Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Any reason to go 7x57 instead of 6.5x55?

Finishing a Mauser build and can go either way.

7x57 is more cooler....

Why not just go back to throwing spears?

NO, both have worked very well for me, coyotes thru elk!

Rancho_Loco - post could be worse. IF it was about slingshots we'd be discussing the merits of latigo leather vs. surgical tubing. OR it could degenerate down to "what would David (yes, that one!) use"?
Homesteader

I'm pretty sure even David would have considered the 7x57 archaic.

You're a bad person.

When I'm good, I'm good. When I'm bad, I'm better.

This is what hanging out with redheads does to a person.....


Thats why Im scared of them....

What bullet weights are you planning to shoot?

I shoot 140 thru 160 grain bullets in my most of my 7x57s and 129 thru 140 grain bullets in most of my 6.5x55s.

Yeah I will probably shoot the lighter ones. And ingwe I am a redhead does that count? Scared yet?! I'm not an opie looking one though lol

I've handloaded and hunted with both rounds in numerous rifles, and I'd go 7x57 just because brass is sometimes more available, but because it's more consistent. There can be noticeable differences in dimensions in 6.5x55 brass, especially in head-size between American and European brands.

Other than that there's not much difference, either in the way they kick or kill stuff.

I'll second the motion for 7x57. Plan on using mine for my next elk hunt if I find a load that I like.
Paul B.

Why don't you just build a 270

I've had both and from the games perspective there is no difference and once you close the bolt you won't notice either. The same could be a said of the 270, 308, 7-08, etc. Both will make you an excellent rifle so if you have a preference go with that. If pressed I would go with the 7mm as pointed out components may be a bit more available especially during election scares. In addition in my home state of Ky the minimum caliber for elk is a 270. or .277. That would preclude the 6.5.

Could do a .270 Ingwe. Which is a 7x57 necked down to .277" with no other changes.

Be the first on your block to have something 99.999% of the population never even heard of.

Hmmm, between a 7x57 and 6.5x55 I own around 6 of them. So, yea, I like these cartridges. I'll probably use my 6.5x55 Swede M38 rifle in a surplus rifle competition this weekend and maybe my 7x57 Ruger 77 tang safety rifle in another competition. Tough call, but I'd go with a 7x57 cartridge rifle.

You are a bad person.

You are evil.