Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles MD's Recent 7x57 Article Got Me

For quite some time I have yearned for a "cool" 7x57. By "cool" I mean something a bit vintage but still affordable. The desire faded over the years until just recently with MD's write on the 7x57. I started searching locally here in Alberta and via the net in Canada. I found an older BRNO (not the small ring 21/22's) in darn nice shape and was tempted. The gent at the store said they have had it for some time and at $700 Cdn I passed to look a bit more. A week later while in Wholesale Sports here I spotted a neat looking Mauser on the rack and asked to see it. It was a 7x57 on a military M98 action with folding leaf sights, a "Greener" style safety along with the typical swinging military safety and a nice stock of straight grained walnut done in the European style. It was fairly light in the hands, wore what appeared to be a 24" barrel and an old 4X B&L in their adjustable mounts. The bore looked fine and overall condition darn nice. The price was more than fair so I decided to take it. Upon disassembly back home and much better examination (I do need to carry my reading glasses when I shop from now on!) here's what I landed.











I am told it is a Walther Model B. I took it to the range with a box of Federal 140 gr Speer Hot Cores and with a few taps of the rear sight was about dead on at 100 meters. Backing off to 200 and with a flip of the next blade the holes appeared where they should have. I am in love with this little gun. It weighs 6# 10 oz with the 60 cm barrel, all numbers match on stock, barrel and action and the "Greener" style safety buttons are marked with the Walther banner as well. I have loaded up the 139 gr Hornady over IMR 4350 for the next trip to the range. More than a bit long here but I am a happy camper with this piece.

N-I-C-E!!!

A-EFFIN-MEN!

which differs from those props given to an A-FN-Men

It's a mauser thing ... most WILL NOT understand ...

WOW !~!~! That's a great looking rifle...

Now... it's time to see how it shoots, eh?

I've been working up loads for my Ruger #1 International (aka "RSI") which, like your rifle, has a very strong action. As a result of having that strong action, a handloader can seriously increase the performance of the grand old 7x57 by a considerable amount since the modern actions can handle "hotter" loadings.

So far, I've only worked up loads using Hodgdon's H4350 and found all loadings in that powder VERY accurate. The MAXIMUM load using H4350 is 50.0 grains yielding about 50,000 CUP... considerably higher than the SAAMI's recommended 46,000 CUP for the 7x57.

The lower chamber pressure is necessary due to the older, weaker 1893 and 1895 Mausers still in use... actions which might not be able to handle the higher 50,000 CUP pressure.

Since I was looking for an "accuracy load", I found that 47.6 grains of H4350 behind a 140 grain Sierra ProHunter, flat-based bullet sparked by a standard Winchester primer in "accurized" Remington cartridge cases yielded extremely small 3-shot groups measuring in the .179-inch range at 50 yards.

However, even loads using a maximum charge (50.0 grains) of H4350 (using the same components as above) yielded 3-shot groups far less than a half inch @ 50 yards. In fact, the first 2 rounds went into just .203-inches with all three bullet holes "interlocking" at 50 yards !~!~!

According to the Sxxxx Reloading Manual from which these loads were taken, the MAXIMUM load gave a muzzle velocity of approximately 2800 fps out of the test rifle's 22-inch barrel.

I did, however, notice that there was considerably more muzzle blast and recoil using the maximum load. But the "recoil" of even MAXIMUM loads, when you're talking about the 7x57mm Mauser cartridge, is still relatively light.


The following rifle powders are the MAXIMUM LOADS using the loading book publisher's 145 grain bullet and yield a measured chamber pressure of 50,000 CUP in the 7x57:

RL-19 = 52.0 grains @ 2795 fps.
H4350 = 50.0 grains @ 2784 fps.
IMR4831=51.0 grains @ 2745 fps.
W-760 = 48.0 grains @ 2743 fps (using CCI magnum primer).

Even though the 7x57mm cartridge is well-over 100 years old, the grand old "gal" can still be the "Queen of the Ball" if handloads are developed for the cartridge.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

Cool rifle!!!!
7x57's are KING!!!
I weaned my two son's on 7x57's, and I have a couple too, not as nice as that one though.
Ya done great finding that one. Now, buy you some H-414 powder and some 140 grain Nosler Partitions, make loads, and go forth and kill.

