Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 7x57

Took a couple years to track one down at a reasonable price but I have a 7x57 in 700 classic. Gun loves H414 and 175gr round nose bullets. Its a hammer on deer.

Garden variety BDL? Classic?

FWIW, I think the 7x57 is dying, I don’t know why. I have a BACO Winchester Featherweight that shoots 139 grain Hornady SST’s great. The wood is so nice I don’t hunt with it. I need to start hunting with it or sell it. Great handling rifle.

The 7x57mm, like the 6.5x55mm, is a wonderful and versatile field cartridge.

... that doesn't fit well into the man-bun short-action fraud.




GR

I suppose if we're talking about new factory offerings, then perhaps so; but then again on that measure it's been dying for a long time. Nevertheless I do see a number of custom rifles being chambered in it, so there must still be a market.

I don't know why either. I think that a good cartridge fading in popularity is often due to a variety of factors that can have varying levels of impact. With older military cartridges, one negative factor is commercial manufacturers sometimes load ammo more mildly in case it's used in very old surplus rifles for liability reasons. An older round can get a reputation for being anemic because the readily available ammo isn't loaded to its full potential for use exclusively in modern guns. There's also a question of whether or not the country or area of origin is still actively enthusiastic about it. Rounds like the 6.5x55 remained popular in the Nordic countries so I think that helped it in other areas of the world. The 30-06 remains popular over 100 years later because Americans are still enthusiastic about it.

But some countries make military rounds illegal for civilians to use so I'm not sure how popular the 7x57 remained in Spanish countries or if those kinds of restrictions killed its usage in certain areas of the world. I think if gun manufacturers start seeing obstacles like these popping up, they're more than happy to come up with a new whiz-bang replacement in order to sell rifles to customers. I wonder if there's any substantial group out there that is still championing the 7x57. I think with many of the European manufacturers, you're more likely to see a 7x64 Brenneke offered instead. Or a rimmed 7x57r for usage in single shot rifles like the Blaser K95. Right now I think you can get a 7x57 from Schultz & Larsen if you're in an area that sells their rifles: https://schultzlarsen.com/rifles/

But other than custom gun builders, I can't think of a major manufacturer who is still making a 7x57 unless Ruger decides to do a small run of #1's in that caliber one year.

If it's factory, it has to be a Classic or Mnt rifle.

The Mauser Company still offers the 7x57 in the M18/m12/m98 models. CZ recently dropped the 7x57 in 2017ish. Perhaps they might pick it up again.

That makes sense because they invented the round. But Mauser is generally off my radar screen a bit since I shoot left & they don't make rifles for me. I'm more familiar with the Zastava LK M70 (https://zastavaarmsusa.com/product/sporting-rifle-lk-m70/) which has a similar style but comes in left-handed models. They claim to also make a 7x57 but I've never seen one for sale.

I have a LH Zastava 7x57

Since I have a Ruger #1 RSI in 275 Rigby, I have absolutely no need for a LH Zastava 7x57. Still doesn't mean I wouldn't consider buying one if I stumbled across it.

Left-handed rifles in certain classic calibers aren't incredibly common so I usually have to think really hard before I pass on one. I've regretted a few of my decisions.

I believe it is a Mountain Rifle.

👀

I love those old 7x57's. You guys sure have some pretty ones. My first was a model 95 Mauser that i sporterized. It turned out OK & shot pretty good for what it was. Unfortunately it was stolen along with several others, but that one was my first love, so to speak. I got a Remington Classic for my shooter & it is OK as i have never worked with it too much. I have a NIB Mountain rifle also.

My first 7x57 was this Walther Mauser that I bought while living in Calgary, thinking 2006. It is a shooter that I gave to my youngest son for a trip we made to Africa in 2012. He is near 25 now. He had read a couple of books on African hunting and wanted the 7x57 and the Leupold 1.5x5 optic.

Loading his ammunition. The 160 AB.



His first critter.

I had a Ruger #1 RSI in 7x57 for a long time. The only problem with it was that it was too pretty to bang up in the woods. I foolishly sold it off. That little rifle/cartridge combo was near perfection! If anyone has one they may be willing to part with I would be willing.

7x57 is a classic, like 375 H&H, and will never "go out of style". Too much history and panache.

The 7x57 has been my favorite whitetail deer cartridge for many years. I hand load for the Winchester Model 70 Featherweight that combined with the 7mm Mauser is an excellent pairing in my experience.

I built a custom 700 7x57 a few years ago and it is a shooting sum bisch. Love the cartridge