Sipsey Street Irregulars: Looks like I'm in the 7x57mm Mauser reloading business.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Looks like I'm in the 7x57mm Mauser reloading business.

By means of a convoluted trade, I just acquired a nice example of an M1895 Chilean Mauser Short Rifle in 7x57mm. It has no importer's marks, so I guess that it came into the country pre-1968. It has no sling or cleaning road, but is otherwise all matching with a dark but excellent bore.

I've never owned anything in 7x57 bu I know that the caliber is reputed to be accurate and flat-shooting with minimal recoil compared to some others. My thought now is to give it to Zoe (Hannah has the Moisin Nagant M44 Carbine). Still, looking at the price of ammo, I guess I'll be reloading the 7x57 now. Are there any readers who have experience with this rifle/cartridge combination?

18 comments:

Dakota said...: I have never owned one either, but had a friend that had one he hand loaded for and had great performance deer hunting. He had a long eye relief scope and forward mount http://www.scopemounts.com/index.html?main.html

I see "Samco Global" is sold out of corrosive ball ammo and for some reason "gunbot" sight is not working.

I have a good supply of Australian 5 pocket bandoleers brand new that are real nice I would contribute to Hannah and Zoe if you need them.; February 20, 2015 at 12:45 PM
Skip said...: I have good results with Hornady 139gr SST over 43gr of IMR 4350 or 162gr Amax over 34gr of Varget.; February 20, 2015 at 1:10 PM
Old Shooter said...: Depending on how tall Zoe is, getting the correct LOP for her and getting rid of that metal butt plate are the first two changes I'd made for a female shooter.

An aftermarket stock with correct LOP and premium, modern recoil pad would help her enjoy shooting that nice 7MM.; February 20, 2015 at 1:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Had one for years - an exceptionally useful combination.

Hornady 139 or 154 soft point flat base projectiles are inexpensive and shoot well.

Clean barrels also shoot well with gas-checked bullets cast from Lynotype or Lyman No 2.

Great fun!

Kiwi III; February 20, 2015 at 2:01 PM
Anonymous said...: Texas Governor Sticks it to Gun Grabbing Moms Demand Action – Will Sign Open Carry into Law

http://www.dcclothesline.com/2015/02/20/texas-governor-sticks-it-to-gun-grabbing-moms-demand-action-will-sign-open-carry-into-law/; February 20, 2015 at 2:09 PM
Mitch Rapp said...: I Lawrence Livermore Labs metals engineer once passed some accurizing knowledge on to me. 50 strokes from chamber to muzzle, only one direction, with a patch covered jag coated with JB Bore Paste polishes to a mirror finish the contact portion of the lands.

Turns a rifle that grouped in the 4 inch range into a rifle that groups in the 1 or 2 inch range. Best results are with a fresh new barrel, but it probably works with old neglected barrels too. Cuts way down on metal build-up on the lands.

A new barrel with this accurizing technique along with coated bullets would make it a long range tack driver...something to consider in a 4GW situation.

Don't load the ammo hot for the original barrel!

Just an idea. One thing. A rough barrel will have higher than normal pressure. I'll look around for some brass for your rifle.; February 20, 2015 at 3:16 PM
Mitch Rapp said...: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1601143497/remington-reloading-brass-7x57mm-mauser-7mm-mauser

http://www.brownells.com/reloading/brass/rifle-brass/index.htm?avs|Cartridge_1=BQQ_7+mm+Mauser+%287+x+57+mm+Mauser%29; February 20, 2015 at 3:24 PM
Anonymous said...: I shoot and reload for my 7x57, but it is a Mauser 98 re barreled from 8x57 to 7x57. In my opinion it is a better cartridge than the .308. One may load heavier bullets with better ballistic coeffic1ents.

f em; February 20, 2015 at 4:32 PM
Oldfart said...: Mike, try 39.0 grains of IMR4064 and a Winchester Large Rifle Primer pushing a 150 grain Spire Point bullet at about 2500 fps. It's accurate enough in my wife's rifle that I won't let her shoot at me and it's still safe for old surplus barrels.; February 20, 2015 at 4:44 PM
j said...: yeah the steel buttplate is a little rough but was made for durability and for smashing other people. But I have wished many times I had my old Mauser 7 x 57; it was indeed a flat shooting sweetie, had the full length stock and a saddle ring. Action locked up like a vault, easy to strip down and clean.; February 20, 2015 at 7:48 PM
Dakota said...: Looks like whore house prices on that particular ammo. The only way to reload is getting brass to reload and that means buying ammo at whore house prices.

Trade it off and get a Spanish Mauser M1916 in 308 and then you have access to ammo that is easy to find and somewhat cheap. My philosophy is that if ammo is not easy to find on the shelf then I have no use for it.

https://www.samcoglobal.com/1-1916.html
$170; February 21, 2015 at 1:01 AM
Anonymous said...: 7 X 57 cases are easily made from 30-06 brass either with a trim die or pushing shortened ones into a standard sizing die before final triming to length and conventionally resizing.

There is no shortage of 30-06 brass (or 270W for that matter)!

:-); February 21, 2015 at 3:48 AM
Paul X said...: http://www.chuckhawks.com/7mm.htm

Not only did Bell use it to kill elephants, but Corbett used it to kill man-eating tigers - although both called it the .275 Rigby.

These days I am trying to get out of having too many calibers, and satisfy myself with 5.56 and 7.62. I admit however that that is boring. Who wouldn't want to have a caliber used by Corbett?; February 21, 2015 at 9:37 AM
Informed42 said...: Some 25 plus years ago, I had two 7 x 57 Mausers from South America,
and both of them were great shooters. Back then, ammo for them was pretty plentiful in Mass., so I used to buy it in bulk. Brass cased and Spitzer Pointed bullets with FMJ's. I used them for hunting and as an all around rifle in the field on camping trips to South Dakota.
Kind of wish I'd never sold them.; February 21, 2015 at 11:43 AM
Anonymous said...: 7x57 is supposed to be a good deer cartridge. Several gun-writers have said that. So, you might want to load some soft-point bullets for subsistence hunting, should that become necessary.

- Old Greybeard; February 22, 2015 at 9:56 AM
Anonymous said...: I got one of the Sears & Roebuck sporterized stock 8mm Mauser back in the late 60's. That steel butt plate hurts like hell when firing prone. Few years ago I got a synthetic stock from centerfire systems and it sure is an improvement. That Mauser bolt action is sure one tried and tested piece of craftsmanship and I have never had a failure to fire. I think you got a good rifle. Now it's time to stock up on ammo, or change barrels to a more common caliber. Let the enemy bring you all the ammo you need.; February 22, 2015 at 11:01 PM
Anonymous said...: I think the best recoil pads are... #1 Limbsaver, #2 Pachmyer

Not sure about the spelling of #2.

- Old Greybeard; February 23, 2015 at 6:58 AM
Boat Guy said...: I'm with OldFart. I load and shoot both 140 and 150 grain bullets over about 40 grains of 4064 (whatever my Sierra book tells me to use). Great cartridge.
I've found brass around "hunting season" at big-box stores but that was a few years ago. Also snagged some at gun shows.; February 24, 2015 at 10:22 AM

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Sipsey Street Irregulars

Friday, February 20, 2015

Looks like I'm in the 7x57mm Mauser reloading business.

18 comments:

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