7x64 popularity;

[Rafter]

It's a left hand Merkel 96K in 12 x 12 over 7x65R.

I bought it after a chukar hunting trip where I saw thar, but never on the days I was carrying a rifle as well.
It feels a little "clubby" as a shotgun, but I hit pretty well with it and it is infinitely better than carrying a rifle in addition to a shotgun.

You don't see many in NZ.

 

[Heym SR20]

It's a left hand Merkel 96K in 12 x 12 over 7x65R.

I bought it after a chukar hunting trip where I saw thar, but never on the days I was carrying a rifle as well.
It feels a little "clubby" as a shotgun, but I hit pretty well with it and it is infinitely better than carrying a rifle in addition to a shotgun.

You don't see many in NZ.

Yes I thought it look properly made with the correct cheek piece. 12 bore drillings can, as you say, feel a bit clubby / cumbersome. The 16 bore ones are generally much better handling. Or perhaps I should say were, as I don’t think any are being made. I suspect as a rifle its very accurate provided you shoot from a cold barrel - although many modern drillings and combinations the rifle barrels are free floating to negate this issue.

I have a combination in 7x65r and 16 bore. It shoots very well with either barrel and have shot deer at well 200m, as well duck, woodcock and phaesant. Just have a single barrel for flying birds just makes you kill on the first shot

 

[Scipio]

7x64 is one of those cartridges that makes a lot of sense on paper but in real world UK game harvesting terms, theoretically weaker cartridges such as .308, 7x57, or .270 are still powerful enough to do the trick so 7x64 is in effect using more powder to do the same job. I have two .308s and a 7x57 and would not feel undergunned in any UK hunting situation but of course I wouldn't say no to adding a 7x64 to my cabinet if my arm was twisted lol

Good points.
Maybe if i was a dedicated mountain hunter i'd prefer the 7x64 over the 7x57 or 308 due to those extra 40 meters or so it provides drop wise, and the extra 100 meters it gives energy wise.
But even there, today we have range finders, so drop can be compensated for fairly easily. And how much energy do you really need for european deer species? Probably less than ethical hunting distances encourage anyways.
But yeah, if i was building/buying a kipplauff for mountain hunting, the 7x65 r would probably be my choice, if i was using it allround and only rarely in the mountains, or if i was using it with iron sights only (something i prefer having a rifle for), then the 7x57 or 308 would probably be preferable.


Then again if you're a reloader, one can always just download the 7x 65 r or 7x 64 to 7x57 levels, can't you?

PS. with non lead ammo likely becoming more and more common to use, or downright forced into use via legislation, we might all be dropping 10-20 grs in bullet weight. This could mean that we'll suddenly see deer suited bullets fired from a 7x57 being shot at speeds closer to what the 7x64 did in the past. Likewise such a development could push the 7x64 into a small magnum territory, speed wise. Iimagine a 120 grn non lead bullet in a fully loaded x64 for example.

Love my 7x65RView attachment 263512

beautiful pic, and especially a beautiful dog! What sort of dog is she (if it is indeed a bitch ).

 

[Heym SR20]

One of the beauties of the 7x64 and 7x65R is that were designed to shoot the long 173gn Brenneke bullets so have a long throat and a fast twist barrel. This allows you to use a long ballistically efficient copper bullet and drive it fast.

I am currently using factory RWS 140gn HIT bullets and my 7x65r is launching them at well over 2,800 fps. I don’t have to worry about drops on any deer sized target. If I think I need to holdover it is too far away.

 

[User00040]

One of the beauties of the 7x64 and 7x65R is that were designed to shoot the long 173gn Brenneke bullets so have a long throat and a fast twist barrel. This allows you to use a long ballistically efficient copper bullet and drive it fast.

I am currently using factory RWS 140gn HIT bullets and my 7x65r is launching them at well over 2,800 fps. I don’t have to worry about drops on any deer sized target. If I think I need to holdover it is too far away.

Something to note is reports of German 7mm rifles (probably the older ones) being designed for .285" bullets, not the more commonly produced .284" bullet that all the American rifles use.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Hm, the first LH one I have seen, nice.

 

[Scipio]

Something to note is reports of German 7mm rifles (probably the older ones) being designed for .285" bullets, not the more commonly produced .284" bullet that all the American rifles use.

hello caberslash, does this have any real world importance though? I mean, wont the bullets still make a solid seal with the barrel?

 

[Heym SR20]

hello caberslash, does this have any real world importance though? I mean, wont the bullets still make a solid seal with the barrel?

If you look at CIP cartridge specifications here CIP - Homologation at 7x64 and 7x57 you will see that they are dimensioned as 7.25mm bullet diameter.

Whereas the American designed 7-08 and 7mm Rem Mag are at 7.23 mm diameter.

