Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Hand Loading for the 7x57

This adds credence to my theory that RL-17 has a special property that 4350 or most other powders don't. This is something I discovered in loading my .250 Savage.

Yes though I have been hunting in Texas in the low teens in the morning and 60's in the afternoon. Supposedly gives up 1 fps per degree? So just how bad is 53 fps going to effect your rifles ability to kill game?

You could start by dropping 48gr of either H or IMR-4350 under those 140's, same charge I put under 175 Partitions in my 7X57 98 Mauser, they run a flat 2700 fps and are ragged hole accurate.

gunner,

Apparently my post on why pressures vary a lot in 7x57s with the SAME load was too long for members to read: Here's the pertinent part:

"I've owned several 7x57s made by Ruger, and throats ranged in length from the present SAAMI throat (which is relatively short) to one perhaps even longer than the original military throat. Plus, plenty of other companies have come up with their own variations. I had one custom 7x57 made by a company that uses a reamer with a throat even shorter than the SAAMI specifications. As a result of all this, there is no way the same powder charges are going to produce similar results in all 7x57s. I've seen as much as three grains difference in the amount of IMR4350 required to produce the same velocity with 140-grain bullets."

I have to agree with what JB says based on my experience with three rifles chambered to the 7x57. My M70 Featherweight will run 2800 FPS using Re17 and the 150 gr. Nosler Partition as will my Ruger #1A. They will also run 2800 FPS running a load of W760 and the 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic tips. However, my custom Mauser 7x57 balks at just about everything I've run through it. Camber dimensions are a bit tighter than the commercial rifle but the neck section of the chamber is open enough that it's not the problem. The throat is long enough that 170 gr. Sierras can be seated far out enough yet still not contact the rifling. I loaded some to duplicate as close as possible to the original 1892/3 specs and ran them over the chronograph. The Winchester and Ruger were right on the money will only about 20 FPS difference. That same load was 150 FPS faster than the two commercial rifles running the exact same load. I have yet to figure out what the hell is going on with that rifle.
Paul B.

My Ruger #1 liked IMR 4350 with 140 gr bullets. Lately I've been working up a load with Nosler 150 BT and Ramshot Hunter powder. Have a few pounds of Hunter cause I use it in my .220 Swift. An article in Handloader, by JB, said it might work well in the swift and it does, very well. I'm still a grain below max in my 7x57 and I'm very happy with it.
When we're done with the rain and social distancing I'll will continue on. This is one target at 100yds. It might be worth a try in you 7x57's also.
fallout 4 semi

Thanks for everyone’s response. This is going to be a long term project and I’ll be buying a few pounds of different powders some of which I’ve never used. But it looks like we will all have some down time with not a lot to do for the next few months. I hope its less than months but being realistic things are going to be pretty slow for at least another month giving me some time to do a few things and one of those will be loading.

Also, thanks to Mule Deer for giving me the heads up on RL-17. I was told the difference of it and most other powders was that the inhibitors were within its mixture instead of just being dusted on the outside of the powder kernals which is supposed to give it a slower peak pressure. I don’t know as I’m not a chemist or a ballistician but I knew something was giving it a little boost. I didn't realize it was a double base powder. I already have a couple pounds of RL-17 so I can use the money to buy the Ramshot Big Game. I’m excited to try it.

Thinking about having a lower recoiling rifle with almost the same performance as my .270 has me going. I don’t plan to use heavier bullets than 140s in it because I already have a .270, a .280, and a 7 Rem. Mag. for that. However, I’ve had my .270 for over 50 years and have only used bullets heavier than 130 grains a couple of times. My go to bullet in it is a 130 Grain SGK. If I ever use it on elk I’ll load it up with some 150 grain Nosler Partitions. That’s what I use in my .280 Remington and sometimes my 7 Rem. Mag. I’m not a long range hunter so I don’t plan on loading it with anything heavier than 140s..

This is a great forum with lots of knowledge and good people. I’m enjoying it more all the time. Thanks again for your responses.

I use nothing but Big Game in 5 7mm-08 Tikkas. Bullets from 120 to 150 grains. I also use Winchester Large Rifle Magnum primers. Fast and accurate.



