Last Sunday I shot a 7x57 to determine cold bore POI with 12 different bullet weights ranging from 110grs to 175grs at a distance of 200 yards. While reviewing the results in the range club house a few members came to investigate. An elderly gentlemen commented that he did not realize you could purchase that many bullet weights for the 7x57. I told him there were several more weights that I did not try.

He replied - Wow! that rifle sure is a work horse.

Here is the old work horse - Ruger M77 tang safety, red pad.

Betcha a million bucks Ingwe responds to this thread........

Ain't much you can't do with a good 7x57. A true classic if there ever was one.

I pretty much only use 140 gr Partitions in mine (Win 70XTR Featherweight). Have killed blacktails, a black bear and a caribou with it at ranges from about 20 to 350 yards. I have some 175 gr loads also, but I feel the 140 with 51.0 gr of IMR-4831 is the "workhorse" load for this "workhorse rifle".

I suppose you could call it a workhorse if you wish but no more so than a .270, .280, 7mm-08, .30-06, .308, or a half dozen others anyone here could name off the top of their heads.

He is high on the 270 Win, isn't he or is that BobinNH? I get them confused.

Did not take long for someone to degrade the aura of this cartridge.

BobinNH is the .270 slut....but he seems to be liking the 7 Mashburn lately....hes coming around.

The 7x57 is a nice cartridge, in general, and pretty flexible if you're a handloader. I've been shooting the 7x57 for over 40 years and think that it would have been a solid choice for any game that I've shot during those 4+ decades.

Currently have 8 with a couple extra barrels in the rack to make more if the mood ever moves me. My favorites are a Remington 700 MR, maybe the nicest American factory rifle in 7x57, and a Ruger 77 RSI, with a Marlin XL-7 parts gun showing promise.

JEff

Yep, just works!

Sure would like to see what it is Tom264 posted...but anyway, I thought

I'd respond to this thread.

The 7x57 is the ultimate, consummate cartridge...

One day, I'm gonna take one out and kill something with it to see how it works....

I'd like my million is large bills please...........

What? What was that?


I can't hear you......

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW???

What??? Whats that? You are on Permanent Double Secret Probation Homo Ignore......

OK

Ohhhhhhhh...you will smoke SUCH a soggy turd in hell for that one....

Dude, your a mess......

WTF!!!!!

Bastid.....

There's a homo ignore?? Does it cover homos that don't like the. 270 win? How bout remmy bashing homos?

There ARE no homos that don't like the .270.......

Wait a minute..... are you saying...... only homos like....... bastid!!!!

That's nice...resort to name calling.....

If only homos like. .270s what about Bob? Or O' Connor? An " Ingwe said joc was a homo because he liked the. 270" thread would probly stir the pot.....

Wait, I like the 270. I like the 7x57 and 280 much mo better

Well than you are definately a homo........

Who's been camping with Ingwe, we can vouch for each other

I bet......................

I love the old tang safety Rugers with the red pad!

Blasphemy! Infidels! May you all not have 72 virgins! Worse, may your nights be tormented by visions of "ABC's of Bra Sizes!!!!

I couldn't decide 30 years ago whether I liked a 270 or a Magnum 7 better.........and I still can't!

The only solution was to own both....

When you tire of the 270 or the 7 Mashburn, which btw has a definate cool factor , you will look good with a 7x57 in your hands.

roundoak: I like the 7x57 as well as I like the 270,7/08,280,30/06,etc....and I have hunted with the 7x57 as well;owned a few rifles....trouble is,I have a hard time seeing any differences as to how the whole bunch of them kill things.

So, in that group, I pretty much stick to one....

That said the "right" rifle,chambered in 7x57,would turn my head.

I guess you could say the 7x57 turns my crank, too:





FC

OK...back to serious non-gay love...for the 7x57...

Geesh! I was wondering what got into you guys. Seriously, you guys need to stop watching reruns of Brokeback Mountain

Always liked that picture...

Thanks ro....let me find another 7x57 victim....


Ahhhh....here we go...

