 18/08/04
Posts: 1692
Loc: Sydney, Australia
Re: 7x57 [Re: WyoJoe]
      #59068 - 20/06/06 07:21 PM

The 7x57 is a really great caliber and will kill large game, but for Eland, I my self would use a larger caliber .
ozhunter

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bulldog563
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Reged: 21/10/05
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Re: 7x57 [Re: ozhunter]
      #59072 - 20/06/06 09:44 PM

7x57 is a great caliber with very mild recoil but if Eland is on the menu I would personally want something with a little more bullet weight. But to be sure plenty of large antelope have been taken with the 7x57. Shot placement is the key. If you like the cartridge then get it and be happy. It will do what you need it to.

If you want heavier bullets then 175gr and you don't handload I think a 30-06 would be an excellent choice for everything and ammo is always available in a very wide variety of loads. It is kind of like the vanilla of rifle rounds though. If you want something different but still heavier bullets then I would look into the 300 H&H but ammo choices are much less then the 06.

If I were in your situation I would probably get the 7x57 as it sounds like you will mainly be hunting deer sized game and smaller the majority of the time. It is a fine round and will surely serve you well if you do your part. By all accounts it is one of those cartridges whose killing power is greater then its paper ballistics. If I were going to hunt Elk sized game a lot then I would go for the 300 H&H.

Check out this link on the 7x57;

http://www.chuckhawks.com/sensible_cartridges.htm

More info on the 7x57 here;

http://www.chuckhawks.com/7mm.htm

Regardless there are tons of bullet's in 7mm or .308 (300 H&H/30-06) for you to choose from so you wont go wrong with any of them. Hope this helps.

--------------------
Join the National Rifle Association:
https://membership.nrahq.org/forms/signup.asp

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benny
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Reged: 11/03/06
Posts: 33
Loc: PA, USA
Re: 7x57 [Re: bulldog563]
      #59073 - 20/06/06 11:26 PM

Sorry guys, I meant to type Kudu, not Eland. I don't think I would try to hunt Eland with the 7x57 either. SO Kudu and Gemsbok are the biggest plains game I would consider with the gun. Thanks for the replies!

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AzGuy
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Reged: 23/03/06
Posts: 388
Loc: Prescott, Arizona, USA
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #59085 - 21/06/06 06:38 AM

I got my wife (all 5'2"/125lbs of her) a 7x57 in a Ruger bolt action about 20 years ago. Over the years she has taken deer,antelope, & elk. All with 140 gr bullets at 2700-2800fps.

She is a very patient hunter and only takes shots she is comfortable with, shortest kill about 90 yards, longest about 275 yards. The 7x57 offers reasonable trajectory and mild recoil.

With the game you are after, it is a good fit. Enjoy it and let us know how you like it.

--------------------
Hike the Grand Canyon, you will never be the same!

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Kalunga
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Reged: 16/06/06
Posts: 328
Loc: Germany
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #59104 - 21/06/06 11:48 PM

Hi Benny ! I think you are right with your choice, the 7x57 is truely a great cartridge, especially for hunters that are able to get close. I shot a BIG wild boar with a 175-grain Speer Mag-Tip and the bullet smashed his spine and was found under the skin opposite the entance-hole. The boar dropped in his tracks and was finished. We don't have togher game here in Germany and lots of hunters in South Afrika will tell you that it is a good caliber for all plains game up to and including eland. Of course shot placement is what counts besides a good and heavy bullet. For those who want to shoot game at long ranges, this is not a caliber to recommend, as I said it's OK for hunters. If somebody prefers to snipe animals at ranges above 200 yards, he should use one of those "modern" magnums. Greetings Kalunga

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8x56mn
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Reged: 26/02/04
Posts: 149
Loc: Wine Country, Finger Lakes Wa...
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #59108 - 22/06/06 01:01 AM

Benny, I have a real nice Ruger #1 with a snoble forend , fancy woood in 7x57. Near unfired condition.

