7x57 vs. 7mm-08, ammo price and availability?

Pickles said:
I've got a 700 MR and a Shilen 7mm tube sitting here destined to be a 7x57.

Strange but you couldn't give me a 7-08. I dislike the cartridge about as much as I dislike the 260 Rem.

I like the classic cartridges.
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I own, shoot, love both 7mm-08 and .260 AI... funny huh?


Andy said:
The 7X57 gets its edge from 2-3 grs greater case capacity than the 7mm-08, which becomes greater when the throat allows OAL's as high as 3.150" (in a Standard Action) with 175 gr bullets. The 7mm-08 cannot typically be loaded to an OAL longer than 2.950", as it usually resides in a Short Action which has a mag length limit, but it's really its shorter cartridge length that prevents a longer OAL. Seating the 7X57 out further can add another 2 grs of powder capacity, such that I could load 55.0 grs of H4831SC under a 175 gr bullet at an OAL of 3.150" in my 7X57, whereas I have never heard of a 7mm-08 that can exceed 50.0. Now 55.0 grs of H4831SC is not my max load (53.0 is), but it illustrates the difference.

What fools so many people is that most factory loads and loads posted by powder manufacturers have the 7mm-08 loaded to 50K CUP, and the 7X57 to about 45K CUP. In all actions except the M96, i.e. M98 and commercial, they can be loaded to the same pressure.

All to say, there's really only about 50-75 fps difference between the two, but it's the 7X57 over the 7mm-08, not the other way around.
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I was going to post, but Andy pretty much summed it up for me above.
 
Buy the one in the rifle you want. &x 57 is an old classic and will likeli-y be found in wood blue configuration wheras the 7-08 can be chambered in a short action with the more modern Cofiguration. I would go 7x57 for nostalgia and stay away from the 7-08 built on the long action such as the T-3. An old classic 7x57 may give more pride of ownership but a short action 7-08 should give a shorter handier hunting rifle.
Neil
 
I inspected a box of Hornady SST in 7x57 at LeBaron (Markham store) on Friday. I didn't buy them, as I have heard horror stories regarding SST accuracy and the softly loaded American varieties in general, but surely somebody has tested them out? I have steady access to S&B and Prvi at Al Simmons in Hamilton, Prvi being my favourite (Winchester being my least favourite from a power and accuracy perspective). While 7mm-08 is commonly found in any gun store and Chinese Tire, I don't find 7x57 all that hard to find. I usually stock up on all my calibres, so no big deal to not reload for 7x57. I need to order 7x57 dies. I currently only handload for 308 Win.
 
The Kurgan said:
I inspected a box of Hornady SST in 7x57 at LeBaron (Markham store) on Friday. I didn't buy them, as I have heard horror stories regarding SST accuracy...

I need to order 7x57 dies. I currently only handload for 308 Win...
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I have found H-SST's to be very accurate... on par with NBT's and with good performance on class 1 and 2 game.
If you have all the gear to reload .308, it would serve you well to reload for all of your guns...
 
I have a commercial Mauser action barreled up to 7X57 nice gun but heavy. I traded some guns for an older Remington 700 BDL in 6mm and decided I would have it changed to 7-08. I only had a SS mountain rifle barrel at the time so it was installed and the gun is very comfortable to carry or use in a blind.
Like the others have said the 7X57 is classic and I have many Military Mausers in that caliber and love them all.
One of my 57's that will create a big flash on an overcast day will be my Mexican FN Model 1924 carbine with a 15.25" barrel.
I have already fired my Brazilian 1922 carbine with a 19.63" barrel and that was fun.
 
i don't think there is any difference in availability. any shop that has one will have the other and in gas stations and out of the way mom and pop places you are probably SOL with either.
 
I can't comment on the 7X57 as I've never owned one. Looking over the numbers I can not imagine any animal or shooter would be able to tell much difference.
I purchased my first 7mm-08 Rem. back in the early 80's shortly after Remington introduced it as a commercial round. I have owned at least five 7mm-08's since that time. I have shot more than my share of whitetails over those past thirty some years and most of those fell to either the 7mm-08 or the 45-70. Some also fell to the 280 Rem., 30-06, 243 Win., 44 Mag, 7mm Rem. Mag., 350 Rem. Mag. and 300 Win. Mag. That being said I think I'm qualified to say that I honestly didn't see much difference in their effectiveness on deer. Deer aren't all that big and hit properly just about any modern center fire will do the job. No being an extremely large guy I can tell you that I do see a difference in the compactness and ease of handling a short action rifle verses as long action. Therefore, if I just had to have a 7X57 I would pass on the slight ballistic advantage of seating my bullets out and get my 7X57 in a short action. If I'm going to carry a long action rifle I might as well get a 280 Rem. rather than a long action 7X57.
I recently decided to order a new Cooper all stainless. I didn't hesitate on the caliber.......... 7mm-08 Rem. I think that says just how much I really like this chambering.

This nice Nova Scotia 4X4 fell to a single well placed 139gr Hornady out of a 7mm-08 Rem. a few years back. I sure the picture would look no different had that slug left a 7X57 or a 280 Rem.

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hawk-i said:
So, If I ackley improved my 7-08 I'd basically have a 57....yes, no?
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Doing a blown out (Ackely'ed 7x57) might be more interesting.

Whatever way you look at it, the x57 case is just bigger than the .308 case.

But then, if a guy wants more juice than standard 7-08 or 7x57, I've heard somebody out there even makes a factory 7mm magnum or two.
 
Northman999 said:
Doing a blown out (Ackely'ed 7x57) might be more interesting.

Whatever way you look at it, the x57 case is just bigger than the .308 case.

But then, if a guy wants more juice than standard 7-08 or 7x57, I've heard somebody out there even makes a factory 7mm magnum or two.
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That is the thing with improving calibers... it is usually cheaper to just go up to a different caliber. Improving is best when you have a specific gun that you like and want to step it up, or you have a shot-out throat or you like a specific platform and want something different, or you are going with a custom chamber and there is no reason not to improve.
 
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