Been doing a bit of research with my favorite 7x57 also. I have noticed a first shot POI shift from a clean/cold barrel with some loads but not with others. Can't say for sure why and it isn't too bad (about .75") but, it's there.
On another note, I found some Privi Partazan bullets at Graf's and bought some out of curiosity. Sectioned one and found it to be about the same as any other c and c bullet but it has a very small nose opening. I was truly amazed at the level of accuracy they have been producing and even with the small nose, they expand very well in water filled jugs.

Nice muley...here is one of his kin that succumbed to the old 7x57.

And another...from back in the day...

And then I shot this elk...he was so small I thought he was a deer...cause a 7x57 can't kill elk...I been told...

Extra bubba points for the red plaid and denim...... im glad im not the only one that doesnt wear the latest camo.......

[u][/u]
I've heard the same about wearing blue jeans hunting

Joe, the POI work I was conducting was from a cold/fouled barrel to see if the various bullet weights would group fairly close at 200 yards. Except for 110 grs, bullet weights of 115grs to 175grs went to a 3 inch group @ 200 yards.

Just curious about your 7x57...does it prefer flat base bullets? All three of the 7x57s I have owned prefered flat base bullets with only a couple exceptions.

I have found that the only people that canstantly talk about the gay usually have the gay. And around here the 7x57 guys want shut up about the gay.

A 270 is for real men.

I will admit, that I have had two .270's but I couldn't twist the barrel off fast enough! Ain't ever gonna be one in my safe!

I won't say that the .270 is gay, but it is certainly suspect!

You guys are both wrong... mangleums are gay...... the shorter the gayer..

I like mine so much it`s going back to Africa.

Wait...sorry, it`s an 8x57..a silly millimeter.

Judge not, least ye be judged... Many 7x57 owners I know are former 270 owners not vice versa. They came over from the dark side after seeing the light.

I have a retired 270 in the safe just in case I meet Jack O'Connor at the pearly gates. Don't want him to think I completely abandoned him.

I bet I know what kinda "gun" they like.......

My favorite 7x57, a 98 sporter, doesn't seem to care about the weight or form of the bullet's base. It will also accurately shoot most any powder from IMR-3031 to MR-3100, with the exception of H-4895. It makes no bones about that one. I have been testing some surplus WC-852 (slightly slower than H-380) with very good results. This one and MR-3100 doesn't care if the barrel is fouled, clean, cold, or hot, they all go into the group.
My Featherweight is a little more disagreeable and seems to prefer a flat base bullet.

Hey your the one that knew where to find a pic like that not me. Sorry you caught the gay.

So far I've only shot 139gr Hornadys in my 7x57 and it likes them. It's taken several deer, DRT, at ranges to 100 yards. Now I'm thinking it would be fun to try a few others for comparison. I've not had good luck with Speers in other calibers so would probably stay away from them. Any suggestions in the 140 to 150gr range? I have 40 TSX 115gr in .25 cal I'd be willing to trade for some 7mm bullets to try.


Dave

Roundoak looks like one of them Robert Mitchum-type movie stars from the 50's....

I dig his new signature line,obviously intended to harass the older guys who hang out here! LOL!

Ingwe looks like a guy I saw in the Nosler and Barnes manuals. ....these guys shooting 7x57's sure do like them camera's!

What's a 7x57 anyway?

Well, Bob, the best way to describe it is like a .270 Improved.

FC

Exactamundo....

If anyone is interested and has a copy of Barnes #3 reloading manual, there is a fine write up about the 7X57 on page 255 by a worldly and wealthy big game hunter and movie star who sometimes posts here on the fire. His high opinion of the 7X57 makes me think there might be a least a little merit in the cartridge.

Fred

Fred...I've seen and read the passage that you refer to....what a devastatingly handsome young man that individual is...in addition to his raw literary talent......

The second coming of Hemingway?

Easily...an understatement, if anything....

It's unfortunate- The bottom of that page of my loading manual is torn away, so I don't know that writer's name. I wonder what ever became of him???

You boys got it bass-ackwards.....

