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

Mike,

Have always had good accuracy with Hornady Spire Points, even before they had Interlock rings, in just about any rifle. My first .270 was a Remington 700 ADL purchased in 1974, and after "accurizing" the rifle (expoxy bedding and ffree-floating) would average three 150 Spire Points in around an inch--at 300 yards.

I have three 7x57s , a model 700 remington, a 98 mauser built by mauser, and a bruno model 21 or 22 ( small ring mauser). I have not been able to get over about 2650 accurately with 139 gr hornady, or nosler ballistic tip 140 with any of them. and I have tried numerous powders such as IMR 4350 and H4350 4064 but none of the really modern ones such as big game hunter or RL17 etc. These loads were not really hot loads, but were full power loads, judging from extraction, look of primer etc. These loads were all extremely accurately averaging i inch or less for all power charges s I worked up. when they started opening up I backed off. but the chromo said 2600plus. I also have a winchester 70 7mm08 that I get 2850 from, accurately. I have sort of lost interest jn the 7x57 because I haven't been able to get adequate velocities from it.. Don't know what I did wrong. Its not as if Ill starve from lack harvested game as Im too much of a looney for that.

If I remember right, Jack O'Conner liked 43gr IMR4320 and a 139gr Western open point. I'had good luck with it in a sporterized military 98. Had forgotten about it 'til just now. Will have to try it in my newer ones.

Me too. I'd have to say that in every rifle I can remember, Hornady SP bullets have shot as accurately as Sierras.

.243 - 100gn
.250 Sav - 100gn
3 x .257 Roberts - 100gn
.25-06 - 100/117/120gn HP
6.5x55 - 129gn
6.5 CM - 129gn
.280 - 139gn
7x57 - 139gn
.308 - 150gn
.30-06 - 150/165gn
.303B - 174gn

When playing with a new rifle, I always try a Hornady as one of the first bullets.

In a gun in good condition, 2,600 fps with a 139-140 cannot be referred to as full power loads, in my opinion. If you get that feeling from extraction or primer appearance it is because those signs are not a reliable indicator and, maybe, your are producing cases with a bit of headspace.

Your groups could be opening up and then tightening back once you pass through that sour spot. Or maybe not, as each rifle is an individual but what is a sure thing is that 2,600 fps is not a full power load with that bullet weight,

I'd guess your rifles have really long throats and though the book may say you're at max loads, the pressure isn't there.

There is no reason why you should not look toward reaching 7-08 velocity in your 7x57. Of course much depends on what the throat length your rifle has but I have three riffles in 7x57. Two will shoot right along with the 7-08 and one, well I'm still trying to figure that one out. It's a custom that shows high pressure early on. For spits and grins I ran some of he last Hornady 175 gr. round nose loaded up to duplicate the 2300 FPS velocity of the original 1893 load. The Ruger #1A and M70 FWT did exactly that with great accuracy. The third, a custom based on an FN Mauser action went 150 FPS faster the the other two rifles. Chambering is very tight but necks measured after firing show plenty of room in the throat for proper bullet release. I talked with my gunsmith about the problem and he said he used the standard throat as used on the original Mausers, that is long enough for 175 gr. round nose bullets. So a short throat isn't the problem. I've even slugged he barrel and it's good there as well.

From the two rifles that are not having pressure problems I have can run a 150 gr. Nosler Partition at 2800 FOS with .75" accuracy at 100 yards with Re17. I have run the 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic tips to 2800 FPS using W760 again with .50 to .75" groups. Even the problem gun will run Winchester 145 gr. factory ammo into an inch. Maybe I should run some over the chronograph to see just what they do. First I have to find some. They're Unobtainium right now, aat least locally.
Paul B.

Just another reminder........as I do not want this bullet discontinued and encourage you to try it.
My our of the box, untouched Model 70 SG in 7x57 shoots cloverleaf groups when I can, using The 145gn Barnes LRX over 51gn of H 4350 and the Fed 210 for 2854fps.
There is no animal you would deliberately hunt with a 7x57 that this will not work on.

I use RE 15 with fantastic results.

IMR4451

I shot 150 gr Remington Corelokts at 2700 out of my 20" model 21 with no pressure signs, at this it was a joy to shoot, to the point of sitting down and going through seventy rounds at the bench for fun, 1/2 gr more and it knocked your tits off, rattled your teeth, and jumped out of the left hand.

The powder I used was ar2209.

added, same load gave me an even 2800 fps out of a Waffenfabrik Mauser...and it was a pussy to handle with the 150 gr Corelokts.

John:

I'm curious as to how far you are from the lands.

Thanks

MIke,
I don't know because I have stopped measuring that dimension, never found it of use as I set dies for accuracy not leade, regardless of where that may be.
I can say that when I was measuring for this rifle with other Barnes TTSX bullets the leade tended to be closer to .030" rather than the often quoted .050".
Because all of my past 7x57's had different throat dimensions, that is also a reason I stopped measuring and reverted back to die setting as the determining factor. It makes the routine uniform for every rifle and the most consistent in results for me at least.

The OAL I am using for the 145 LRX is 3.121"
John

I've shot almost everything for years with a 7x57, almost all lately with 140TTSX and H414. The chambers vary a lot, years ago I had a M70 Featherweight that I loaded with 4350, and the 140's were right at 2900, maybe 2875. I sold it and a few years later bought a Mannlicher Shoenauer with a 20 in barrel and they were about 2850, a while later I bought a Ruger 77, one of the first MkII, shot one of the original boxes of ammo in it and they went 2670 fps. Needless to say it had the long throat, I switched to H414 and loaded to near max using a Pressure Trace and it goes to 2925 fps, but you sure wouldn't want to put them in the Win.

I've hunted with it for about 30 years almost exclusively (unless in an area that something may bite) with 140TTSX and H414. I literally haven't moved the scope a click in all that time, and it still shoots nice .7 triangles at 100. It's been the killer in my safe, anything it looks at dies. I shot one buck twice, giving him a finisher at 6 ft as he had his head up. Everything else, including gemsbuck, kudu etc only took one, I have no idea how many whitetails it has killed, but the last one was a 20 in inside buck running at 368 yards. This one looks like hell, but I wouldn't sell it for anything.

jstevens,

Interesting that you have hunted with the 7x57 for "about 30 years almost exclusively" with the 140 TTSX. The TTSX was introduced in 2007.

John, I think you missed "almost all lately with 140TTSX ". OOPS!
Paul B.