Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Would You Chance a Red Pad 7x57?

My 2004 7x57 was stolen and I'm looking to replace it. Gunbroker has several older ones with nice wood, but their reputation for bad barrels makes me hesitate. I'm looking for a shooter. Thoughts? Experiences?

And no, I'm not interested in a different caliber.

go for it you have at least a 50 x 50 chance

I have experience with ONE red pad model. It's a 1980 1B in .30-06.

With 200gr Partitions it hovers around MOA.

With 165gr Partitions and a stiff dose of IMR4350 it will usually fly right under MOA. I once even had a one hole group @ 100yds with this combo. Total fluke and doubt I ever reproduce that again.

Personally, I would roll the dice on another red pad model.

I have an early red pad 6mm Rem that shoots extremely well with 95 or 100 grain partitions, and Winchester 760.

One of the best shooting #1s I own is a red-pad Bicentennial 243. Anymore, I am very happy when I can put three shots close to 1” at 100 with the older Leopold 4x scopes I often use. That 243 has readily thrown them inside that. I’d like to see what it does with a bit more target clarity and the aid of sandbags. By comparison, an early black-pad 7x57 I have does not shoot near as well, though it does well enough for hunting.

Number ones are beautiful rifles. If you find one with great wood and it doesn't shoot well you can always just look at it.

I have owned red pad 77's 243, 25/06, 7x57, 30/06, and 35 Whelan. All shot more than good enough to kill a deer at any range I would chance shooting at one. All were 1-2 inch at 100 yd rifles, with the right load. Never a problem with functio9n on any of them. Still have the 30/06 and can't imagine ever needing to get another rifle of same caliber. Probably won't shoot the pubic hairs off a gnat at 100 yds; but none of mine have missed a deer at 50-200 yds either. Find a load it likes and you'll likely be happy.

What's your objective for owning the 7x57? Also, do you handload? If you want to hunt with it, I have yet to shoot a red pad (maybe 5, including a #1RSI in 7x57) that didn't have acceptable hunting accuracy with factory loads. If you want more long range confidence with tighter groups, hand loading did the trick with all of those red pads for me. A couple were downright finicky, but once I found the right load they were as consistently accurate as anything else I shoot. Good luck with your search. Stinks this world is full of bad people.

My objective for a 7x57? I preferred the one I had above all other rifles I've owned or fooled with. Plenty accurate for my purposes, plenty of power for any hunting I'll ever do a pleasure to carry, easy to shoot well, reasonable recoil, very high cool factor.

If I can't have mine back I want another like it, simple as that.



(and yes I handload)

cabelas gun library in east hartford has a black pad one listed for $1049 black pad with a necg peep on it. that thoroughly sucks someone stole yours. you could also hold out for the 2016 275 rigby but it'll probably cost more

Your dilemma is solved....

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/572350309

Thanks, tex n cal, I had missed that one.

To answer the red pad question, early red pad rifles with Douglas barrels, no concern. Black pad rifles, no concern.

I've never seen a #1B I'd call inaccurate, so if in a desirable caliber with good wood, I would not be afraid to buy it. Other models would have to be something unusually desirable before I'd risk a red pad from the 70's or 80's. Like say, my .38-55

Have you shot that 38-55?

no

Back in the early '80s I had a '70s 7x57 that would always throw one shot out of three way out of the group, even with the forend off the gun. At the time, I'd never heard about the possibility of the rib touching the receiver, so I finally gave up on it. That one was going to be my once and forever deer rifle, but it and a troubled Number 3 .45:70 put me off the Ruger SSs for years. Now I've got a couple of Browning Low Walls that haven't given me a moment's trouble. The only Ruger I'd go for now would be one of the stainless/walnut .250s or .223s, or maybe a 6mm, or a .257 1A, or........

Well, no more .45/70s for certain!

sometimes firelapping cures flier-tossers

I put a fresh hot pepper in my eggs this morning. Think that'll help?😜

only if you load eggs over Varget

My first #1 was a pre '76 B in .243 win.
Handloads it shot well. Actually tried a couple and it didn't seem picky (75 gr Speer or Hornady bullets on top of 4895).

But groups opened over time (throat erosion).

I currently have a '85 ? red pad RSI. Expected it to be horrible.
Factory WW 100 gr look to be 1.5" @100. Figure that good enough for deer. Won't be shooting past 200 anyway. Mostly under 100 (bought for a woods rifle).

Back in the day I saw a few #1s that were crappy. Seemed to be mid bore stuff, not the varminters or thumpers.

Unfortunately a buddy bought a couple of those red pad turds.

He did have a .45-70 that shot well. The red pad didn't do much to tame that beast. Great looking rifle, and fun...........if you woke up feeling OK. I almost bought one not long ago.......but back in the cobwebs I remembered.

Think a new one in .44 mag a better idea.