Thread: Any 7x57 Experts?

Greetings Tony D,
So you have your grandfathers rifle. Well done. You must have done something right. May I suggest you resist the temptation to turn it into a modern rifle, you likely have other rifles that are much better suited anyway. These rifles with historic family connections are treasures which can be taken out for an aimless wander through some nice easy deer country when the mood takes us. Any deer spotted can be taken or not depending on our mood at the time. As far as loads go have a look at your grandfathers cartridges to see what he was using. You might have to pull a few apart to find out if they are not in their original boxes. The 7x57 is not chambered much these days having been displaced by the 7mm-08 (or the 7x64 in Europe) so handloads are probably the story. As others have stated the rifle will have a long throat so longer and heavier projectiles are likely the best bet. I see that even in the current component drough Reloaders has at least 3 options in the 175 grain area. Backed with a suitable charge of AR2209 this would kill anything in NZ out to 200 metres or so. Ken Waters in his 1968 Pet Loads report favoured 44 grains of IMR4350 and 1970's manuals listed 45 grains for around 2,400 fps as max. IMR 4350 is a little slower than AR2209 and Hodgdons suggests a max of 37 grains of AR2209/ H4350 for a low pressure load and I would start there. Enjoy loading for it.
Regards Grandpamac.