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foxfire
.375 member


Reged: 25/11/04
Posts: 511
Loc: Long Island N.Y.,
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #59116 - 22/06/06 04:34 AM

I own a Ruger #1 Mannlicher stocked 7x57. I love it, It has traditional lines in a neat caliber. I don't handload so I've used factory ammo. I've taken boar, deer, and goats with excellent results.
I say go for it.

--------------------
No good deed goes unpunished

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gmsemel
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Reged: 08/11/05
Posts: 29
Loc: East Haddam, CT
Re: 7x57 [Re: foxfire]
      #59869 - 12/07/06 01:11 PM

It will do for what you want and in spades. The main problem is that its pretty much a handloaders cartridge these days, that is not a bad thing. If you don't handload then the factory stuff can be a little on the weak side and not much of a choice in loads. A good .30-06 will do you well, very common and a mountain of loads to be had. 7x57 is just one of those cartridge/rifle combo's that is near perfect for the big game hunter, add a 375 and you would have the world wiped.

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DPhillips
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Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #59878 - 12/07/06 01:48 PM

I love mine...

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foxfire
.375 member


Reged: 25/11/04
Posts: 511
Loc: Long Island N.Y.,
Re: 7x57 [Re: DPhillips]
      #59884 - 12/07/06 09:57 PM

DPhillips,
If you took mine out and put it down next to your's you would be looking at twins. LOL
What a beautiful rifle, easy to carry, traditional and it does the job.

--------------------
No good deed goes unpunished

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DPhillips
.375 member


Reged: 09/10/03
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Loc: Alaska
Re: 7x57 [Re: foxfire]
      #59916 - 13/07/06 12:08 PM

That one is now wearing a Leupold VX III 1.5-5x. The only thing I'd like to change about it is the trigger and putting some nicer wood on it. My luck of the draw on Ruger No.1 timber has not been very good. I've seen some with stunning pieces of walnut on them, but the half dozen or so that I've owned have been with very plain timber. They've all shot like a house afire though.

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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26994
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #60215 - 23/07/06 01:33 AM

Although I've prefered larger, .375 to .458 bores for past modern round hunting, today, I mostly carry my BRNO 7x57.
: The large bores weight more and seem to kill no faster than properly placed, descent weight 7mm's. The 7mm is a delight to shoot, easy to load for and a very accurate round.
: Through the years, I've had most of the small/medium & large magnum rounds out today, from the .264 mags, through to the .458mag. After all this time, I've gone back to the 7x57 for my carry rifle. My main quarry these days is Moose, Elk, Deer with the odd bear thrown in.
: I load bonded 140's for deer & bear and 160 TSBarnes for the heavier game. Both loads shoot within 2" of each other (vertical displacement), with the 140's running over 2,900fps and the 160's at just around 2,600fps. They're both sub-1" groupers and both kill well.
: I've seen absolutely no advantage to any larger case up to and incuding .30 cal. within normal, moral hunting ranges. For me, big game shots over 300 yards just aren't necessary and the norm is less than 110 yards.
: In the past, 7x57 proved itself to be a good round, and it's even better today due to the better bullets available. It's reputation was built on 173gr. RN softs and solids at a measly 2,300fps - reliable penetration form both and reliable expansion from thin-jacketed softs. Today, we've already magnamized it somewhat, by running deeply penetrating modern bullets up to 2,600fps and long range light big game bullets close to 3,000fps. More of either is rarely needed, and in truth, the light bullets need not be used at all. The 160's will handle any likely game to 300 yards, quite easily, in fact.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26994
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #62528 - 16/09/06 07:31 AM

I went for a drive yesterday, and shot this little 3 point Whitetail with my 7x57BRNO. The load was a 140gr. SilverTip Nosler with 49.0gr. AA2700. The muzzle velocity was 2,880fps average @ 12 feet. I had to shoot him through the tops of the shoulders as a doe's butt covered his lung area. I lost a bit of meat, but dropped him in his tracks. The bullet ended up under the hide on the off side, with still a bit of lead left. Expansion was dramatic, as impact velocity was probably over 2,800fps. The deer was only 30 yards away.
: A while later, my friend shot a 2 point muley buck and a small black bear for hamberger, with his '06. The 7x57 destroyed less meat than the one lung hit he made with the 180gr. Speer bullet on the much smaller, 2yr. old muley.
: Normally, I shoot a 160gr. Triple Shock Barnes ahead of 51.5gr. H4831SC, but ran out of them.
; The more I shoot that rifle, the more I like it.