My first centerfire rifle was a sporterized 7X57 Spainish Mauser. I traded for it when I was 9 years old. It came with a box of full patch military cartridges. I lived in a small town and I would sneak out behind the house and shoot it into a big oak beam at the back of the yard. Then I'd run back in the house and wait for the constable to drive by. I'd wait a little bit and run out and shoot it again.

The 30-06 is a "workhorse."

The 7x57 is a "arbeitspferd."

The Krauts invented it... just trying to keep it real

Thanks for the language lesson. There is certainly a lot of geschoss weights for the 7x57 -

This is my 7X57 workhorse... absolutely love this rifle.

Yes, what's not to love about it?

I heard he went on to write an equally enthralling piece in the #4 manual on the .300 H&H...then seemed to have faded into anonymity...

Such a shame...to shelve such enormous talent.....

I heard he had a hard time transitioning from the Underwood to the Commodore 64. That could have been a viscious rumour started by Bill Gates or Steve the Apple guy.

And I heard he used his fame and devastating good looks in a continual string of meaningless affairs with exotically beautiful women around the globe...living life to the fullest....with occassional stops here and there to hunt other forms of exotic dangerous game...

Isn't it thought he has an unpubllished novel that has generated much speculation? I think I recall the title as being "Where the Sun Don't Shine".

Dat was mean....

I picked up a Mexican Mauser in 7X57 that shoots great with open sights. It has a Monte Carlo stock with some of the most fantastic looking grain that I have seen to date. I am about to drill and tap it for scope mounts, so that I can find out how good it really shoots. I have had luck with 139 gr, 140 gr, and 150 gr bullets, and it shoots the Prvi Partisan ammo pretty well too. I picked it up for $125.00 last year. I think I'll keep it, as I hardly ever sell a gun that shoots like it should. I like the availability of projectiles in .284. I also have a 280 that shoots great, but I get a real kick out of the old war horses. I like Springfields, Garands, M1 carbines, SMLE's, and Ar's. I hand loaded some 303 Brits and 7.62X54R's with 125 gr Speer SP bullets, and they kill deer DRT. They both shoot pretty flat with the 125's. I haven't shot a deer with the Mauser yet, but it's on my to-do list. The old Mauser is one of the best looking rifles I have.

The dude in the Dos Equis ads really gets around, maybe he will shoot a 7x57 in the next commercial

He doesn't always shoot rifles but when he does its a 7x57....... The most interesting man in the world...

Now your talking about how good looking other men are. My friend we can get you help.

There is a good reason why Ingwe likes this dude

Yes. Mea culpa. You're a strong defender of the 7x57 in the age of glitz and cheap glamor. My hat is off to you. Great cartridge. And besides, I covet your Featherweight with that ebony(?)forend tip.

Yep...its ebony.....

the 7x57 is about the classiest cartridge and round on the planet birthed in 1892 and still kickin butt today the 270 win dont have one never will as a matter of fact the 270 win. owes it decendancy to the 7x57 maybe it should call the 7x57 uncle.

Yep I hear ya. My uncles kicked alot of butt in their day too. I learned alot from them (mostly what not to do). And today I am better then they ever were.

Kinda like the 270 calling the 7x57 uncle huh.

Yes, but you are carrying a .270...so you failed to learn that lesson!

I've killt criiters with a .270 and I've killt critters with a 7x57. None of 'em was deader than the others.

My 7x57 will push a 140 grainer to almost the same velocity as the .270...If there's any advantage to one over the other "on paper", there's not a bit of difference in the real world.

They all carried mini 14's...at least while they were allowed to own firearms.

Well yeah....the 7x57 is a scaled down 30/06, or versa vica whatever.....but the 270 brought in the modern era of high vel cartridges....

Everybody has a broke down drunken bum uncle.........

That's awesome...

That broke-down-drunken-bum-uncle fought two world-wars and lost them both, hence his bum status.

In terms of the introduction of higher velocity cartridges, I believe, but ain't sure, that the 7x64 was around before the 270...and then there was that Newton fella...

Winchester showed folks how to really market a product...

