Talk to me about the 7x57 Mauser round

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I have the opportunity to pick up a very lightly used Ruger 1A Light Sporter in 7x57 Mauser.

I've always lusted after a No 1, but I have zero (0) knowledge of the 7 Mauser cartridge other than it was chambered in Paul Mauser's baby.

I don't hunt and this cartridge breaks my ".25 and under" rule (ok it's more of a guideline really). I know what can be done to the No1s in the accurizing department, but is this round really a target round? I expect .30-06 performance, but again, what do I do with it?

Chambering aside, oh baby is this a sweet little rifle; it has a (unknown make) hooded front sight and a (another unknown make) peep type rear site, which I'm a sucker for. Love that combo.

I guess I could take up pig hunting...

 

[redranger1]

Performance wise the 7mm mauser is not quite as good as a 7mm-08. If you like the rifle and its a good deal id say buy it. It would be a fun round to play with, especially if you reload. Cant you rebarrel those rifles anyhow?

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I suppose it could be rebarreled but fro what I'd pay for it, I'd just leave it alone and add the 7x57 to my caliber stable.

It sure is a handy little rifle, and I've heard (and we all know how that goes) that the generally available commercial ammo is downloaded quite a bit in deference to the large number of older rifles out there. I know that the Ruger action is way over engineered so I suppose I could wring a little more performance by handloading.

 

[browningguy]

It's a fine round and more than a match for the 7mm-08, US companies just download it at present.

It's really not known as a target round, but will shoot MOA or less with decent loads and a good rifle, the farthest I've shot mine is 300 yards and it will hold MOA at least to that range.

I use mine every year for deer, exotics and hogs. Loaded with 160's-170's it would also do fine for Elk and Moose at reasonable ranges. Mine really likes the Barnes TSX in 140 gr. (consistantly getting 3 shot groups in the .66-.70" range)and I would not hesitate to use that on any non-dangerous game.

I would not rebarrel it, then you lose that fine 1/4 rib setup.

 

[Dave R]

Quaterboregunner, are you a reloader? The selection of 7mm bullets is fabulous. You can make that round sing. Broadway.

145gr. bullets in the high 2,700fps range. 160gr bullets in the high 2,600fps range. 175gr. in the 2,500fps range. All with higher ballistic coefficient and sectional density than .30 bullets. (These ballistics taken from Speer No. 13)

What's not to like? Go for it! If you don't reload yet, this is a great excuse to start. That rifle, with that chambering, in a hand-tuned load, would be awesome.

 

[rbernie]

The 7x57 is one of the best, most versatile, do-it-all chamberings ever invented. Good sectional densities, good BCs, superb bullet selections, and with enough powder capacity to be interesting without being too much.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Dave R Yes I reload; need to pick up dies and such but that's not a real problem.

Wow, 145grn @ 2,700 huh? Now that's sounds very interesting. I haven't had to monkey with a new cartridge in a while... this actually sounds like fun.

Ok, so it sounds like I have a keeper. My luck it'll be gone tomorrow.

Wish me luck!

 

[Bwana John]

Performance wise the 7mm mauser is not quite as good as a 7mm-08

Wanna bet? Load both cartridges to the same pressures and the 7mm Mauser is faster with the same projectile.
I have a Rem 700 in 7mm Mauser. My favorite load is a 140 grain Ballistic Tip doing 2850 fps, using 4350 powder.

The 7mm Mauser is my favorite Mule Deer rifle, and I have used it sucsessfully to take elk. I have a late season elk tag this year and I plan on using my 7 X 57.

I wouldnt call it a great target round, but I would call it a GREAT hunting round.

You need to read about Bell's experance in Africa taking elephants with it.

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

I'm sure in with DaveR and rbernie. It's a great all around cartridge. Commercial loads are light so someone doesn't get a load of iron up their nose shooting hot (or even standard grade) loads in an old worn M95.

You can load the 7x57 to equal and possibly exceed the 7mm-08. The main purpose for 7-08 was for shorter actions. P.O. Ackley did some incredible work improving the 7x57, among other notables, both gunsmiths and calibers. It's an easy caliber to shoot, too. Recoil isn't as much as a .30-06 due to the smaller case size and smaller bore diameter (consider it a smaller piston size). Have a look at the sectional density and ballistic coefficient of various bullets available in 7mm.

You're going to love what those long pencil-like bullets can do at longer ranges. There's a really good reason why a 111 year old cartridge is still a popular chambering. You're about to find out why.

Enjoy.

Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[LAK]

What rbernie said. If I wanted one centerfire do it all rifle, it would probably be a 7x57mm.

---------------------------------

http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org

 

[Cosmoline]

Performance wise the 7mm mauser is not quite as good as a 7mm-08.

No way! Esp. in the No. 1, handloaded 7x57's leave the 7mm-08 in the dust. They can use longer bullets and drive them faster. Heck I had a load with a 190 grain Barnes Original that would have brought down an elephant. It wasn't so much a bullet as a crossbow bolt! It's also a much more flexible round than the 7mm-08, because it has more capacity and can fire such a wide range of bullet weights. The '08's only real advantage is its shorter OAL and ability to chamber in short action rifles. But obviously that's a moot point for the single shot.

