Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 7mm-08 to 7x57 comparison

7 x 57 farmer or soldier

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Count me in the 7X57 fan Club.....

Can I just buy a 7mm-08 - close my eyes and pretend it really is a .276 Rigby (or 7x57 depending on mood) when I shoot it?

Ruger makes the #1 in the 1-A and the RSI.


Travis.

NO!! Gotta have the real deal to be in this club. I don't get to join until next week. Then sit back and listen to my nostalgic stories.

280Rem,
When did your lady friend take her Cape Buffalo with the 7mm? I thought that the minimum was a 375 H&H? Did read that a gun writer (Sam Fadala?) got special permission to shoot one with a 30-06 due to a bad shoulder.

Love the 7 x 57mm it just works - no pretentions

She took it in 1985. I dont know about rules/laws on that. I know she had "big gun" back up. But she put the Buff down with the 7x57 alone. She wrote a book. "a little bit of magic" Journal of a Lady Hunter by Bobbie Wallace Parsons. The phrase "a little bit of magic refers to a judge friend of her's and mine when he said "The 7x57 has a little bit of magic".

Sometimes believe there are two sets of rules for hunting in Africa.

Foreigners paying outfitters and PHs are subject to one set.

Local hunters to a different set.

Nothing wrong with that and it would explain some of what I see and hear. Have had PHs tell me about shooting scores of antelope with 22 Hornets.

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As shooters, we would never know the difference to tell. As deer or elk, we would never live to tell the difference.

Buy the rifle you like in whatever you like, then you will have honest bias.

JW

According to the specifications on the Ruger website, the rifling twist rate of their #1A rifles chambered in 7x57 is 1:8 3/4" RH. Here's a link:

http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAProdSpecsView?model=1303

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Both chamberings will do the job on appropriate game when using the
right bullet.The 7x57, which is usually chambered in a longer action, can be loaded with heavier bullets without compromising powder space nearly as much. But, is there really a need for a heavier bullet? I'm loading my 7/08 with 140 gr Barnes TSX - at close to 2800 fps from a 22" barrel- using Varget. One such bullet passed the LENGTH of a sizable northern buck. The 6.5 lb, scoped and loaded, Kimber Montana is a joy to carry and gentle on my bad wing. Bigger isn't always better, neither is more. Sometimes, just enough is just about right.

They are virtually identical in ballistics, but the 7x57 has the edge in heritage. I like the 7x57.

I have killed large animals such as elk, Cape Buffalo, and Eland with a 7x57. It is the mildest caliber out there that I would hunt elephant with if I had no other choices. I have witnessed the kill of a bull elephant with a 7x57 and RN military ball ammo with a heart shot and it was impressive, or perhaps I should say unexpected as the bull ran about 75 yards and died, the blood loss was tremoundous to say the least. I know a PH who has killed many elephants with a .308 and 30-06 with simular results according to him and I believe him, but all that aside I would rather use my 450-400 or .416....

The 7x57 with a handload can perform circles around the 7-08..My 7x57s have mostly had 06 length magazine boxes, and throated to accept a 175 gr. bullet seated to .284, that is a very long throat..As a result of this set up, I have in effect a 7x57 IMP as I have increased powder space the same as improving the round. I get 2900 plus FPS with a 160 gr. Nosler and an easy 2700 FPS with a 175, and have reloaded that brass as many as 14 times with several trims..The wonderful little Brnos Mod. 21 and 22 also have this mag box chamber set up..This also requires the use of H414..

In factory persuasion the 7-08 is the hands down winner because the 7x57 is underloaded by the factories to prevent frivilous law suits as there are a lot of poor quality war production Mausers out there, such as the Mod. 95 and 96.

Bottom line is the 7x57 has more powder capcity than the 7-08 just like the 6mm Rem has more powder capacity than the .243. on so fourth.

Well now, that's pretty damned impressive.

All of these loads are over maximum in all my Ruger 7x57s.

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139 SPs at 2838 don't bother me in the least. I get 2875 with the bullet out of a 20" M7 7mm08.

By comparison, 160 Grand Slams at 2797 scare the heck out of me.

But to each their own.

GE

You've shot these in your M77s?

I'll have to check, maybe I misprinted, but I don't think I did. Agree, the velocity is a bit high, or so it would appear. However, I was just relaying what she writes in her book. If I get a chance to ask her about it, I will. I can tell you though, her husband is a very seasoned handloader and shooter, and knows what he's doing.

Hey #2, what about THAT! SMOKIN'!

My rifle with a 21 inch barrel will give me about 2940 fps with 49 grains of H4350 and the 139 grain Hornady. 50 grains of H4350 will almost do 3000.

I back it down to 48 grains of H4350 and use that load with 140s and 150s. That is with an Agentine Mauser action and there are no pressure signs.

The load I published earlier in this thread was a 140 NP at 2900 and change. But, I later found some load data of my dad's that ran 3000 with 139s. It used H4350 instead of IMR IIRC, but don't recall the exact load.

I don't think he ever loaded anything heavier than 139s/140s.