For those who get all puffed up from their 7 X 57s, I commend "The Bell Project" by Peter Ryan and Roger Pinckney in the current Gray's Sporting Journal.

They mention the BRNO Model 21 "among the most sought after in the world" which I have used on big and small for nearly 65 years.

i have a 7x57 what is puffed up? i like 7x57 quite a bit mc

I think many 7 X 57 owners think they are true cognoscente---puffed up, hiding their familiarity with a great calibre while the world goes crazy over higher velocity and late-comer poseurs like the 7mm-08. I'm one of them.

I like my 7x57 a lot. I don't think a cartridge is fully mature if it isn't at least 75 years old. Puffed up are the latest and greatest super magnums - all plastic and stainless steel with scopes the size of astronomical instruments. The 7x57 is simple elegance.

Jerry Liles

I like my 7x57 a lot. I don't think a cartridge is fully mature if it isn't at least 75 years old. Puffed up are the latest and greatest super magnums - all plastic and stainless steel with scopes the size of astronomical instruments. The 7x57 is simple elegance.

Jerry Liles

i have a simple 7x57 built on a steyr action but i do like 257 270,3006,7x06 8x57 but if i were going on a epic hunt in bad weather and have to make really long difficult shots i wouldn't hesitate to use a rifle with plastic and stainless and a round with longer legs.

This is a photo of my favorite 7x57 Lightweight Sporter built by Charles Black, it is now topped by a 3-9x33 Leupold Compact.

Mauser with H M Pope barrel in 7 x 57, stock by Seymour Griffin. 1924 date as I recall.

mc, you must be thinking heavy bullets when you mention lacking longer legs. There are no flies on the 7mm out to 300, a common shooting distance. O'Connor considered it a perfect mountain rifle. It's Queen Elizabeth's go-to for stags on her Scottish highlands. Handloaded: from moose to mice. I wouldn't think twice of using it on any undisturbed bear.

Of course all the good guys have a 7 x 57 and what better than a stock standard Mauser from the twenties or thirties.
Though I did put a Tubb firing pin and a Canjar trigger on it.
The photo shows it with the new/old B Nickel 3 to 10 that I put on it a few years ago and the target when I sighted it in. (well one does tend to keep those targets when it all goes right doesn't one)
You can see the safety just clears the scope which is why I used this scope after the previous vintage German scope on it got water logged when I was away on a ten day hunt and is another reason why you should have iron sights on a hunting rifle.
Had this rifle for around forty years now and although I have sold other rifles and of course regretted selling them after the deed was done this one will be an estate sale.
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Of course, I had to be different.One of my favorites for 40+ years is the rimmed version in an o/u combination gun.It's "legs" are long enough with the 173 gr H mantle, if properly sighted. In a moment of weakness,I tried to streach it's legs by going to 162 gr TIG , but went back after close shots resulted in too much damage.
Mike

More 7x57's

1940 Niedner Rifle Corp. Commercial 98 Oberndorf Mauser w/ Shelhamer Stock


1902 98 Type B Oberndorf Mauser Sold at Chicago's V.L.D. and restocked later at Griffin and Howe owned by George Eastman's [Kodak] nephew.



Custom Schilling Zella Mehlis 98 1908 Peruvian Mauser

My entry.

nice guns. Der Ami did you make a bad shot to do to much damage.i really like the last rifle ( Gartenmeister)similar to my 7x57 and 7x06

Hello Folks

Great thread- I have a worn out Obendorf Sporter 7x57 (Intermediate action) that I hope to build on one day.

Gartenmeister would you be so kind as to give us a little more detail in respect to your wonderful rifle, builder etc would be good, but what inspired it would be even better.

Thanks
Foster

Gorgeous rifles in a really good old cartridge. The only 7 X 57 I have is the rimmed version in a Meffert drilling. I don't use it much but am fond of it.

MC,
Both shots were good shots, one in the shoulder and one slightly behind the shoulder. The TIG has a two part core with the front part being soft lead and fitting into a socket in the rear part.That and pretty high velocity makes a lot of damage.I was told the 177gr TIG wasn't as bad, but I went back to the 173gr HMKHS.
Mike

Griffin & Howe pre War Model 70, 7X57

All beautiful rifles gentlemen, my only 7x57 is a lowly 22H Brno. Hopefully one one the grand kids will appreciate and keep it. --- John

this question is for anyone willing to answer,do you tend to use heavy bullets at modest velocities in your 7x57. Gartenmeister can you tell us about your rifle?

this question is for anyone willing to answer,do you tend to use heavy bullets at modest velocities in your 7x57. Gartenmeister can you tell us about your rifle?

