Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7x57 bullet choice..

I built a 7x57 for my nephew and need to work some deer loads...of all the many deer I have shot I have never used a 7x57...
In 7-08 the 140 combined technology has been flawless...
For his rifle tho recoil is not a problem he's a grown man...I have some 150s left over from my 7 mag days...cor loc and fed fusion...the fusion may be too tough of bullet in the 7x57 (thoughts?)
How about the cor loc...I love them on deer out of 30-06

What twist rate are you working with?

9 twist...

140 Partition, never the wrong choice.

To make it easier.. in a modern action.... just use any 7/08 data ya like...

for deer out of mine, I run 44 grains of 4064 or IMR 4895, and either a 139 gr Hornady, or 140 grain ballistic tip...

right @ 2800 fps

I like the 139gr Hornady Interlock. But any of the Speer, Nosler or Sierra traditional bulletin should work just fine.

This! Been using the 139 gr Interlock in the 7X57 since the mid 80s (whitetail only) with consistent success. I suspect the equivalent C&C bullets would all work as well.

My personal choice in the 7x57 for many years. Excellent accuracy and very effective on whitetails.

Re: the Fusion. It's a redesign of Speer's "Deep Curl," boat-tail v. slight concave base. Both are chemically plated. I have a bunch of Deep Curls and load them in my 7x57s. They are death on hogs. I can't see the Fusion being anything other than very effective as well. And, as was said, Partitions, although mine generally are 160-grains.

Here's the only Deep Curl I ever caught.

Pick a bullet in the 140-160 grain range and use it.

The 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip would be a great choice.

I have a fairly decent load using the 150 gr. Nosler Partition at 2700 FPS with Re17 and can push it a bit faster if I want to. This from an M70 Featherweight. I can also push a 140 gr. Ballistic tip to 2800 FPS using W760. I'm thinking of trying to see what I can accomplish with 160 gr. Speer Hot Cores for game larger than deer. Trials with the 150 gr. Nosler ABLR have been dismal in three rifles chambered to 7x57 and terrible as well in a 280 Rem. Go figure.
Probably for deer I'd use a 140 gr. bullet but frankly I like a 150 much better. I noticed that the late Jack O'Connor and his wife both apparently preferred the a 160 gr. bullet for all their hunting with a 7x57. I think I'll look into that as well.
Paul B.

If a bullet works in a 7-08, it will work in a modern 7x57, and as was said you can use 7-08 data. As best I recall I've used 120 NBT's, 154 RN Interlocks, 160 Deep Curls, 160 Accubonds and all worked fine. 150 NBT's didn't shoot well in my rifle, that was a disappointment. Never tried 140's. Never caught a bullet. RL15 for the 120's, H4831SC for the others but seems like must guys like 4350 class powders.

Really the old Mauser isn't too hard.

The highlighted portion suggests you may have controlled the width and length of the chamber throat compared to the wild 7x57 chamber variations that are out there. If that is the case than you shouldn't have much trouble working up a good load with any number of deer appropriate bullets. Anything that works on deer out of a 7-08 will do. Just use good brass and dies and get them seated straight.

Fusions are bonded, but they aren't too tough in the sense you're worrying about. They're excellent deer bullets in a variety of cartridges, having been designed to expand readily and widely without going to pieces.

Only three choices for me, and all 175's, old style Speer Grand Slams, Partitions and Swift A Frames, have never fired any other bullets in my 7x57, also have never recovered one from game, trajectory is math and easily repeatable, i'll take penetration with tradition all day any day.

The highlighted portion suggests you may have controlled the width and length of the chamber throat compared to the wild 7x57 chamber variations that are out there. If that is the case than you shouldn't have much trouble working up a good load with any number of deer appropriate bullets. Anything that works on deer out of a 7-08 will do. Just use good brass and dies and get them seated straight.

Fusions are bonded, but they aren't too tough in the sense you're worrying about. They're excellent deer bullets in a variety of cartridges, having been designed to expand readily and widely without going to pieces.

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I cut the chamber with my standard off the shelf reamer...it has done a a few chambers and no complaints on accuracy from anyone...

Sounds like those fusions might be a good choice...I have 250 of them ..that should keep him going for awhile..

RevMike,

Actually the Deep Curl appeared AFTER the Fusion, as a component bullet. They were both made by Speer, with the same equipment.

For some reason the then-PR guy for Speer decided the "new" bullet needed a new name, and came up with Deep Curl. Quite a few people suggested that since the Fusion was already pretty popular, they stick with that name--or perhaps Fusion with some Speer addition. But he refused to listen, and within a few years the Deep Curl disappeared.

Of course, another reason for its demise was Speer planned to discontinue the Hot-Cor, replacing it with the Deep Curl--which they initially thought could be made (and sold) as cheaply as the Hot-Cor. That turned out not to be the case, and they also usually offered different Deep Curl bullet weights than Speer had offered in the Hot-Cor for decades. The rest is history.

139 Interlock or 140 Ballistic Tip.

Thanks for the clarification, John. I was under the impression that the Fusion replaced the Deep Curl because of the latter's pressure issues. Either way, I really like the Deep Curl. They shoot well in my rifles and perform well on game. Too bad Speer killed it. Every once in a while I find a batch of pulled ones for sale, but they're few and far between at this point.

I had no idea that Speer made the fusion