Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 7x57

My 7X57 built on a 1909 Argenting Mauser action likes H414 and 140 grain Game King, another thats Ackely Improved likes IMR3031 and 160gr Accubonds and the pre64 M70 carbine favors IMR 4350 and the 140 Game King. Go figure three different rifles three different powders.

I've used 40 grains of 3031, that I got out of an older Hornady Load Manual....

I use that load, with bullet weights from 139 SP Hornadys to 175 grain RN and SP Hornadys...

I have a model 70 Featherweight that will shot virtually any load very accurately...

And then a very picky Ruger 77 Mk 2.... but the 40 grains of 3031, it shoots fantastically.

Don't know about m91 being chambered for 7 x57 but the Europeans didn't import boat loads of m93 And m95 mausers to dump in their market. Go figure?.
.mb

Dunno if there was an M91 but it wouldn't surprise me. I'm pretty sure there was an M92 and it was chambered to the 7x57. They had a magazine that hung down below the stock and loaded in the same manner as the Mannlicher-Carcano. When the M93 with internal magazine came out Spain jumped on it. Dunno if any other European countries ever used the M93 but a bunch of Latin American countries did as well as Mexico. The Boers in Africa bought a bunch of the M93 and later M95 Mausers and put them to good use against the Brits.
PJ

I'd like to see this as well. I'm not interested in turning my 7x57 into a .280, but with 65k of pressure I'm pretty sure the velocities would be close, especially with heavier bullets. Also the increased velocity would be helpful with heavier monos. Unless JB or someone knows how to calculate estimated pressure, outside of a piezo machine it doesn't look like there's any way of safely knowing. Quick Load maybe?

Here's one way: You need a trustworthy source of data that supplies pressure numbers for at least two charge weights. Consider Hodgdon's data for IMR4350 and a 150 grain Ballistic Tip. In ordered pair notation we have (charge weight in grains, CUP) pairs of (42.3, 40,200) and (45.0, 45,400). If I've done the arithmetic right that's 1926 CUP per grain in the range they tested. Suppose we want to go up to 300 Weatherby pressure, say 54,000 CUP.

54,000 - 45,400 = 8,600 CUP

8,600 CUP / (1926 CUP / grain) = 4.465 grains

Call it 4.4 to be on the small side.

45 + 4.4 = 49.4 grains is the extrapolated charge ceiling.

I'm not telling you what to do, but I know how I'd experiment.

Note: We are assuming linearity in the behavior of the powder for the pressure ranges in which we're operating.

Thanks, MM. From that I should also be able to use JB 4:1 ratio to estimate velocity, if I'm thinking right.

For the example I cited you can use Hodgdon's data again. This time instead of CUP / grain you figure fps / grain and extrapolate the fps using the new projected charge ceiling from the previous calculation.

Got it! Thank you!

If memory serves me right, weren't the guns Remington chambered in 7x57, built on SA? The SA IMHO puts a 'hamstring' on the 7x57.

I've had (still possess one) 3 rifles chambered in 7x57. An Interarms MK X, which was a long action, a Win 70 (SHOT Show Special) that was on a SA, and a Ruger 77 Tang safety which is built on a LA. Of note, the current Win 70 SA is just a tad longer that the Rem 700, and doesn't 'hamstring' the 7x57 like other SAs.

I don't think they were. There were 700s in 257 Roberts on both action lengths however.

The only factory 700 in 7x57 I've owned was a Mountain Rifle, which had the long action.

I don't know of any factory 7x57 ammo that would fit in the standard 700 short-action magazine.

I second that sentiment. Not sure why it has never been more popular with US manufacturers than it has been. The fascination with the idea that newer is better is all I can think. I would like to see Ruger add 7x57 to their All American line if not build some more 77's in it. I would buy one , .260 Remington and .250 Savage would be cartridges I would love to see more of.

Mike, I've always used a chronograph when working up load. I got some data from a fellow who used Rl17 in a Winchester M70 push feed in 7x57. As I have the same rifle I PMed him and asked for his data. He'd only worked with the 150 gr. Nosler so that's the way I went. I took my my time and started 10 % below what he called max and using .5 gr. increments slowly worked up to what I believe is max for my rifle. The load works nicely in a Ruger #1A and the M70 but has proved problematic regarding pressure i
nm the FN Mauser. It was originally chambered to the .270 Win. but I had it rebarreled to the 7x57. I'm thinking that I may have to take it to my gunsmith and have him tear it down. I got the original rifle secondhand in a trade and I'm think that when loads get up there the action will occasionally lock up, but not in the normal manner You can't just knock of the bolt handled with a 2x4 in the usual manned but have to jiggle it a bit. I'm thinking the problem might be the locking lugs may be set back. That would require a new receiver. I got the rifle from a brother in law now long since deceased.

Just a short list of the load load work as I approached the top.

Powder is RL17,Winchester brass, WLR primers, 150 gr. Nosler Partition.

1. 47.0 gr. 2710 FPS
2. 47.5 gr. 2751 FPS
3. 48.0 gr. 2799 FPS
4. 48.5 gr. 2847 FPS

Load #4 was extremely accurate but bolt lift was a bit sticky on opening. It might be OK during the temps in hunting season. I dropped back to load #3 and called it good. Both the M70 and Ruger #1 love that load.
PJ

Is that the custom that you've mentioned before? Hits pressure pretty quickly? If I ever get my hands on some RL17 I'll try that load. I have a few 150 NPTs laying around - about 250 - and that would be an outstanding pig/deer load.

Rates a Two-Cool

My Dad and his brothers used the two Hutton Rifle Ranch slide rulers, Powley Computer and Powley psi calculator until other than Dupont powders came on the market. They wanted to experiment with those powders and put money in a kitty and purchased a chronograph.

When I began loading for the 7x57 I put several bullet and powder data from several sources into a Excel spreadsheet, obtained an average and shot it over a chronograph. Then I come across Bob Hagel and Dennis Hall's data on the 7x57 that showed me I could work up to the potential of the 7x57. Results were somewhat satisfying, but found case life was not good in some cases. Backed off my loads and now I am cruising between the 7mm-08 and 280 Remington.

I've read Hagel and the article on Dennis Hall's rifle. Funny thing, shortly after that article came out I lucked into Ruger M77 that had a serial number only 5 digits higher than Halls. I tried working up to Hall's data but that rifle didn't like them at all. IIRC, Halls rifle had a slightly oversize chamber and the bore was something like .01" oversize. I'll have to dig out that article and read it again. I push a fairly stiff load in my M70 FWT and it works quite well. You can find it in my answer to Rev. Mike's post.
PJ

As close as I got to the 7x57 is an old 7x57R. I'm not a cool kid.