Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Mule Deer - Magnificent 7x57

Anybody try Sellier&Bellot 175's in their 7X57? It is a stepped bullet for whatever reason?

I have had good luck with Factory Lapua 170 grn when I can find it. very accurate load.

Bought my 1st 7x57 in 69 and learned to load and shoot with it for ctr fires. It is a 93 with the long throat for the 175's but it has allways handled 139 gr Hornady SP and 140 NPT's just fine. When I got a chance at a new 7x57 in the box M77R from the 1st run of these I jumped on it($160) it also has the long SAAMI spec throat It shoots the same bullets as well. Somewhere along the way I discovered that the recently discontinued 154 gr RN Hornady shoots really well in these chambers. Always used IMR 4350 for the loads with some 4320 also. Never felt inadequately armed when carrying either for the hunting I do. Recently I quit buying gun Mags, occasionally I buy a Rifle or a Handloader because of an article I want to read or keep for reference. I think I'll find a copy of the mentioned Guns and get it. Thanks JB for ratcheting up the interest. Magnum Man

bea175,

I used H4350 on the moose.

That particular rifle is the Kilimanjaro custom listed in the table of handloads. It shoots any bullet from 156-162 grains to the same point of impact at 100 yards with 46.0 grains H4350, so I have used it considerably as a "bullet test" rifle. I sight-in (and do most hunting of deer-sized game) with the 160 Sierra GameKing, then switch to other loads for larger game. (The Sierras would work fine on animals larger than deer, I am sure, because I've never recovered one from a deer, pig, antelope, sheep, etc., but a gun writer has to keep testing stuff.)

In 2007 I went to South Africa for a month on a big cull hunt, and one of the two rifles taken was the Kilimanjaro 7x57, with four loads using 46.0 H4350 and the 160 GameKing, 156 Norma Oryx, 160 TSX and 160 North Fork. Got to "field test" them all, but the Norma and North Fork are the most accurate in that rifle, averaging well under an inch.

Thanks for the reply John

Paul, I was out in the hidey hole yesterday, there is five boxes of factory 7x57 ammo, all 172(?) grain bullets. Made under the montgomery wards label, one box from south america, and a box of 170/180 projectiles made by knoch labed dangerous game. They are pulled bullets. i think i have some bullets some place that are wierd looking, your coin point remark, comes to mind.
I like shooting the heavy bullets at distance, and listening for the delayed "thunk" when they hit something. My personal belief unsupported by anything is around 140grains is probably ideal. I know the single shot riedl i have does not like light bullets, or remington brass.

It was one of the few factory loads that shot well from my 700 MR. On hogs at 15 feet, it was an excellent performer. I never did get to try that load on anything else, but I was confident enough in it that I carried it for an elk hunt. I had the crosshairs on a very nice 5x5, but since I was in BC, I couldn't pull the trigger.

My buddy used the 173 S&B's in an identical rifle to take a 10 point whitetail with no drama. I doubt they're going fast enough to come apart unexpectedly.

FC

I too love the Lapua! It is a shame we can not buy them over here. If someone would import them, they would sell a ton. If anyone has any 7x57 Lapua brass they will sell, please PM me your price.

Richard

H3900

I've looked at the European offerings by RWS and Norma. Both show few factory offerings, especially as compared to 7x64 offerings. Is the 7x57 losing popularity overseas as well? It certainly looks like it. Why? Beats me. Maybe "old and efficient" is out of style.

Rev,you should start loading your own.

Elk: you are absolutely right. I'm just trying to figure out why.

Easy,shoot more.

True; but at less than $16 per box of what I shoot.....

Now, if we're talking about tailor-making loads for various applications, well, that's a different story. For instance, a 150 gr partition for your upcoming African adventure....

You working at being a Loony...

Right?

You gotta reload if for no other reason than to have balistic gack to gack about here on the Fire...

Plus it's fun and you can create unique loads that your rifle will really love. Factory fodder generally hits the middle, hand loads can search the edges where real performance lives. And, how else are you going to have fire belching, Fire pressure loads...?

DF

My upcoming Safari involves a lioness and for her it's a 300 gr Sierra .375 H&H.

For the Blesbok and Wildebeest it's either a 260 gr NP or 300 gr Sierra .375 H&H.

You guys are zero help! I'm gonna die in abject poverty!!

See there, Rev.

Now you gotta find a .375 H&H.

The 7x57 is a round that really benefits from reloading, as commercial ammo has to be suitable for older actions. With that M-70, you can turn up the heat, maybe not to Dennis Hall levels, but up nonetheless...

DF

In my Featherweight 7x57,with a 160 gr Sierra GK it's 2710 fps from a 22" barrel. It loves that bullet and load.

Can't get that from a factory load.

Won't mention what the CZ 550 7x57 gets.

Welcome to handloading.