Must admit I have never given this any thought what so ever and have used Hornady, Speer, Norma, RWS, Fox and Peregrine bullets in my 7x65r and 7x57.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Love my 7x65RView attachment 263512

Where’s the scope & rail?
K

 

[Scipio]

If you look at CIP cartridge specifications here CIP - Homologation at 7x64 and 7x57 you will see that they are dimensioned as 7.25mm bullet diameter.

Whereas the American designed 7-08 and 7mm Rem Mag are at 7.23 mm diameter.

Must admit I have never given this any thought what so ever and have used Hornady, Speer, Norma, RWS, Fox and Peregrine bullets in my 7x65r and 7x57.

Cheers for that heym, as fox and/or Peregrine is what I expect to reload, once Denmark goes All lead free in 2023.

 

[Heym SR20]

Cheers for that heym, as fox and/or Peregrine is what I expect to reload, once Denmark goes All lead free in 2023.

I have been using both and getting very good results. Terminal effect - not a lot to choose between them. They both seem to just cut a core through the animal - imagine a a 3/4 to 1” diameter hole saw going through the animal from where the bullet enters in line with the shot. I tend to go half way up inline with foreleg and not worried if quartering. Drops on the spot and minimal meat damage.

 

[Scipio]

I have been using both and getting very good results. Terminal effect - not a lot to choose between them. They both seem to just cut a core through the animal - imagine a a 3/4 to 1” diameter hole saw going through the animal from where the bullet enters in line with the shot. I tend to go half way up inline with foreleg and not worried if quartering. Drops on the spot and minimal meat damage.

thanks again heym, and that sounds assuring.
it will be an entirely new experience to me, the lead free ammo that is, so i appreciate all the relevant council and input i can get on this. The most important thing is being as ethical as possible, and not making any poor mistakes that could have been avoided with this change.

which type of peregrine bullets do you use, if i may ask?

 

[Heym SR20]

thanks again heym, and that sounds assuring.
it will be an entirely new experience to me, the lead free ammo that is, so i appreciate all the relevant council and input i can get on this. The most important thing is being as ethical as possible, and not making any poor mistakes that could have been avoided with this change.

which type of peregrine bullets do you use, if i may ask?

With Peregrine used the VRG3 in 243 and VLR4 in 223.

In my experience, and those of others who are using them and the Fox - much better than lead bullets so why go back. These monolithics are the next generation of bullets and provide good wound channel and straight line penetration.

With lead bullets there have been constant attempts to achieve this - core locked, bonded, partitions, H Mantle, Brenneke etc etc.

The monolithics where developed to overcome the shortcomings of lead bullets where they would fragment if you hit bone etc. None of these issues with Fox or Peregrines or for that matter other similar bullets. Yes some of the early ones were a bit hard and didn’t open well. Latest ones have solved these issues.

There are lots of naysayers about the changes that are forthcoming. But I really wouldn’t be worried.

 

[Rafter]

beautiful pic, and especially a beautiful dog! What sort of dog is she (if it is indeed a bitch ).

She was a GSP.

Unfortunately she had a severe injury out hunting last November and I had to shoot her as there was no way to get her to a vet. RIP Saike

 

[Rafter]

Where’s the scope & rail?
K

Horses for courses.

When you are shooting them at 20-50m, irons are fine. If it wasn't so expensive I'd use it as my wet weather gun.

It shoots Federal slugs to POA at 45m, so if you can handle the recoil you can get 3 shots away pretty quickly.

 

[Scipio]

She was a GSP.

Unfortunately she had a severe injury out hunting last November and I had to shoot her as there was no way to get her to a vet. RIP Saike
View attachment 264176


View attachment 264175

hey Rafter, i am very sorry to hear about Saike, and you having to put her to rest yourself can't have been pleasent either, right as i am sure it was. She looks to have been a beautiful dog, and a good companion.

 

[Scipio]

With Peregrine used the VRG3 in 243 and VLR4 in 223.

In my experience, and those of others who are using them and the Fox - much better than lead bullets so why go back. These monolithics are the next generation of bullets and provide good wound channel and straight line penetration.

With lead bullets there have been constant attempts to achieve this - core locked, bonded, partitions, H Mantle, Brenneke etc etc.

The monolithics where developed to overcome the shortcomings of lead bullets where they would fragment if you hit bone etc. None of these issues with Fox or Peregrines or for that matter other similar bullets. Yes some of the early ones were a bit hard and didn’t open well. Latest ones have solved these issues.

There are lots of naysayers about the changes that are forthcoming. But I really wouldn’t be worried.

Hey Heym, you make some good points, and yes, if used with good common sense of ones own capabilties and that of the bullet too, i am sure the current generation monos will do fine. It is still nice to hear real world experiences from people who are actually out there using them, and notjust doing market promotion.