7x57 Mountain Rifle

[7x57 Shooter]

This cartridge is one of the most accurate and easy to load for, I get less than an inch with 150 grain Nosler Solid base bullets at 110 yds.
I had a Remington 700 in 7mm-08, it was sold because my 120 year old 7x57 Mauser outshoots it.
I sold my 7mm mag, the 280 Remington, my 284 Winchester, all gone now because the little 7x57 does everything I need without a lot of fuss and powder and recoil.
I have taken countless deer over the past decade with my Mountain Rifle, it's going to stay in the gun cabinet while all others have gone to new owners, my lil Mauser will stay and go hunting with me for as long as I can, by far it has turned out to be my all time favorite.
A 7x57 Mauser in a modern action and a 45-70, what else would a hunter need.

 

[swampshooter]

I agree, love my 7x57. I shortened my bbl. to 20" to make it handier in the woods or a box blind. I normally use it on deer and hogs, it does a bang up job. With a modern action and good brass I load mine a little hotter than the book, but it really shoots better that way. For game my favorite bullet is the Sierra 150 gr. GameKing. I've taken deer with all the bullets available between 139 gr. and 154 gr. and settled on the 150 GameKing as my favorite. I've been hunting with that same 7x57 for almost 40 years.
My rifle started life as a Mark X Cavalier. It's since been restocked and reblued with a matte finish and a classic hand checkered AA fancy walnut stock with a satin finish. With a Leupold 2-6x scope it is truly a little sweetheart.

 

[Savage99]

7X57 Shooter,

I am pleased to read that your 7-57 has taken "countless deer" and that it shoots small groups.

To others it's just another rifle cartridge. That's good!

On the other hand the 7-57 was never used much for target shooting and it's not easy to find factory ammo for it.

What is a "Mountain Rifle"?

 

[normmatzen]

What is 7X57 "Factory Ammo?" I wouldn't use the anemic stuff you can buy! I load my own and for my 12 yr old Grandson for the sported Spanish Mauser I built for him with a re-chambered Rem 7mm Magnum barrel. His loads are a bit light, but the recoil doesn't bother him and it is still enough energy to do in black tail and pigs.
My VZ24 based sporter gets either 140gn Barnes TTSX at 2800 fps or 162 A-MAX at 2700-2800 fps. Both my military barrel and my Grandson's Rem take-off re-chamber get 1 MOA at 100 yd.

 

[nockhunter]

Hey 7x57 you could be my twin. I traded my .270adl for a 7x57 mountain rifle. I was a hesitant at first, I really liked the .270. But the MTN rifle was a bit lighter and I didn't have the cash to have both. A trade that I will never regret.
I've killed a few deer and shot a running coyote through the head (my best shot I've taken so far). My other favorite rifle is a Marlin guide gun in 45-70, what else could a man need.
My 7x57 really likes the 140g b-tips, I've tried the 154g Hornady, 139g Hornady neither shot very well. My next on the list is the 150g game kings, if I can find some , that is.
I told my son not to expect to get the little Rem because I will be buried with it...... He understands.
Is your rifle the walnut/ blued version? Mine is walnut/blued with a 3x-9x B&L 3000 Elite. It has to be the handiest package to carry around (IMHO).

Mike

 

[Outrider27]

What is a "Mountain Rifle"?

A mountain rifle is a compact, lightweight rifle that you can pack through the mountains all day and not feel like you're carrying a ton of firearm, generally on a caliber that can be built on a short action and adequate for game through mule deer, or elk if you pick your shot. Max weight with scope would be in the 6.5 - 7.5 pound range, less is desireable. The Winchester Model 70 Featherweight more or less fits, or about anything by Ultra light Arms. .257 Roberts and 7mm Mauser are two popular calibers, especially among handloaders, and anything adequate for the game mentioned and which doesn't kick like a mule in a really lightweight rifle is a candidate. Physically, when you look at them closely they come across as 7/8 sized rifles, since their stocks tend to be slim and devoid of unnecessary wood and barrels tend to be 21"-22" with a significant taper.

 

[nockhunter]

7X57 Shooter,

I am pleased to read that your 7-57 has taken "countless deer" and that it shoots small groups.

To others it's just another rifle cartridge. That's good!

On the other hand the 7-57 was never used much for target shooting and it's not easy to find factory ammo for it.

What is a "Mountain Rifle"?

