Fast question - with a 1:8.75 twist, what are the capabilities and behavior of a 20" barrel in 7x57?
Specifically - Is it enough to get 175's to expand, or the 162/168's or does the 7x57 really benefit from a longer barrel?
Ranges would be up to 250-300 yds, absolute max. likely 100-150yds. Bone or soft tissue.

Also, blast and recoil - I know short barrels get jumpy, and they can produce some pretty good blast too. I was not so fond of the blast/recoil on the 7-08 scout I had, although that was a 18" barrel.

Thanks!

The 8.75 twist should stabilize anything you want to shoot. Getting the heavies to expand is going to be a function of bullet construction and velocity. A 20" tube will give you some muzzle blast, not over the top but noticeable. Felt recoil is primarily going to depend on rifle weight, bullet weight and velocity, You do not indicate what game you intend to hunt with the rifle. If you are primarily hunting deer then 140s or 150s will be adequate.

OldRooster, Thanks for the reply!
Game would be deer to get going, eventually I would like to take on Elk, but that's a few years off...

I guess the better question to ask is whether a 20" barrel hurts the speeds of the 7x57.

Where my curiosity stems - the 6.5x55 CAN work in a 20" barrel, but most who really work it stick to 22" minimum, and prefer 24-26" for best velocity, using slower-burning powders. Same true for 7x57? Modern action, btw.

I shoot a Ruger #1 International (20" barrel, Mannlicher style stock) in 7x57 and, YES, the shorter-than-24-inch-barrels won't give quite the muzzle velocity of the longer barreled rifles, BUT... getting 2800 fps or close to it out of my Ruger's 20-inch barrel isn't a problem.

My hunting load (for deer) is a 140 grain bullet in front of 50.0 grains (a MAXIMUM "published" LOAD) of H4350 sparked by a standard Winchester large rifle primer in Remington cartridge cases.

There are a good many different 140 grain bullets available for the 7mm... and while I have always used Nosler Partition Bullets for hunting big game in .338 Win. Mag. and .300 Savage, I may end up using the flat-based Sierra 140 grain ProHunter bullet which is a very accurate, cup & core type bullet, but quite adequate for deer-size game.

For elk, I'd recommend a 160 grain or a 175 grain Nosler Partition Bullet in front of a healthy charge of H4350 powder. My Ruger #1 "loves" H4350 in any amount and has shot 3-shot groups as small as .176 inches at 50 yards using 37.2 grains of H4350... and if you want ASSURED expansion as well as deep penetration, then use the still excellent Nosler Partition Bullet in 160 or 175 grains.

My deer hunting load (50.0 grains of H4350 & a 140 grain bullet) has shot 3-shot groups of .404 inches with a noticeably heavier (but not objectionable) recoil and a louder report... with a muzzle velocity of around 2800 fps out of it's 20-inch barrel.

Good hunting...


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

I think that having a 20" barrel on a long action rifle might cause balance issues, unless the barrel is a magnum contour.

Depending on the powder you use, you could get a pretty impressive muzzle flash with a 20" barrel, particularly obvious at first/last light.

Jeff

20" barrel is great for the 7x57.. Allows it to better fit in the trash can.

You will smoke a turd in hell for that!

BASTID!

Rancho Loco is right.

You may lose 50-100 fps over some longer barreled 7x57's but I doubt the deer will notice. Also, it has been my experience that shorter barrels tend to shoot better.


ddj

My 1895 Chilean Sporter sports a 21" barrel and aside from lower velocities I've never had any of the issues that concern you.

My 1895 Chilean Sporter sports a 21" barrel and aside from lower velocities I've never had any of the issues that concern you.

I've got one with a 21" barrel and I don't even get lower velocities than published. In fact, I tend to get a little higher.

Gunner

My 7x57 has a 21" barrel, and I've had the same experience as Cossatotjoe, higher velocities when using the same ammo or handloads as with most longer-barreled 7x57's. This is probably due to a custom, short throat.

My standard 175-grain load gets 2500 fps, plenty for expansion out to 300 yards. My 160-grain load gets 2650+, depending on the bullet, and 140's around 2850. I've used the rifle to take a pile of North American and African game up to Canadian moose at ranges up to nearly 400 yards (mostly with 160's) and never had a problem.

I have an 18 1/2" barrel on my Arisaka and sometimes shoot 175 Hornady RN bullets. I shot a whitetail at about 130 yards in the lungs and it expanded fine.

My Brno 22F has a barrel just over 20" and shoots a Norma factory 175 gr. at 2350 fps. I killed a calf moose at about 230 yds last fall with it, 3 bullets expanded and exited. Only the first was really necessary, but I believe in shooting until they are down.
I get 2600 fps with H4350 and nosler 160's with no pressure signs. I like how the short barrel handles, but balance is aided by the full stock. I do not like muzzle blast in any rifle, but do not find my Brno carbine objectionable.
hope that helps.

Rancho - I've got your bridge-crossing toll right here... :P

Jeff - This would be a No. 1 RSI, of which I've handled(fondled?) the .243 and .270 styles with great appreciation, and loved the balance on them.

Cast - NICE BRNO. Very beautiful, and thank you for the details.

Sweet rifle!

Find me one of those in a lefthand, would ya???

I have the No. 1 RSI as well as a Brno 22F and a custom full stocked Mark X, all in 7X57. The RSI has an 20" bbl and the other two are at or close to 20". No problems with them at all. My Brno hasn't had a chance at meeces like c&b's has, but it has killed my largest whitetial to date.

I've got a Ruger No.1 RSI with 20" barrel as well. I'm getting chronographed average velocities of 2869 fps with the 140 gr. Sierra Pro Hunter with 51 gr. H414 and 2621 fps with the 160 Sierra HPBT over 52 gr. IMR 7828SSC. Both these loads are extremely accurate - consistently gives 3 shot one-jagged-hole groups at 100 yards. As far as muzzle blast, it's not bad at all, and you don't get much closer to the muzzle than with the No.1 RSI (36.5" overall length). Nothing at all wrong with a 20" barrel.

JW

I think a 20" 7x57 would be the cat's meow as a handy rifle for a truck, UTV, or enclosed hunting blind.

A little late to the party, but I have a 7x57 with a 20" barrel. I haven't shot anything with it, but I haven't found blast or recoil to be objectionable. Even with 175's over a healthy dose of H4831. Hopefully I will get a chance to run that load over the chrono this weekend. 120's over H4895 were very, very sedate.

20 inch barrel is plenty for what you want to do. While I like a little longer barrel, Lots of guys killed truck loads of game with various cartridges chambered in Mannlicer Shoenaurs. with barrels in the 18 to 20 inch range.