Newtosavage
Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2015
- Messages
- 2,918
A few weeks ago, I came across a very rare rifle that I just had to own - a Ruger Stainless 77 RSI in 7x57. From the start, I had a feeling this wasn't like any other rifle I've owned and I was right. Expecting I'd have to reload for it, I went ahead and bought components right away and started shooting up 100 rounds of PPU ammo to harvest the brass.
I don't have a lot of reloading experience so far, but the other two rifles I load for - both Savage bolt actions - are, dare I say, very predictable and I've not really been surprised by anything I've done or seen with them to date. My worst loads are still decent, and I've found many combinations that give me excellent results. The load data for my Savages tends to be spot-on.
Not so with the Ruger 7x57. It's a finicky beast for sure, and it's making me learn a lot about reloading. Velocities from the 18.5" barrel are between 150 and 300 fps. slower than the published data. Groups go from good to shotgun and if you add that to the POI changes that occur from the full-length stock and pencil thin barrel, I tend to stay somewhere between intrigued and irritated.
What I've learned so far is that the gun CAN shoot sub-MOA but only IF I am very careful in how I shoot it, and only with the right loads. Allowing the barrel to cool after 1 or 2 shots is an absolute must. Anything else is a just a waste of time and ammo.
Another thing is that the OAL is very critical in this rifle, and the common advice of seating near the lands doesn't help. In fact, I'm seating my 140 and 150 grain bullets with over an 1/8" jump for the best groups.
The difference in powders is somewhat staggering too. Although RL-15 is not often recommended for the 7x57, my gun likes it and 140 grain bullets. However, H4831 is the clear winner in powders - not only grouping well, but also producing the best and most consistent velocities. The only thing is that stuffing 50 grains of H4831 into a 7x57 case produced a compressed load nearly every time - something I'm learning to get used to.
Although often cited in the data, and having similar characteristics to H4831 from what I can tell, loads with RL-19 range from great to absolutely horrible. Same with H4895, a powder I've used for nearly everything until now.
So, I'm really glad I grabbed a can of H4831 at Cabelas the other day, and at least for my rifle, that powder combined with 140-grain Sierra Game Kings is an outstanding combination, slightly exceeding the performance of the best factory ammo I've tried to date - the now discontinued Remington "green box" 140's.
I had hoped to eventually work up a heavy load I could potentially use for elk someday, but after seeing the loss in velocity with this gun vs. published data, I think this will simply be a deer rifle going forward. If it is ever used for an elk hunt, the range would have to be kept under 200 yards.
As frustrating as this rifle and caliber have been to load for (and I've sworn I was going to sell it at least 5 times now), it is serving a useful purpose in that it's forcing me to take a lot of notes and patiently work through the process.
I don't have a lot of reloading experience so far, but the other two rifles I load for - both Savage bolt actions - are, dare I say, very predictable and I've not really been surprised by anything I've done or seen with them to date. My worst loads are still decent, and I've found many combinations that give me excellent results. The load data for my Savages tends to be spot-on.
Not so with the Ruger 7x57. It's a finicky beast for sure, and it's making me learn a lot about reloading. Velocities from the 18.5" barrel are between 150 and 300 fps. slower than the published data. Groups go from good to shotgun and if you add that to the POI changes that occur from the full-length stock and pencil thin barrel, I tend to stay somewhere between intrigued and irritated.
What I've learned so far is that the gun CAN shoot sub-MOA but only IF I am very careful in how I shoot it, and only with the right loads. Allowing the barrel to cool after 1 or 2 shots is an absolute must. Anything else is a just a waste of time and ammo.
Another thing is that the OAL is very critical in this rifle, and the common advice of seating near the lands doesn't help. In fact, I'm seating my 140 and 150 grain bullets with over an 1/8" jump for the best groups.
The difference in powders is somewhat staggering too. Although RL-15 is not often recommended for the 7x57, my gun likes it and 140 grain bullets. However, H4831 is the clear winner in powders - not only grouping well, but also producing the best and most consistent velocities. The only thing is that stuffing 50 grains of H4831 into a 7x57 case produced a compressed load nearly every time - something I'm learning to get used to.
Although often cited in the data, and having similar characteristics to H4831 from what I can tell, loads with RL-19 range from great to absolutely horrible. Same with H4895, a powder I've used for nearly everything until now.
So, I'm really glad I grabbed a can of H4831 at Cabelas the other day, and at least for my rifle, that powder combined with 140-grain Sierra Game Kings is an outstanding combination, slightly exceeding the performance of the best factory ammo I've tried to date - the now discontinued Remington "green box" 140's.
I had hoped to eventually work up a heavy load I could potentially use for elk someday, but after seeing the loss in velocity with this gun vs. published data, I think this will simply be a deer rifle going forward. If it is ever used for an elk hunt, the range would have to be kept under 200 yards.
As frustrating as this rifle and caliber have been to load for (and I've sworn I was going to sell it at least 5 times now), it is serving a useful purpose in that it's forcing me to take a lot of notes and patiently work through the process.
