Your favourite powders for 7x57

[HandB]

Hi Everyone,

I recently bought a BSA in 7x57 and would like to reload for it. I would be grateful hear which powders you favour for this cartridge.

Thank you!

 

[Laurie]

What bullet weight(s)?

 

[HandB]

Probably about 140 to 150 grains.

 

[Southern]

H414 / W760.... so the closest thing you can find to that.

 

[Laurie]

H414 / W760.... so the closest thing you can find to that.

No longer available in the UK / EU - 'REACH' non-compliant.

 

[Laurie]

Probably about 140 to 150 grains.

There's a large choice of powders that work with these bullet weights. The 7X57mm is a very unfussy eater. Viht N150 is a good choice and is widely available and reasonably priced. I use this with excellent results in a vintage South American military Mauser with the 150gn Lapua Scenar or Sierra MK match bullets on paper.

Anything in the same burning speed range as the now unavailable IMR and Hodgdon 4350s works well especially with a 150gn bullet, so Norma 204, Lovex SO65 and 70, IMR-4451, Reload Swiss RS62, Ramshot Hunter (ball type) to name just some. There are also the 'hotter' higher nitroglycerin numbers that add a bit extra MV - Viht N550, Reload Swiss RS60, Norma URP, and the new Alliant Reloder 16.

 

[PeterH]

I recently developed a load for an old'ish Sako in 7 x 57 for a chap who wanted a round to be OK out to a max of 250 yds. I used 140 gr Nosler Accubond in front of N140. The attached is at 200 yds but was hampered with a very thick reticle that covered this sized bull

 

[Highlandsjohn]

Not shabby PeterH..

 

[HandB]

Thanks very much - this is great information!

 

[Scipio]

I know this is an old thread, but since I am asking on the exact same topic, I thought it Best to revive the thread, and keep the information collected, rather than start a new one

@HandB you ended up using n150 with very god results, right?
And Did end up primarily loading for 140 and 150s then?

What bullet weight(s)?

Hey @Laurie in my case it would be 120 grn ttsx in a 20.5" barrel.

Of gettable powders here in Denmark I can pretty easily find options from reloader swiss, vihtavouri, lovex and of course Norma

I also need to reload for a 6.5x57 Mauser with a 24" barrel using 100grn fox hunter classics. it would be absolutely ideal if I could get away with using the same powder for both. But if not I just have to get different ones, of course. .-)

 

[HandB]

I know this is an old thread, but since I am asking on the exact same topic, I thought it Best to revive the thread, and keep the information collected, rather than start a new one

@HandB you ended up using n150 with very god results, right?
And Did end up primarily loading for 140 and 150s then?



Hey @Laurie in my case it would be 120 grn ttsx in a 20.5" barrel.

Of gettable powders here in Denmark I can pretty easily find options from reloader swiss, vihtavouri, lovex and of course Norma

I also need to reload for a 6.5x57 Mauser with a 24" barrel using 100grn fox hunter classics. it would be absolutely ideal if I could get away with using the same powder for both. But if not I just have to get different ones, of course. .-)

Yes I am getting excellent results with 47gr N150 and 130gr SMK bullets. Average velocity = 2993fps out of a 23 inch barrel. Recoil is mild and there are no pressure signs. As always, one's reloads must be safely worked up by the usual methods.

 

[Scipio]

Yes I am getting excellent results with 47gr N150 and 130gr SMK bullets. Average velocity = 2993fps out of a 23 inch barrel. Recoil is mild and there are no pressure signs. As always, one's reloads must be safely worked up by the usual methods.

Cheers @HandB , that sounds very nice indeed, and of course good practice must be maintained

 

[Scipio]

Right, I have started playing around a bit with Gordons reloading tool, and n150 seems to look good with the 120 Barnes ttsx in all of fill rate, burn rate and velocity.

How accurate is GRT though? I decided to try and see how running through some of normas published data for the 7x57 would look like, and it didn't match velocity or, I'd think, the pressure development either from Normas data.

Contrary GRT did match xxlreloading.coms load data for the Barnes 120 grn ttsx pretty well in terms of velocity, but GRT had a good bit higher expected pressure.

Anyways, at current I'm leaning towards the N150

 

[Andy RV]

I’m using Reload Swiss RS50 in my 7x57 also works in my 308, 7.62x54r, 8x57, 303 & 7.5x55!

 

[Scipio]

cheers andy May i ask what bullet type and weight you are using in the 7x57?

I actually also did try and run simulations for the rs 50 for the 120 tts load, but it didnt come out looking that good numbers wise. I think was the fill rate vs the pressure that didnt match that well, if i remeber correctly.
But then again, these simulations might not be spot on with everything, and tbf to the program i used the standard case volume provided by the programe, and not the once fired and then measured for case volume brass, that they ask.

 

[Scipio]

edit: i just ran it again and the rs50 comes out looking quite good for the 120 ttsx . it is for the 6,5x57, which i also have to reload for, that it comes out not looking ideal in terms of fillrate vs max pressure, because ideally i'd love to just buy one powder for both, although finding one that will do very well with both might be tricky, it looks like.

But according to GRT, both r50 and N150 would be good options for the 120 barnes in the 7x57

 

[Scipio]

Right, so it's between the rs50 and n150 it seems, with the latter seemingly also being ok for lighter bullets, even though it has a slightly slower burn rate than the RS 50.

I have found some older posts on here, saying that rs50 have more linear velocity to pressure curve than the N150, and is therefor easier to build up loads for. - So if i find both options near me it might just take priority given that they more or less cost the same as well .
Then again N150 should be slightly better for the 6.5x57.

Decisions decisions.

 

[Andy RV]

Sorry just seen your question, I’m using it with PMC 175gr round noses.

To be honest I doubt you’ll experience much if any difference between RS50 and N150, I’d buy whichever is more easily available and cheaper.

 

[Scipio]

Sorry just seen your question, I’m using it with PMC 175gr round noses.

To be honest I doubt you’ll experience much if any difference between RS50 and N150, I’d buy whichever is more easily available and cheaper.

Hello Andy, and thank you for contributing. So are you using RS50 orN 150 for your 175 grs? .-)
And yeah, this is also the way i am leaning at the moment tbh. The two seem to have quite similar properties, so it might well be availability at the dealers i frequent which decides it

 

[Andy RV]

RS50, purely because it’s available locally.