Thread: 7x57mm 1st effort - comments?

38 and 39 gr give you the most consistent speeds (granted less shots so potentially advantaged) if not playing with other powders i would be tempted to adjust seating depths at those charge weights and see if can tighten groups (your col looks quite long already so likely shorter, how far off lands are you?), I have made changes get at 20 thou increments in the past and you usually see very quickly a length to try and fine tune further. You could try going up beyond 41 gr and see if speeds become more consistent at a higher node again but 2206h is one powder i have found the adi data to be telling the truth about when they say max (different cal but may ring true for this too)

I use 2206H in my 7x57 with 140's, slightly more than you loads, but not much. And for about the same velocity. Theres something pretty satisfying hitting an animal with a 7x57, they all seem to go tits up with just one shot! I think if you are happy with your results then 41gn is the go, maybe try 42. But looks pretty bloody good for a first attempt.

I may have some info that helps you settle on a load .

While l guided in Africa all l used was a 1969 Brno 458 Mag & a 1970 Brno 7x57 which was my favorite & used on a wide variety of different animals to feed the camps over the years as well as many deer at home here .

Keep in mind these loads were for my own rifle,due to density of powder some loads were compressed so only something to use if you are experienced with handloading (they were perfectly safe with no pressure signs,used in a BSA & Ruger as well) & it had a 24"barrel. My favorite & most effective loads for everything up to Kudu & a lion wounded Buffalo , was as follows using what l found to be the best powders for the 7x 57 namely AR2208, W-760, AR2209 and Re-19 all best suited in my experience over the years to magnum primers when using ball powders like the old faithul W-760-

For W-760 -

Very good Tahr ,Chamois & lighter deer load (my favorite Wart Hog & Impala load)


130grn Speer / 51grns /Velocity - 2980-/



Good load for all the above including Reds

Sierra 140grn /50rns / Velocity -2890 - /

Re-19 was my favorite powder -

Great all NZ load

Sierra 140grn/53grns/Velocity - 2920-

Great deer load my go to Sika in thick shit & Red load

Corelokt 150grn/52grn / velocity - 2850 -


AR2208 was also used for a great performer on game -

Speer 130 / 46grns/ velocity -2950-

AR2209 was also used a great performer on game -

Sierra 140grn/52grns / Velocity - 2910-


Re-22 Favorite Heavy DG load,dropped a charging Buff that would not take no for a answer -

Woodleigh 160grn/ 50grns/ velocity - 2660-

All these gave excellent accuracy & performance in the field no pressure signs, in very hot conditions sitting in a cradle on dash of Tojo all day,taken literally 100's of game with them .

Hope info helps, as with any load devolpment start 3grns below & work up checking for pressure signs in your rifle

Awesome info. Respect that these were where you finished up for your rifle. Will work up to them in mine.

There have been some very useful input and insights in the responses here. Thanks team! Keep it going if you have more useful input/ stories for the 7x57. Looks like I'm going to really enjoy the calibre.

Great thread. Side note is I'll have to try Magnum Primers for my H414 loads. I have them on hand and some 139g Hornady pills too. Here I go again, oh what fun.

Originally Posted by bunji

I may have some info that helps you settle on a load .

While l guided in Africa all l used was a 1969 Brno 458 Mag & a 1970 Brno 7x57 which was my favorite & used on a wide variety of different animals to feed the camps over the years as well as many deer at home here .

