When I bought the 7x57 in 1962, from a Sears and Roebuck mailer, it cost $13.99 and came in full military form - 1895 Chilean Mauser,straight bolt, mil sights, cock upon closing, long barrel, not drilled/tapped for scope, etc. Over several months I did the conversion to a sporter for hunting (as noted in my first post - many deer and elk, and also one antelope and a few javelina) and it remains in that form today.
In that same mail order, I bought three boxes of the standard Winchester hunting ammo of the day - featuring 175 gr. round nose bullets. They worked OK - killed stuff just fine - but once I began reloading I was able to find the best performing loads for that rifle. After a bunch or experiment, I settled on the 140 gr. as the best all around for that rifle. Some others up into the 150 gr. range also did well for accuracy and on chronograph. I have never used a 175 gr. since those originals were all shot - but have reloaded that Win brass many times.
At a good gun store in Alb, I once found two unopened boxes of RWS 7x57 with bullets in the 150 gr. range. That was excellent ammo - shot as well as my loads. Contacted a tech at the factory in Germany to try to find out the powder they used, and quantity - he never replied.
The 140 grain kills bull elk well, as does a 130 gr. in a .270.
Don't get me started on my originally mil 6.5x55 Mod. 96 Swedish carbine - bought in 1965, turned into a sporter, and still going strong.
Two most excellent cartridges invented/designed in the 1800s.
