7x57 Mauser for 500 yard shooting

[MisterDRH]

Why is round this not used more often for mid range distances given the strength of modern receivers?

 

[Grimstod]

My Hornady book says....
"Ballistically the 7mm Mauser as shown is only slightly less powerful then the 270 winchester, 280 Remington and the 284 Winchester. The cartridge is more than adequate for nearly all North American big Game and many of the plains game of Africa."

Perhaps it is just its reputation as a hunting cartridge that has it glossed over. The round is very old. Designed in 1892. Hope that helps a little.

 

[MisterDRH]

Thanks, I was just doing an independent thought exercise where I was running ballistic information through some ballistic models and the numbers from the 7x57 were impressive. That combined with less recoil has me reconsidering my next build. I know models do not always reflect the real world so I am looking for real world reasons why no one uses the 5x57 for general target shooting at the longer distances. 20 years ago I could shoot my 7mm Rem Mag loaded with hot elk loads all day and only pay for it for a couple of days. Now my recovery time is a bit longer so I am not as willing to endure the punishment. I can't see why an old design is bad if it produces great results. The ability to accommodate more powder behind the current low drag longer bullets (Burger 168s) appears to be overlooked unless I am really missing something here. What am I missing?

 

[Grimstod]

I don't think you are really missing anything. I have a good friend with a 7mm mauser. Its shoots very well. dust those groundhogs but good even at 600yards.
I would say go for it. Shoulnt be to hard to find ammo.

 

[MisterDRH]

My gunsmith thinks I'm nuts and is trying to talk me into building a 308. ...

 

[eric32]

i was contemplating 7X57 mauser for a F-Open gun but never got around to do it one of these days I will. I believe 257 roberts brass can be necked up if you can't find 7 mauser brass i believe 6 rem can be opened up to 7x57.

But if you do some research 7mm Mauser AI is one of top three AI cartridge from my memory it adds some 3-5 grains of powder to the case

 

[benchracer]

I own two rifles in 7x57. The reason that I do not shoot them at longer ranges is that neither one is really set up for that purpose. Mine are set up as light sporter rifles. However, there is no doubt in my mind that the 7x57 has excellent potential.

If I were going to put together a rifle to reach out a ways using the 7x57, I would go with the AI chamber and use Quickload to figure out my loading data. One of the big weaknesses of the 7x57 is the lack of proper data for use in modern actions. Loaded to its potential, the 7x57 is capable of much better performance than most people think.

 

[huffmanite]

Been awhile, but when our shooting club had its grand opening of our 400 & 600 yd ranges, I showed up with my Ruger 77 tang safety rifle that I'd had rebarreled to 7x57. At the time it was my most accurate rifle and I had a scope on it that'd serve me decently at these ranges. We had balloons (around 9" diameter) on the target boards at 400 and 600. Once I'd dialed in my scope for bullet drop and figured out the crosswind, had no problem busting the balloons fairly easily. Chuckle, did as well with my 7x57 than other shooters with cartridge rifles lauded for longer range shooting.

 

[normmatzen]

Right On!

I built a VZ24 action sporter rifle with a Mauser military 7X57 barrel cut down to 24". It likes long bullets and it is deadly with 162gn A-MAX. I hunt at my brothers deer club and they have a yearly "Bowling Ball Shoot." They prop balls on baggies filled with water at 325 or so yds and teams of two must first pop the bag to release the ball to start rolling down the dirt road, then shoot till the ball stops. My 7X57 shoots very well at that range! I can load to about 2800 fps, but the gun shoots best at 2650.

 

[Outrider27]

Over the years it appears that the 7x57 has become a highly underrated cartridge, which is too bad, as it has great potential. From a performance standpoint, with any modern action, just make sure your load data is based on a max pressure of 50,000psi for model 98 Mauser and other newer actions rather than the 45,000psi limit used with older (model 93 and model 95) Mauser actiions to maximize performance potential.

 

[stool]

hmmmmm
use modern CIP 56KPSI NOT SAAMI NOR ANY OLDER CUP DATA....

Over the years it appears that the 7x57 has become a highly underrated cartridge, which is too bad, as it has great potential. From a performance standpoint, with any modern action, just make sure your load data is based on a max pressure of 50,000psi for model 98 Mauser and other newer actions rather than the 45,000psi limit used with older (model 93 and model 95) Mauser actiions to maximize performance potential.

 

[Hwyshredder78]

The venerable 7x57 would be a great choice to build your next custom on! Have a great smith chamber a quality barrel in 7x57, and you will probably be surprising a few people with it's performance! Having the ability to share the bullets with your Rem Mag would be a bonus as well. I would go with it if your heart is set on that caliber!

 

[Larryh128]

I would 2nd the 7x57 AI choice. I built one quite a few years ago and it was a really nice shooting round. Not a whole lot slower than a 7mag but without all of the noise. It was a very effecient round but most shooters today aren't looking for effecient. Ended up pulling the barrel & selling it because I wasn't looking for effecient either. Guy that got it loves it & I always wonder if I should have sold it. You can make 7x57 brass out of 257 roberts or 6mm remington brass. Same round necked down.

 

[MisterDRH]

Thanks for the great feedback. I really like the idea of 5x57 AI...

 

[MisterDRH]

Sorry, that should have been 7x57 AI Opps...