I have read a few reports here and there of good experiences with this bullet so I decided to buy a couple boxes and try them on the local deer herd this fall. I'll be shooting them from a modest collection (4 specimens) of 7x57 rifles, 3 of which are Rugers. So far I have only shot them in my FN Mauser and things are definitely looking up. The rifle zeroed in 2 shots from a previous zero with 175gr pills. It is dead on at 200 yards and about 2 inches high at a hunnert. It groups well under an inch for 3 shots.

To any and all here, please relate your shooting and hunting experiences with this bullet/cartridge combination. I'm particularly interested in how well it penetrates, and if you consider it well-suited for tougher shots like shoulder and base of the neck, or angling/raking shots. Thanks in advance for all replies.

Used run that bullet in my 7Rem mag with great results on deer,caribou and black bear

That's the one and only bullet I use in my 7x57. Excellent accuracy, and I haven't caught one yet. I haven't seen much evidence of expansion at the exit wounds, even at ranges down to 20', but my loads have all been quite slow: 2400 fps or even slower.

Still, several hogs, a Dall ram, and a black bear have all dropped at the shot to that bullet. And I have a mind to go use it on an elk someday.

FC

... and you know full well that that won't work. Stunt shooter.

Haven't used them in 7X57, but shoot them in my 280 with excellent results on deer. Only ones I have recovered have been on tough shots and they've held together very well on those.

Pull the trigger and draw your knife.

I will draw my knife if I manage to not yank the dang trigger. Funny thing, I can plant does where they stand, but put something in front of me with bones on its head and I start twitching and stuttering and such. Well, maybe a slight exaggeration, but I'm not as good shooting at the bucks.

Happens to the best of us.

I shot my first caribou with 154gr Hornadys out of a 7mm Wby in 1960. I have used them ever since in whatever 7MMs I have owned.

Weatherby factory loaded the 7MM with the 154 Hornadys from the start. They were cup-n-core bullets back then, I believe. I do like their Interbond bullets in general and use the 195gr 8MM bullet a lot.

Shot several deers with that exact combo - 7x57 and 154 Hornady. Highly recomend it; they are accurate and hold together well at 7x57 vels. I've also used that bullet in my 280 Rem with equally good results.

Thanks for the replies, and the confidence.

I have hunted with the 7x57 for probably close to 10 years now and it has become a favorite. Have tried different bullet weights and makes including Speer Hot Cors in 145 and 160gr weights, Speer Mag-Tips in 160gr, and Hornady Spire Point Interlocks in 175gr. Have recovered a couple of the 145s but never a 160 or 175. The 160 grainers are a good balance of velocity and weight. The 175s just plain hammer the game animals and shoot plenty flat.

SD of the 154gr Hornady is .273, which compares favorably with 30 caliber 180gr bullets at .271. That's pretty good company.

The 154gr Hornady is my O/U 12ga/7x57R favorite bullet. Excellent accuracy, around 1 inch or a bit for 3. At 2600fps I found performance perfect on deer. Shots at 60, 160, and 3 at just under 300 all worked well. No bullets were recovered, all were through and through with good expandsion but not excessive. Didn't find any bullet fragments. Only hit one shoulder bone (just clipped the inside, bullet continued through lungs and out rib.)on a very large mule deer buck at 160 on first shot, second one not neccessary but it was a really nice buck and cheap insurance. Two of the 300yd shots were on smaller whitetail does so it was not surprising that they just went right through. One 300yd shot was on a very large mule deer doe, 150lbs plus, clipped the bottom of the spine and took out the aorta, dropped and bled out before I could walk to it. The bullet went through and through with obvious good results but no impact damage to backstraps (very important).

I would feel very confident about using this bullet on elk within the limitations of the 7x57R.

I would also stay away from the 162gr Hornady SST. Accurate but fragile(?) bullet, irratic performance, sometimes expands perfectly, next time blows up like a varmint bullet.

