7x57 Mauser
01-31-2009, 05:47 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: 7x57 Mauser
When I was a young man with good eyes I useda rifle in 7 x 57 with iron sights. Took a couple deer with it and it performed very well with some handloads my grandfather cooked up for it.
Still have the original box and recipe in his handwriting....
Wincheter brass, CCI primer, 36gr of IMR 3031, pushing a 160 gr Sierra spitzer BT. It was modest speed and recoil, accuracy was ok in my rifle at 100 yrds with the open sights. My eyes can't keep up with the rifle anymore though.
Still have the original box and recipe in his handwriting....
Wincheter brass, CCI primer, 36gr of IMR 3031, pushing a 160 gr Sierra spitzer BT. It was modest speed and recoil, accuracy was ok in my rifle at 100 yrds with the open sights. My eyes can't keep up with the rifle anymore though.
01-31-2009, 08:50 AM
#3
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location:
Posts: 109
RE: 7x57 Mauser
the 06' tops the 7x57 in every category, and unless you are a handloader you'll never get the true potential out of a 7x57. i'd suggest you stick with the 06'. remember, it's the most popular cartridge in america and the one to which all other big game cartridges are compared.
01-31-2009, 10:03 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,085
RE: 7x57 Mauser
The 7 x 57 is a great classic round , but I agree with Bob that it doesn't reach it's full potential unless you handload for it...
The only advantage I can think of over the 30-06 is that it's recoil would be somewhat less with similar bullet weights...But not a WHOLE lot less, assuming equal rifle weight and stock design... Performance on game with similar bullet weights would be very similar to the 06... The 06 has the advantage with heavier bullet weights ( 180-220 grains) on game bigger than deer, but the 7 x 57 will nicely handle moose and elk out to 300-350 yards with 160 or 175 grain bullets...
If you really want a 7 x 57, go for it , but don't do it because you think you may be gaining any performance over the 30-06..
The only advantage I can think of over the 30-06 is that it's recoil would be somewhat less with similar bullet weights...But not a WHOLE lot less, assuming equal rifle weight and stock design... Performance on game with similar bullet weights would be very similar to the 06... The 06 has the advantage with heavier bullet weights ( 180-220 grains) on game bigger than deer, but the 7 x 57 will nicely handle moose and elk out to 300-350 yards with 160 or 175 grain bullets...
If you really want a 7 x 57, go for it , but don't do it because you think you may be gaining any performance over the 30-06..
02-01-2009, 05:17 AM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wahoo Nebraska USA
Posts: 277
RE: 7x57 Mauser
I got the wife a 7x57, in a model 70 Win Lightweight several years ago. I reload for this round and can get the full potienal out of it. My wife can handle the recoil with no problem, she weighs around 140 lbs. I use a 270 Win so the 7x57 dosn't fall very far behind as far as speed. Several have asked the the wife if she would consider selling it, and the answer is no!! Zeak
02-01-2009, 08:23 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
Posts: 2,600
RE: 7x57 Mauser
Like most anything else, the 7x57 is deadly in the right hands. Karamojo Bell killed many, many elephants with it in Africa. A mulie or a whitetail isn't going to know whether it was shot with the 7x57 or an '06. If you want to convert to the Mauser round, go ahead and do it.
02-02-2009, 02:40 AM
#7
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Hamiltucky, OH
Posts: 485
RE: 7x57 Mauser
My Great Grandfather and my Dad took everything in NA with a 7x57, save for a Grizzly, and that's only because no bear presented itself. Imitating Bell, my Great Grandfather shot an unruly Circus elephant with the rifle in the 1920's, after the pachyderm had killed its trainer.
I have a 7x57 in a 700 mountain rifle, and I also have a .30-'06 in a 700 CDL. There's about 3/4 # weight difference between them, butI have foundnoticeably less recoilwhen shootingFederal blue box 175 RN's inthe 7x57, vs. shooting Hornady 165 BTSP's in the '06.
