Thread: 7x57mm 1st effort - comments?

Yeah W760 morphed into H414, or maybe the other way around, around the time Hodgdon took over the marketing of Winchester powders. Old old reloading data should show a difference between the 2 though.
And according to oil you should use magnum primers with ball powder.
No sure how my little Hornet using W296 would go with magnum primers. Maybe I could leave the powder out and just use the magnum primer?

Very interesting read Jhon. I've been shooting the 7 x 57 since the late seventies. Started with an old Chilean M95 and have since worked my way through various rifles. Currently using Ruger M77 early Mk 1, rebarreled from 280 Rem.

My go to projectiles have always been Nosler and Norma. Originally Nosler Solid Base Spitzers, no longer available, therwise I'd still be using them. Now Balistic tips which work very well for me.
Norma was the old 150 grain softpoint spire point, sadly also no longer available. I took a punt a long time ago and purchased a large bulk lot. I got very lucky, performed briliiantly.

My currently rifle far prefers the 150 grain balistic tip over the 140.

Being a bit of a fidler I've tried practically every brand you can think of. No names mentioned but in my view some are absolute crap no matter what calibre used in. Despite what some American magazines might say to the contrary.

Powder for the 7 x 57 was always and still is for me, W760. H414 comes close but I'm not qualified to say if it's the same product. If I'm running low or out of 760, H414 I'll go to 2209, but doesn't perform quite as well, not for me anyway.

I've also heard commentary over the years about using magnum primers with high density ball powders. Have tried myself but on each and every occasion have gone back to Federal 210's which I generally buy in bulk lots. Have always had excellent results.

Bullet seating depth, good way to start a discussion. Here's my view.

Touching the lands; yes if your magazine allows but only if you're using a high precision rifle built by a very good gunsmith. Receiver to barrel, bolt face to chamber must be absolutely spot on. The reason being that the projectile cannot straighten itself if its contacting the lands off centre. It can and will if it has a slight jump.
Then your reloading technique must also be the same. Every projectile must be seated dead centre.

I always start with the projectile manufacturers COL and work from there. I'll muck around for ages, adjusting my COL untill I find a sweet spot.

The manufacturers COL for Nosler BT 150 grn is 3.045. My COL is 3.120.

My current load uses 45 grns 760 in front of a Fed 210. 3 shot groups vary from .25 inch up to 1.12 inch. Averages .5 inch. Depends on me and the day.
Same groups and point of impact with the old 150 Normas which I've got about 100 left of.

She's point blank at 200 metres. 2 " high at 100.

Has knocked over plent of reds and japs and isn't burning the barrel.

Hope this assists, good luck with the journey