Anyone run 150g Bergers in their 7x57 Mausers? I am planning on trying them next year in my Rem Mountain rifle. What speed you get, kind of performance on deer? Mike
I'm not a big fan of monolithic solids. I can't believe no one here shoots 7mm Bergers at critters. No 7-08, or 280 rems? Mike
I run 168 Berger Classic Hunters and 160 Nosler Partitions in my 7x57 Ruger #1A. To my surprise, the same powder charge of RL-22 produces the same muzzle velocity (2700 fps) and the same 100 yard point of impact for both bullets. I originally purchased this rifle for the purpose of a Plains Game Safari (which fell through). The 160 NPT was intended to be my all around load for that purpose, so that is the load I have taken hunting. The 168 Berger has, so far, only been shot at paper. The bullet I really wanted to use for hunting in the Continental United States was the Hornady 162 AMAX, but my rifle REFUSED to shoot it well, no matter what adjustments I made. Both the 160 NPT and 168 Berger reliably shoot 3/4" 3 shot groups @ 100 yards, which is stellar accuracy for a Ruger #1. My rifle is zeroed @ 200 yards, which will easily keep me in the vitals of a Whitetail Deer out to 400 yards, using a standard plex reticle. I know you specified the 150 Bergers, but this is as close as I have come to using that bullet.
nockhunter, One of the characteristics of many forums is the fact that not every member is present to answer every question all the time. Sometimes it can take a few days for members to wander by your question and pause to provide a meaningful answer. Another point to consider is that the 7x57 is a part of the fading glory of everything Mauser. Virtually all of the surplus ammunition is long gone and many of the original rifles have been packed away or converted to other cartridges. So, the potential for immediate answers to questions with your specificity as related to cartridge and rifle are few and far between unless one of our shooters of historic firearms wanders in. Or maybe... I have a client who actually does shoot and hunt with a 7x57 in a modern rifle and I have those bullets on the shelf just for him. But I also use the 150 grain Nosler Partition for some of his loads. His current load is based on Re-16 running about 2,800 fps in a moderate load but accurate load. I can use the same powder for both bullets with a small adjustment while maintaining the moderate pressure and similar velocity. He likes it, the deer hate it!
PM Laurie on this site, ... I believe he is in Great Britain. He is a 7x57 guy. While I have a 7x57 in a "modern" Ruger M77, I primarily shoot 7mm-08 and 7mm Remmag. 140 Berger VLDH shoot slightly over 1/2 moa for 5 shots in a 7mm-08 Rem VLS heavy barrel and a Tikka T3 Hunter using H4350. Approx. 1/2 moa in the 7mm Remmag for 168 Berger VLDH over IMR7828 in a 1970s Rem BDL. We have got outstanding accuracy (0.28 moa) using 120 Nosler Ballistic Tips and h4350 in the 7mm-08 VLS.
I get it with the 7x57, but was also just interested in the bullet performance itself. The 150's specifically, but the general Berger line of bullets in the 7mm-08, and 280 rem velocity range. Mike Thanks benchracer for the 168g input.
Along the lines of what Kurz said, I'm sure there's plenty of people here who hunt with 7mm Bergers but it's always a crap shoot on forums as to who's going to stop, read, and spend the time to reply to a question. Most probably pass by a 7x57 thread these days even if they're hunting with balistically similar rounds. I have the same rifle as benchracer, Ruger 1A, but went with the nostalgic 175gr round nose. Not that I need a bullet that heavy for whitetail but I like the look of those old torpedoes and shots where I hunt that rifle are usually <50 yrds and never over 100 so ballistics don't matter.
