Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Light weight bullets in 7x57

Hi everyone.
I’m down to only owning one hunting rifle to do it all for the foreseeable future.
My rifle is a small ring 7x57 it shoots 160gr bullets into a half inch all day long.

I do hunt mule deer and elk on the prairie quite often where shots can be as far as 400m.
270 country in other words.

For those occasions I’d like to develop a load using 140gr bullets,the old 160gr load at 2550fps may just not be quite as flat shooting as a 140gr load at 2800FPS.

My rifle never shot 150grain bullets well so I doubt that it’s going to shoot 140gr bullets any better.

My question is this:
Are there any tricks to getting a rifle with a twist/long throat that shoots heavy bullets to shoot lighter weight bullets?

Would a 140gr tsx for example shoot well given that the bullet shank is quite long for its weight?

Thanks

Try the 120 grain ballistic tip, they tolerate jump very well and are great killers

Yep.

Are you guys killing elk with the 120 grain ballistic tip?

Ill try them on Mulies.
Thanks for the suggestion

Tag, in same boat. What about the Speer 130’s?

I have to ask. How much accuracy do you really need for a big game rifle? At one time a 2" rifle was considered just fine when in fact most didn't that good, yet game died. I have one rifle that took a bit over two years to find a load that would do1.5" consistently. It's taken on hell o a lot of deer from about 35 feet to 250 yards. We're not shooting ground squirrels here.. Bragging groups are but not totally necesary.
Paul B.

That’s very true, puts in perspective.

Pray tell, what is wrong with a 160gr. @ 2550?
My go to load has been a 160 at 2600 for years and I never worried about it.
Go shoot stuff!!

I’m not sure that my load would shoot flat enough for Mulies or antelope out at 400m.

I use 139-140 grain whatever fits the game hunted.

It saves having a lot of different bullets and powder half used up.

Mostly Nosler Partitions but i have shot a lot of Hornady's 139 grain interlok.

Did you have any problems getting 139gr bullets to stabilize ?

Another vote for the 120BT. The 139 Hornadys also.

A friend had an older Ruger M77 in 7x57. One of those from the era of long throats. It shot 140g NPT really well.

Speer 130's shoot great in my Winchester XTR

Do you guys find the lightweight bullets shoot best when you push them slower or faster?

If your really shooting at 400 yds, it won't make a difference which bullet you use so long as you place it well. The bullet is not the secrete, it's the shot that count's! Can you hit a mule deer or elk well at 400 yds from a field position? In my old 7x57's I used 154gr Hornady RN bullet's and was never left wanting. I believe if I as you I'd opt for either the Hornady bullet or the 160gr Speer hot core. Bullet's don't kill thing's because of how fast they go, they kill things from being placed right. And using a lighter faster bullet is not going to overcome hold over for you, it will just change it. You up to it?

IIRC, Jack O'Connor and his wife were both big fans of the 160 gr. Speer at roughly 2600 FPS from the 7x57. His wife took probably 98% of all her big game with that load and only going to the 30-06 for a very few species one of which was elephant. I believe she also used the 06 for lion and tiger but don't think she used it for anything else.

I've hunted out west all my life and one of my favorites was the old 6.5x54 M/S in the 1903 M/S carbine. A 160 gr. bullet at 2200 FPS and I easily took deer at 200 yards. Frankly, I don't like long range shots if I can help it. One Mule Deer with a .308 Win.at 426 paces, one cow elk at 530 yards with a .300 Win. Mag. and one cow elk at 350 yards with a .35 Whelen. The last two were laser measured.

I've taken Mule Deer as close as six feet twice, but most at from 35 yards to about 200 yard. Most of my elk have been from 75 yards to maybe 250 yards, all shot would have been easy with the 7x57 and a 160 gr. bullet. I'm not all that great a stalker to be honest and of those two 6 foot deer one thought it could hide until I stepped on it and the other came running right past me never even knowing I was there.

My one antelope was shot at 75 yards as estimated by my guide. Stalk was easy as the rut hadn't started and the goats weren't all herded up.
Paul B.

I used 139 grain Hornady Interlocks for antelope.

I say just use what your rifle shoots well, then figure out your trajectories.