VERY nice!




Yes, it is actually recently acquired. I really don't know a whole lot about it and haven't a clue who built it. It is on a Brno 08/34 action with a Shilen barrel. There is nothing particularly outstanding about any of the components, but it is a pretty rifle and seems to be put together well.

I purchased it because I like "the look" (whatever one calls it) and it is the mini-me to a similarly-styled .375 that was built for me by a dear friend.

good looking gun,i have a 7x57 that is similar and a 7x06(280)that has the same style,the 280 is built on a hollands takedown.where the barrel and action come out and a piece of the rearmost tang stays in the wood.both have shilen barrels and open express sights thanks for posting pictures

[quote=mc]this question is for anyone willing to answer,do you tend to use heavy bullets at modest velocities in your 7x57.

Believe it or not, I shot Federal Premium 7x57 139grs.for years but a few years ago due to a market shortage of that load, I bought some Prvi Partizan. I chose the 7x57 139grs. @ 2657FPS and 2175FP of Energy load and found it not only to be very accurate [avg.75in.] but due to superb expansion,with deadly quick kills. FYI at Sportsmans' Guide ABOUT $14.50 A BOX, AND IN STOCK NOW! HTH

do you shoot the heavier bullets?i use 130 in my 270, 165 in the 7x06(280) if you do how is the accuracy and recoil, my rifle is fairly light thanks mc

There is a 154 gr. RN load from Prvi Partizan, but I don't use it. I would if I was hunting Black Bear or Moose/Elk in Dark Timber. HTH

I prefer the 7x64 [img:center][/img] [img:center][/img]

MC,
I use the H mantle 173gr bullet after trying bullets from 120gr up to the 173.I recognize and accept that others are just as taken with lighter bullets( usaually the very effective 139-140gr bullets).My rifle is a combo gun and with 160-173 gr bullets, the 16 ga slugs(Brennekes)are useable with the same sighting. With much lighter bullets it shoots "high and right",so slugs are not useable.After using the H mantle on fox,roe,boar, whitetail,and red deer,I find this bullet panetrates, but is not as destructive as other bullets( partition bullets are similat)."You pays your money and takes your choice", as someone once said.
John can.
I don't consider your Brno a lower end rifle, at all.
Mike

I've always wanted a 7x57 and looked hard at the Ruger No. 1A in that caliber. Ultimately, I stumbled across a Remington Model 725 in .280 Remington, a rifle which I'd lusted after since first seeing the Gun Digest article on the 725s about 40 years ago. So, instead of the 7x57, I have a slightly larger version which satisfies the yen. It now has one small 8-point Pennsylvania buck at 55 yards to its credit, a kill I suspect I could have made with a decent revolver, but sometimes that's the way deer hunting works.

Noted second-hand BRNO Model 21s pricey, upper teens. Bought mine new nearly 65 years ago for $135. Canadian Industries Limited made a 139-grain at the time with, it says on the box, "a muzzle velocity of 2900 feet per second and a muzzle energy of 2600 foot pounds. If the rifle is sighted for 250 yards, the bullet will strike approximately 3 1/2 inches high at 125 yards, and approximately 4 1/2 low at 300 yards." Still have a couple boxes but defer now to Federal 140 because of their age.

I looked up an Outdoor Life clipping of Jack O'Connor answering a question from a hunter about the best rifle for his wife on an Alaskan hunt. "Would you recommend a .270 for such a program?" He said his slightly built wife would use it on mule deer, sheep, antelope, black bear and "perhaps even an Alaska brown bear." JO'C, the great .270 promoter, answered in a column titled "Rifle for a Woman:

"Well, if I were in your shoes, especially with an Alaska hunt in prospect, I think I would choose the 7mm. Ballistically, it is not far behind, and it has an advantage in that bullets up to 180 gr. can be used. For big bear the heaviest bullet is often the best, and in those south-east Alaska jungles one doesn't need higher velocity. The .270 is a grand cartridge but for your special purposes I think the 7mm has the edge."

Hunting in the Codroy Valley of Newfoundland, I hit a moose running down one of those steep hills with a 160 gr. handload. It more than stopped the moose in its tracks. In spite of its momentum, it instantly went straight up on its hind legs and reared over onto its back, stone dead. The bullet shattered the spine in its neck. I could go on and on about the 7mm. It's one helluva calibre.

