Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Why No Love For The 7 Mauser?

He's keeping a close eye on this one. It's all part of jwp's initiation...

We Americans like new and sparkly and high performance. The great 7x57 dates to 1892. American ammo for it is seen as anemic. And almost no one has an intermediate length action.

IF the U.S.Army had adopted the 7mm Mauser after the Spanish-American war the 7x57 would be what the 30/06 has become. A world standard. But the instead the Army scaled up from 7x57 too 7.62x63. They were not going to about a foreign cartridge and pay royalties to Germans.

The final nail in the coffin is the 270 Winchester. It won the hearts of hunters who wanted a flat shooting, light kicking, 7mm hunting round.

I think one other point left out is the good old All American "It WASN'T INVENTED HERE" Syndrome...

my Model 70 Featherweight in 7 mm Mauser, was bought up in Roseburg Oregon, after sitting on the shelf on display for 3 months...

When I asked to look at it, the store owner told me 'before I climb up there and pull that down, I want you to know it is chambered in a real odd ball caliber.... a 7 mm Mauser'

He proceeded to tell me that each time he handed it to one of the Roseburg locals would look at the rifle in almost unused pristine shape, and they would ask what it was chambered in the response from them when told, was WTH is that????

I told him I knew exactly what a 7 mm Mauser was....
He told me that ammo was hard to find for it also...

I told him, not for me.... I load my own...

it was on consignment....so for a Pristine Model 70 Featherweight, with an aftermarket recoil pad put on it and still retaining the Leupold rings and bases, the cost had dwindled in the 3 months it sat up on the rack from $500, and I walked out the door with it for $300.

While the other employee was doing the "background check" the store owner was calling the rifle's owner...." hey, you won't believe it, but I finally got some guy to buy your rifle!"

Brought it home, took it to the range, and it was a tack driver...had also been bedded right by the previous owner.. his reason for selling it? Couldn't find ammo for it reliably..

My 7x57 is also a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight and it shoots my handloads into very tight groups and has convinced many whitetails to spend the winter in my freezer.

I only have three 7x57s,, but I have three .257Rs as well. Probably just like the case shape. It's real purty.

No love for the 7x57??


Where have you bean man?



It is the consummate, ultimate cartridge.


Always has been, always will be.


Karamojo and Jim Corbett are rolling over in their graves at 4500 RPM right now..



No cartridge has ever felt so much love!

I knew you would show up.

Sheesh...asking why theres no love for the 7x57 is like asking why theres so much gay love for the .270...

Thank god for Ingwe!

I have personally poured more love on the 7x57 than most cartridges get from all sources....

Ingwe - now there's a man who says exactly what needs to be said - good for you!

You are very astute for a member so new!

Bingo...

Thats like hating Heidi Klum because she's someplace between a "C" and a "D" cup.....

I think MD pretty much nailed it in his post. I have owned 5-6 over the years and while all of them shot ok but it took some tinkering around at the reloading station to find the loads that grouped ok and often those were not a ll that speedy ergo I have found her somewhat attractive but somewhat high maintence.

There is no rational explanation when emotion is involved!

Yea, a 150gr bullet going the same speed from a 7x57 as from a 7mm08 is a better killer in the 7x57.....

Got a 7x57 model 700 mtn rifle that I am getting really fond of. This one has been easy to find loads for, so far they all shoot decently or better!

I can tell you're not feelin' the love....




No-stalgia is good stalgia!








Besides, anyone that would habitually shoot a 150 in a 7x57 is a Cretin.....