7X57mm true potential??

Yes, its called the 7-08 mm The cartridge you have loaded to 51K is quite sufficient to kill anything but big bears. If you handload, you can certainly reach a bit higher, but at what cost, recoil, muzzleblast and more meat damage. a 140 grainer at 2700 FPS will kill anything you need kilt.

I've heard, on this forum in fact, that a 7x57 in a strong enough action can approach the .280 Rem in velocity. Keep in mind I have no experience along those lines, but I've read it here. It does make sense. The military actions are only rated for 45,000 PSI or so if I'm not mistaken. My dad has a Spanish Mauser that started out life as a 7x57 and was later rebarelled to 7.62. After learning that we shouldn't shoot factory .308 Win loads, we're going to start loading it down.

In a good M98 Mauser or any of the good modern actions in which it will fit, the 7x57 can approach the 280 Rem in performance. Jack O'Conner loved the 270 Win but used the 7x57 quite a bit too.
You just can't use them in a short action like the 7mm-08 uses.

I have a 6.5x55 in a M98 VZ24 Mauser and I'm not held to the old 96 Swede Mauser pressure levels.



NCsmitty

If your running a long action, then go to the .280, why bother pushing the 7 mauser.

The seven mauser is in its glory as a mildly driven game getter. Its elegance is doing what takes so many other cartridges more powder, noise and recoil to do. If you did not notice the meat damage, then you were not paying atttention, and the 7mauser does a great job of killing without blood shotting whole off shoulders like some rounds seem to do.

enjoy it for what it is, if you need more, trade the 7 mauser reamer for that .280 reamer.

Speer shows 50,000 cup loads up to 2960 fps 130 gr 7x57.

Maybe if you looked for Jack O'Connor's 7x57 loads for Elaine's rifle.

My first hi-powered rifle in 1970 was a 7x57mm DWM made Mauser carbine.
In the mid 70s it was my first sporterizing job as well. I still own that rifle.

I have taken every game animal in Alaska, except Bison, with the 7x57mm.

Mine only has a 20 inch heavy Douglas #5 taper barrel. That was what was popular at the time. It has a 1 in 10 twist rate and a very tight chamber.
My 150 grain boat-tail loads, (Nosler ballistic tips) chronograph at over 2,800 fps from my short barrel.

If you go with a 7x57mm it is well wroth while to pick a m-98, model 70, or other strong action.

7x57 is probably my favorite rifle round. I have a few mint south american mausers chambered in it. However my favorite rifle in this caliber is my FN-49 which really shines.

can you safely exceed SAAMI pressures to get the velocity and trajectory up just a tad.

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NO!!!!

If you feel you have to 'exceed' the limits, or you need more speed, then move onto a larger capacity cartridge! Exceeding the safe working limits in this ballgame will net you much sorrow one day! Don't do it! Simple as that!

Now...I likes me a 7X57, a superb cartridge, it resembles the 280 Remington for the most part. And, the 7X57, as far as several manufactures say, is making a comeback!

It sure would be nice to see the Savage Classics, Weather Warriors, and Remington CDL's offer in this caliber, I know we would sell a bunch of them!

If you keep the barrel length to 26in+,and use H4831 say around 50 gr in a 98 mauser,w/160-175 gr bullets....This is in a Steyer.Brass may be the weak link,The 275 Rigby would be a nice cartrige as well. [Yes I know,7mm mauser,7x57,275 Rigby are all the same]

Use a current quality loading manual and work your loads up gradually. The difference between the 7mm08 and 7x57 are minimal when loaded to same pressures. The 7mm08 will get same pressures and velocities with approx. 2.0gr less powder, using same powder. The .280 is capable of approx. 75-100fps more, given everything else is equal.

I actually prefer the 7x57/7mm08 to the .270. Just personal preference from owning several rifles in each cartridge/caliber.
With a 139-140gr bullet I get 2,800-2,900fps from a 20" bbl with 48.0gr of RL-17 from my Remington M7 w/20"bbl. Ballistics are undiscernable in the field from the 130gr .270 from the usual 22" bbl.

I have a custon .257Roberts built on the 1938 LaCoruna (Spanish) Mauser action. Mine was one of the good ones. Gunsmith said he broke two carbide drill bits drilling the action for scope rings. I've been using traditional .257Roberts (same case as 7x57) loads for 27yrs with no issues. Even with a little pitting in the E.R.Shaw barrel, it still beats MOA and is amoung the most accurate rifles I own. My favorite load is 46.0gr of IMR4350 and 100gr Hornady for just over 3,000fps. (my rifle has the so-called 3" chamber, long throated for 117-120gr bullets).

Just use a typical amount of caution and reason with your 7x57 loads and you'll do fine.

when i shoot the barrel out of my rem 700 left hand 30-06,i,m going to put a 280 AI chambered medium 26 inch barrel on it with a 1-9 twist and shoot 160 boat tail bullets. eastbank.

What I'm looking for here is to get the 7X57 up to .270 trajectories. It should out perform the 7-08 easily plus some. I'll be using a long action reciever and already have the 7X57 reamer so the 7-08 is a step backwards.

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That's true, and years back I did some hot-rodding with a very stout CZ 550 in 7x57. Unfortunately my data was lost. What I found in general was that the round's biggest advantage over the more modern 7-08 and .280 was its ability to handle very long bullets in certain actions with a fast twist. I mean VERY long bullets, like 190 grain Barnes originals. They're hard to find nowadays because everyone is keen on hyper velocity, but if you go back before WWII you'll find the heavy loaded 7X57 really shone as a big game round. Those long bullets have outstanding sectional density and penetrate very effectively.

Exceeding the safe working limits in this ballgame will net you much sorrow one day! Don't do it! Simple as that!

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Remember there's a difference between SAAMI's standards for commercial loadings and what's safe with a particular rifle. For example there are many .45-70 loads that exceed the SAAMI standards, and virtually all 8x57JS loads exceed SAAMI standards. If you're shooting in an old pre-98 Mauser it's wise to keep pressures low, so SAAMI sets all loadings to that level. That doesn't mean it's unsafe to exceed their pressure in a modern action. Though stick with published load data, of course.

While these loads are not the fastest... they are no too bad in the accuracy department. This is using the rifle I made in the 70s, with 30 year old powder and 30 year old primers. I just had to use a bunch of copper-zilla to get the bore back into shape after almost 40 years of constant use.

W.D.M. Bell slew a quantity of elephants with the 7mm Mauser, using long, heavy bullets, without magnum-izing anything.

Before looking at the .280, take a look at the 7x64 as well. IIRC, that design is what Brenneke came up with while looking to update the 7x57, so it is a direct descendant. Pretty much the same quest. It's very popular in Europe for hunting.

As to loading over safety specs, to purposely fabricate loads overpressure puts you on a short list for a Darwin Award.

Karamojo Bell killed over 1000 elephants with 7X57 mauser. 173 grain solids, 2300 fps. He really knew the skull. Also one of history's best shots. Legends say he could hit multiple flying birds with a centerfire rifle. Open sights.

Like others have said, it is good to enjoy the 7 Mauser for what it is, example: with the 140 grain bullet you have a sectional density equal to the 165 grain .30 cal bullet. You can drive the 140 grain 7mm comfortably at 2700 FPS in '98 and commercial actions. The recoil is not as stout as the 165 .30 cal at that same velocity. Remember, most standard bullets perform best at moderate velocities, if you push them too fast, bad things happen regarding their construction. The 7mm Mauser is a great game rifle for N.A. A very wide range of bullets available.