--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

Edited by Daryl_S (16/09/06 07:32 AM)

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blackberry9
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Reged: 28/07/06
Posts: 23
Re: 7x57 [Re: DarylS]
      #62598 - 17/09/06 09:02 PM

Hallo benny,

here in Germany the 7x57 was a very popular calibre from the beginninī till the 50īs in last century. Later it loosed a lot of populary to the 7x64 Brenneke. Today, there are not many rifles orderd in 7x57. But the owners of this guns are very satisfied about them. The flanghed-version of the 7x57 is still popular here and there are many guns, drillings mostly, used in the 7x57R. ("R" means rimed case).
For games till a weight up to 200lbs. and max. shooting-distance till 200yds. it is one of the best cartrigde-choises you can do. For games till 100lbs. the buillet-weight 120-150gr. is enought. For heavier games the 150-175gr. buillets are the better choise.
With buillets arround 120-130gr. you can allso handle longrange distances till 300yds. for pronghorn or gemsbuck.
The precision is compareble with the 6,5x55 swedish or the .308Win. Walter Gehmann has shot the 300yds.-worldchampion-ship in the 1930īs and 1940īs with the 7x57.

Eland are to big for the little Mauser-cardridge, Kudu and Elk, too. For this games the 8x57 is the sensitiv minimum-calibre.

regards,
Manolito

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
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Re: 7x57 [Re: blackberry9]
      #62653 - 19/09/06 03:16 AM

Manolito - loaded properly, the litle 7x57 is quite effective on Moose and Elk. It is perhaps the best all-round calibre for ungulates.
: 175's at 2,550fps or 160gr.Partitions or Triple Shocks at 2,620fps for moose/elk, down to 140 gr. bonded bullets 120gr. bullets at 3,100fps for long range deer, the little 7x57 will handle all of them.
: Is it optimal for every head mentioned, no. I prefer my .375 for the big ones and the .458 for big bear, but the 7x57 will handle every one, quite easily.
: The 'premium' bullets available today, have raised the bar for many of the 'smaller' rounds, making them quite suitable for game previously though out-sized for them.
: The success of the 6.5x55 in Sweden shows it is a good moose ctg. and that would include elk.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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blackberry9
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Reged: 28/07/06
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Re: 7x57 [Re: DarylS]
      #62694 - 20/09/06 12:37 AM

Hallo Daryl:

the good reputation of the 6,5x55 in Sweden comes from the use of long and heavy buillets with a weigt of 156gr.
In the swedish law it is just allowed to shoot moose with a minimum-calibre of 6.5mm and a minimum-buillettweigt of 10g (=154gr.).
The buillet must have a power of 2000Joule (=1476ft.lb.) at a distance of 100m (=110yds.).
Or an buillet with 9g (=139gr.) minimum-weigt, and a power of 2700Joule (=1992ft.lb.) on 100m.
The penetration in the game-body with the thin and long buillets in the 6.5 and 7mm-calibres is mutch better, than the thick and short 150gr. buillets in cal. .30.
And just with this long and thin buillets you become good results at bigger games. A shot in a angle-position to the heavy game made a shot with a smallbore-calibre and a light buillet very difficult.
If the 7x57 will mostley used on moose or the heavy deer-species like elk or crown-deer it is the best to use the heavy 160-175gr. buillets.
The 7x57 was never made for heavy games, for this species were the 8x57, the 9x57 or the 9,3x62 the better choises if you like german cartriges.
(By americ. cartriges .30-06, 8mm-06 or .35Whelen)

regards
Manolito

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dondford
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Reged: 21/09/06
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Loc: USA Alabama
Re: 7x57 [Re: blackberry9]
      #63632 - 06/10/06 02:19 AM