A Remington Mountain rifle is a slim M700. It has a very slender stock and a thin 22" barrel compared to the other M700's. It comes in standard (30-06 length non magnum) and short (308 length) actions. It is bigger than the M7. Here is a pic I found on the net. A M700 Mountain rifle and a M7.

Mike

 

[7x57 Shooter]

7X57 Shooter,

I am pleased to read that your 7-57 has taken "countless deer" and that it shoots small groups.

To others it's just another rifle cartridge. That's good!

On the other hand the 7-57 was never used much for target shooting and it's not easy to find factory ammo for it.

What is a "Mountain Rifle"?

I reload for my 7x57, so I have never had to shoot any factory stuff. The only targets I shoot at end up in the freezer, I have not tried eating paper.
My Mountain Rifle was a bit too light, so I restocked in a heavier 700 BDL walnut stock.
I reload 140 grain Nosler Partition's, they chronograph at 2840 fps out of the 22 inch barrel. I guess Teddy Roosevelt must have said at one time that the 7x57 wasn't very accurate and must not be easy to find ammo for. I believe the Mountain Rifle question has already been answered, take care , 7x57 Shooter.

 

[mauser284]

This cartridge is one of the most accurate and easy to load for, I get less than an inch with 150 grain Nosler Solid base bullets at 110 yds.
I had a Remington 700 in 7mm-08, it was sold because my 120 year old 7x57 Mauser outshoots it.
I sold my 7mm mag, the 280 Remington, my 284 Winchester, all gone now because the little 7x57 does everything I need without a lot of fuss and powder and recoil.
I have taken countless deer over the past decade with my Mountain Rifle, it's going to stay in the gun cabinet while all others have gone to new owners, my lil Mauser will stay and go hunting with me for as long as I can, by far it has turned out to be my all time favorite.
A 7x57 Mauser in a modern action and a 45-70, what else would a hunter need.

I feel similar about my 8x57 Mausers! I have 3 of them for a reason. They just never fail to put meat in the freezer. It is just to bad you have to hand load to get decent ammo. The 7x57 and 8x57 Remington Cor-Lokt stuff was pretty anemic stuff! Sure it worked just fine as well but anemic! Once I started loading my own ammo it changed my mind a lot on how effective these old cartridges where!

 

[Liven The Dream]

Had a 1935 98 Mauser 21'' Carbine Barreled Action 7x57 was like New. Chilean Contract Rifle.
140gr. Sierra's but Deer down with easy.

 

[Beruisis]

Have many rifles but my CZ 7x57 is the go - to rifle.
No longer need to shoot the magnum rifles, the 7x57 with the long heavy bullets just get it done so much easier.

 

[std7mag]

Never bought factory ammo for 7X57 Mauser or 257 Roberts.

Built a 7X57 Mauser for my daughter on a contracted Mauser i accidentally won at an auction for $65.
Barrel was toast.
Bubba sporterized the stock, complete with electric tape around the wrist.

Timney trigger.
Dakota 3 position safety.
Drilled & tapped for scope.
EGW one piece base.
Vortex Viper verticle split rings.
Vortex Crossfire II 4-12X40 BDC.
Purple Boyds AT-One stock.

Loading 120gr Ballistic Tips over Alliant PP2000MR.

She loves it!

But i'm afraid there's a special place in the afterlife for me putting a purple stock on a Mauser action.

 

[ebb]

What inline with all the other good fathers, who love their children? Peter and Paul may well have been into purple, who's to say.

 

[FNSafari]

When my FIL graduated from college he went to work for W.H.B. Smith (wrote Firearms of the World). He went belly up and paid my FIL off in some rifles. One is a FN made 30-06 for the US market. It had the most atrocious trigger on any supposed hunting rifle I have ever owned. I had a Timney Sportsman trigger fitted and what a world of difference that made in getting the gun to show its true accuracy potential.

 

[Kwahe]

Wonderful attitudes here about an amazing rifle caliber! I'm so happy to see that others appreciate this ancient artifact for what it is...a rifle that is exactly ENOUGH for any hunting or shooting in America. No crazy recoil, no blast wave that travels across tables at the shooting range., no adherence to the incredible 'trendiness' that we see everywhere in the rifle science these days. But I suppose the 7x57 had it's own trendiness as a sporting weapon 100 years ago, and then a little blip of interest in '50s and '60s. Jack O'Conner wrote glowingly about the 7 though he never seemed to settle on it. His wife certainly did and made many one-shot kills on both American and African big game, including kudu, elk and moose. I myself have killed several elk and deer with a 7x57, and most with one shot.

