USA: 7x57 With Aperture Sights In South Texas

[Trail Rated]

I have been fixing up a 1901 Spanish Mauser, still in the original 7x57mm caliber, and have it shooting very well with factory ammo (Federal 175 gr soft points) after installing an old Williams aperture rear sight and a taller front sight. But I hadn’t shot anything other than paper targets with it until this evening. Wanting a “proof of concept” hunt before I use it on deer this fall, I decided to try it on a feral hog hunt. The outfitter was surprised to see me show up with an 118-year-old rifle and no scope — I imagine most of his clients use more modern hardware. He was skeptical until I drilled a mid-size boar that came out just after sunset from around 90 yards. One shot in the shoulder put the pig down where he stood. He kicked for a while but didn’t get up.

The bullet went in the left shoulder and blew a big hole out the right side. I was impressed with the stopping power and expansion coupled with the relatively light recoil. The aperture sight was great — even on a cloudy evening there was still plenty of light for the shot.

Now I have confidence that I can take down a whitetail, which will be a larger target than this hog, with the old Mauser 93. And soon I’ll have more sausage in the freezer. Someday I hope to try it on plains game on a real safari.

 

[Paul Miller]

Congratulations! Nice pig and a good choice of rifles! Have to admit I had a scope, but took a nice nyala a couple of years ago with my PH’s rifle and a couple of reed bucks for camp meat. I was very impressed with the 7x57!

 

[AZDAVE]

Nice job is is very rewarding to take the old rifles into the field and let them hunt again. The 7x57 is such a great round

 

[Shootist43]

Trail Rated, I've taken several nice hogs with my iron sighted 336 Marlin in 35 Remington. I have a Williams 94-36 peep sight on the rear. I had to get a taller front sight so I went with a green Fiber Optic. In daylight it works well for those closer shots i.e. 100 yds. or less. There is no reason for not taking a 7 x 57 to Africa for a PG hunt especially when using those 170 + Gr. bullets they were originally designed to shoot.

 

[Nyati]

That was my very first hunting rifle, took a few boars with it.

 

[WAB]

Well done! Great choice of caliber!