Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Need opinions- 7x57/IMR4451/162 ELD-M

The 7x57 offers a huge lesson for those who would listen.
For the majority of hunters it is always enough, always loaded correctly, always adequate, always underestimated, seldom pushed to the limit and always within recoil tolerances.

With a 7x57, there is no need for a 6.5 cringemore, or any other cartridge either side of it.
Because it is a hunter s cartridge, you are more careful and thoughtful with distance, placement and bullet choice matched to the game you are hunting.
Because it doesn't belt you to death and blast the ears off the side of your head, you tend to practice with it, trust it and plan for it in your hunts.
Because it shoots flat enough over usual hunting distances, the scope does not have to be a multi-dial telescope.
The modest powder charges work well in a 22 inch barrel which means a relatively light and slim profiled rifle can be made/used/selected that is easy to carry, comfortable to port, natural to point and an extension of concentration and deployment in the field.

If it goes bang and the bullet hits where you planned, the load it good.
If it feeds so you do not have to look at the action or drop the butt from your shoulder, you have have competence.
If the animal did not drop dead like the others before it, it is more likely that it is because it is a different animal, and not the cartridges fault.
If you think you need more, maybe you haven't thought enough on it.
If you think there is better out there, maybe you haven't used enough cartridges or taken enough game to really know.

Most of all, your 7x57 doesn't care what powder you use, what bullet you choose, what latest offering is out there. Options are nothing more than a flippant phase to a 7x57. It has been there and done that. Now it is your turn.

John
PS: I quite like the cartridge.

The 7x57 offers a huge lesson for those who would listen.
For the majority of hunters it is always enough, always loaded correctly, always adequate, always underestimated, seldom pushed to the limit and always within recoil tolerances.

With a 7x57, there is no need for a 6.5 cringemore, or any other cartridge either side of it.
Because it is a hunter s cartridge, you are more careful and thoughtful with distance, placement and bullet choice matched to the game you are hunting.
Because it doesn't belt you to death and blast the ears off the side of your head, you tend to practice with it, trust it and plan for it in your hunts.
Because it shoots flat enough over usual hunting distances, the scope does not have to be a multi-dial telescope.
The modest powder charges work well in a 22 inch barrel which means a relatively light and slim profiled rifle can be made/used/selected that is easy to carry, comfortable to port, natural to point and an extension of concentration and deployment in the field.

If it goes bang and the bullet hits where you planned, the load it good.
If it feeds so you do not have to look at the action or drop the butt from your shoulder, you have have competence.
If the animal did not drop dead like the others before it, it is more likely that it is because it is a different animal, and not the cartridges fault.
If you think you need more, maybe you haven't thought enough on it.
If you think there is better out there, maybe you haven't used enough cartridges or taken enough game to really know.

Most of all, your 7x57 doesn't care what powder you use, what bullet you choose, what latest offering is out there. Options are nothing more than a flippant phase to a 7x57. It has been there and done that. Now it is your turn.

John
PS: I quite like the cartridge.