7x57 favorite loads

fourfive8 said:

Looking back in my load log I found my favorite load for the 7x57. Use the interlocks for punching paper. I settled on the 150 Nosler Partition and 4064 loaded to a mv of 2500-2550. Now I've converted all my 4064 loads to Varget. Very similar powders. Varget is temperature insensitive. Stay in those velocity parameters with that bullet in the 7x57 and be a very happy camper.

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Thanks for the tip on Varget.

Hello,

As has been said, the 7x57 is one of the cartridges very easy to increase the factory USA velocities by handloading, staying inside normal pressures. By "normal" pressures I mean modern cartridges pressures, not "blue sky" ones!!! Even to use in the extremely good pre-98 Mausers, made in Germany and Belgium!As an example, NORMA and RWS has ALWAYS loaded the 7x57 to modern .30-06 standard pressures. And this implies there would be some margin to work...
I am doing these since 1975, first in my DWM M93 Original Sporting rifle, with its perfect dimension magazine/rails for the 7x57 (I can chamber 5 empty CASES, not loaded cartridges, from the magazine working the bolt...).
In my experience, all depends on the combination of magazine lenght vs. camber lead lenght.
By design, the original 7 mm Mauser chambers have a rather long lead and a low angle start of the lands in the barrel. Designed for the original 11,25 grams (about 173 grs) round nose military bullets.
Even all the .275 Rigby rifles, nothing more (or less, by the way..) than German Mauser factory barreled, somewhat refined, and stocked by Rigby, had that original long lead chamber for both the 173 grs and the 140 grs HV models. Being the sights regulations the only real differences.
So, going to modern and entirely safe-normal pressure-loads, IN RIFLES WITH THOSE ORIGINAL BARRELS, or C.I.P. standard new barrels, and using standard lenght M98 magazines, the 7x57 cartridges, depending of the bullet used, can be loaded at 83 mm OAL. For example with 150/160/175 grs Nosler Partition bullets.
Using slow powders like 4831's, R19 and/or R22 (my favorite with 160/175 grs bullets), velocities of 2700 with 160 grs and 2600 with the 175 grs, are very easy to reach, and entirely safe, normal pressure loads, with long case life!!

Good luck!

I went to the range today. Started of with 43 grains and worked my way up from there. Stopped at 46.7; no pressure signs it's just the max I'd reloaded the day before. Tomorrow I'm going to take it up a grain or two. I'm guessing I'll start to see pressure signs between 48 and 49. Tomorrow should be telling.

2700 fps with a 168 grain bullet may be doable but at, probably, the high end of the pressure bell curve. 2800 fps - get a 280 Remington.
I still find I'm most comfortable using H414 in a 7x57. One thing I've noticed over the years is that great accuracy is found only at a very specific powder charge. My old Ruger 77ST, with a 140 grain anything, had a 48 grain sweet spot. Not 47.5 and not 48.5.
My Model 70 Lightweight likes 50 grains, which is higher than I would go in any older rifle.
My Ruger #1 likes 48 grains. By the way, the Ruger #1 strung 5 shots into 6" vertically when I got it. I nearly tossed it in the recyclable bin. Then I put on a Hicks Accurizer, which made it very happy. With 3/4 of a turn of tightness. the vertical stringing stopped and the 48 grain/H414 load usually shoots most any 140 grain bullet under an inch. Velocity, if I recall without looking at my notes, is @2840 fps.

Forgot to add: The current Norma Reloading Manual, using IMR-4350 as 100 basis, shows the same velocity with the current N204 at lightly lower pressure. Kinda makes me think the current N204 is very similar to RL17. Anyway, N204 is faster than RL19, of that I m sure.

Gotta love the 5x57 Mauser. I personally have four of them and I tend to load heavier bullets and run them hot. Many of the loads in reloading manuals are low because they take into account the older actions that couldn't handle modern loads. My two favorite bullets are the Swift 160 grain Aframe and the 168 AccuBondLR. With these bullets and proper loads you can take anything down that walks in North America. With that in mind I defer to my 375 H&H for the Brown bear.

Check Speer loads that are specifically loaded for modern firearms, they load much hotter than other manuals.

Im in the process of building a "custom" 7x57 on a small ring (spanish) mauser action that I picked up cheap.. it will be a while before I actually have the rifle shooting (I'm taking the project slow and have only had the bolt handle re-forged and the bolt polished, and added an extended floorplate release to the bottom metal at this point).. but found some reloading components in the bargain cave at cabelas last night and figured I might as well have bullets waiting on her for when she is finally ready to be shot

FWIW (and not sure if anyone elses local Cabelas would have the same deal going on) I found a couple of boxes of Barnes TSX 150 gr 7mm (.284) bullets in the bargain cave.. they were already marked down om $36.99 to $29.69.. and then had the 30% off stamp put on them.. so $20.78 for a box of fifty 7mm barnes projectiles.. I didnt think that was too shabby..

