7x57 or 7x64

shbangsteve

Well-Known Member
Need a pig gun. Found a couple of cheapys one in 7x64, the other in 7x57. Opinions please. I reload so can load to higher than the amaemic modern manuals give. Do not want a 308, 30-06 or anything else for that matter. Which is preferable 7x64 or 7x57 and why ?
thanks Steve
 
I think the 7x57, 30-06 and 375H&H are the greatest rounds of all time. I own the first two and would probably own a 375 if I could justify the need. The 7x57 has so much hunting tradition, Bell and Corbett to name a couple.
My 7x57 is a commercial FN Mauser made in 1952. It is my go to deer/ pig rifle. I also have a Rem 280. I load 175gn Hornady RNs @ 2400fps. I also load 150Partitions @ 2725. Where I mainly hunt most of my shots are a maximum of under 125yds. For those shots I use the 175s as they are about half what the 150s are. They penetrate well and destroy less meat at closer ranges than the faster 150Part. At ranges of 100-300 yds I use the Partition because of it's spitzer shape and higher BC make it shoot flatter and carry energy farther.
I have killed the vast majority of my pigs with the 7x57, using those two bullets. If it were just a pig rifle and not a pig/deer rifle, I'd go with 160 partitions or 162 Hornady interlocks.

Go with the 7x57!!!
capt david
 
Love the 7 x 57, a classic but if you might want to go to France for piggies get the 7 x 64. All the stuff about military calibres might just run and run and take years.

David.
 
Prob not a lot in the real world to choose between them. 7x57 is a lovely balanced round, but so to is the 7x64. Where the 7x64 comes is that with the bigger 173 gn bullets you are getting c2,700 fps as opposed to 2450 with the 7x57. That will give a bit more thump and flatter trajectory, but suspect that in the real world not a lot of difference, and the 7mm just kills very well. If you are wanting to use the rifle in France go with the 7x64, otherwise ignore the calibre and choose whichever rifle looks and feels best to you.

Also bear in mind most 7x57 is loaded to pressures that are comfortable in very old rifles, but plenty of room to load it up quite a bit, whereas the 64 has the vel in every day factory ammo.
 
My advice would be, assuming the fact that 7x57 is classed as a "military calibre" is an NON-ISSUE, is choose the rifle that:

1) Pleases you most in terms of features, style, and ease of use and/or magazine capacity

2) Barrel length. A 24" 7x57 is probably as good as any 20" 7x64 and a lot less unpleasant to shoot

3) Cost

The better round is undoubtedbly the 7x64 as it is more powerful AND MOST IMPORTANT on the continent now probably more easily sourced as loaded ammunition in various weights and bullet types than is 7x57.

That for me would be the major factor. That I could get factory ammunition and in the more useful types of bullets used for wild boar. Indeed in that respect the 7x64 is more versatile than the 270 Winchester...bullet selection in factory ammunition. It retains, does 7x64, that same advantage over 7x57.

The other factors would be if I liked the rifle or didn't. I like wood and blue steel and five rounds in a magazine. Three rounds, stainless metalwork and "plastic fantastic" just doesn't appeal to me.

Reject ANY notion that somehow you'll get cheap military surplus 7x57 with FMJ bullets for practice. I think that those days of modern made cheap factory ammunition in that calibre are long past!

Simply put in like for like barrel lengths the 7x64 is the better round on all accounts and is, in this 21st Century, the more widely distributed and easily obtained in various bullet weights and types. Whilst a good cartridge 7x57 is now very much "yesterday's cartridge" in terms of the likelihood of manufacturers making batches of it with their new bonded, partioned, TIG, TUG or etc., etc., bullets.

The 7x57 with a 173 grain bullet at 2,450fps is a true "killer" (it is what the 303 Mk VII was a copy of) BUT it may now only exist in old fashioned "cup and core" bullet styles. But out to 100 yards it is an efficient "killer" have no doubt but it is with the lighter 140 grain and 150 grain loadings that the 7x64 wins out as it gives a better round for shooting out to two hundred yards due to its higher muzzle velocity.

If you handload and use 173 grain bullets then for all practical purposes at under 100 yards there is no difference and beyond that?

Maybe a difference between a "point blank" at 150 yards and good to 175 yards (7x57) and a "point blank" at 185 yards and good to 225 yards (with 7x64) with those lighter 140 or 150 grain bullets?
 
