I know that the Boers(Afrikaans) and Bell used the 7x57 with around 175gn full metal Jacket round nose bullets. Most probably used Milsurp, except bell, who used Rigby and Mauser factory ammo. BTW, I understand that he never used soft points. By The early '20s spire pointed soft point hunting ammo was available. Does anyone know what the predominate 7x57 bullets weight and bullet type were used by sportsmen, between the wars? capt david
7x57 African history?
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deeangeo
Well-Known Member
Both von Blixens used 7x57 rifles too. I have no idea what bullet they may have utilised, though I guess the liklihood would be one of the Kynoch offerings of the period & very probably using a MSch or Mauser rifle.
I’d also take a guess at one of the British i.e. Hollands, Rigby, etc dealerships supplying one or two as .275 Rigby calibre.
I’d also take a guess at one of the British i.e. Hollands, Rigby, etc dealerships supplying one or two as .275 Rigby calibre.
According to my maternal grandfather who fought in the Boer war. A lot of the opposition used 8 x 57 as well. He was Keeper and was so impressed by the accuracy of the 7 x 57 he got one when he came home.
I'm sure that they did. The Boer War, and the Spanish American War introduced 7x57 to the British and US sportsmen. The US copied it in a slightly larger version in the 30-03, that morphed into the 30-06, which was used by retired US President Theodore Roosevelt. Except in Germany and a few Eastern European countries, the 8x57 never exceeded much as a sporting caliber. That's probably, in my opinion, do too loosing WWl and much of her empire. capt david
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Without fishing out my copy of Africa Hunter, by Blixen, I recall he had several 8x57mm Mausers, one IIRC, by Westley Richards, a .350 Rigby ( as did Dennis Finch Hatton ), a Purdey underlever double in .500/465... will have to look for a 7x57 ( or .275 Rigby ). No matter, as the subject here is a deer rifle, and a 7x57 is perfect for that.
They have codes on reverse as follows
150g 17 S Q Made by Imperial Metal Industries
173g 20 M Y Made by Kynoch Factory of ICI
140g 14 J M Made by Kynoch factories of Imperial Metal Industries
If you want to research it
S
Frank Homes
Well-Known Member
Jack O'Connor, writing about his, and his wife's, personal experience with the 7x57mm. They both shot a lot of game with it. She took kudu, sable, other plains game, big cats with the 7x57.
Forty Years with the Little 7mm | Gun Digest
Forty Years with the Little 7mm | Gun Digest
After reading that article, I was hooked. It took me several years to acquire one. It didn't shoot very well, at best 1.75" groups. At about the same time I started black powder hunting, and it gathered dust. I sold it. After reading Bell and Corbett I had to have another and I bought a FN 1898 commercial 7x57. It's become my go to gun for almost everything I hunt using 150 Partitions @ 2700fps. capt david
Jack O'Connor on his 1972 safari
"I used the 140-gr. Nosler bullet in front of 45 grains of 4320. Velocity in my Model 70 with 22-inch barrel is 2,825. This is the velocity I get in the same rifle with the Dominion 139-gr. bullet load. The Federal load, with the 139-gr. bullet, produces somewhat less velocity.
For years my wife has used various 160-gr. bullets pushed by 52 grains of 4831. Velocity in the 22-inch barrel of her rifle is 2,660. As far as I can tell, this load shoots just as flat as the 180-gr. bullet in the 30-06 and kills just as well."
"I used the 140-gr. Nosler bullet in front of 45 grains of 4320. Velocity in my Model 70 with 22-inch barrel is 2,825. This is the velocity I get in the same rifle with the Dominion 139-gr. bullet load. The Federal load, with the 139-gr. bullet, produces somewhat less velocity.
For years my wife has used various 160-gr. bullets pushed by 52 grains of 4831. Velocity in the 22-inch barrel of her rifle is 2,660. As far as I can tell, this load shoots just as flat as the 180-gr. bullet in the 30-06 and kills just as well."
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Great article , I still have that issue of Gun Digest . O'connor talked a lot of sense in his day , it still applies .
AB
As a note of caution, I should note that this powder was 4831, not the later IMR 4831, not today's IMR 4831, not H4831.
And O'Connor loaded his 7x57mm in Western cases, which held 2 more grains than the other cases, like Remington, at that time.
Today, you would need to start about 45 grains and work up to around 47.5 grains, depending on IMR or Hodgdon powder, the brass capacity, and watching the chronograph for a stop a bit past 2,600 fps.
The O'Connor custom 7x57s were built on Czech VZ33 Mauser and the last one, for this safari, on a Model 70 action.
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