Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Good 7x57 Mauser loads

Thanks, Ken.

Got a chronograph. My aging Nosler Reloading Guide Number Four says 46 max. is most accurate for their 160 Partition and about 2622 fps from 22" barrel, so maybe I will see 2650, more or less.


Steve

In reality, no animal will ever know if the 7mm 160 grain bullet that killed it had a MV of 2,550, 2,600, 2,650 or 2,700 fps.

Sure, it may make a difference in terms of trajectory, but if you want a flat shooting non-magnum 7mm for longer ranges, try a .280 or a .280 AI.

The great virtue of the 7x57 in my admittedly limited experience with it is light recoil, good accuracy and the ability to shoot 160-175 grain bullets at "reasonable" ranges.

That's actually Mule Deer's load. I've been messing around with medium velocity (2200-2400) 175-grain Deep Curls lately since I have about 600 to load and shoot.

Within the range of speeds you list, I will happily accept the load which proves to be most accurate. If the shot goes precisely where I direct it, at even 2,400 fps MV, I'll still be stuffing the freezer. The thing is, sometimes the best accuracy with a particular bullet and powder combination comes at the higher end of the speed range, depending on its preferred load density, but certainly not always.

Steve

How's that been working out for you?

Steve

With a 24" barrel you should get close to 2700 fps. I always figure 25 fps per inch of barrel.

Steve,two books to buy...
1) The latest Nosler reloading manual

2) John Barsness book "The Big Book of Gun Gack: The Hunter's Guide to Handloading Smokeless Rifle Cartridges.

Here is the link to John Barsness's website...
http://www.riflesandrecipes.com

[/quote]
With a 24" barrel you should get close to 2700 fps. I always figure 25 fps per inch of barrel.

Steve,two books to buy...
1) The latest Nosler reloading manual

2) John Barsness book "The Big Book of Gun Gack: The Hunter's Guide to Handloading Smokeless Rifle Cartridges.

Here is the link to John Barsness's website...
http://www.riflesandrecipes.com
[/quote]

Again, thanks, Ken.

Steve

You're welcome,Steve.

Not bad, actually. Even with the spread in velocity they all shoot more or less to the same POA at 100 yards, and the quick twist in the M98 (Zastava) has no problem stabilizing them. I have even loaded some practice loads using the same bullet and 36 grains of H4350 (.5 grains under Speer's published minimum) that I haven't chronographed but figure to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 2100 fps. They too shoot to about the same point of aim, just a tad lower. I have thought about seeing how they will perform on a pig at that velocity, but I haven't seen any when I've had that particular load and rifle with me. On the other end of the spectrum, Speer lists 48 grains of Hunter for 2550 fps. and I'm pretty sure that would perform flawlessly on anything I'm going to shoot. But for the most part, about the only thing I'm using those bullets for at this point is range and field practice.

I also have 600 160-grain Deep Curls to start working with as well. Those will primarily be used in my M70 as hunting loads.

Thanks

Tag

Deer season just ended here.... sadly no bucks seen when out hunting.. saw a few grazing in people's back yards in town..

most of the season I was carry a Model 70 Featherweight....

139 grain Hornady SP, propelled with 44 grains of 4064... MV was right at 2800 fps...

accurate as hell out of that Model 70....tight little groups over at the range...

switched the scope from a Leupold 3 x 9, with the regular factory reticle
to one with a German Heavy Number One reticle, to be more Euro to fit the caliber...

I just did a load work up with the 160 gr. Speer Grand Slams. At 46.5 gr. of H4350 no signs of pressure in my FN custom Mauser which is weird. This rifle usually shows high pressure even with milder loads and this load is a half grain over the max in the latest Speer manual. That last load did a .375" group measured outside to outside. I knew the gun was accurate but this has to be a fluke. I didn't have time to set up the chronograph for the shoot so velocity is at best a guess. I loaded up some more with that load and the Good Lord a willin' and the weather cooperates, I'll get to the range and see if the accuracy is still good and check velocity with the Chrony.
Paul B.