IIRC, the 1A Ruger 7x57 has a 1in9 twist, which should give you the chance to really explore some of the heavier loadings that the modernist crowd has forgotten about.

 

[db_tanker]

quarterboregunner...

funny you should mention the 7x57 bringing down an elephant...because it has...along with most of the other big game critters there in the dark continent.

When it first came out, it was somewhat popular in the veldt. After the Boer war I believe there were several left around. I have a friend or two I work with that used to live in Rhodesia back when it WAS Rhodesia and that was pretty much their "30-30".


As far as bullet selection goes, you will have almost as many choices as you would with a 30 caliber. And peformance is roughly between the 7 Mag and the 7-08.

Its one of those calibers that the gun-rag writers will say that a one-gun hunter could use. My oppinion, of course.

D

 

[mete]

If loaded to the same pressures the 7x57 is between the 7mm-08 and 280 since it's case capacity is between the two. Originally a military round it has a long and fantastic history as a hunting round .Like the similar 6.5x55 factory loads are much reduced so it's a handloaders cartridge ! And no it's not an elephant cartridge . Bell used it , but he was one of the best shots in Africa and knew elephant anatomy better than anyone. He would place a 175 gr FMJ [which penetrates very well] into the brain.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

OK! My course of action is fairly clear:

Step 1: Buy rifle. Man if that No1 isn't there this afternoon I will be fairly bummed.

Step 2: Buy dies and components.

I'm actually pretty excited by this project, like I said, I haven't had to work up a new caliber load in a long time...this definitely sounds like fun!

Thanks for all the input Gentlemen!

 

[Red Tornado]

Sounds like you need to conjure up a "family emergency" and get to the store now. You know you want to.
RT

 

[SaxonPig]

I have a #1A1 in 7x57 and this is a classic caliber that will do anything on the North American continent you need to do with a rifle. I plink with European surplus ammo shooting a 139 BT spitzer at 2900 FPS. A little on the warm side but Euro ammo is often like that.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

That's the very critter indeed! Except the one I'm looking at has a peep rear and a hooded front.

 

[Shawnee]

Hi Qbore...

Don't know if you remember Jack O'Conner - he pre-dated Jim Carmichel as the hunting editor at Outdoor Life and was a trememndously talented shooter, hunter, reloader, and writer. He championed the .270 Win. However...
His favorite hunting partner was his wife, Eleanor and, for her, he had three custom rifles made - all of them 7x57 and she shot everything on this continent except the bears with them plus a lot of hoofed game elsewhere. Jack praised the 7x57 very highly as a true "hunter's caliber". His hands-down favorite bullet weight in the 7x57 was the 139g.
I've never shot a 7x57 but, if the good Mr. O'Conner said they are great, they are great. An Thass a Fac, Jac !!

Hope you get that #1 - would like to hear how it goes with it !!

Saxon - GEEZ that is sweet! Where is your house and when will you and your family be away on vacation next time?

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Hopefully I'll have good news tonight and it's still in the rack waiting for me.

You know, going over this in my head, it occurs to me that I don't have a straight up hunting rifle for medium/big game; not that I hunt, and I have no illusions as to where the meat comes from, but I like to keep my options open. If I go ahead and get this rifle, well at least I'll have the hardware necessary if I get invited.

Lots of wild pig in the Santa Cruz hills and Monterey County...MMmmmhhh sausage...

 

[Mornard]

QBG -- I am so jealous that I could puke - great gun, great caliber. Not just cause it's my favorite of all time, but I'd take on any...any... North American big game animal with it, except the big bears...(I'm fatuous, not stupid...) I always liked the 160gr. Sierra SBT for accuracy. Also, with the 145 gr, you can't make a better deer round. I'd use the original round nose 175 gr. on hogs. But that's all just my opinion...

 

[grandpa757]

After reading so many comments about the 7x57 I had to add mine.My rifle was made by a gunsmith in Alaska for his wife. They hunted moose and bear. Of course he had a much larger caliber as back-up if need be, it was never required. It was built around the 98 mauser action. Loaded to peek accuracy with 150 gr hornady bullets in WW cases it has never let me down.

Yes Karamoja Bell killed over 1000 elephants with this caliber.

 

[Coronach]

It's a superb round, as has been said. I have an FN-49 in it and the thing is more accurate than I am.

Mike

 

[Vaarok]

W. E. Bell, the elephant hunter, used 7x57. Just think back on how many .275 Rigby classic British sporting rifles there are (and man, there are a lot of 'em), and you'll realize what a good cartridge it is.

But, like everybody said, it is downloaded for US sales. Except a hundred or so feet-per-second isn't really that important, is it? I know several folks who just use mild loads and old '93 or '95 Mausers, and their deer and elk all look pretty dead after the fact.

 

[Skoghund]

I shoot 7x57R in my Merkel combination. Its the most accurate rifle i own. I have shot moose, pig and deer with it. The 7x57R is loaded a little bit milder than the 7x57 as its for use in double,single shot and combination weapons. Enjoy that Ruger.

 

[Essex County]

Great gun and a great caliber. Just don't be suprised if the No1 doesn't shoot up to your expectations. Experience speaks. I hope I'm wrong. Essex