7x57 - Decent Load for 1895 Mauser

[funnelcake]

I've got a box of 162gr. Hornady SST's and plenty of H4350. I can't find anything on the button, but 40-42gr. seems to be the line?

Thanks...Funnel

 

[DocBoCook]

I've found that zero on my 95 mauser is at about 200yds. You might have to adjust to that.

 

[rcmodel]

Your 95 Mauser should be safe with loads below the SAAMI recommended 46,000 CUP pressure limit.

Lyman #49 shows your bullet with IMR-4350 at 3.037" OAL:
39.4 Starting = 2,188 FPS - 29,200 CUP.
44.8 Max = 2,564 FPS - 44,700 CUP.

While IMR-4350 is not the same as H-4350, it is awful close!

42.0 grains should be fine after working up to it.

rc

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The Hodgdon #26 manual lists a starting load of 46.0 grains of H4350 behind a 154-162 grain bullet for a pressure of 41,400 CUP and a MV of 2443 fps. Max load is 49.0 grains, 48,500 CUP and 2592 fps. This is from a 24" barrel.

CAUTION: People can make mistakes. Even me. Go to the Hodgdon website and confirm this data before using it.

 

[funnelcake]

Thanks Vern and rcmodel. Hodgdon's website shows a 160gr. Partition at 40-42.5gr. Not the same bullet though. Nosler's book shows 42gr. starting w/ a 160gr. Ballistic Tip -that's pretty much the same bullet type. I'll probably start at 40-41gr.

Funnel

 

[Kernel]

Funnelcake, (I like that screen name).

Powley's equations (modified slightly) for your 7x57 indicate H4350 is an ideal powder speed with 162 gr bullets, though you're real close to the cut off for the next slower powder group.

It goes on to recommend 40.7 gr as the starting load. A 10% reduction is already factored into this, so IMO you wouldn't need to reduce further.

This is based on the following assumptions:

Your 162 gr bullets are 1.243" long.
Your empty cases hold 59 gr of water.
Your trim-to-length is 2.230"
Your COL will be 3.070".
A load density of 86%.

Changes in these assumptions can effect the powder & starting load recommendation.

Even given all this, Powley's equations are just an exercise in number crunching. I use them as a check. What they mean to me is: the published loads you're going off of (and published loads are what you should always be using) are in agreement with this one type of mathematical model.

The quote from Jim Watson, below, applies.