7X57 Mauser

[MtGun44]

Bret,

My first decent centerfire rifle ever was (is) a DWM Chilean Mauser 95 that was in NRA Excellent when
I got it. Great rifle, although it is so original I haven't ever changed the front sight so it is still way
high, as designed, at 100 yds.

I took my Ruger 7x57 to Africa and impala, blesbok, and a kudu all fell to one shot with it - 160 gr Nosler
Partition. The other game fell to a Marlin 95 .45 70 and a 629 with a scope for two warthogs.

Love the 7x57 and back when I was recoil sensitive, it kept me shooting without kicking my brains out.

Bill

[Bret4207]

Bill, Americas hunters would do far better with the 7x57 than the 30-06 most of the time IMO. Nobody enjoys getting the bat snot kicked out of them, especially in a light rifle, and I've seen an awful, awful lot of guys with a major league flinch that will never admit it.

[Multigunner]

My 95 Mauser kicked at least as hard as my .303 rifles.
The bullet weights and power levels of the milspec ammo are very close.
Of course the 7mm in a modern sporter can usually handle light weight bullets a bit better than .30 and up caliber rifles.

[303Guy]

In Africa the 7x57 was considered a big game rifle. I read story of these folks out in the African bush with a 7x57. One night a lion charged them and the 7x57 spoke at which the lion retreated. Then it charged again and again the 7x57 spoke and again the lion retreated. This went on three more times before the lion gave up. In the morning they found five dead lions! I'm not convinced those weren't mock charges - as far as I know lions don't turn when shot in a charge. I'm told the only dangerous African game that can be turned in a charge when shot is the elephant (and that might take multiple shots).

Anyway, I think of the 7x57 as a great cartridge and I once toyed with the idea of marrying a 7x57 to a Lee Enfield. Today I read of it having being done in Canada in the past. I'd expect the recoil to be about the same as Multigunner has pointed out. Working pressures are about the same too. Oh, one can use the 7x57 rimmed in the Brit (interchangeably with the rimless). What's not to like?

[jjnpg317]

Got a 1893 Spanish 7x57 which was parts gun & no numbers matched anywhere. Barrel looked awful & had been cut short. Slugged and came out at 287. Bought an NOE 288150 and shot it at 288 with IMR4895 and filler. Groups at 50 & 100 yards were very good and recoil didn't beat you down. Only problem I had was with RCBS dies. Too narrow at top and had to polish them.

[Bret4207]

My 95 Mauser kicked at least as hard as my .303 rifles.
The bullet weights and power levels of the milspec ammo are very close.
Of course the 7mm in a modern sporter can usually handle light weight bullets a bit better than .30 and up caliber rifles.

True enough. I'm talking sporter weight rifles with commercial loadings, not 9.5 lbs SMLEs and 215 gr mi surp. My 95 Steyr with the WW2 ammo will loosen anyones fillings. I find my restocked 93 Mauser 7x57 a joy to shoot compared to many more modern rifles in '06, 300 mag, etc. That's what I'm talking about.

BTW- my first 7x57 was a Remington Rolling block with an 18 or 20" barrel. Quite an awesome wee-pon for a 12 year old!

[Larry Gibson]

I picked up a bunch of Herter's and Hornady bullets at a gunshow years ago. About half were 175 RNs. Also have a few pounds of old H4831 so I developed a load that runs right at 2400 fps out my sportered M95 Chilean (pictured in previous post). In the sportered M95 it lets you know you've pulled a trigger when shooting off the bench but in the field when sitting, kneeling and standing the recoil is hardly noticeable. I have a strain guage attached to the M95 and have pressure tested numerous different milsurp and factory 7x57 cartridges. Interesting was some DWM 1917 ammo. Anyways the psi of the developed 175 gr load with H4831 is under the CIP MAP for the 7x57 and less than most milsurp. It shoots right at moa if I can hold that well with my old eyes anymore. Thinking of putting a 2.5X scope on the rifle...........