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7x57 or 280 Remington. I have built customer's rifles in both calibers, shot them. and owned them. The 7-08 in place of the 7x57 loses nothing a deer would notice. My favorite rifle is a 7x57. Nothing I've pointed it at in anger has gone more than a step or two.~Muir
 
This is a bit like a 308 or 30/06 thread. My money would be on 7x64 though

Not quite the same comparison as there's a difference in action length, but very little in power 'twixt the two .30 cals. Both the 7mm cals. need long actions, but there's a lot more juice with the 7x64 so I'd go for this.
 
The reason the 7x57 has been around for 125yrs and it's balistic twin, the 7-08 is gaining so much popularity, is they do so much well without any fuss. As stated I also have a Rem 280, which I believe is a twin for the 7x64. It has a heavier and longer barrel. I get about 200fps over the 7x57. It really begins to shine past 250yds or so, but under 250 I haven't noticed much difference. capt david. And besides there is all that history!!! capt david
 
If heavy boar are running towards you on driven hunts any bit of oomph helps. in this case 7x64. 30-06 would be better and 9.3x62 even better

edi
 
Even though the 7x64 may appear on paper the better cartridge, what I really like about the 7x57 is its efficiency. I have shot a few -older Wesley Richard and Rigby- and what strikes me is how nice they shoot and how effective they are at ther end. Just a nice gentle push, with none of the snappiness you get in say a 270 or even 25-06 or 243 (not that the latter kicks but it does snap a bit). The 7x64 defiantly has a good shove, but still nice and smooth. I use the 7x65r in a light 7lb rifle. My general load is 139g Hornady at 2650 fps (per reloading manual) - very nice to shoot. I also have 173 RWS loads - they are doing just under 2800 fps, and you certainly know when you let one of those off. Given that they shoot to the same point of impact at 100 yds (luck more than judgement) my own loads are for Roe and hinds, will keep the RWS for stags.
 
Thanks for your opinions though to be honest it's still a case of flip a coin. Just one thing worries me about the 7x64, there appears to be very little load data for American powders can you safely use 280 Remington data ?
 
7x64. Both in europe seem to be long throated so use the heavier projectiles (i.e. 160 grain + projjies ).
I own a 7x57 and wish I had the 7x64.
You can always load down the 7x64, but their will be a limit to how high the 7x57 can go.
 
Thanks for your opinions though to be honest it's still a case of flip a coin. Just one thing worries me about the 7x64, there appears to be very little load data for American powders can you safely use 280 Remington data ?


Hornady 8th edition has plenty of load data with American powders for the 7x64.
 
If heavy boar are running towards you on driven hunts any bit of oomph helps. in this case 7x64. 30-06 would be better and 9.3x62 even better

edi


I'm with ejg on this: My centre fire "Battery" (all 2 of them) is a 7x64 and a 9.3x62 (CaptDavid, how do you find you FN Commercial? My 9.3 is one of those).

I'd get the 7x64, just that bit more flexibility that the 7x57 at the upper end with those heavier pills (Think RWS does a 177gr from the factory which is quite a pig round and Norma do their Vulkan and Oryx in 170gr as well).

Whatever you chose, enjoy your shooting.

ATB,

Scrummy
 
Hornady 8th edition has plenty of load data with American powders for the 7x64.

Is that the the current edition ? What sort of velocities are they getting ?

Found this from 1977 on net http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/hl66partial.pdf Would never be published today but shows what 7x57 is capable of. Has anyone got this kind of performance ? Muir possibly ?
This may also be of interest to some http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/RISE2012partial.pdf
 
Even though the 7x64 may appear on paper the better cartridge, what I really like about the 7x57 is its efficiency. I have shot a few -older Wesley Richard and Rigby- and what strikes me is how nice they shoot and how effective they are at ther end. Just a nice gentle push, with none of the snappiness you get in say a 270 or even 25-06 or 243 (not that the latter kicks but it does snap a bit). The 7x64 defiantly has a good shove, but still nice and smooth. I use the 7x65r in a light 7lb rifle. My general load is 139g Hornady at 2650 fps (per reloading manual) - very nice to shoot. I also have 173 RWS loads - they are doing just under 2800 fps , and you certainly know when you let one of those off. Given that they shoot to the same point of impact at 100 yds (luck more than judgement) my own loads are for Roe and hinds, will keep the RWS for stags.

I'm sorry, but let's get it right. There is no way that loaded down factory 7x65R can achieve this. RWS published data for the 7x65R 173gr SPRN (#25R) is 2530 fps. The 7x57 173gr HMCHP (#114) is also 2530 fps........... so only the name of the cartridge differs in this case..
 
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