Nice looking rifle you have there roundoak.
What I like about the 7x57 over a 7/08 though similiar velocities, the 7x57 shoots so many different powders that the odds of finding a great load are very good.

well yeah Tom you are correct...but the 270 was our baby, and was really the most popular one here at home that really saw widespread use, I guess is what I am saying....

Millimeters just ain't how I roll......

Not to ever say I haven't credited success to the magical qualities somehow inherent in a particular cartridge...

I would imagine that marketing Euro favorites to the offspring of immigrants would be an uphill battle...:)

It's been nearly 120 years since the 7 x 57 was introduced. A tremendous amount of cartridges have been introduced since then. Very few cartridges have been a real improvement on the 7 x 57 in a modest recoiling accurate small bore suitable for general big game hunting.

However, there are more modern cartridges available today that easily duplicate the 7 x 57's performance and better it, without the drawbacks of the 7 x 57.

In summary the 7 x 57 is a nice mild recoiling, effective big game cartridge. It is very popular with the nostalgic, people who like living in the past, and nazi sympathizers.

In curiosity...what are its drawbacks you speak of?

You hear that Ingwe?

Your a Nazi sympathizer....

Regarding the three reasons the 7x57 maybe popular with certain individuals does not always apply. In my case, for example, I own them because the SOB's work.

Roundoak - Amen, brother! They get it done.

Just stiring the pot, it was all said tongue in cheek--lol.

ULA24

I do fit the nastalgia description, do prefer the politeness people exhibited in the past, don't ever assume new is better, and am about as far from a nazi (notice the lower case "n") sympathiser as you will find. It is a tool that was not used much by the nazi war machine. That was the 8x57, which is also a pretty fine cartridge in spite of the use it was put to for a few years.

A lot of good men fell to the 30-06 and the 303, does that make us Axis haters? NATO uses the 9x19, are they nazi sympathizers?

You may have posted tongue in cheek, I will accept that at face value, but I find no humour in being called bys such a vile moniker.

Randy Boomhower(Dutch not Deutsch )

Why have a work horse when you could have a race horse (eg 270 Win)

What logic do you use to attach anything "Nazi" to the 7x57 cartridge?

Yes, the 7x57 was designed by Germans by Paul Mauser in the late 1880s or early 1890s, when the political entity was known as the German Empire. The German Empire existed for 47 years, from 1871 thru 1918, and ended with the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Besides that, Germany never adopted the 7x57 cartridge for its military and, I think, that Spain were the only European Countries to use it.

JEff

And let's not forget...the 7X57 was the number one reason that the US developed the 03 Springfield, the 03 cartridge which then morphed into the grand old 30-06 cartridge. The Spaniards took it to our tails in the Spanish-American War on San Juan Hill. The 30-40 Krags and the old trap door Springfields just couldn't compete with the then blistering hot 7 Mauser.
These facts alone make the old 7 Mauser a significant cartridge in military history.

to ULA24

Just came to your post: sorry the 7x57 has nothing to do with Nazi. Was never a german military cartridge it was created in 1892. At that time uncle Adolf was only three years old.
With the 8x57 it could be considered as the ancestor of the 30-06 and of most cartridges using his case head size. It was so bad a cartridge that even the Brits adopted it as a hunting round under the name of 275 Rigby.

And sorry again, if it has draw backs every cartridges or every products made by man has some. Perfection is only in nature and even there i'm not sure, when i think of the mosquitoes that bite me when outdoor...
Regards
Dom

NB: I own one and also 270s, 7x64, 7RemMag and some others too, so i consider myself rather open minded when it come to calibers

I had a Ruger M77 MKII in 7x57 that had issues, was fixed, and is now shooting very well. I gave it to my nephew who hopefully will have a lifetime of enjoyment with it.

My main rifles are in 7x57 and old Ruger MkII workhorse and a Mauser that is getting a new tube screwed on it now.

Well,

In this photo is my Ruger M77, ultra-lite in .275Rigby, Douglass XX #1 @ 23", stock refinished by Karnis.