I like the 7x57, but for some reason or another, I went in the 6.5x55 direction. It's a bit different, but many of the comments fit the 6.5 in a similar way.

Here are pictures of Dan's 7x57, he will provide a description
in a few hours

Thanks Fred for posting the photos, I bought it because it seemed like a good deal even though it was a Mauser. Took it out of the stock and it was made by Kreighoff. It is a post war gun and Michael told me the 52 after the serial number must mean 1952 as 1952 was the first year that the German gunsmiths could sell guns to the public. It's a very light weight rifle.
Dan

King ,this is a custom I restocked for a customer last winter ,26 inch fast taper octagon bbl ,trapdoor buttplate shes a real beauty...click the pic to enlarge
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"52" must be a Krieghoff model identification. The rifle was nitro proofed by the Ulm proofhouse in 357 = March 1957.

Three homemade rifles, stocked, sighted and finished by myself.
On top is my 7x57. 1912 vintage commercial Mauser, Oberndorf, intermediate length action. Rheinmetall barrel, Timney trigger, EAW mounts, early 4x36 Schmidt & Bender scope.

Below: 9.3x62 on Mauser, Oberndorf, 1930s standard length commercial action, Haemmerli barrel, Rigby peep sight (original), 1.5x36 Hensoldt/Zeiss Diavari.
Bottom: .416 Rigby on ZKK action, Zeiss 3-9x scope.

Chris, where do all these old guns come from for new life? You're becoming the Lahey Clinic of firearms in Newfoundland.

In past the problem in US for 7x57 owners was lack of factory ammo loaded to full potential. Ammo like RWS has been filtering in so perhaps situation has changed for the better. I seem to recall Hornady addressed this issue shortly after I sold my 7x57 Steyr rifle.
According to fellow from Canada who posts at Australian site called NitroExpress (Mecca for classic rifle aficionados) the place to buy inexpensive classic sporters in New Brunswick. He bought original Oberndornf sporting rifle in very good shape for well under $1000. The ZG-47 in equal shape was a lot less. I don't look at those anymore when I see them because last Brno 22 seen was almost 2000USD and Type A Mauser was several grand. I used to see old Carl Gustaf and Husqvarna (well known sewing machine, gardening power tool maker from Sweden) sporters for low prices, but these seem to have disappeared. Last good deal I have seen in classic rifle category was late 50s Winchester Model 70 in very good shape for $700. This was fair price. The problem was the caliber was .30
Holland ammo for which is two times or more expensive than .300 Winchester. No thanks.

King ,I can't answer as to where they come from ...i just hope they keep doing so !

Nice job Axel.
Mike

Retro sporters. DWM Berlin, top. 1912 Steyr, bottom

Mike Schwandt has a nice G&H 7X57 on his site HERE

I've hunted with and shot various 7x57's since my early 20's, having read too much Jack O'Connor and W.D.M. Bell as a kid. No animal has ever required a second shot and most went down in their tracks. Consistently ringing an 8" gong at 300 yards is no trick with my Ruger no. 1A. While not a vintage gun, it is a classic. Over the years, I've used everything from the .22 Hornet (behind the ear bullet placement)to the 45-70 including the magnums during my high velocity addiction. I keep coming back to the 7x57 and sometimes a 25-06. Current love is a Ruger 77 RSI mannlicher in .250 Savage.

No surprises with the 7 X 57. I enjoyed just looking at your target!

Dang, the King and I agree on something....there is hope for the world yet. When Hornady announced the Superformance line, I found 6 boxes of the old Hornady light magnum 139 gr. As you can see, my no. 1 prefers this. First two shots were adjusting shots. I would take a 7x57 and a 9.3x62 (or a 45-70) and hunt anywhere in the world. I still lust for a model 1902 or 1950 Mannlicher 7x57 with double set triggers. Shot placement and penetration kill animals....super velocity sells rifles. Have a good hunting season.

Debe Waterman shot a 280 Remington in her deer hunting days and usually killed with one shot. Charley said she couldn't tell you what caliber she shot but she liked it because it killed what she shot and didnt' kick. He tells a funny story in one of his books about a male hunter giving her advice on deer hunting. She didn't need any.
I miss Charley.

I noted GaryW's post and have to agree. I quit worshiping at the alter of velocity about 20 years ago. A friend and I decided that not many living things could withstand a 286 gr Nosler Partiton at 2350 fps or a similar .28 to .32 cal 150 to 170 grain similar bullet at 2750-2850 fps. Put it where it matters and they don't go far.