Keep in mind these loads were for my own rifle,due to density of powder some loads were compressed so only something to use if you are experienced with handloading (they were perfectly safe with no pressure signs,used in a BSA & Ruger as well) & it had a 24"barrel. My favorite & most effective loads for everything up to Kudu & a lion wounded Buffalo , was as follows using what l found to be the best powders for the 7x 57 namely AR2208, W-760, AR2209 and Re-19 all best suited in my experience over the years to magnum primers when using ball powders like the old faithul W-760-

For W-760 -

Very good Tahr ,Chamois & lighter deer load (my favorite Wart Hog & Impala load)


130grn Speer / 51grns /Velocity - 2980-/



Good load for all the above including Reds

Sierra 140grn /50rns / Velocity -2890 - /

Re-19 was my favorite powder -

Great all NZ load

Sierra 140grn/53grns/Velocity - 2920-

Great deer load my go to Sika in thick shit & Red load

Corelokt 150grn/52grn / velocity - 2850 -


AR2208 was also used for a great performer on game -

Speer 130 / 46grns/ velocity -2950-

AR2209 was also used a great performer on game -

Sierra 140grn/52grns / Velocity - 2910-


Re-22 Favorite Heavy DG load,dropped a charging Buff that would not take no for a answer -

Woodleigh 160grn/ 50grns/ velocity - 2660-

All these gave excellent accuracy & performance in the field no pressure signs, in very hot conditions sitting in a cradle on dash of Tojo all day,taken literally 100's of game with them .

Hope info helps, as with any load devolpment start 3grns below & work up checking for pressure signs in your rifle

And just to clarify, you preferred magnum primers with all those powders not just the w760?

Ive got two M70 in 7x57 and a double rifle in 7x57R,
I am pushing 162 gr A-max at 2650 with 48-49gr of H4381sc in the 22"Winchester M70. and the rimmed double 18", i am running a 150 Ballistic tip or 154gr Hornady interbond, with 48gr of R-17 or 49gr H414, approx. 2750fps with the 150 BT. 55000 psi.
Nou can safely push the 7x57 in a modern rifle, to pressures equal to the likes of the .270 win and 3006, i.e. around 65-62000 psi, the 7x57 is about 50000 in most publication's, Norma and VV, show hotter loads, that any of the American loading manuals,
you have plenty of room to push that 130gr up into the 2800-2900 speed range.
Ball powders are much harder too ignite, than stick or flake powders, hence the usual recommendation of a hotter magum primer.

Yes, but mainly because we were living remote with roads that could be cut by floods/local unrest/local tax collectors etc so we just got in bulk what worked & our Outfitters knew what to order in if supply looked dodgy ,the older wiser heads all swore by them in those conditions but remember we were in from extreme heat (rifles rode on dash cradle in blasing sun all day) to flooding down pours & high humidity,they definately burnt cleaner there.

I justed posted to another reply that if someone had a chrony it would be interesting to see any difference in our cooler climate,we only came home for 2 1/2 weeks every 3 months (4 days travel allowed) so l would bring loaded gear with me .

Originally Posted by BSA

Great thread. Side note is I'll have to try Magnum Primers for my H414 loads. I have them on hand and some 139g Hornady pills too. Here I go again, oh what fun.

It would be interesting if someone had a chrony it would be good to see any difference in our cooler climate,although they definately burnt cleaner in the hot climate there,we only came home for 2 1/2 weeks every 3 months (4 days travel allowed) so l would bring loaded gear with me,so never bothered chronying them here & just stuck with what worked .

"And just to clarify, you preferred magnum primers with all those powders not just the w760? "

Yes it definately seemed to burn cleaner in the hot climate there & as l posted else where we were living remote so would buy in bulk as everything came in on dodgy roads & with dodgy local polotics with local tax collectors as bad as flood or bridge/river crossing collapse etc .

"It would be interesting if someone had a chrony & clocked them here, it would be good to see any difference in our cooler climate,although they definately burnt cleaner in the hot climate there,we only came home for 2 1/2 weeks every 3 months (4 days travel allowed) so l would bring loaded gear with me,so never bothered chronying them here & just stuck with what worked"


Good luck & keep us all updated ,you will come to love the 7x57 it is one of those cartridges that performs better than it should ,l believe mainly because it does it with out kicking the Nut behind Butt's arse.