P

Pharmseller,

Yep, Big Game is also the first powder I try in the 7mm-08 with bullets in that weight-range--but (duh!) it took me a while to suspect it might work as well in the 7x57!

WLRs are also probably the hottest commonly available "standard" LR primer, which often produces more consistent results with spherical powders, which tend to be a little harder to ignite than extruded powders. Which is why I often use them in smaller cases (such as the 7-08 and 7x57) with sphericals.

Yessir, guilty as charged, had a sat call coming in at anytime, and it did, I only read the OP's first post, hence me giving a one grain under Nosler book max load for the 140's, further verifying what you said, my rifle will eat 48 grains under 175's, others obviously will not.

It just so happens I just got this from Ramshot today:

7 X 57mm Mauser
Barrel: 24" ¦ Twist: 1-9" ¦ Primer: FED 210 ¦ Bullet Diameter: 0.284"
Case: WIN ¦ Max Case Length: 2.235" ¦ Trim Length: 2.225"
Powder: Ramshot – BIG GAME®.
Bullet weight: 139/140 grains.
Start load: 42.0 grains (ca 2550 Fps)
Maximum load: 47.0 grains (ca 2900 Fps)

I was also wondering how CFE223 would work as it is listed in the 8x57 on the Hornady site with pretty high velocities.

I've had very good performance with H4350 on 5 7x57's over the years. Just have two now, a Fwt. and a Rem Mt. rifle. Mule Deer did an article on the 7x57 over 10 years ago in Rifles or Handloader that basically used a chronograph to reach your optimal velocity and accuracy. Good enough for now I guess.

Filaman: I assume you've seen this, but just in case you haven't:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/4019389/1

Also, here's the full post from Ramshot (that Moe mentioned) using both Big Game and Hunter. I believe it might be the result of their Quick Load calculations.

RM


Since we do not have any specific lab tested data on this caliber, we can provide you with some guideline, based on calculations and information from other sources.

Caliber: 7x57 Mauser.
Barrel length: 24”
Pressure spec: <56565 Psi/3900 Bar (CIP) original


Powder: Ramshot – BIG GAME®. (1st Choice)

Bullet weight: 100-110 grains.
Start load: 47.7 grains (2975 - 3075 Fps)
Maximum load: 53.0 grains (3275 – 3375 Fps).

Bullet weight: 120 grains.
Start load: 45.0 grains (2700 - 2800 Fps)
Maximum load: 50.0 grains (3000 – 3100 Fps).

Bullet weight: 130 grains.
Start load: 43.7 grains (2575 - 2675 Fps)
Maximum load: 48.5 grains (2875 – 2975 Fps).

Bullet weight: 139/140 grains.
Start load: 42.0 grains (ca 2550 Fps)
Maximum load: 47.0 grains (ca 2900 Fps).

Bullet weight: 150-154 grains.
Start load: 40.8 grains (ca 2450 Fps)
Maximum load: 46.0 grains (ca 2800 Fps).

Bullet weight: 160 grains.
Start load: 40.5 grains (2350 – 2450 Fps)
Maximum load: 45.0 grains (2600 – 2700 Fps).

Bullet weight: 175 grains.
Start load: 39.6 grains (2300 – 2400 Fps)
Maximum load: 44.0 grains (2500 – 2600 Fps).



Powder: Ramshot – HUNTER®.

Bullet weight: 120 grains.
Start load: 48.6 grains (ca 2780 Fps).
Maximum load: 54.0 grains (ca 3140 Fps). LD ca 106%

Bullet weight: 140 grains.
Start load: 46.8 grains (ca 2600 Fps)
Maximum load: 52.0 grains (ca 2950 Fps). LD ca 102%

Bullet weight: 150-154 grains.
Start load: 43.7 grains (ca 2450 Fps)
Maximum load: 49.5 grains (ca 2750 Fps).

Bullet weight: 160 grains.
Start load: 43.7 grains (ca 2375 Fps)
Maximum load: 48.50 grains (ca 2675 Fps).

