Like John, my interest in the 7x57 was first sparked by reading JO'Cs thoughts on it. Mine came from his articles in ODL and later from his book THE HUNTING RIFLE, when that book came out in 1970. In chapter 8 of that book, titled "Big Punch In A Little Case", JO'C extoled the virtues of the 7x57 in detail and how it had become his wife's, Eleanor's, favorite hunting cartridge. The 7x57 was also Harvey Donaldson's favorite deer hunting cartridge, HAD's being a Winchester 54.
I had paid $38.50 for a sporterized FN-made Venezuelan 24/30 in 7x57 to hunt deer with before I was old enough to buy a firearm myself at Welch's Gun Shop in Lebanon, NH. I fed it a mix of Winchester brand 175 grain soft points and, when I could get them, 139 grain Dominion or Imperial brand ammo from CIL that we would bring back from visits to my uncle Tom in Bedford, PQ. That 24/30 is now a completely rebuilt rifle in 257 Roberts courtesy of Clayton Audette in Springfield, VT. That rifle, as I bought it, has been my only "Kaboom" in over 55 years of hunting, shooting, and reloading. I am hoping that it will always be my only "Kaboom".
I still have a few 7x57s around, 7 bolt guns and a sporterized Venezuelan FN-49. All gathering dust or boxed up and stacked on a shelf somewhere.