"The 7x57 was never made for heavy games"

Kilimanjaro Bell is said to have over 1000 elephants with his Rigby 275 (7 x 57)

D

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26994
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: 7x57 [Re: blackberry9]
      #63635 - 06/10/06 02:41 AM

Neither the 6.5x55, 7x57 nor the 8x57 were 'made' for heavy game. They were military ctgs. that work very well indeed for 'heavy' game. One needs only use the appropriate bullet for the job at hand.
: One would no sooner use a lead and guilding metal jacketed 125gr. in the .300 for moose as he would a 120gr. in the7x57. With the appropriate bullets, either is capable of taking the largest North America has to offer. One need only hit them in the appropriate place with a good bullet.
: Just about any centrefire ctg. is capable, in the correct hands. The Indians here shoot many moose each winter, using their single shot or bolt action m60 Cooey .22LR's - and with lung shots, too. In the winter, the moose rarely go more than 50 yards off the road they were shot on when so struck by several HP's. Good moose ctg.? - No - that's a silly statement, but so stating the 7x57 is not a good big game ctg. With appropriate bullets, the little 7 is as good as is needed for most aminals.
: Governments really tick me off with their FPE and Joule requirements. It shows they know little of actual killing power by attaching #'s of little meaning to ammo.
Daryl

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26994
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #63640 - 06/10/06 03:11 AM

Benny- the 7x57 will answer for most needs as you describe. There are better rounds for specific needs, as you related. The .375 and .366 calibres in several chamberings has alway been favourites of mine, but nowadays, unless guiding, I reach for the BRNO 7mm Mauser.
: I've tested and used 140gr. Combined Tech Silvertips for whitetail deer quite successfully and was impressed with the performance at high impact speeds. The 140gr. Nosler bonded cores didn't shoot well in my rifle, the the Silvertips thought they were match bullets. My load of 49gr. AA2700 might be a bit stiff for some actions, but was find in my modern rifle.
: For heavier game, the 160gr. Barnes Triple Shock with 51.5gr. H4831SC again, a heavy load beyond manuals, shot well for me, printing amny 1/2" groups with regularity. this bullet and laod wouod serve for all large game likely to be hunting with this ctg. Penetration is assured and I'd found the Triple Shock and XLC's which are baked with a blue coating, shoot better than the old style "X" bullets in my rifles.
: For standard bullets of heavy weight, the various 160 and 175gr. bullets like the 175 Spire Point, if driven at around 2,500fps or less, should serve admirably, and is an inexpensive bullet allowing much cheap practise.
: So you see, for most all game this side of the pond, and many in Africa, the old tried and true 7x57 still bears use. I would prefer my .375 or even the .458 for heavy game and tough hunting situations, but still reach for the BRNO when moose or deer are the target of choice.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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benny
.224 member


Reged: 11/03/06
Posts: 33
Loc: PA, USA
Re: 7x57 [Re: DarylS]
      #63780 - 10/10/06 01:12 AM

thank you all for your experience and advice. I am soon to be the new owner of a Ruger No 1 RSI in 7x57 with a Leo vx-III 1.5-5x20. Seems no one keeps these in stock around here so it must be ordered. Thanks again!!

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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26994
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: 7x57 [Re: benny]
      #63783 - 10/10/06 02:49 AM

I once had a Ruger #1A in 7x57 (Alex Henry forestock). What I really wanted was a #1S in 7x57(Alex Henry forestock), with a 26" barrel. I never did like the 22" of the #1A however it shot splendidly with select loads using 140gr. Noslers and IMR4320 a well as H414, at just over 2,900fps. This was a splendid, accurate rifle - I need my head read for ever selling it.
: Good choice Benny- you'll love it I am sure. I've always liked more magnification in that calibre, a personal preference only. 4X to 5X is all that's needed for large game at any range.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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