7x57 with light bullets?
- Thread starter Boer seun
- Start date
Boer seun. It all depends on the twist rate your bbl has. A win mod 70 I have with 1/10 twist loves the 100 and 120 grain hornady bullets loaded to max, in the Lyman tables.
The sported 1935 Brazilian ( I didn't do it) 1/9, over stabilises the 100 grainers but is a tack driver with the 120 Vmax right out to 400 yds and is deadly on coyotes, don't try saveing the pelt though.
The Spanish and Serbian mausers with their 1/81/2 twist were only ok with the 120 grain bullets but were very good with 139grain bullets.
You may or may not have similar results with your rifles, but those are my experiences. bearhunter
The sported 1935 Brazilian ( I didn't do it) 1/9, over stabilises the 100 grainers but is a tack driver with the 120 Vmax right out to 400 yds and is deadly on coyotes, don't try saveing the pelt though.
The Spanish and Serbian mausers with their 1/81/2 twist were only ok with the 120 grain bullets but were very good with 139grain bullets.
You may or may not have similar results with your rifles, but those are my experiences. bearhunter
120gr Hornady's in my 7x57's (Ruger M77, No1, custom Mauser) have worked very well. The only thing is, you will probably have to adjust for a different POI than you'll get with the 139/140's.
This is a very light recoil and flat-shooting combination, although a little harsh on coyote pelts. Surprisingly, the 139 grain Hornady Interlock left much less pelt damage (about toonie-sized holes, usually).
You've got to admit the 7x57 can pretty well do it all.
This is a very light recoil and flat-shooting combination, although a little harsh on coyote pelts. Surprisingly, the 139 grain Hornady Interlock left much less pelt damage (about toonie-sized holes, usually).
You've got to admit the 7x57 can pretty well do it all.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
I shot 120 gr. HP's out of my Remington 700 7x57, accuracy is very good in my rifle. The 120 gr. V-Max performed well also on rabbits at 125-150 yards, don't look to save pelts though.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Out of the 1908 Brazilian mauser and the Brno ZH-304 OU, 7x57R/12ga I have and any of the other 7x57's I've had the heavier bullets 'seemed' to be more accurate.
As has been mentioned, the accuracy for bullet weights is probably dependent on the rate of twist, so, why not use your regular hunting load? Less fiddling around and good practice for varying distances for your regular season stuff.
As has been mentioned, the accuracy for bullet weights is probably dependent on the rate of twist, so, why not use your regular hunting load? Less fiddling around and good practice for varying distances for your regular season stuff.
John Spartan
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Just a little more to the right...
Another good bullet to try is the 120 grain Nosler ballistic tip - built a bit more sturdier than the usual ballistic tip - works well on varmints and deer.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
The 140 Nosler's fly out of my 7x57 at 2825 fps,definitely fast enough for what walks or flies around here.
It's always fun to play with new bullet weights.
FWIW, I've used 139 grain Hornady Interlocks (used to be "Spire Points") for everything from coyotes to moose for the just over thirty years and they have never failed me. It is literally the "kill it all" bullet for the type of game most of us are likely to run into.
So, you can probably keep going with your current supply of 139 grain bullets for coyotes and get little exit holes on your 'yotes (not that there's anything wrong with tinkering with the 120's)
I'd suggest that you try H414 with your choice of 140 grain bullet. This powder has worked very well for me in the 7x57, using Hornady Interlocks, Interbonds, Sierra Game Kings, Nosler Partitions and Barnes Triple Shocks. (It's a favourite in the .270Win, 30-06 and 6.5x55 as well).
An upper-end load should get you the velocity that you are looking for (follow the manufacturer's suggestions, as usual; your mileage may vary).
I personally haven't had a lot of success getting a lot of velocity with 160 grain bullets in the 7x57, but the 139/140's are a whole different story. The load I took to Africa this year was a 140 grain Barnes TSX with a "near max" load of H414, producing a chrono'd velocity of 2,883fps (5-shot average) in a custom Mauser. This was still two grains less than the "max" in at least one of my manuals, but I felt it was "max" in the rifle I was taking. That load proved flat-shooting and absolutely deadly on plains game.
Try H414 and work up your own load in a modern rifle and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with what the caliber is capable of.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
The rifle I shoot is a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle,(now my sons rifle,but he lets me shoot it once in awhile)
22 inch barrel
139 grain Hornady Interlocks
50 grains of H4350
Federal LR primers
Chrony speed is 2825 fps with the speed meter set at about 12 feet from muzzle.
But I would be sure of the rifle before loading and always work up for your rifle. You may reach max in your rifle before max loading in the books.........
