How about 7X57 as a bench rest gun? Anyone seen one?

[normmatzen]

I just read a thread about using 7-08 for long range bench rest.
I shoot a 7X57 for hunting. anyone ever seen a 7X57 used for long range shooting?

 

[Chappy]

I don't use mine for BR or any form of competition but I have reliably been able to hit an 8" piece of steel at 972 yards with mine. 162 A-Maxs and 48 gr.s of H4350 with a CCI 250 Primer and Remington brass. Due note that this is an extremely hot load in most 7x57s. Start at 39-40 grs. and slowly work up.

 

[Laurie]

I have seen 7X57mm AI used in GB F-Class and BR with mixed results. The cartridge is inherently a very good one but offers no great benefits and a few downsides in the competition role compared to 7mm-08 / 7-08AI and .284 Win / 7mm Shehane.

The main issues are availability of 'bits' - brass, dies, reamers especially for the AI version which is well worth doing in this case. Many AI jobs give less than a couple of grains extra water capacity whilst it's around 3gn for the 7X57. People who use the cartridge seriously usually get hold of German RWS brass which is very expensive and often hard to get hold of in the UK. I can't comment on its consistency and strength never having used it in this application, but RWS is usually good on both counts, although I'd say still inferior to Lapua where both make brass.

The non-AI standard version only has a little extra capacity over 7-08 AI assuming both are used in chambers throated optimally for long bullets, and the 7X57AI still has a bit less capacity than .284 Win. With 7-08 users able to easily reform the superb Lapua .308 Win small primer brass and 284 / Shehane users having very well made and strong 6.5-284 Lapua cases readily available, there has to be a very good reason to choose an intermediate capacity / performance design. A similar situation exists with 6.5X55 and its AI version. In theory, 6.5-284 has a too large case for the powder charges, standard 6.5X55 a little less than ideal, so the optimum is a wildcat 6.5-284 with the shoulder bumped back, or more easily obtained, 6.5X55AI. In practice, this move doesn't usually produce any noticeable step-change over 6.5-284 to justify the cost of custom dies etc - they're both superb designs and work very well in a good set-up.

 

[Elwood]

I have seen 7X57mm AI used in GB F-Class and BR with mixed results. The cartridge is inherently a very good one but offers no great benefits and a few downsides in the competition role compared to 7mm-08 / 7-08AI and .284 Win / 7mm Shehane.

. People who use the cartridge seriously usually get hold of German RWS brass which is very expensive and often hard to get hold of in the UK. I can't comment on its consistency and strength never having used it in this application, but RWS is usually good on both counts, although I'd say still inferior to Lapua where both make brass.

Laurie, my experience of RWS brass is that it is second to none. I used RWS 7x57 brass in my 6mm Crusader and got 18 firings from one set of cases and the primer pockets were only just starting to open up using a warm load.

 

[Laurie]

My experience with it is nearly all 308 Win Ian, and whilst the RWS stuff is very good, I'd still rate Lapua as better. I do have some RWS 7X57 brass now from quite ancient factory sporting ammo that I'll be reloading later this year in the cartridge. (Two pre-WW1 Chilean Mauser long service rifles and a very nice 1950s BSA Hunter with period Pecar scope to feed.) Whether it'd be representative of new unprimed brass from Reloading Solutions or whoever is debatable though, but it'll be interesting to see how it compares to recent US Federal and elderly Swedish Norma brass which I also have.

PS Happy New Year! Will I see you at Diggle in March for GB FCA 2015 Round 1?

 

[Elwood]

And a happy new year to you Laurie.

I will be at Diggle in March experiencing the infamous four seasons in one day !