BR,

The 154 grainer has been my favorite deer bullet since the 1970s. Previously, I used 175 grain in my 7x57s but made the change after reading a comment or two by Harvey Donaldson in Handloader magazine.

Accuracy was as good or better than the 175s and definately beat the accuracy of the 139 and 140 grain bullets tried.

48-49 grains of H4350 starts the bullet about 2800 fps and shoots flat enough even for the Mule deer hunting I do out west.

Have only caught a couple bullets. This one below went stem to stern on a large whitetail buck and was found inside the hide after busting the pelvis.

One thing I noticed about the 175gr Hornady is the large exit holes it produces. I mean I've seen exits I could put my fist through. That bullet obviously expands a lot. Some writers have said that long for caliber bullets tend to open wider because the long shank continues feeding lead into the mushroom as it expands. Presumably that means lighter bullets tend to stop expanding at a point resulting in a smaller mushroom. Whatever the mechanics, I like me some 175gr 7mm Hornadys. Been using the spire points up through last year, but I bought a couple boxes RNs on sale. Haven't tried them on game yet but they shoot pretty good.

My rifle really likes the 154 Hornady SP but, the only deer I've ever lost was with it at a MV of 2600 fps. He was broadside, I shot for lungs just behind his right shoulder, and that is where I hit according to a friend who found him 2 days later. I should have shot for the shoulder. I still use them but, will only take shoulder shots when using them.

Don't know how it works in the 7 x 57, but its all I use in my 284 Win. Some drop where their hit, and some drop a short distance away! Once hunting in Nebraska Sand Hills, the biggest Muley buck I had shot at that time only gave me one shot and I took it. We call it, in Arkansas, "the Texas Bullseye", he never took at step, 300 yards on the nose! Never lost anything yet though, but there's always next time!

Several years ago, Jon Sundra wrote that he had taken more game with that bullet than with any other. Don't know if that's changed in the intervening years, but it's a pretty good recommendation. That was in all 7mm cartridges, from small to huge cases.

Hi,

I have used this bullet in my 7x57s since pre-Interlock days!In fact, my first reloads for any cartridge were for the 7x57 and that pre-Interlock Hornady Spire Point 154 grs!!
Allways works perfect in all game sizes! From Brocket Deer to Red Deer. It is one of my favorites bullets for the 7x57.
2800 f/s can reach with various powders without any trouble. And 2750 f/s or so is about perfect for all: rifle, brass, bullet and game!

Regards

PH

I picked up about 4 boxes of the 154 grain RNs before they quit manufacturing those....

from 140 grains up, 7mm bullets pretty well work regardless.. even so, the 154 RN is my favorite followed by the 175 grain RN..

If I have to flip over and use the SP in those weights, I have no problem...

for accuracy out of my Ruger ( I use to have 2 of them), any of the bullets above 140 grains, my load that worked was 40 grains of 3031...almost any other powder the groups opened dramatically..like 3 to 5 inch groups at 100 yds..

3031 with 40 grains gave me 1/2 to 3/4 inch groups... Go Figure?

but that is what I feed the Ruger... the Model 70 Featherweight is the opposite.. it digests anything thinking it was supposed to be a varmint rifle or something..

you can't go wrong with a 154 grain Hotnady, whether RN or SP..

I have used them often in a .280 and they are accurate and work well.

Thanks all for the comments. Sounds like I can't go wrong. Will definitely give them a try this fall.

Right now I got them loaded over 44gr of H4350 for my FN Mauser. 45gr worked OK too but the case heads started to squat a little (CHE) so went back to 44gr not being one to push hard on the throttle, at least not in my rifles.

