7mm mauser
- Thread starter TCman
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7 x 57 Mauser
It is indeed a well known and well respected cartridge. Very similar to the 8 x 57 Mauser. Smaller diameter bullet .284" dia compared to the .323" dia. Excellent ballistics but not as hot as some of the more modern day 7mm cartridges. Ammo is available but pricey. It's not manufactured in the quantities that alot of other more common cartridges are, and that drives the prices up. It is a pleasure to shoot, and capable of taking just about any large game species in the world.
It is indeed a well known and well respected cartridge. Very similar to the 8 x 57 Mauser. Smaller diameter bullet .284" dia compared to the .323" dia. Excellent ballistics but not as hot as some of the more modern day 7mm cartridges. Ammo is available but pricey. It's not manufactured in the quantities that alot of other more common cartridges are, and that drives the prices up. It is a pleasure to shoot, and capable of taking just about any large game species in the world.
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Originally a military cartridge popular in South America .But it's had over 100 years establishing a very fine reputation as a hunting cartridge. At this time at least in this country it's best as a hand loaded cartridge. The 7mm-08 is a modern version of the 7x57 and has already shown itself to be an exceptional hunting round like the 7x57 !
7 x 57
I don't presently own anything chambered for the 7 x 57 but I will have another one, one day. It is a delightful cartridge to own and to shoot. They are available from most of the major manufacturers of quality bolt action rifles.
Ruger, Winchester, and Remington, to name a few, either have current offerings for the cartridge, or have chambered for it at some point in the past.
I do have an 09 Argentine Mauser which I sporterized many years ago. It is chambered for the .257 Roberts cartridge, which is the 7 x 57 case, necked down to 25 Caliber. Talk about a sweet shooting Rifle!
I don't presently own anything chambered for the 7 x 57 but I will have another one, one day. It is a delightful cartridge to own and to shoot. They are available from most of the major manufacturers of quality bolt action rifles.
Ruger, Winchester, and Remington, to name a few, either have current offerings for the cartridge, or have chambered for it at some point in the past.
I do have an 09 Argentine Mauser which I sporterized many years ago. It is chambered for the .257 Roberts cartridge, which is the 7 x 57 case, necked down to 25 Caliber. Talk about a sweet shooting Rifle!
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Person of Interest
New member
The 7x57 is one of the greatest rfile cartridges ever designed. Of adequate power to hunt just about anything in North America save the large bears, it features excellent accuracy and moderate recoil.
The .284 bullets are available in a wide variety of weights and styles for reloading and the heavier slugs (175 grain) with a boat-tail configuration have tremendous ballestic coefficients for long range shooting.
The 7x57 suffers if limited to factory ammo.
You aren't stuck with military surplus Mausers for the caliber. It's been offered by numerous commercial rifle makers. I love my Ruger #1A1 in 7x57.
The .284 bullets are available in a wide variety of weights and styles for reloading and the heavier slugs (175 grain) with a boat-tail configuration have tremendous ballestic coefficients for long range shooting.
The 7x57 suffers if limited to factory ammo.
You aren't stuck with military surplus Mausers for the caliber. It's been offered by numerous commercial rifle makers. I love my Ruger #1A1 in 7x57.
7X57 is an excellent cartridge, regardless of the more hot rod rounds available. It is older than the 30-06, shoots the same with modern loads, and kicks a bunch less. It is still one of the most popular calibers for custom rifles. I have a Ruger 77 in 7X57 and would not change. Have I ever felt undergunned? Nope.
Seems to me that the 7x57 kicked butt against the US in the Spanish American War and against the Britts in the Boer Wars. I believe it was responsible for the developement of the 30-03 Springfield which of course morphed into the 30-06. Maybe there was a patent infringement settlement to the Mauser firm for a few borrowed ideas for the rifle. No I don't think that 7x57 had much influence.
redbeard55
New member
7mm Mauser
When I was young and stupid I once bought a 7mm Mauser in carbine length. The stock was somewhat chunky and I took my knife to it and whittled it down. At the time the only commerical round available was a 170 or 175 grain bullet. With the steel butt plate, the little carbine kicked like a mule. Changing the way the recoil was delivered to the shoulder was a real bad idea on my part. Traded the Mauser and several other rifles for a Winchester 1200 that I just had to have at the time. That guy definitely got the better of the deal. When he asked me if the Mauser kicked, I said not at all.
I've since acquired a 1908 or 1911 Chilean Mauser in a 98 action. With lighter bullets, the full length 29 inch barrel and a slip on recoil paid, this rifle really doesn't kick bad. If you are recoil sensitive, I would state to stay away from the 175 grain loads. If you look around you can probably find something in the 120-140 grain range. If you reload, the cartridge is really no more expensive than other similar cartridges. Plenty of good bullets available and a wide selection of powders to choose from. If you don't reload, you should consider starting. Factory ammo prices are outrageous.
When I was young and stupid I once bought a 7mm Mauser in carbine length. The stock was somewhat chunky and I took my knife to it and whittled it down. At the time the only commerical round available was a 170 or 175 grain bullet. With the steel butt plate, the little carbine kicked like a mule. Changing the way the recoil was delivered to the shoulder was a real bad idea on my part. Traded the Mauser and several other rifles for a Winchester 1200 that I just had to have at the time. That guy definitely got the better of the deal. When he asked me if the Mauser kicked, I said not at all.
