Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 7x57 for Elk?

Seems to me that a lot of wasted energy and time even discussing such pros and cons. Who cares anyhow?
If your rifle/ammo combo works , use it and if not change it and stop jawing about it.

Some folks enjoy certain activities and topics, and find it rewarding to explore and discuss those. Quite naturally, others will see such discussion as " a lot of wasted energy and time" and don't care. The more mature of those seem to be able to just ignore what they see as waste and don't feel the need to comment.

I enjoy hearing from guys that have actually done it. Not a waste of time in my book. Keep it rolling guys!

Ron

It is supposed to be a campfire conversation after all. Seems like a good topic.

I like the conversations as it keeps both the cartridge and the interest in it alive, as it deserves.
Like the .30/06, it doesn't really need any improvement, just more use.

I think if I had to do it all over again, I'd only have two or three rifles total for big game.

Two 7x57s. One wood/walnut classic, another stainless/synthetic and another in 300H&H for moose.

I bought one of the first contemporary Winchester Featherweights in 7x57 so am 40 years into it now. During that time frame I had had opportunity to observe field use of other cartridges compared to it and that is why it stays and sold rifles get replaced. It has one of the highest percentages of 1 shot kills and is so easy to shoot, I long ago made it a loaner when I was shooting something else. That way I still got to enjoy what it does so effortlessly well.

Was at the range twice last week with 5 rifles and 2 handguns. I saved the 7x57 until last savoring its ease of use, knowing it would perform the same tasks as its noisier safe mates which were burning a little or a lot more powder and making me work a lot harder to shoot them well.

The 7x57 puts pleasure back into recreational shooting.

SC - would that STS 7x57 be a push feed ?

So many great Classic crf 7x57 in wood stainless - BRNO 21 etc.

Interesting your choice of long action tapered cases 7x57 vice 7mm-08, 300 H&H vice 300 WSM or 338 RCM/ Win

No argument from me, just an observation

I have 3 rifles in 7X57 and can't imagine being without one. A nice single shot would be a welcome addition to the stable.

There was a young fellow who used to come to my place and hunt elk. He used a 7mm-08 (I know. It's not a 7x57 but, headstamp aside, it works just the same), He killed three bulls with one shot each (he used 150 partitions). He was convinced he needed more gun, after a close encounter with a grizzly, so he bought a 300 mag. That year, he shot another bull. It took one shot, just like the 7mm. He said the main difference, from what he could see, was that the 300 weighed another pound and a half and it kicked a lot harder.
I have built a couple 275 Rigby's; one on a Norwegian Krag. They worked a lot like 7x57's too GD

I'm in the same boat.

Have 2 7x57’s , A Ruger #1 RSI that likes Speer 145 GS on top of a healthy dose of H414. Kills critters dead. I hope it likes Speer 160 Hot-Cors as I bought 250 of them a month or so back.
I also have an early 80’s Model 70 Featherweight in 7x57 I haven’t loaded for it yet but it will shoot moa with Remington 140PSPCL’s so this coming season I’ll use those up. That was with a B and L Balvar 2.5x10 ,in a one piece Redfield base and rings.
I changed out the Redfield one piece base and dovetail mounts to Talley QD’s and an M8 4X Leupold. Need to get it sighted in one day.
Deer season is a ways off and my Dec. Black bear hunt is also a ways out. No hurry .

I think that with good bullets and shot placement the 7x57 is never a bad choice for deer, black bear, elk and even moose.

With the exception of a Grizzly bear I wouldn't feel under gunned with a 7X57 and if push came to shove and I needed it for a Grizzly proper shot placement would be the rule as it always is. I'm sure it could get the job done. I have a 7X57 AI that loves the Speer Hot Cor 160's.

I found a couple hundred old Speer 160 Mag Tips I'm going to try if I ever get my Fwt from the gunsmith, ha. I had a buddy in South Africa, back in the early 90s,under the old anti-apartheid Sanctions who used the 180 Mag Tip in the old 308 for culling, even Eland and Buffalo. I bet they work just fine in the old 7x57. Being a flatter nose, I have a bit more room for powder....oh Yeah!

Jim, I believe a fellow on here that goes by ingwe used the 160 Mag Tips in his 7x57 with outstanding results. I have some 175 Mag Tips but, haven't taken any game with them as I only hunt whitetail deer now and am unsure if they would open up.

I think the 160 NP is about the best across.the board general hunting bullet out there for the 7x57.

The 7x57 is a fantastic round. It can handle most hunting scenarios with great sucess as long as there is good judgment involved.

This brings me to my point. I would have been a happy camper with a 7x57 at young age or any age for that matter. I got started out with .308 Winchester, I found the greatness of this cartridge. I liked it very much, so I found another which I bought. I have two that were given to me, Grandfather and my dad. Those two mostly just rest in my safe. One I had built, and one I won. So, this is a small, sampling how one may come to have a rifle in a certain caliber.

Of course, I had to have a 30-06, I only one. There are others that have come into my possession, which is okay; I have grandkids who will get to enjoy these rifles.


Take care

I've had a rifle come to me that was carried by the 3 generations before. I figured if the 160 NP was good enough for them (bears, moose, rams, whitetail, mulies, yada yada yada), I could slum it as well. Other than subbing H4350 for IMR 4350, it's still doing the job as it has for many decades.




If all goes well, it'll go up the mountain once more for a bighorn in 2023.

FC

I like the lines and overall treatment of the stock. Ever consider irons on her?

No but if I had a long action Kimber that wasn't shooting well and I wanted to rebarrel it, 7x57 would be real high on my list of options.

Tom