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

This ^^^^

This is so well said, I think it ought to be repeated!

Absolutely spot on John! I've not killed a whole lot with mine but, I know it works on elk and deer.

I don't know how I missed this one...


This is sig line worthy, and should go down in the annals of Campfire history.....

The poobah don't know about the rare Springfield 1901 chambered in 30-01? Rumor is that it was actually 29 caliber that actually defied physics, no drop out past a mile! The Illuminati covered it up, but if you put your tinfoil hat on just right, you can find out about it on the innawebs!

I wondered where you were hiding.

I am one of the haters!

If it wasn't for the 7x57, Holland & Holland's 275 magnum introduced in 1912 would have survived. Bullet makers could not bring themselves to build a bullet at that time, because of the anemic 7x57, to hold up to the 275H&H's superior velocity. Plus the 275H&H fit properly in a standard length action! It wasn't until Mr. Nosler had a misfortune using poor bullets built for the 7x57, in the clone of the 275H&H (7mmRM), that a bullet manufacturer finally started building decent bullets.

But my wife uses a 7x57, she's the only woman I could fined that liked me, so I guess it's an OK cartridge.

For me, the best reason to get a seven-by is finding a great old rifle so chambered. When I was about 20, I picked up a Mauser sporter by Flaig's with a set trigger and a clubby Fajen or Bishop stock for $115. I had the trigger replaced with a Timney, and still have it in my box-o-junk. The rifle is long gone, of course, sold to finance something or other. I also had a Ruger 1A that would never put three shots in a group; one always landed a couple inches out, and it might be any of the three. I fiddled with the forend a bit, but even with the forend off, it still wouldn't group. This was before the Hicks came along.

I'm a fat old man on a fixed income with 2 perfectly good .270s that are older than me, so it's unlikely that I'll ever go looking for another 7mm, but accidents do happen. And I do still have a couple of boxes of Norma brass. That's a good reason to buy a rifle; right?

John Noseler did not use a 7mm in 1946 he was using a 300 H&H on a moose that didn't want to go down. This is what inspired the Partition bullet

Mr. Nosler's problem was, I believe, with a .300 H&H.

I stand corrected, thank you! I went to the libruary and confirmed my mistake.

I like my 7x57, but its not the end all of rounds. I would give it up before I would give up my 260.

I tend to like the oddball rounds, so it was a good fit at the time. I really like its little brother, the 6x57.

I traded a woreout 22 pump and $11 for a 93 Mauser in 1969 when I was 14 and the whole f**king world didn't come to an end because a guy my age bought and sold guns at 14. I sporterized it, at 17 killed my 1st whtl buck with it. Still have it and a M77R in 7x57. A good dose of IMR 4350 and a 140 NPT will do all the killing you need. The naysayers can go reinvent the wheel all they want too. I like a lot of other cartridges also. But the 7's I have will be the last that go. Magnum_Man

My current and only 7 x57 is a Steyr Mannlicher Model M Professional, that I bought in 1976. I had others but I kept this one, I just send 140 gr Nosler Partitions down the barrel with around 50 gr of IMR-4350 in a Winchester Western Case, and things just fall down when I shoot. What makes the 7 x 57 such a good hunters cartridge, its the simple fact its not over powering in the recoil department, nor do you need a super high tech bullet to hold together and perform like you do in some of the high speed numbers that are out there, and because of this, the rifle can be a pound or two lighter, there is no real magic to it, its just one of those balanced cartridge that dose well over a fairly wide range of game shooting purposes, the only draw back to it if its even a draw back, its pretty much a hand loaders cartridge these days, not a bad thing, you could also say dittos with regard to the 6.5 x55 two peas in the same pod!

I have thought many times that the 7x57 was a waste since the .280 and all its improved versions fit in the same action...but everytime I started thinking that way I was reminded that doesn't matter. The Mauser is lighter on my shoulder, more miserly on the powder, and for my skills the .280 doesn't do anything the Mauser won't. I don't mind recoil (I have shot .300 magnums and several .338's not to mention a slew of .44 magnums) but why put up with more than is needed?