I've since acquired a 1908 or 1911 Chilean Mauser in a 98 action. With lighter bullets, the full length 29 inch barrel and a slip on recoil paid, this rifle really doesn't kick bad. If you are recoil sensitive, I would state to stay away from the 175 grain loads. If you look around you can probably find something in the 120-140 grain range. If you reload, the cartridge is really no more expensive than other similar cartridges. Plenty of good bullets available and a wide selection of powders to choose from. If you don't reload, you should consider starting. Factory ammo prices are outrageous.tintcutter
New member
You may find the old arguments of 30-06vs .308 win applicable here with the 7x57 vs 7mm-08. Due to the types of powder and their respective case design, hand loaded 7x57 tosses a 175 grain pill with respectable velocity compared to the 308 case setup the 7mm-08 uses. In the sporting arena that is important, but I doubt much real field use differences would be seen.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
The problem for factory loading with the 7x57 Mauser is that many of the old rifles, just as with the Krag-Jorgensesn, had single-lug bolts instead of two-lugs.
A single-lug rifle is limited to a chamber pressure of some 40,000 psi. Modern two-lug rifles are happy at 50,000 to 55,000 psi.
A handloader with a modern rifle in 7x57 has a truly serious, efficient package. At 50,000 psi, a 140-grain bullet can be driven to about 2,800 or 2,900 ft/sec.
Art
A single-lug rifle is limited to a chamber pressure of some 40,000 psi. Modern two-lug rifles are happy at 50,000 to 55,000 psi.
A handloader with a modern rifle in 7x57 has a truly serious, efficient package. At 50,000 psi, a 140-grain bullet can be driven to about 2,800 or 2,900 ft/sec.
Art
Not sure about the pressure, but I drive 140 grain Noslers at 2860 fps(chronographed) out of a 22 inch barrel in a Ruger 77. Compare it to a 270 or 30-06. Close enough? You're right, it's pretty serious stuff.
As for number of locking lugs, I have never seen a 7X57 in a rifle with a single locking lug, unless you count Remington rolling blocks. Doesn't mean they're not out there somewhere. 93 and 95 Mausers had 2 lugs, 98s and variants (1908, 1909, 1928, 1935, et al) have 3 lugs (2 front, 1 rear). Mostly, I guess people are just scared of the old metal in a lot of those rifles. Dunno, I shot a 1893 until I got tired of it, switched to a 1935 Chilean until I needed some money. Best one I ever had was a 93 that had been sanitized (no serial #, no crest, no inspector marks) by someone who knew what they were doing, I suspect some government types. Shot them all with milsurp ammo from SARCO, 154 grain at 2750 fps. Pretty stout load, never had a problem. Of course, the Remington rolling blocks still give me the willys just thinking about it, so I never shot one of those in 7X57. But I've seen them.
As for number of locking lugs, I have never seen a 7X57 in a rifle with a single locking lug, unless you count Remington rolling blocks. Doesn't mean they're not out there somewhere. 93 and 95 Mausers had 2 lugs, 98s and variants (1908, 1909, 1928, 1935, et al) have 3 lugs (2 front, 1 rear). Mostly, I guess people are just scared of the old metal in a lot of those rifles. Dunno, I shot a 1893 until I got tired of it, switched to a 1935 Chilean until I needed some money. Best one I ever had was a 93 that had been sanitized (no serial #, no crest, no inspector marks) by someone who knew what they were doing, I suspect some government types. Shot them all with milsurp ammo from SARCO, 154 grain at 2750 fps. Pretty stout load, never had a problem. Of course, the Remington rolling blocks still give me the willys just thinking about it, so I never shot one of those in 7X57. But I've seen them.
There were 4 rolling block rifle actions and one for pistols . The larger one was made in 7x57.I don't know the original pressures for the cartridge and IIRC they all seem to have excessive headspace ,I wonder if the dimensions were changed ..They recommend against converting to 30-06.I have a very fine reproduction [Lone Star Rifle Co] in 45-70. I'll keep loads withing SAAMI specs .
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
The 1891 has a single-lug bolt. The Speer reloading manual alleges that the 93 and 95 shouldn't be loaded above some 40,000 psi.
Art
Art
Mike Irwin
Staff
"I believe there was a famous African hunter that used one on elephants in the late 1800s. Bell, maybe?"
Karamajo Bell used a variety of light rifles througout his elephant hunting career, including a .275 Rigby (the English name for the 7mm Mauser).
He liked the 6.5 Mannlicher Schoenauer and the 7mm Mauser because of the very long, rounded nose military bullets. This gave them incredibly high sectional density, which in turn made them capable of penetrating an elephant's skull to amazing depths without the bullet yawing or tumbling.
Karamajo Bell used a variety of light rifles througout his elephant hunting career, including a .275 Rigby (the English name for the 7mm Mauser).
He liked the 6.5 Mannlicher Schoenauer and the 7mm Mauser because of the very long, rounded nose military bullets. This gave them incredibly high sectional density, which in turn made them capable of penetrating an elephant's skull to amazing depths without the bullet yawing or tumbling.