Why reloading is satisfying (sometimes)

[grry10]

When it comes to handloading the fun starts with the research, selecting and matching powders and bullets to the rifle. This forum, other forums, published load data, and the many articles that are written all help, after you extract what I consider to be BS. I have found that there is no sense try to invent the wheel, if there is good data available. My goal has always been to achieve the best accuracy I can get with enough velocity for the bullet to be able to perform as it was intended. An example of this is my 6.5-284. I consider this my long range rifle and at 800 yards the best accuracy comes with a muzzle velocity in the 2850 - 2950 fps range, with 140 gr bullets. This is well below the velocity that this cartridge is capable of, but it seems to be the sweet spot for the Cooper.

Other then the Cooper, most of my rifles are for hunting. The goal for my handloads for my hunting needs is to have loads that can produce best 3-shot groups at the maximum range that the cartridge was intended to be used to take game. It isn't the same for a .35 Rem, 7X57, or .280 Rem. I start with my test loads an 50 yards. This may seem strange, but I have a 50 yard range at home and can walk out the door and shoot, don't waste time with shooting ladders at 50 yards. I do this before making the 25 mile drive one way to range that provides 100 and 200 yard capability. There are times when a load that looked promising at 50 just wasn't close to being acceptable at 200, but it works more times than it doesn't. If I'm lucky that 25 mile drive only has to happen 2 or 3 times, but more may be needed.

For sure, this process is not always relaxing and can even be a little frustrating, but when everything comes together, JOY!

 

[clearwater]

What could have been. Five shots. I felt myself jerk the trigger. 375 Ruger 300 grain Sierra Gamekings.

 

[PJGunner]

I've played with the 7x57 off and on over a number of years starting with the first one back in 1973. Unfortunately, I got P.O.ed when I shot a deer with the gun and lost it, so I sold the gun off as fast as I could. The fault was not in my shooting as it was a standing broadside shot at an undisturbed deer. The fault lay in my choice of ammo to which I was restricted. To be honest, it was the only 7x57 ammo available in town at either hardware store. They sold all the guns and ammo in town at that time (1970s)

Later testing over a chronograph many years later showed that the ammo was shooting about 200 FPS slower than advertised. I still had some of that original ammo and supplanted it with a couple of boxes of the same brand at the time I did the test. Both the old and new lots were runnng about 200 FPS slower than advertised.

I also sectioned some of the bullets and while the jackets appear to be reasonably soft, were rather thick which probably made them tougher than they needed to be. Basically it seemed to me that I was shooting a 7MM bullet at 30-30 velocity and it just wasn't cutting it for me. I never got around to testing them but I wanted to pull a few and load them up to at least advertised speed and possibly higher considering the rifle I would use for the test was a Ruger #1A. I also wanted to test out some Sierra 170 gr. round nose bullets I found at a gun show. What little shooting I've done with the showed me they were accurate in the #1A and a Winchester M70 Featherweight. They also shot well in a custom Mauser
I have.

ˆ've never been too fond of doing an AI on a cartridge but I see and understand why people like doing it to the 7x57. The OP's explanation for the reasoning makes sense due to a short magazine box and some people do it for longer case life. However, one can get the same increase using a modern action and loading with 7-08 data. The capacity for powder is greater in the 7x57 than the 7-08. Maybe not by much but it is there nevertheless. I can run a 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic tip to 2880 FPS with W760 although I'm more comfortable with 2800 FPS. The 2880 FPS load will probably be fine during the colder temps of hunting season. The same applies to the 150 gr. Partition at that same 2880 FPS although again lowered to 2800 FPS for summertime use. I would also like to see what I could run the 160 gr. Speer Hot Core and 170 gr. Sierra round nose to working with 7-08 data.
Paul B.