I used a very sweet little 7x57 back in 1973 on a fair sized Mule Deer. I'd just bought the rifle and dies and bullets had not yet come in so I was stuck with the 175 gr. Federal rn's. Oh well, that's the bullet the cartridge made it's reputation, right? Well, I shot the deer at roughly 8 AM and my wife and I looked for that deer until it was too dark to look anymore. Obviously, we did not find it. I sold that rifle shortly thereafter.
Fast forward to 6 years ago. I'd swung a good deal on a Winchester M70 push feed and had a nice handload that pushed the 140 gr. ballistic Tips to an even 2800 FPS and put those bullets into nice tight groups. I got a decent shot at a nice desert Mule Deer, nothing special just an eating size animal and plunked that bullet right behind the shoulder. I heard the sharp crack of a rib being hit, saw a bloom of red right where I wanted the bullet to go and the deer turned downhill from the herd into a gully. As I worked my way up to where I could ry to find the blood trail, my right leg decided to go one way while the rest of me went the other. I couldn't walk on that damned leg. My hunting partners came up to where I was and I asked then to go down in the gully and bring me my deer. They wee more concerned about my knee so refused and literally carried me off that hill. I was pizzed to no end. ThHis time, I didn't sell the rifle and picked up a Ruger #1A in 7x57 and had my gunsmith build me up a European style sporter in 7x57 to boot. I like shooting the round but based on past experience, I'm wondering if me and that cartridge are jinxed or something.
I haven't heard if I've drawn for deer this year and I won't find out until August, probably around the 10th. I think I'll try the 7x57 again.
What I would eally like to do is use it on my upcoming elk hunt but it's a late season hunt and most shots will be at very spooky animals and the typical Elmer Keith "raking" shot will probably be what I'll get. I did that hunt in 2010 and I jumped the cow elk at about 100 yards and took the shot at 150 yards with the elk quartering to the left. I was using my .35 Whelen that day with the 225 gr. Barnes TSX at 2710 FPS at the muzzle. At the bullet's impact the bullet, which enterd just behind the short ribs and exited between the neck and right shoulder dropped that elk lie right now, bang/flop/DRT.
I do have to wonder if the 7x57, even with a heavier bullet will do the same?
Any ideas or comment?
Paul B.

PJ,

Sorry to hear about your tribulations with the 7x57. That kind of situation is exactly why I don't shoot behind the shoulder any more. I cannot speak about the Federal 175 from experience, but chances are if you put that bullet right on the point of the shoulder, the deer would not have left the tracks he was standing in. That has been my experience with the Hornady 175gr spire point interlock. Maybe you should try the Hornady 175s or 154s and aim to bust them down.

Got a chance to try the 154 tonight! BIL got a few crop damage permits and allotted me two. I grabbed my bud and we went out and both scored a doe apiece in the young tender soybeans.

Bud's shot was about 75 yards quartering to. He was shooting a Rem 788 in 7-08 with ammo I loaded for him using 145gr Speer Hot Cors over Varget. Bullet centered near shoulder and exited in front of the opposite ham. Deer ran, oh, 40 yards, stopped, dropped, kicked a minute, and gave up the ghost.

My shot was about 200 yards quartering away. I was shooting my Flaig's FN Mauser in 7x57 with the 154gr Hornady spire point interlock. Bullet centered the neck and left a quarter-size exit. Deer was dead before it hit the ground, and that's just the way I like it. I like that rifle.

We saw a couple dandy bucks! Both had antwers out past the ear tips already. One was a six, and the other was sprouting G3s on the way to becoming a nice eight. Oh, did they taunt us so! My BIL is good enough to think of me and my bud when he gets permits and I don't want that to change, so we left the bucks alone. I hope he gets a crack at them with his bow this fall - well, sort-of hope he does (I'm insanely jealous of him and his farm land that is superb hunting ground).

So far so good with the 154. Hope to get more "experience" with it this fall, and hopefully at something with antlers...BIG antlers.

Good on y'all!

By the way, I'm currently celebrating with a hoppy treat from Founders Brewery called All Day IPA. It's hoppy but not bitter (Yay!) at 42 IBU, and the ABV is not real high, making it a nice session bier. Cheers!