Larry Gibson

[Multigunner]

Whenever someone writes about the 7mm they usually say it has a light recoil, that would be misleading to some who haven't fired many centerfire rifles.
If someone buys a 7mm rifle expecting recoil on the order of a comparable .243 they would be seriously disappointed.
The 150 grain .30-06 recoils about the same as a 175 gr load in 7mm, but a 150 gr 7mm will have less felt recoil than a .30-06 using the same weight bullet because the 7mm won't get the same velocities.
Before WW1 DWM manufactured a 7X57 cartridge that gave a velocity of over 2900 fps with 154 gr bullet. The load was a bit too hot for the earlier mausers, but the point is that this load would have given greater recoil than the contemporary .30-06 load with 150 gr bullet at 2750 fps.
Theres nothing magical about the bore size.

The 7mm can, if the throat is configured properly , handle lighter weight bullets better than a .30, just as the .243 can handle lighter weight bullets than the 7mm can normally handle.
The smaller the bore size the lighter the bullet that you can use while maintaining a high degree of accuracy.

I liked the 7mm, its a good choice for most any North American game (not sure I'd want to take on a Grizzly with the 7X57), but the cartridge has limitations, especially when it comes to bullets heavier than 175 gr.

The main advantage of the 7mm on Elephant was its excellent penetration when the 175 gr steel jacket round nose was used. These could reach the brain through 2 ft of skull with no problem. Try popping an Elephant with the higher velocity 140 gr soft point and it would probably not turn out so well.

All in all the 7mm is an excellent cartridge, with a very good reputation for accuracy, and powerful enough for all but the most dangerous game.
Since even in its day African hunters looked to more and more powerful cartridges it was not the best cartridge for the big five.
Luckily people in North America don't have Cape Buffalo disputing the right of way, or the Man Eaters of T'Savo coming to call. The 7mm is an excellent choice as a Deer rifle, and for animals in the general weight class up to Moose and Elk.

The few military autoloaders in 7mm are collectors items, FN SAFN in 7mm would be mighty handy even if brother bear came to dinner.

[303Guy]

... on Elephant was its excellent penetration when the 175 gr steel jacket round nose was used. These could reach the brain through 2 ft of skull with no problem.

Apparently the 174gr FMJ RN not only could reach the brain but also exited the back of the skull! The 215gr 303 FMJ RN could reach the brain.

[fouronesix]

7x57- really a great and balanced cartridge. No need to hot-rod one to keep up with whatever is perceived as the new norm (marketing or testosterone?) for muzzle vels or energies. My favorite 7x57 hunting load in a bolt sporter is the 150 Nosler Partition at about 2500 fps. My wife killed a pile of deer and elk with that combo.

I currently have an original Chilean M95. I got it in near unfired condition. It likes the Lyman 287641 at about 1500 fps. It is one of my favorite military rifles.

[ColColt]

I've got a 7x57 Winchester Model 70 on the back burner. I think it's a superb little cartridge. I have several boxes of Nosler 140 gr Partition bullets left over from my 7mm Magnum craze in the early 70's and I'll bet it will do great with those.

[UBER7MM]

I've got a 7x57 Winchester Model 70 on the back burner. I think it's a superb little cartridge. I have several boxes of Nosler 140 gr Partition bullets left over from my 7mm Magnum craze in the early 70's and I'll bet it will do great with those.

.
.
ColColt,
140 grains work well in a 1:10" twist barrel. If you have a 1:9" or 1:9.5" twist barrel, you'll be able to use longer & heavier bullets as well. Excellent with cast boolits too. Sounds like a great project. Let us know of your progress.

Safe reloading, shooting, reloading.....