You've got a load that's great for hunting and practice. From my perspective you can't lose. I don't know if you reload but you purchased the cartridges for less than the price of brass. After you've fired these you can pick the bullet you want and reload your favorite bullet and powder.

I just re-read my post.. it was unclear.. I didnt get loaded cartridges for that price.. All I got for that price was the actual bullets... I do reload.. but still need to pick up some brass before I start rolling out rounds for the 7x57...

I was thinking I'd start by trying IMR4064 and the TSX 150's and seeing how that goes.. All of my .308's and my 8x57 seem to love an IMR4064 and TSX or TTSX combo.. I figured at roughly $20 for a box of 50 7mm TSX bullets I might as well see how the 7x57 likes the combo as well (whenever I finally get around to finishing the build)..

At the moment I'm in the process of going through all my rifles and choosing new bullets, I've decided that heavier is better. For my 7x57's, I've got three of them, I'm going with the Nosler AccuBond 168 grain. I'm currently working on two powders, RL17 and IMR 4350. I'm leaning towards 47.3 grains of IMR 4350, I'm just getting better groups with it.

How did you make out with the 150’s? I just picked up a box myself, and was wondering if you got them to open correctly? I always thought they had to be pushing close to 3000fps to be effective.

mdwest said:

I just re-read my post.. it was unclear.. I didnt get loaded cartridges for that price.. All I got for that price was the actual bullets... I do reload.. but still need to pick up some brass before I start rolling out rounds for the 7x57...

I was thinking I'd start by trying IMR4064 and the TSX 150's and seeing how that goes.. All of my .308's and my 8x57 seem to love an IMR4064 and TSX or TTSX combo.. I figured at roughly $20 for a box of 50 7mm TSX bullets I might as well see how the 7x57 likes the combo as well (whenever I finally get around to finishing the build)..

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did

Hi,

I started to use and reload the 7x57 around 1972. In my experience, the 4064 is a tad too fast for this cartridge with bullets heavier than 130 grs. I think for 139 to 154/160 grs, there are few powders better than any of the 4350s. For accuracy and velocity as well.

Looking for recommendations on loads for 156 gn Norma Oryx projectiles if anyone has some?

Hi JP,

The 7x57 rifle chambers vary greatly. And, in my case I have seen great differences in internal volumes between cases brands. In the lots I have used, the Winchester and Norma cases have not less than two grains more capacity than the Remington and RWS ones. So, depending on the rifles and cases, the starting load should be no more than 45 grs of any of the 4350 powders. And the goal, I think, should be to reach 2700/2750 f/s with these powders, or slowers.

Good luck!

CF

Clodo Ferreira said:

Hi JP,

The 7x57 rifle chambers vary greatly. And, in my case I have seen great differences in internal volumes between cases brands. In the lots I have used, the Winchester and Norma cases have not less than two grains more capacity than the Remington and RWS ones. So, depending on the rifles and cases, the starting load should be no more than 45 grs of any of the 4350 powders. And the goal, I think, should be to reach 2700/2750 f/s with these powders, or slowers.

Good luck!

CF

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I'm going to be using hornady 275 Rigby brass, I'll try the 45gn load, I think 4350 is similar to our adi 2209. If I can get to 2700 fps I'll be happy. Thanks for the advice

JPbowhunter said:

Looking for recommendations on loads for 156 gn Norma Oryx projectiles if anyone has some?

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I won't be home for another two weeks to confirm but if I remember correctly my load is 46 gr of H4350. Straight out of John Barsness's Big Book of Gun Gack. Hits like a sledgehammer and the deer and hogs last year dropped on the spot. Shoots MOA out of my CZ American.

Sand Rat said:

I won't be home for another two weeks to confirm but if I remember correctly my load is 46 gr of H4350. Straight out of John Barsness's Big Book of Gun Gack. Hits like a sledgehammer and the deer and hogs last year dropped on the spot. Shoots MOA out of my CZ American.

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My 275 Rigby will be based off a cz 550 American action. Barrel is an Australian made (Tse) 24" barrel. Hopefully churn out something similar to yours.

To reach 2700 f/s with my 7x57 using Winchester or Norma cases I need a few more grains of IMR or AA 4350. But to me, the goal should be the velocity rather than the powder charge weight itself.

Good luck.

Clodo Ferreira said:

To reach 2700 f/s with my 7x57 using Winchester or Norma cases I need a few more grains of IMR or AA 4350. But to me, the goal should be the velocity rather than the powder charge weight itself.

Good luck.

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I won't really know, our chrono is broken and don't really have the spare coin to be buying another. So it'll be pretty much theoretical which is why I'm not planning on going stupid with long shots, not that I do anymore anyway.

Hi JP,

Well, depending the cases, I will set at 46-48 grs with yours ASI 2209 (H 4350) for a very good working hunting load.

Good luck, again!