Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters MD, 7x57 load issues?

John,
I have gotten my M70 Featherweight 7x57 to shoot well enough with H4350, 215m and 140 TTSX following GG1 loads but for the life of me I can’t get some original 160 TBBC to shoot well or get to 2,700 fps with H4350. 46.0 gr H4350 produced 2,650 and not such good accuracy so I bumped up to 46.3 gr and switched to WLR primers and the velocity stayed about the same with 30-40 fps spreads. Any suggestions as to a different powder with that bullet? Thanks in advance.

WAM, RL19 is your huckleberry. powdr

I'm not even close to the experience and knowledge of MD. In his books, his 'go to' powder in the old 7 was 4350 types. With 160 gr cup and cores, I never got the accuracy I thought the rifles were capable of using 4350 of various brands. I had best results going a step faster on the burn charts with H414/ Win 760. Because all three rifles were capable of 60,000 psi cartridges, I felt comfortable loading them heavier than the manuals would recommend. Because all three rifles were european origin they had long leades, a pressure reducer in itself. I know nothing about the 70 FWT, it's chamber, leade, barrel length, twist rate, all factors to weigh. Anyway my results were basically 2+moa down to 1 moa (5 shot groups) and velocities from 23 5/8" and 24" bbls. in the low 2600 fps range. Primer appearance, extraction and brass life excellent. Admittedly 3 rifles is not a valid statistic, maybe we could call it a hint. Cautionary note to Bubba, NOT in your 1893, '95 Mauser nor your Remington rolling block. Free advice is worth what you paid for it, grin.

If you have the needed accuracy, I wouldn't sweat 50fps. No critter will know the difference, and trajectory won't suffer until 600yds or so. Sometimes, it's easier to relax and have a beer.

I’d use a non mag primer to help with extreme spread and accuracy

WAM,

In my experience with the original TBBC, sometimes they shot well and sometimes they didn't. This was also true with the original Barnes X-Bullet, which led me to suspect the solid copper shank of those bullets wasn't the best recipe for good accuracy in various barrels, which tend to vary slightly in dimensions. Often I simply never could get either bullet to shoot consistent groups, no matter what combination of powder, primer, seating depth, etc. was tried.

On the other hand, sometimes a certain batch of bullets shot well in a certain rifle, and when they did the powder, primer, etc. didn't seem to matter much. Which made me suspect the problem wasn't the load, but the specific batch of bullets, or even the way a specific batch of bullets fit certain barrels. (This wasn't an original thought, but part of a growing consensus among many handloaders.)

Federal eventually took over production of the TBBC, but changed from pure copper jackets to gilding metal, which seemed to help, but didn't totally solve the problem. Around 2004 Barnes developed the TSX, which solved their problem with the original X-Bullet--and around 2008 Federal grooved (and nickel-plated) their new Trophy Bonded Tip, which appeared not long after the Tipped TSX. North Fork also grooves the shanks of their copper, solid-shank soft-points, which in my experience shoot well.

However, Federal originally offered the TB Tip as a handloading component for a few months, I suspect because the demand for all sorts of ammo and components jumped enormously after Obama was elected. The fact that they made the Trophy Bonded Tip available to handloaders again after Trump took office tends to back this up. In the past couple of years I've loaded TB Tip bullets in several cartridges, and they've shot well with powders that generally work well with those bullet weights, and no dinking with charges, primers, etc. I also ran some tests in media with the Trophy Bonded Tip bullets and some older Bearclaws still on hand (both original and Federal) and the TB Tip bullets expanded and penetrated exactly like the originals. They have also worked very well on big game from mule deer to my biggest bull elk.

Considering all this, my handloading advice would be to buy some Trophy Bonded Tip bullets.

Thanks, John. I could load them in my 7mm Weatherby but the 150 TTSX has proven to be an accurate and effective elk load in that rifle. My son’s 7mm Remington Magnum shoots the 160 TBBC Federal factory load very well and is a hammer on game. I was attempting to get an accurate load for my 7x57 for that bullet but maybe just stick with the 140 TTSX and Partitions. Happy Trails

Sounds like a plan to me!

These days we have so many options in great controlled-expansion bullets....

I use H-414 with 139-140 grain bullets.

Has not let me down even with Barnes x bullets.

plainsman,

I have burned a BUNCH of 760/414 in 7x57's. Normally it does provide excellent velocities and accuracy, but in my experience it's one of the most temperature-sensitive of the presently available powders in its burn-rate class. Have had it shoot TINY groups at very good velocities in a relatively narrow temp-range, say from 45-85, but outside that results varied considerably, in accuracy and point of impact.

Am glad you got excellent results with 760 and X-Bullets, but aside from wondering how many different rifles that happened in, one of my points (apparently not emphasized enough in my post) was: Why bother trying to make bullets no longer available shoot well, when there are so many other good options today?

I have had great luck with H-414, and Both 7X57, and .257 Roberts.
The Temperature thing John just mentioned might bec why i missed a nice buck a few years back ! At least i have a new excuse !
...tj3006

Have also had great luck with 760/414 in several other cartridges--within a modest range of temperatures. It does work great within those limitations, but here in Montana (and other places I've hunted) the weather doesn't always cooperate with those limitations! Which is why I tend to rely far more on less temperature-sensitive powders these days, because like excellent controlled-expansion bullets, there a bunch available.

Still have a box or 2 is why i said that.

I have used it as cold as single digits and hit every critter so far.
Longest shot a smidgen over 200 yards.
I know that some can tell the difference in the slowdown but for where i hunt mostly is does a darn good job.

I’ve loaded 760/414 in the 7x57 with good results at the range. I try to do my work ups at 50 degrees +/-, but sometimes in Colorado it can be from single digits to 70+ in the same week. Kinda like Montucky...

I used 760 in my first 7x57 with 139gr Hornadys. Shot well at the range in 40-50 degree weather, and dropped deer nicely at 0 degrees. But, no shots were longer than 150yds, so POI wasn't as much a consideration. Of course, I had no idea, then about such things as temp sensitivity and such. But, I've since switched to H4350 in all three 7s. No complaints.