I bought the 7x57 mainly for the nostalgia, because the 7mm-08 is nearly the same thing, and that ammo is far more widely available. For some reason, these cartridges seem to kill better thantheir noise, recoil, or lack-of-hype would suggest.
FC
I have a 7x57 in a 700 mountain rifle, and I also have a .30-'06 in a 700 CDL. There's about 3/4 # weight difference between them, butI have foundnoticeably less recoilwhen shootingFederal blue box 175 RN's inthe 7x57, vs. shooting Hornady 165 BTSP's in the '06.
I bought the 7x57 mainly for the nostalgia, because the 7mm-08 is nearly the same thing, and that ammo is far more widely available. For some reason, these cartridges seem to kill better thantheir noise, recoil, or lack-of-hype would suggest.
FC
02-02-2009, 07:40 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 1,305
RE: 7x57 Mauser
My first centerfire rifle was a Ruger M77 in 7x57.Up until about a month ago it was my only centerfire and it's never once failed to get the job done in over 30 years.While I agree with the others about this round being underloaded most of the time It's never came up short.These days both the Hornady LIght Mag and Federal offerings are loaded pretty close to the rounds full potential.There are a few things above I strongly disagree with.First there's no such thing as "the one to which all others are compared".There's plenty others who would agree with me on this.Lot's of folks overlook the fact that the 06 was a US military round which contributed greatly to it's popularity.Same thing applies to the .223.That's not to say it's not one of the best but the fact is the 7x57 is every bit it's equal in the field as observed on game as opposed to paper ballistic theories.Jack O'Conner loved it as did his wife Elizabeth.In fact he said he'd probably seen more game killed with fewer shots from the 7x57 than any other cartridge attributing this to it's mild recoil.Even the hotter factory loads I mentioned kick much less than the 06.If and when the day should come my trusty old M77 needs to be rebarreled it will surely be in 7x57 again.Good luck!
02-02-2009, 09:19 AM
#10
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Texas - BUT NOW in Madison County, NY
Posts: 6,270
RE: 7x57 Mauser
ORIGINAL: Bernie P.
My first centerfire rifle was a Ruger M77 in 7x57.Up until about a month ago it was my only centerfire and it's never once failed to get the job done in over 30 years.While I agree with the others about this round being underloaded most of the time It's never came up short.These days both the Hornady LIght Mag and Federal offerings are loaded pretty close to the rounds full potential.There are a few things above I strongly disagree with.First there's no such thing as "the one to which all others are compared".There's plenty others who would agree with me on this.Lot's of folks overlook the fact that the 06 was a US military round which contributed greatly to it's popularity.Same thing applies to the .223.That's not to say it's not one of the best but the fact is the 7x57 is every bit it's equal in the field as observed on game as opposed to paper ballistic theories.Jack O'Conner loved it as did his wife Elizabeth.In fact he said he'd probably seen more game killed with fewer shots from the 7x57 than any other cartridge attributing this to it's mild recoil.Even the hotter factory loads I mentioned kick much less than the 06.If and when the day should come my trusty old M77 needs to be rebarreled it will surely be in 7x57 again.Good luck!
My first centerfire rifle was a Ruger M77 in 7x57.Up until about a month ago it was my only centerfire and it's never once failed to get the job done in over 30 years.While I agree with the others about this round being underloaded most of the time It's never came up short.These days both the Hornady LIght Mag and Federal offerings are loaded pretty close to the rounds full potential.There are a few things above I strongly disagree with.First there's no such thing as "the one to which all others are compared".There's plenty others who would agree with me on this.Lot's of folks overlook the fact that the 06 was a US military round which contributed greatly to it's popularity.Same thing applies to the .223.That's not to say it's not one of the best but the fact is the 7x57 is every bit it's equal in the field as observed on game as opposed to paper ballistic theories.Jack O'Conner loved it as did his wife Elizabeth.In fact he said he'd probably seen more game killed with fewer shots from the 7x57 than any other cartridge attributing this to it's mild recoil.Even the hotter factory loads I mentioned kick much less than the 06.If and when the day should come my trusty old M77 needs to be rebarreled it will surely be in 7x57 again.Good luck!