[atr]

Ive been sold on the 7x57 for years.....my favorite load is a 175 gr RN with either IMR 4350 or 4895
if I want more range and less drop then I go for a 160 gr spitzer BT

hard to improve on a great cartridge like the 7x57

[303carbine]

Ive been sold on the 7x57 for years.....my favorite load is a 175 gr RN with either IMR 4350 or 4895
if I want more range and less drop then I go for a 160 gr spitzer BT

hard to improve on a great cartridge like the 7x57

I have had a few 280 Remington, at least three 284 Winchester, two 7mm STW, countless 7mm Remington mags, after all those, I kept my Remington 700 7x57 Mountain rifle.
As you said, it's hard to improve on a great cartridge like the 7x57. I get 2840 fps with a 140 Nosler Partition out of a 22 inch barrel, what's not to like.
It kills all out of proportion to its size, with no recoil.
My two most favorite cartridges are , the 7x57 Mauser and the only government I trust, the 45-70.

[ColColt]

I've had a sundry of calibers of the years but never a 7x57. Of course, I've never had a 375 H&H either and don't intend to!! I value my old boney shoulder more. There are probably more of a variety for the 7mm clan than any other caliber. I liked my Remington 700 in 7mm Mag but it was a pain to load for. That little short neck after firing would not accept a bullet. I had to buy a reamer and ream the inside of the neck nearly every time or two of firing. I guess the brass would flow more with it being a belted magnum and that short neck. This was Norma brass, also. I think I'd have more enjoyment with the 7x57.

[303Guy]

I don't understand why the 7x57 didn't simply take the world by storm and stay there. Heck, it even looks good. But I do like the idea of the 174gr RN loading. Just a question; with rifles chambered for the 140gr bullets, does one need to seat 174gr bullets deeper for them to chamber? And does it matter?

You know how popular 7mm super magnums are? Well, there's this 7mm super magnum barrel for sale for a few dollars that's been there for quite a long time and I was wondering whether I could shorten the chamber for a more reasonably sized case to fit a Lee Enfield. Or maybe use only the neck and throat and screw it into a chamber .....

[MtGun44]

Unfortunately, the old girl is dead and nearly buried. I don't think that there is a single
factory rifle chambered in it today. Killed by the inferior snot-nosed upstart the 7mm-08
that is about the same for 140 and down, but mostly won't match it with heavy bullets.
That, and being a 'tweener' - to long for a short action and too short to take advantage of
a long action. Shows that going first can be a problem.

Sad, sad, sad.

Bill

[Whiterabbit]

I've got a 7x57 Winchester Model 70 on the back burner. I think it's a superb little cartridge. I have several boxes of Nosler 140 gr Partition bullets left over from my 7mm Magnum craze in the early 70's and I'll bet it will do great with those.

a stiff charge of H4350 and those bullets will be on there way, and repeatably.

[Whiterabbit]

But I do like the idea of the 174gr RN loading. Just a question; with rifles chambered for the 140gr bullets, does one need to seat 174gr bullets deeper for them to chamber? And does it matter?

I have a 7x57 sporter (markX) and even being a more modern rifle has the loooong throat. I'd be surprised if many rifles were made to shoot 140's rather than the 175 fmj's. IMO that long long throat is a part of the 7x57's secret sauce.

[Bret4207]

I don't understand why the 7x57 didn't simply take the world by storm and stay there. Heck, it even looks good. But I do like the idea of the 174gr RN loading. Just a question; with rifles chambered for the 140gr bullets, does one need to seat 174gr bullets deeper for them to chamber? And does it matter?

You know how popular 7mm super magnums are? Well, there's this 7mm super magnum barrel for sale for a few dollars that's been there for quite a long time and I was wondering whether I could shorten the chamber for a more reasonably sized case to fit a Lee Enfield. Or maybe use only the neck and throat and screw it into a chamber .....

I think if the US military had gone with the 7x57 to replace the Krag it would have taken the numero uno spot the '06 took. I don't think there's all that much practical difference. Commercially, why the 7x57 isn't more popular is the same reason the 6.5x55, 257 Roberts, 8x57, 280 Rem, 35 Whelen, etc aren't more popular. The buying public is a fickle minded crowd that wants the latest, newest, baddest stuff out there. That's why we have 25 or more 30 cal rounds that are within spitting distance of each other. NEW!!! IMPROVED!!! And they don't do one thing any better than the 06 or 300 H+H.