Might have to try some of those 154's in my mountain rifle. I've been working with sierra pro hunters but have a fear of sierras for being a soft bullet. Our shots on deer are usually close.

Sounds like a great result! Do you have any idea how fast you were driving it?

FC

Did not chronograph the load, and it's hard to guess. This rifle maxes out well below the level my other 7x57s max out (3 grains) so guessing based on loading manual results is pointless (like it wasn't anyway). I would guess around 2600 fips (+/- 200 ).

I have used the 154's in SP and RN in the 7-08, great bullet on whitetails and very accurate.

I used them a lot back in the 80s and early 90s for white tails in my Ruger 1A 7x57, along with the 162 gr boattail version of the same bullet.

They worked fine. Never recovered one. Had a tendency to make large exit wounds, though, especially if they hit bone. Shot 20+ deer with the combo.

Now that I live in an area where I can encounter elk, whitetails, muley's or black bear (or a pissed grizzly, not in season) in season, I use 160 or 175 gr partitions.

You've got a witness my brotha; if I ever stop reacting like that I'll take up golf or something...

I'm looking forward to running 154 interlocks in my 7x57 when I get it back, but haven't had a chance yet...

They were really accurate in my 7x57 Mountain Rifle.... sub MOA.

Probably the best single choice for this cartridge because it would suit any game you would normally hunt with any 7x57. I also like 140gn X any versions and 175gn Woodleighs as a great traditional/Kynoch t style substitute.

All shoot well and take game from deer to scrub cattle fine.

I had one of those rifles but like an idiot I sold it. stupid stupid stupid...

I too am a member of that club. Had it at the same time as a 280 mtn rifle so one of them had to go. The 280 moved on a couple years later. I've tried to buy back the 7x57 but no go, unfortunately. Just picked up a very nice 7-08 mtn rifle in a Ti stock so all is well.

I have that same problem with my custom FN Mauser. The gunsmith that put the package together used a match grade barrel and it has a minimum macth grade chamber. For splits and grins one day, I loaded up some 175 gr. Hornady round nose bullets to the original velocity of 2300 FPS, more to see what the load was like than anything else. The Ruger #1 barely broke 2300 FPS, the M70 Featherwight 2310 IIRC and the FN 2430 FPS. That's going from memory as my notes are out in the shed and I'm feeling too darn lazy to go out and look.
I emeber shhoting some of the per-Interlock 154 gr. bullets in the Ruger but it did not like that bullet. Turns out it didn't like anything and my gunsmith determined it had a way too long throat. It went back to Ruger and came home 7 months later with a new barrel. I haven't shot it much since the, It shoots the 140 gr. Ballistic tipe decently enough and really puts that 175 gr. Hornady ine very small groups. I think I will reserve those 175 gr. Hornady RNs for the #1. I made a huge bullet buy at a gun show getting 10 boxes of Barnes TSX way under retail, 10 or 11 boxes of 150 gr. Nosler partiions in 7MM 13 boxes of 160 gr. Speer Grand Slams and hot cores, not to mention 6 boxes of 150 gr. .270 cal. Nosler Partitions, the whole ball of wax for $200. I was really weighed down taking that stuff out to my truck.
Well, I do have three 7x57s, a .280 Rem. and a 7MM Rem. Mag. so I figure I can make use of all those bullets. Now all I need is the time to do the load work ups.
Paul B.

PJG,

That's a heckuva bullet buy! Dang near 40 boxes of bullets for $200. I buy blem bullets in bulk and bullets at special sale prices, but never quite that good. Congratulations!

I got several hundred 175gr RNs but haven't tried them on game yet. If they perform anything like the 175 spire points, they are excellent bullets indeed. Those long, heavy 7mm/175gr things hit hard and make big holes when started at 2300-2400 fps muzzle speed, even out past 200 yards, and they shoot flat enough for a 200 yard zero too. SD is where it's at!