...I have grown to like it so much that I am having a two barrel take-down built on a 1909 action, they will be chambered in 7x57 and 6.5x57...with a 1908 being chambered in 8x57!

One rifle I should have never sold was an M77 Tang Safety RSI Mannlicher chambered in 7x57. It was a limited run. I replaced the aluminum bottom metal with blued steel aftermarket and put a 1.5x5 Leupold on top in Warne rings, and later a 2-7x33.

Was a seriously sweet little rifle. Lively in the hands.

Had the old workhorse out at the range today to try out Seafire's load of 40 grs IMR 3031 with different bullet weights but after one group got rained out... put the old horse back in the barn.

Lighten up Francis.

I tend to thinkof my 7X57 as a 'war horse".

That designation has already been used for my mother-in-law...

Forwarded this post to her. Thought she would get a kick out of it.

Friends like you - who needs enemies...

The 7x57 is benefiting from now is the realization with the 'experienced" shooting public, that a 140 grain 7mm bullet loaded to around 2900fps is quite capable of taking any animal in the lower 48 and quite a few more in far off lands.

John

I like that brown stock with the red pad. What kind of stock is it? Sort of looks like a McMillan mountain rifle pattern...

Thanks! It is the Echols Legend pattern.

Yep, the old 7X57 works....here is my Brno with a ten point from a couple of years ago.




Here is a newer acquisition, a Ruger No. 1 RSI that only seems to want to go hunting when the bobcats are out. This is the second bobcat taken with it. Note the squirrel. To make a long story short, I watched the bobkitty nail the squirrel and then I nailed the cat. Maybe someday I�ll be carrying this little 7X57 when a deer comes around.




The two other 7X57s in the safe are seasoned veterans of many years and have taken plenty of game. There have been other 7X57s over the years that I have parted with, but these four will still be with me when I kick the bucket. The little 7 Mauser seems to kill all out of proportion to it�s power and size.

Its not that I dont like the 270 win. I know they are a fine performer but the ones Ive shot I just didnt care for their recoil that sharp lil pain in the ass jab they produce and their selection of projectiles is rather nill 130 thru 150 gr. in 7mm I can shoot 100 thru 175 gr. I love the 270s lil brother the 25-06 but the 270 win just hasnt lit my fire but the 7x57 did long ago and I reckon this love affair will last a life time I noticed long ago that lots of folks like 44 magnums but there is this small circle of shooters that are 41 magnum nuts and pry bars wont tear em away and so have I noticed the same about the 7x57mm mauser there are some of us that are just freakin nuts about em I walked into a small gun show last Saturday with no intention of buying anything and at the last table I ran into
a seller that had a really cool 7x57 on an FN action with a custon stock well anyhow just like a damn cocaine addiction ya know what happened I became a foster parent,like an ol man that coyote hunted with us years ago always said the 98 mauser there just is no tuffer action and 113 years up the road companies today are still reproducing that action,matter of fact Paul Mauser sewed the US over the 03 springfield because its pretty much just a carbon copy of the mauser 98,dont get me wrong abunch of the stuff that went on in europe with the nazis back during WWII was brutality beyond belief and I dont have an ounce of german blood in me but I have to admit they built the finest rifles and tanks on the planet and when it came to combat they were in it to kick your ass and for a small country they held their own pretty well,as for the Boers in south africa they were armed with the 7x57 mauser rifles with 173 gr. RN bullets and the English who were after them learned to hate that lil 7x57 just as bad as the americans did at san juan hill matter of fact Id be willing to have bet that if the spaniards on San juan hill would have been equally numbered to the americans the outcome of that lil war would have been somewhat different and Karamojo Bell killed 1011 elephants with the 7x57 even tried other rifles and returned to the 7mm Mauser,Mauser supplied 7x57 military rifles all over the world for various countries and it sure sounds to me like the ol 7x57 has sure left its mark on planet earth as one of the great ones,keep the pics coming as I love to admire a good 7x57 rifle........