Do I...and I really mean ME...need anything more than a 160 gr @ 2700 fps? Nope...but that doesn't mean I will get rid of my '06 or my .280, either. My .280 shoots 140 gr. loads better than my Mauser ever will and I love 200 gr. bullets @ 2600 fps out of my '06.

You're welcome.

The folks here are always glad for the chance to point out the mistakes of others! I'm surprised only two of us piled on.

I'm headed out with one of my four 7x57s. They deserve to be in the woods, not in the closet while I try to justify their existence on the Internet. If the pigs cooperate I'll post (another!) picture of a deceased porker on the Corbett thread.

Ain't that blatant smugness awful????

You're forgiven, Parson.

Over the years several writers have expressed some love for the 7x57. Let's see what they said:

"In many ways the smallest of the 7mms, the 7x57 is the most fascinating and impressive because its performance is out of proportion to its case size." Jon R. Sundra

"Some cartridges capture the imagination of shooters and remain popular for a great many decades- despite any shortcomings they may exhibit. One such cartridge is the 7x57 Mauser."
"As a result of its flexibility, the 7x57 Mauser may well be with us for another 100 years." Edward A. Matunas

As reported in the November, 2004 issue of American Rifleman:
"Gail Selby- daughter of legendary professional hunter Harry Selby- used the Bell/Ruark/Selby (rifle, in 275 Rigby, 7x57) to take (a) Botswana elephant in 1973 with 175-gr. solids."

Also from the November, 2004 American Rifleman:
"The late American Rifleman Field Editor Finn Aagaard, a former Kenyan professional hunter, gained much respect for the 7mm while growing up in Kenya. During this time he watched his father, using a 7x57mm Waffenfabrik Mauser sporter with a 28" barrel (acquired in 1927), take all manner of large and small game, including eland, hartebeest, zebra, a couple of lions (with just one shot apiece) and even a buffalo.

(Aagaard reported that "How much game he killed with it, I do not know, but it was a considerable amount. All through the Depression and the war he was expected to provide meat to help feed the numerous workers on the coffee and sisal plantation he managed. He had shot out the rifle's barrel by 1942- on game, not on targets." American Rifleman, Nov. 1986)

Aagaard commented in one of his articles, "not only is the 7mm Mauser a superb deer cartridge-the world is full of good deer cartridges- but it is in my opinion the least that can fully qualify as a general purpose big game cartridge."

"Instead of thinking about the 7mm Mauser as a classic cartridge, as many hunters do, I consider it one of the unrecognized greats available to modern hunters. Its attributes include mild recoil, more than adequate accuracy, and the ability to be loaded with bullets of great sectional density."
Mike Venturino

In the book, The Hunting Rifle, Jack O'Connor devotes a whole chapter to the 7x57. Both he and his wife had great success in the US and in Africa with the 7x57 cartridge. Jack reported that the 7x57 was his wife's favorite cartridge and as proof offers that Eleanor collected 17 head of game with 19 shots on one of their safaris.

While praise has been almost universal for the 7x57, there is one dissenting voice from the past. Elmer Keith, to no one's surprise, thought the cartridge was too light and underpowered for him. While he admitted that he had never used it, he said in one of his books that he "never had any faith in the 7x57 cartridge" and thought that sportsmen needed a more powerful rifle.

"Almost without exception, writers discussing the 7x57 remark on its light recoil and effectiveness on medium sized game in handy light rifles, stressing its pleasantness to shoot. Its record, even on larger animals such as moose, is surprisingly good. Seemingly, it is a cartridge that in actuality outperforms its paper ballistic ratings, earning hunter respect the hard way."
Ken Waters


It seems to me that there are very few cartridges that can document the amount of "love" that has been bestowed on the 7x57 Mauser over the decades. With today's components and improved bullets, it is better than it's ever been. Long live the Queen.