Playing with the 7 X 57

[Alderman]

It’s been a while since I’ve done anything with the Ruger 77.
This gun is a bit finicky so I was glad to hear from another site member the 154 Hornady might be worth a try.
Put together a few and was happy to get one load shooting close to an inch which isn’t bad with this one.
I know it doesn’t prove anything with one three shot group but I can live with that for the first try and can work with that bullet some more at a later date.

The last loads I’d tried were some heavier bullets and groups were 2 1/2 to 3”.

Been a while since this gun has been cleaned so I gave it a good scrubbing after shooting and will see if that improves things any.
And of course it had to start raining when I got to the range.

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[Rednek rampager]

Looks like you’re off to a pretty good start.

Keep up the good work.


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[Keith1369]

I can sure recommend the 154 Hornady and IMR 4350. It's really done well in my rifle. I have a "tanger" like yours that I bought probably around 1974-75. It's never shot small groups with anything that I remember. Those early Rugers were sort of hit and miss I think.
One year I was hunting elk with that rifle up a canyon off the Hoback River and a spike stood up about 35 yards in front of me. He was quartering away looking back over his right shoulder. The Hornady hit between his ribs, passed through his heart and stopped under the skin of his left side chest. Probably near 3 foot of penetration and for me that's pretty good for just a common cup/core bullet.
The next year I was up the same canyon and a long way from camp. It was getting late and also cold and I wasn't thinking much about elk just getting back to camp. Suddenly I smelled elk. When the rut is on those bulls go crazy and get to stinking pretty good. At about 90 yards there was a small 4 pointer and 2 cows drinking water from a little stream. The Hornady hit him in the chest and he went probably 3-4 steps and fell. I never found that bullet but it sure did it's job.

Regards
Semper Fi

 

[358 WCF]

It looks like a deer killer. FWIW my pre-warning 77 likes to go a bit faster with these bullets. It's best groups are up around 47.5 to 48 gr of IMR4350, WW brass & WLR at c. 2650fps. That's the warm end of some book data, but perfectly safe in a modern rifle. It's an old lot of powder from a metal can. The new stuff in the plastic jug is notably slower.

 

[PJGunner]

You might want to take a look at RL17 as a propellent. I 've had some interesting reults regarding top speed and and accuracy with that powder in a couple of 7x57s.
Paul B.

 

[1Shot]

The 154 Hornady Interlock is one of the best deer bullets for any 7mm. It was the best of a bunch in my 7mm Mag to keep dee from running off a mile after taking a perfect through the ribs shot. A friend had a Spanish Mauser in 7x57 that had a new looking bore that had been sported using open sights many years ago. In the process of it being stolen from his home the thief was spotted coming out the door and threw it down and it broke the stock at the pistol grip. I found him a composite stock cut the bolt handle off and made a new one that was scope friendly and welded it on. I drilled and tapped for a Redfield scope base and reworked the original trigger to make it an single stage adjustable trigger I set at 3 lbs with a process that an old gun smith taught me. I loaded up a mid range load that would be safe for the small ring Mauser action of IMR 4350 with the 154 Hornady and it shot bug holes.

When I looked back at your load data I noticed that your loads a VERY low. I went and looked at the Hornady manual and saw that their load data is for LOW PRESSURE under 45000 CUP for the old rifles. Actually these loads are really low for the small ring Mausers. You have a lot more safe loading room with your Ruger action. I loaded 45 grs IMR 4350 with the 154 Hornady for the small ring Mauser which was considered 20 or so years ago safe by most powder data. I bet if you bump your loads up to 45 or so grs IMR 4350 your accuracy will get better. According to Hornady's data your velocity you are getting right now is only between 2200 and 2400 fps.