7x66 Von Hofe

Earle

AH veteran
Joined
Jun 9, 2019
Messages
234
Reaction score
324
Location
Ontario, Canada
Media
5
Member of
Orillia gun Club, Bancroft Fish and Game Club
Recently met a fellow gun "nut" and we got discussing some of our favorite chamberings and he laid this on me. A 7x66 Von Hofe SE. I had vague recollections of hearing about it long ago but nothing recently. Turns out that he has limited info on it as well. He's looking for any reloading data as well as any other info available that he (we)can find. After initial investigation i am intrigued with this cartridge and would like to know more. Anyone able to impart some knowledge? As always thanks for any replies.

IMG_0219.JPG
IMG_0220.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Some 35 years ago one of our German Bear Hunters used a 7mm vom Hofe. Just looking at the single Shell I kept in my Ammo collection its a 7*75R. The 7mm vom Hofe became a bit known for awhile in the60s becouse Writer "Hans Otto Meissner" used one. I know of only one other Person having one and never heard of anybody reloading them.

Perhaps someone on a German reloading forum can supply reloading data.

Cheers
 
Some info found by Google
7*66 vom Hofe

Developed in 1955 by firma Gehmann and only named after Vom Hofe. Shoulder is something between round Weatherby and normal shoulder.
160gr Sierra ts / Vihtavuori N160 69,0gr / 3800bar
 
Some 35 years ago one of our German Bear Hunters used a 7mm vom Hofe. Just looking at the single Shell I kept in my Ammo collection its a 7*75R. The 7mm vom Hofe became a bit known for awhile in the60s becouse Writer "Hans Otto Meissner" used one. I know of only one other Person having one and never heard of anybody reloading them.

Perhaps someone on a German reloading forum can supply reloading data.

Cheers
Your wish is my command :)
The 7 mm x66 Super Express vom Hofe (from the court)
was constructed by the former shooting world champion Walter Gehmann in 1955
Comparable to the 7mm Rem.Mag but with higher powder consumption.
The name sounds very exclusive and snobbish, but it has never been very popular.
Maybe to expensive.
I myself have never met a hunter personally who shot it.
Hans Otto Meissner was my beloved author of my youth.
He wrote fantastic books.


IMG_0001.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hello,
For a period, I believe, until the first years of 80's there were a low number of the Italian Alps used for the hunting of chamois mainly but also for roebucks and the scarce red deers.Was a very expensive cartridge, the "cheapest" rifle was the Mauser 66 or otherwise only high-end custom rifles mainly from Ferlach, in very cases ammo were and are scarce and very expensive.
These were the reasons of the low diffusion.
In Italy, there isb still a small group of collector and user of the 7x66.

For reloading data, I believe that @Foxi has posted a page from Deva manual, if you have the same problem for me with Deva (Unavibility of powders) this is an old article from a German magazine with a wider powders selection:
 

Attachments

  • 028_031_wiederladen_0107.pdf
    813.8 KB · Views: 195
I own three rifles in 7x66SE... Great caliber, realistic are 4500 J energy at the muzzle.

Best powder is Hodgdon H1000 or comparable. Use approx. 82 grs with 120grs bullets or 77grs with 160/168grs. The Accubond LR 168grs works properly with the mentioned load data.

Brass can be purchased e.g. at Reimer Johannsen (trader of Hornebe) or at http://huelsenmanufaktur.de/de/home_2020/

Mother cartridge is .404 Jeffery, 66mm case length, 60 degree shoulder, 13mm rebated rim, designed in 1955...
 
Thanks for the info. Exactly what my buddy was looking for
7x66SE left, in the middle 9,5x66SE and on the right 9,3x64View attachment 378280
I own three rifles in 7x66SE... Great caliber, realistic are 4500 J energy at the muzzle.

Best powder is Hodgdon H1000 or comparable. Use approx. 82 grs with 120grs bullets or 77grs with 160/168grs. The Accubond LR 168grs works properly with the mentioned load data.

Brass can be purchased e.g. at Reimer Johannsen (trader of Hornebe) or at http://huelsenmanufaktur.de/de/home_2020/

Mother cartridge is .404 Jeffery, 66mm case length, 60 degree shoulder, 13mm rebated rim, designed in 1955...
 
From DEVA reloading manual (Widerladen, Vorbereitnung und praxis), 5th edition (on of the best books on reloading!)


20201205_085949.jpg
 
The case capacity of the 7x66SE is (depending of brass supplier) approx. 90 grs water.
So its in between the 7mm Weatherby Mag and the 28 Nosler (same parent case, nearly same design, the Nosler is just a little bit more cylindrical). If you use the medium loads for the Weatherby as starting load for the 7x66SE you´re safe.
And the starting loads of the 28 Nosler are approx. the maximum loads of the 7x66SE.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
53,632
Messages
1,131,570
Members
92,693
Latest member
ThomasovWoogy
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

Impact shots from the last hunt

Early morning Impala hunt, previous link was wrong video

Headshot on jackal this morning

Mature Eland Bull taken in Tanzania, at 100 yards, with 375 H&H, 300gr, Federal Premium Expanding bullet.

20231012_145809~2.jpg
 
Top