Tell me more about your BRNO setup please.
I have a Ruger 77 RSI stainless 7mm-08 that I need Ideas for as far as Scope,Load,Sling
Etc.
How long is the barrel on the Brno?
What scope do you have on it?
What load for Deer Hunting here in Alabama?
Thanks AMRA
WAR EAGLE!

Hook, Nice looking buck and rifle. That bobcat looks to be big, did you weigh it? I've an itch for the Ruger RSI 7x57 and Gold Bond doesn't seem to help!

Some people just show their ignorance.
Paul B.

I've oly shot two deer with a 7x57 and sad to say lost both of them. Part of the problem was poor bullet choice on my part. Many years ago, right around 1973 I had a very nice 93 Mauser spotrer than some small British gunsmith put together. It was light, accurate and nice copy of the Rigby guns of the day. I hadn't bought dies to reload the ammo yet and the only ammo I could find in that small Nevada town I was living in was Federal's 175 gr. round nose. It wa sopening day and I got a got at a small eating sized buck so took the shot. The buck took off at a run and I found some blood and a very small amount of lung tissue on the ground. I took up the blood trai which petered out rather quickly and after about an hour, drove home to pick up my wife to help me find the deer. We looked for that deer until the sun went down. We never did find it. I went back to the area the next morning and located by the birds what was left after the coyotes got done. I blamed the gun and sold it shortly thereafter. I should have blamed the idiot shooting that load. Years later when I had my custom FN Mauser 7x57 made up, I took what was left of that box of 175 gr. bullets and ran the load over a chronograph. They were doing almost 200 FPS LESS that advertised. I'm thinking that if that bullet had been closer to advertised speed, the deer would most likely not have been lost.
The second deer was a comination of possibly poor bullet coice once more, and an accident that has kept me in off and on again pain for the last 7 or 8 years. The shot was easy, less than 100 yards. I hard a very good solid rest and I called the shot as being right on the money. The deer left the herd and headed down into a steep gully. I gave it a few minutes and went up toward where the deer went down. On the way up the hill to the spot, my foot rolled on some loose rock, pain ran through my right knee and walking either up or down was totally out of the question. I called out to my two hunting partners and they literally carried me off the hill. I told them where the deer took of to but they were more concerned about getting me to a doctor. Turns out I tore up almost all the cartilage in my right knee. about every couple of year I get to go get another cortisone shot when the damned thing starts to hurt once more. As a matter of fact, I got another shot just this morning.
As I said, I do think that if I'd used a better, or different bullet, the deer might have dropped on the spot or sooner and My knee would still be good and I'd have been eating steaks instead of tag soup. The rifle was my Winchester Featherweight in 7x57, the load a stiff charge of W760 with the 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip at 2800 FPS. The bullets were the early ballistic Tips and they came in the 100 count boxes. Found them at a good price at a gun show. I bought all 4 boxes. IIRC, those early bullets were considered a bit flimsy and came apart fairly quickly on bone. I did hear a sharp crack when the bullet struck the deer so I know I probably hit a bone.
I do believe that if my knee hadn't crapped out on me when I twisted it, I most likely would have found the deer.
Just poor coice on the first deer and possible poor bullet choice plus a lot of bad luck on the second deer.
I won't give up on the 7x57 though. I just did a load work up using the 160 gr. Speer Grand Slams. Now if the wind don't blow too bad tomorrow, maybe I can get out and see how they do.
I still have to work up a load with the 150 gr. Nosler Partitons I have, plus the 120 and 140 gr. TSX bullets.
Probably be an exercise in frustration if I don't draw a tag again this year. As bad as I feel about losing those two deer, I guess two deer in almost 55 years of hunting isn't too bad. All the others were recovered. Still, the loss of them still bothers me.
Paul B.
Paul B.

I could tell you long stories about lost game due to poor bullet selection. Most of them is tied to Sellier & Bellot cup/core ammo (7X64) back in the Seventies and Eighties.
The one still haunts me most is a huge bore standing broad side about 25 yards away. After loosing the short blood trail I have searched a half a day without any result. Things got so bad I have developed the habit of placing shots high close to or at the spine.