My Venezuelan carbine with short throat likes 40g of R#15, 140g Nosler ballistic tip, and cci 200,. 3x9 scope with some wind. I really don't know how hard I can push this FN mauser, even though it was made between wars. I have not even bedded it or free-floated the barrel, honed trigger. The gun was an auction find where it had been professionally drilled and tapped, bent bolt. This short little rifle is 1" at 100, 2" at 200, and 3" at 300,140g Nosler BT or Accubonds. This load kills hogs and deer well.

Tried RL 26 in my 7 X 57 with 160 Gr bullets lousy accuracy and velocity was lo, seems way to slow of powder in my 7 X 57. Based on limited testing.

Tag

Well the custom 7x57 has been retired for the duration while I consider what to do with it. I'm thinking there's a problem with the chamber but not sure what.

I have decided that the 160 gr. Speer Grand Slam/H4350 combo is probably a losing proposition in both rifles. (M70 and the Mauser)

I decided to try Rl17 and the 150 gr. Nosler Partition in the M70 FWT and may have come onto Nirvana. I loaded up six different charges of Rl17 starting with 47.0 grains and going up in half grain interval up to 49.5 grains. Results are as follows.

1. 47.0 gr. 2710 FPS avg 26 FPS ES one inch perfect equilateral triangle.

2. 47.5 gr. 2751 FPS avg 19 FPS ES group triangular .375"x1.0"

3. 48.0 gr. 2743 FPS avg 30 FPS ES group triangular .25"x 1.375" *

4. 48.5 gr. 2847 FPS avg 39 FPS ES Group .75x .002" (002." estimated as it's just one slightly enlarged hole.)*

5. 49.0 gr. 2883 FPS One shot fired.

6. 49.5 gr. 2910 FPS One shot fired.

*No pressure signs whatsoever on any of the loads. Primers all have nice rounded edges on brass that have been reloaded several times already with pocket while not very loose are still not as tight as new brass. Even case head and pressure ring measurements show little signs of pressure.
However, I'm a firm believer in that powders are designed to burn within high and low parameters and that pressure/velocity increase is relatively linear within those parameters. Any change either a large increase, no change in velocity or even a drop in speed is an indicator that one has reached the top parameter for the powder in question. Note the change from load #2 to load #3. Even load #4 is slower than Load #2 although not by much and then load #5 had a large jump from only one shot. The same from load #6. Both #5 and #6 are at load levels found in the .280 Remington.

Final decision is I'll go with load #1. It sufficiently fast enough and certainly accurate enough to be minute of cow elk.
If anyone wants to try Rl17 in the 7x57, I'm thinking I started a bit too high. Probably should have started at around 45.0 gr. and worked up from there.

For spits and grins I also took the .280 Remington out for spin using 57.8 gr. WMR (Winchester Magnum Rifle powder and the 160 gr. Speer old style two core Grand Slams that were so troublesome in the 7x57's. Muzzle velocity was 2907 FPS with an ES of 79 FPS. I fired two three shot strings for .75" both times. Maybe I ought to take that one elk hunting.

Paul B.

I got good accuracy with a best group of .738" using the 160gn Accubond over 51gn of Rel 26 for a velocity of 2602fps, not fast, but getting up there and certainly adequate.

Will be back on my stand soon carrying the 7x57 Super Grade loaded with 120gn TTSX's over 53gn of 760 for 3054fps which records groups in the .630" to .715" range todate.

John

Speer just posted some modern data. The pdf sheets are supposed to be in the upcoming manual (#15). Among a number of new powders listed for heavier bullets is Alliant Power Pro 4000-MR. Has anyone used that yet?

I'm loading 49gn H4350 with 140gn Partitions for 2820 fps in my Number 1 (22" brl). I'm very happy with that load.