Best bullet for a 7x57

[IvW]

Would a 170 g be an overkill for springbok and imapala ?

No, there is no such thing as overkill. 170gr Rhino will do the trick all the way up to Eland.

 

[7x57Joe]

I know for a fact that a 150 grain Nosler Partition traveling a bit over 2700 fps will put an elk down pronto. Complete penetration and the elk only made it 50 yards at a walk. I would also think any 150 to 160 grain bullet would do the same.

 

[Donnachaidh]

Thanks for starting this thread, as it's something I've been thinking about recently. I have a 7x57 which doesn't like anything heavier than 140 grain, maybe because it's a 1 in 10 twist, but would like to use it for plains game next year. The Barnes TTSX 140 is top of my list at the moment.
In the UK I use Federal Powershok 140 grain which seem to do the job very well.

 

[Michael Dean]

I've got four 7x57's and I' in the process of developing new loads for a couple of them. Two bullets I've chosen are the Swift A Frames in 160grn and the Nosler AccuBond Long range in 168 grn. If you're going after Elk you want to look at cartridges at least 160 grain weight. I'll be doing some ladder tests this weekend with the AccuBonds. The AccuBonds have a proven history and the long range version is exactly what I'm looking for. The heavier bullets will give better penetration and less meat loss, lighter bullets have a tendency to fragment and ruin meat.

 

[8x68]

I have 2 BRNO 600's in 7x57. Best bullet weight for this calibre is 160-175gr. Not saying other weight choices wont work but the 7x57 was designed originally to work with the 173gr FMJ military round (granted the barrels were longer on the Spanish Mausers). It is one of the most balanced calibres around (that's why I have 7 rifles in that calibre).

 

[Sand Rat]

Just started hand loading this year for the 7x57 (CZ550 American). Absolutely love the rifle and caliber. Have had good accuracy with everything I've run through it, 139 SST, 150 Partitions and the bullet I'll whitetail hunt with this year the 156 gr Norma Oryx. My PH supplied 180 gr 30-06 Oryx ammo on my first Safari and the results were fantastic. You can hand load these for around a dollar a round as opposed to 50 bucks a box for factory if you can even find them.

 

[Rikus de Lange]

Africa Big Game Hunting Selous Walter D.M. Bell, aka Karamojo Bell

“He shot his 1011 elephants with a 7x57mm rifle”...

Bell recorded all of his kills and shots fired. It was a business to him, not pleasure, and he needed to record expenditures…

• He shot exactly 1,011 elephants with a series of 6 Rigby-made 7x57mm (.275 Rigby) rifles with 173 grain military ammo.

Found this on another topic on the site.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/wdm-bell-his-elephant-hunting-rifles.15057/

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Just started hand loading this year for the 7x57 (CZ550 American). Absolutely love the rifle and caliber. Have had good accuracy with everything I've run through it, 139 SST, 150 Partitions and the bullet I'll whitetail hunt with this year the 156 gr Norma Oryx. My PH supplied 180 gr 30-06 Oryx ammo on my first Safari and the results were fantastic. You can hand load these for around a dollar a round as opposed to 50 bucks a box for factory if you can even find them.

Sand Rat: How did the 139 gr SST bullets do? If factory ammo, I am assuming they would be the Hornady Superformance. I was first introduced to that ammo by a PH in the Eastern Cape and the rental Sako 7mm mag I used was very effective. My daughter and I had 8 PG with one shot kills. I decided to try the Superformance in my 270 and found the 130 gr SST to be quite accurate. I took a Dall sheep in the Yukon with one shot at ~230 yards. The SST has a high BC and I believe the plastic tip helps any rifle with feeding issues. As much as I like it though, I will be using the Swift A-Frame in my 338 wm this fall when I go elking hunting in Montana.

 

[Sand Rat]

Sand Rat: How did the 139 gr SST bullets do? If factory ammo, I am assuming they would be the Hornady Superformance. I was first introduced to that ammo by a PH in the Eastern Cape and the rental Sako 7mm mag I used was very effective. My daughter and I had 8 PG with one shot kills. I decided to try the Superformance in my 270 and found the 130 gr SST to be quite accurate. I took a Dall sheep in the Yukon with one shot at ~230 yards. The SST has a high BC and I believe the plastic tip helps any rifle with feeding issues. As much as I like it though, I will be using the Swift A-Frame in my 338 wm this fall when I go elking hunting in Montana.

MOA with the 139 gr Hornady Superformance factory SST and my whitetail dropped in his tracks last year. My reloads with the 139 gr are grouping tighter than the factory. The factory SST's shot great as well in the wife's 7mm-08 but in my 257 Roberts they pattern like a shotgun. The only factory round worth a flip in the Roberts is 110 gr Nosler Accubond. So I'm loading for it as well.