All this 7x57 talk has got the fizz going again. I've had 3 BSA Viscounts in 7x57 and I always keep an eye out for another rifle in this cal, lovely to shoot. Mate has a custom DMW Mauser fitted with Brno Mod 21 barrel and the stock is modelled on a Schultz & Larsen that was all made by his father in the 60's, its a family hand down. Its such a sweet looking rifle for sure. Long live the 7x57

Well how interesting...picked up some mag primers today, Winchester and Federal as that was all that was in stock at 2 places. Planning to ladder test the winnies side by side same charge with Fed 210 standard LRPs with R 19 using data for 130gn pills from Lee Modern Reloading 2nd Ed. Also been reading the thread re Cortina method of bullet seating etc so decided to see if I could measure chamber depth using a empty case with a bullet started then chambered and bolt closed. Works great, except it turns out I don't have a bullet long enough to reach the lands. With the various ones I have, the longest I can seat a bullet out and still be in the case is 3.281in. So guess I would have no trouble going to 220 gn subs if I can find any lol. Will do the next test with a 3.000 seating depth. See what happens.

Originally Posted by Jhon

Well how interesting...picked up some mag primers today, Winchester and Federal as that was all that was in stock at 2 places. Planning to ladder test the winnies side by side same charge with Fed 210 standard LRPs with R 19 using data for 130gn pills from Lee Modern Reloading 2nd Ed. Also been reading the thread re Cortina method of bullet seating etc so decided to see if I could measure chamber depth using a empty case with a bullet started then chambered and bolt closed. Works great, except it turns out I don't have a bullet long enough to reach the lands. With the various ones I have, the longest I can seat a bullet out and still be in the case is 3.281in. So guess I would have no trouble going to 220 gn subs if I can find any lol. Will do the next test with a 3.000 seating depth. See what happens.

The long throat is typical of many 7x57's, but it dont seem to make much difference. Seat em to where you're happy that the case is holding them nicely and go shoot.

Jhon, that’s what I was hinting at in my earlier post. The throats are “Lovelace “ in dimension for a lot of 7mms. So load to mag length or seat to a depth of 1 caliber diamenter for the lighter pills.

Erik C wasn’t working with 7mm maulers Shen he developed his loading technique!

More progress: I get to spend some time at the range next week so spending some time now making up test loads for a couple of my current projects. With the 7X57mm I've got a good ladder to shoot with 130gn Sierras. Among the remainders I bought is a box with 60 150gn Flat Base SPs, not in their original packaging but look likely to be Sierras. Went looking for RL19 data. The Lee Modern Reloading 2nd Ed is one of my data resources. Strangely it has RL 19 data for 145gn and 160gn but not for 150. Of course the Lee book is simply a compilation from original sources, (and doesn't seem to know Australia even exists), so next stop was the awful Alliant web page. What a clunker! Sure enough, no data for 150gn which explains the Lee lack. Tooling around the internet between grandkids duties I could not find anything I trusted on forums and Sierra was likewise blank as was the Hogdon site. Eventually I came across Nosler data. Even tho I have Sierra manuals, albeit older ones, I've never really had to go to the bullet manufacturers for data, seeing them as more specialist and relevant to target shooting which I don't do too seriously. The powder manufacturers have always sufficed. I had already filled out a data record sheet with a in-between weights extrapolation from the 140 and 160 data, running from 48gn RL19 in half grain increments to a top of 50.5gn. The Nosler data was a great find. It gives a start load of 47 and a max of 51. It also has a middle load with velocity for 49gn. I did get a Load Data subscription from Santa. Still finding my way around that and a little cagey. There are RL 19 loads for 7x57mm for Barnes Projectiles, but no such data on the Barnes website that I could find. The value of the Loaddata site being no doubt the off-beat loads that you find there. I'll have to get used to that. For the moment I'm happy to work with the Nosler find.

Of course, this is all old hat for the benchresters amongst us and the longrangers but Sunday-morning-cool for this old bushwalker. I'll post some range results next week...