7x57 Ammo availability

63

Active Member
I was wondering how people found the availability of factory ammo in this calibre? Before I bought mine I phoned around a fair few gunshops, most of whom said they generally kept a box or two in, but now I'm asking them to produce said boxes, they seem a bit reticent! :doh: However, none of them are in what you would call a 'deer stalking area' (Cheshire, mid Wales and the Welsh Marches) so I was wondering how available it was in places with more of a stalking market, particularly Scotland, or abroad for that matter.

I have the capability to roll my own, although I'll probably be getting most of it rolled for me by a local supplier, so its not a massive issue, I just want to know if I'm going to be able to grab a box or two easily in an emergency.
 
From your avatar it says you got to Berkshire a bit. You shold be able to find it in Roxtons in Hungerford, Tunrners of Reading or further afield Greenfield of Salisbury.
 
If you have a good gunshop local to you I would ask them to order in a couple of hundred rounds. The .275/7x57/7mm Mauser is a very forgiving calibre and most factory rnds seem to work to an acceptable standard. Once they are gone you will then have the once fired brass to reload with. I would go for something with a bullet weight of around 139 grns for general UK use. JC
 
Sorry chaps, maybe I should have been clearer...I have no problem getting hold of the ammo I need on a usual basis; my local shop will order factory ammo in and I can buy custom ammo from Brock and Norris in 100 bricks too. If needs must I can also load my own.

I wanted to know though, how generally available it was. If I was to lose my luggage on a flight to Scotland, or leave my ammo at home on a trip to Devon, would I be able to pick up some more from most gunshops in "stalking areas"??

Before I decided on the calibre I tried to establish this by simply phoning every shop in the local yellow pages, and most said they carried it in stock. However, now I'm actually going to said shops looking for it, they're giving me excuses. My concern is that even in "stalking areas" it might turn out to be the same.
 
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I would say in scotland you should have no trouble...as several estates use that calibre in estate rifles. Crockharts in Blairgowrie stocks it in 139 federal and 123 in RWS (cracking round btw).....and i would think that's the norm elsewhere.
As for Devon etc......i couldn't say...although it's likely, as a short while ago this calibre had a short lived 're-appearance' and so gunshops had to start stocking it.

steve
 
63,

The 7x57 is more popular than you think. I work part time at Reeves (Heym stockists) and the 7x57,.308 and .243 are the most popular 'deer' guns used by proffessionals. Yes the 30-06 is up there but we see more of the 7x57's go out than 30 cal's as a rule.

What you will fine is that areas which have more deer proffessionals around will have shops stocking. As stated above the 7x57 123g RWS is the bullet of choice for most (drop's 2 3/4" from zero at 100 - 200 yards) roughly.

I've just bought a SR20 7x64 with a Z3, and although its a 'slow burner' the performance is not far off the 7x57 - its going to the range on sunday to eat some 150g Norma! (now this is a calibre you'll struggle to pick brass off the shelf for!)

Tom
 
Tommo,
what do you mean when you say your 7x64 is a slow burner? Cartridges of the World book gives the 7X64 about 350/400 ft/lbs over the 7x57 with any given bullet weight. Just curious, I love my 64.
Sloans of Inverurie have 7x64 and since they have a few 57s on the shelf I suspect they will have a box or two of ammo.
 
Cheers, thats exactly the kind of reassurance I was after! ;)

I have learnt something from this, firstly, a lot of 'gunshops' only stock .243 and .308, and that there are some prize comments to be heard in gunshops too; I asked after 7x57 ammo in Kent recently, and was told: "We don't stock ammunition for those newfangled calibers":rofl:
 
Tommo,
what do you mean when you say your 7x64 is a slow burner? Cartridges of the World book gives the 7X64 about 350/400 ft/lbs over the 7x57 with any given bullet weight. Just curious, I love my 64.
Sloans of Inverurie have 7x64 and since they have a few 57s on the shelf I suspect they will have a box or two of ammo.

Hi Longlowdog,

My SR20 has a 20" barrel almost! (It spent most of its time in Africa on plains game) I've thought about shortening it to put a mod on for Boar etc. But was told it needs all the barrel to burn the amount of powder the cases hold?? I could be wrong?

I've just got mine mate - and l plan to spend a lot of time with her on the range shooting out to 300yards. Can you tell me more about what bullets you use and what you have experienced in terms of drop?

Cheers,

Tom
 
Cheers, thats exactly the kind of reassurance I was after! ;)

I have learnt something from this, firstly, a lot of 'gunshops' only stock .243 and .308, and that there are some prize comments to be heard in gunshops too; I asked after 7x57 ammo in Kent recently, and was told: "We don't stock ammunition for those newfangled calibers":rofl:

Well I can understand after all is was one of the "New Fangled smokeless cartridges" back in 1892 that is :lol: ;).

If you should stumble upon some of the RWS 174 grn H-Mantle ammunition in 7mm mauser (7x57) you should give it a go. It's a cracking Roe round :cool: and of course will handle all our deer species.
 
:rolleyes: I love it!! It's just like the replies I get from the gun experts at the national sporting goods chain store that moved into the City nearby. I asked for 9.3x57 dies and I was asked if that was "that new Hornady round".~Muir
 
If you should stumble upon some of the RWS 174 grn H-Mantle ammunition in 7mm mauser (7x57) you should give it a go. It's a cracking Roe round :cool: and of course will handle all our deer species.

I usually stay out of the debates about which calibres/bullets kill things better/faster/deader but I have to say that the RWS 130grn H-Mantle .270 win round is the best UK deer load I have ever used. JC
 
Hi Tom,
I use 170g Rws for boar and it's more than enough gun.
I'm off to the B.D.S day at Cawdor tomorrow so I'll get some drop figures for 170 H-mantel and 140 bal' tips.
I'll let you know how I get on.
 
If you ever bring your rifle to Sweden you will have no problem buying a box or 2 of 7x57.
 
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