And yes, of course, the 7x57 is a reloader's weapon. O'Conner reloaded 160 grain Partitions for his wife's rifle, at around 2600 fps and she did all her deadly work with that cartridge.. I have never gone higher than 2550 with that bullet, but my most used rifle is a small-ringed Mauser rebuild. That load does not exceed 49,000psi, generally considered the upper limit for the small-rings.

I have several rifles but 4 of them are 7x57s. They all have peep sights and with my favorite loading using RL-19, I have made 1/2" groups of 5 at fifty yards. But lo, I am at the tail end of my hunting years, having developed a too-soft heart in my 70s. So I am looking for ways to hand my rifles down to someone who can appreciate them. But I will keep one, just so I can make 1/2" groups at the range occasionally.

Respect...

 

[Liven The Dream]

PM Sent

 

[hoz53]

This cartridge is one of the most accurate and easy to load for, I get less than an inch with 150 grain Nosler Solid base bullets at 110 yds.
I had a Remington 700 in 7mm-08, it was sold because my 120 year old 7x57 Mauser outshoots it.
I sold my 7mm mag, the 280 Remington, my 284 Winchester, all gone now because the little 7x57 does everything I need without a lot of fuss and powder and recoil.
I have taken countless deer over the past decade with my Mountain Rifle, it's going to stay in the gun cabinet while all others have gone to new owners, my lil Mauser will stay and go hunting with me for as long as I can, by far it has turned out to be my all time favorite.
A 7x57 Mauser in a modern action and a 45-70, what else would a hunter need.

Well— as WDM Bell reportedly shot 1000 elephants with one its surely all i need for a hunting gun

 

[Mulligan]

Wonderful attitudes here about an amazing rifle caliber! I'm so happy to see that others appreciate this ancient artifact for what it is...a rifle that is exactly ENOUGH for any hunting or shooting in America. No crazy recoil, no blast wave that travels across tables at the shooting range., no adherence to the incredible 'trendiness' that we see everywhere in the rifle science these days. But I suppose the 7x57 had it's own trendiness as a sporting weapon 100 years ago, and then a little blip of interest in '50s and '60s. Jack O'Conner wrote glowingly about the 7 though he never seemed to settle on it. His wife certainly did and made many one-shot kills on both American and African big game, including kudu, elk and moose. I myself have killed several elk and deer with a 7x57, and most with one shot.

And yes, of course, the 7x57 is a reloader's weapon. O'Conner reloaded 160 grain Partitions for his wife's rifle, at around 2600 fps and she did all her deadly work with that cartridge.. I have never gone higher than 2550 with that bullet, but my most used rifle is a small-ringed Mauser rebuild. That load does not exceed 49,000psi, generally considered the upper limit for the small-rings.

I have several rifles but 4 of them are 7x57s. They all have peep sights and with my favorite loading using RL-19, I have made 1/2" groups of 5 at fifty yards. But lo, I am at the tail end of my hunting years, having developed a too-soft heart in my 70s. So I am looking for ways to hand my rifles down to someone who can appreciate them. But I will keep one, just so I can make 1/2" groups at the range occasionally.

Respect...

The 7X57 is a great round as is the improved version. In a quality bolt gun, it can really preform to its full potential, which is quite impressive given it's age. Not many of the cartridges of old, have the potential of the 7X57.

What range do you shoot at?

If you are nearby Whitewater Colorado, you might consider some of the local monthly fun shoots.

CW

 

[Kwahe]

The 7X57 is a great round as is the improved version. In a quality bolt gun, it can really preform to its full potential, which is quite impressive given it's age. Not many of the cartridges of old, have the potential of the 7X57.

What range do you shoot at?

If you are nearby Whitewater Colorado, you might consider some of the local monthly fun shoots.

CW

Thank you, CW, for the friendly invite. I shoot at The Bayfield Lions range, a good 150 miles south of you, but I appreciate your offer, thank you.
I rely on an online Powley computer for my reloading questions. I used it to calculate just how much more I could get out of my rifle with an AI version. But then I thought better of it...why make a totally sufficient round into one that would try to hurt me more? But actually, it didn't seem to add that much considering I have small-ring pressure limits. Perhaps if I were younger and had more padding....