Don

Very, very nice and in one of my favorite calibers to boot!!

Sharp classy rifle.

I'M JEALOUS!!!

Congratulations, you got a great one.

JB

Classical!

George

Now here is a feller who knows what he is talking about! This cartridge is truly a lion in sheep's clothing.

My own experience with this round, which covers a bit more than 50 years, tells me that if there was ever anything close to that mythical "all-around" rifle, it would surely be the 7x57.

And, to just luck into a beauty such as this, one must certainly be in pretty good with The Man upstairs.

Vey nice rifle! A true classic, in every sense.

Respectfully, Russ...

Sweet! Thats a really nice looking piece!

I decided to get my 7mm mauser out for a bit too...

Here's a pic.

Both fine rigs. Very nice all the way around.

Tony,

That rifle is really sweet. I have never heard of a Walther rifle like that.

Blammer,

Your rifle has really nice wood.

I used to be into cartridges and still am some. We made up a 7-57 with a Deifenbach 8 groove barrel in the 50's. Since then I lean towards the most powerful round I can shoot well. In lighter rifles that could be a 7-57 for some. Modern stock shapes and the Decelerator pads have moved the tolerance range however.

Tony:

That looks really nice. Would you indulge us with two more pics?

Left and right, full length.

Thanks.

- TJM

Tony,

Beautiful rifle. I've been on a similar search. Seems there are a lot more commercially mfg'ed Mauser sporters available up north than down here.

Good for you. Now go shoot something w/ it

elkjaeger

When you start to notice animals falling over to the shot time and time again, you will fall even more for the cartridge. It is so mild recoiling that you simply forget about recoil and start to enjoy the sight picture before the shot. It makes you concentrate on the placement more because you never have any other inhibition to distract you when taking that shot.

Good rifle. You will enjoy you hunting even more from now on.

AGW

GREAT FIND!! In one of the most incredible chamberings ever! IMHO

Tony-A fantastic find for you in a caliber that needs to be taken afield. The 7x57mm is my rifle for coyote, antelope, whitetail deer, mule deer, wild pigs, javalina, bear and elk. I handload 160 grain class bullets in my 7x57mm with H414 powder. The best elk I shot with it was a 5x5 bull at just around 325 yards. He was just uphill a tad from a Ponderosa Pine and that lasered a whole lot better than he did. Anyway, I planted the shot just behind his elbow as he stood broadside. At the shot he hunched slightly, took a step backwards, sat on his butt and fell over. It was a one shot kill. I think what makes the 7x57mm such a deadly game cartride is that the recoil is so light that folks can stand shooting 40 or so rounds in a session without making the arm black and blue. I have an absolute love for the 7x57mm which spans 46 years. Seeing that you have a Euro rifle it might be that your barrel twist is the 1x8.66, which makes it better suited for the heavier bullets. I have, however, heard of quite a few 7x57mms that shoot the 139 and 140 grain slugs just as well as they do the 160 grin ones. Anyway, if you handload, you have a wonderful rifle to work with there and a cartridge that screams class and heritage. Congrads ... Tom Purdom

Two excellent examples of craftsmanship.

That full length Mannlicher stock is very nice. Do you have any details on its origin -- who did the work etc?

The svelte lines on the Wather Model B also are to drool over. Why such clunky wood on modern sporting rifles? They are not going to be used as 'clubbed rifless' in the trenches.

And I'll add my own praise for the 7x57. I own 4 of them -- another custom job -- but it is based on a Winchester 70 XTR and in modrn dress so it is not in the same league at all -- and three Ruger #1s in RSI, B, and AB profiles. Someday, I'll add an A model to complete the collection when the right wood pops up with the right price tag.

1B

Blammer.........

OMG, what a BEAUTIFUL rifle... full Mannlicher stock... beautiful wood... and in 7x57 to boot!~!~!

A true "classic"... and a very beautiful "classic" as well ! That's the kind of rifle that makes you feel "good" just to know you own it.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.