Bullet weight: 175 grains
Start load: 42.0 grains (ca 2300 Fps)
Maximum load: 47.0 grains (ca 2650 Fps).LD ca 99%

I’ve been toying with Hunter and 160 Sierras, results so far have been good, though best accuracy has been on the lower end (~2450 fps). I am using a magnum primer.

I haven’t gone higher than 46.0, which produced an average velocity of 2525 fps out of a 22” M70.

Based on my rifle, I still believe 4350’s are a better bet. Might go back and work up slightly from 46.0 for Hunter though.

I wish we could get Ramshot powders around here. I'd like to try some.
No one wants to stock it because they have to buy too large a quantity, or so they say.

I haven't used my Chrony in about 4 years because I haven't built or bought anything new, can you believe that?
I'm gonna have to dig it out of the archives and dust it off for this project. Hope I can find all the pieces.

As for Temperature stability, I’m on the Central Gulf Coast of Texas, about 120 Miles down from down town Houston and about 82 miles up from down town Corpus Christi. It seldom gets much colder than 30 degrees here, although the coldest I’ve seen it was Christmas Day 1989 when it got down to 8 degrees. I’ve seen it from12 to 20 a few times but that’s usually the exception and not the rule. However, I probably won’t be out shooting in anything colder than 30 if that. But extreme heat is a different story. The hottest I have ever seen it in Port Lavaca Texas was 110 degrees F on September 05, 2000, but that too was a fluke. In Summer it gets up to 95 and maybe as high as 100 on average, so high temperatures can be an issue.

Back about 40 years ago I was working up a load for my .270 Winchester with a 130 grain bullet and IMR 4831. I worked this load up in either February or March of 1980 when the ambient temp was around 50-70. Being new to reloading at that time, I thought nothing of ambient temperature. I ended up with 57 grains IMR 4831 under the 130 grain Sierra Game King. I took it to the range and shot several groups with it at that time with no signs of excessive pressure. But then a couple months later I took it to the range to see if I could improve my groups. That was in May with temperatures up in the low 90s. When I first shot it, I noticed a smoke trail to the target. Then when I tried to open the bolt it was pretty sticky and I had to bump it open with the heel of my hand. Later I noticed the primers were flattened pretty good. Like I said, I was new to reloading and at first I didn’t have a clue until I thought about what I had read in my Speer Number 9 Reloading manual about flattened primers and sticky bolts. (However, neither before nor since have I read anything about or experienced anything like the white vapor trail to target.) The first thing I did was cut the load back from 57 grains about three grains to 54. Then I loaded ten rounds and went back to the range. No more sticky bolt or flattened primers. However, it was about 250 FPS slower. So going by guidance from the Speer book I began working the load up again slowly. I got up to 56.9 grains before I noticed the bolt getting a little sticky again and the primers trying to flatten. So I dropped it back down to 56.7. At that level I saw no pressure signs and checking the diameter of the case head with a micrometer showed no expansion. So I’ve called that good for the past 40 years and had no problems. Had I been a more experienced reloader at that time I would have dropped it back further to about 56.2 or 56.4. But the proof’s in the pudding I guess and after 40 years with no problems I’m calling that good. I could probably get by with another grain of powder in the winter, but this load gives me 3100 FPS so why push it and take a chance on shooting one of those hotter loads in summer and experiencing another high pressure event? I'll just call what I have good.

I have got some extremely high chrono measurements without pressure sign with RL-17 back in 2010.
But researching the temperature stability of that powder, I realized it was nearly worthless to me for hunting.

I would try to get 3000 fps 140 gr NBT with IMR-4166 or IMR-4451, powders that are temp stable, low Copper fouling, and available.

Let us know how the 4451 and 4166 work out. Happy Trails

John:

I was looking back through the 7-08/7x57 chapter in Gack I and noticed that with just about every rifle and load for the 139-gr Hornady ILSP you were getting sub-MOA groups, which was much more consistent than any other bullet except the 140-grain NPT. Even then, the IL groups were a bit smaller. Did you ever have a 7x57 or 7-08 that wouldn't shoot the IL into sub-MOA groups? And do you find that they're more consistent at the higher end of the velocity scale or somewhere below? The loads in Gack I look pretty near the top.

Thanks

RM