Sometimes older is better, we often look forward for new innovative designs and technology. Largely this is true but many a time a good idea is reinvented or just plain over looked or has become old hat. That does not means it is not any good but trends do come and go.

The all round or multipurpose cartridge has long been sought by sports people, something that will do for small game and deer thus being able to master one weapon and also cut costs. I have had many a favourite over the years and too be quite honest it keeps changing. The .308 Win is an obvious choice, but I still like the .260 Rem or 6.5X47L but having shot several 7x57mm rifles I might have to readjust my thinking slightly.

IMPRESSED

The 7x57mm Mauser is like so many cartridges; old! First developed by Mauser in 1892 and assigned to many a military rifle. But it was not long before hunters realised its potential and found it ballistics very capable of hunting European, American and plains game. Although less powerful than the .270 Winchester, the 7x57mm`s ability to shoot light or heavy loads with inherent accuracy and light recoil has made it a firm favourite. Just ask Rigby`s who used the case and re-named it the .275 Rigby.

If the 7x57mm Mauser is good then the Wildcat 7x57mm Ackley Improved has to be better, surely? Well being keen on exploring potential and not taking things for granted or listening to armchair shooters I decided to have an old Tikka M65 re-chambered in the Improved Mauser and boy was I impressed!

The standard 7x57mm Mauser case is a pretty efficient design capable of propelling a 120-grain bullet at 2800 fps, a 140 grain at 2700 fps and 160-grainer at 2500 fps with merge power charges ranging from 42, 46 and 45-grains respectively dependent on burn rate.

Being an older slender slow tapered and 20° 45 minute shoulder angle the case can certainly be improved somewhat by making the side walls more parallel and sharpening the shoulder angle. The standard (RWS) 7x57mm case weighs 187.4-grains and holds 58-grains of H2O. The Improved version by comparison when fire formed weighs the same obviously but now can hold 62.2 grains of H2O, a 7% increase that is well worth having. (Different case wall thickness will alter the results).

It’s also so simple to create an Improved case by just shooting factory ammunition in the improved chamber dimensions and hey presto you have a super looking torpedo of a round with many ballistic advantages.

THE RIFLE AND RELOADING

I have seen some reload data for the 7x57mm AK Imp but this proved almost disastrous when tried and some were decidedly lack lustre! I therefore used my trusty QuickLoad and QuickTarget ballistic program to work up some safe loads.

The basis of the test rifle will come as no surprise to many. Gregor from McLeod’s of Tain came up trumps again with an ex forestry .270 Tikka M65 rifle, barrel shot out but action was excellent. To this a McMillan Lazzeroni thumbhole stock 50/50 black green marble was added with 15.5” length of pull and at this stage no bedding , just to see!

To this bomb-proof action Callum Ferguson (Precision Rifle Services) fitted a select, match grade Shilen .284” cal barrel with a profile of 1.15” at the receiver tapering down to a slender 0.660” at the muzzle. This had a 14/1 mm pitch thread and invisible thread protector. The reasoning behind the profile was this was to be a more hill stalking rifle than sit and wait gun where a heavier barrel might be beneficial.

PERFECT HANDLING

The barrel length was kept to 24” and again from the load data if you wanted a varmint version then I would go longer at 28” and really exploit the speed gain. But the length and weight were perfect for me and specified keeping it light and short even with a MAE Compact mod fitted. I picked Callum as he had a reamer in stock and his work is second to none!

Dies were again easy and Callum supplied a set of Redding Full Length 7x57mm IMP 40° shoulder as the chamber neck was standard and no neck turning was necessary and the full length sizing ensured reliable feed in this rifle.

Bullet choice for the 7mm cal is huge but I narrowed it down to a couple of choices in light, medium and heavy categories. These days I tend to get a feel for what a rifle likes and if it shoots with a small selection of bullets then I tend to fine tune these loads rather than test reams and reams of bullets burning up powder and eroding the throat in the process.

Medium rate burning powders like Vit N140, Reloder RL 15 and Varget work well but some RL 19 was suggested but proved very poor and too slow in this gun.

IN THE FIELD

First up the factory ammunition was very accurate and I nearly stopped there! The RWS 123-grain Cone bullets shot sub 0.75” three shot groups and yielded perfect fire formed brass for reloading. The new MAE Compact moderator was a perfect match for the max 5- grain powder charge used and quelled the report to a stifled ‘thok’.

Reloads offered brilliant accuracy and velocity. Those 120-grain bullets really flew at 3200 fps, quite hot loads but no flattened primers or sticky bolts so their 0.25 -0.65” groups were blissful. Top load was the Nosler Solid Base Soft Point with 50-grains of RL 15 powder for 3107 fps/2573 ft/lbs and 3-shot, 0.25” groups.

The 140-grain Nosler Ballistic Tips also shot small groups at 0.35” with a load of 46-grains of Vit N140 for 2829 fps/2489 ft/ lbs , I did get up 3000 fps from the 140 grainers but they were a bit too hot for my liking!

The heavier 150-grain Ballistic Silver Tips too shot very well with the 44-grains of Vit N140 for 2701 fps/2431 ft/lbs and printed 0.35” groups. I did try RL19 powder but it proved too slow and bulky and I had no RL 17 powder to test.

I fitted a LightStream 4.5-14x44mm which is one hell of a scope for the money and headed for the woods after late season Roe. After a very wet and windy stalk through the thick yew tree woods of Surrey a shot presented itself at a very old Roe buck at 125 yards. Very little noise, bugger all recoil and whomp, straight down with the 140-grain Ballistic Tip load.

CONCLUSIONS

Again I was surprised at the performance that this oldy but goody produced. It wins on many levels to me. One it just looks fantastic! Sharp 40° shoulders, minimal taper and long slender neck that also supports the longer bullets very well. It also allows the powder to burn more in the neck and not in the chamber throat too.

Its increase in performance is most welcome and easy to achieve, there are no hidden problems and the true potential of this venerable cartridge achieves and surpasses the 7mm-08 Remington round.

But failing that the 7x57mm is still a great cartridge in its own right! Either way Callum can produce a rifle of superb quality to eke every last bit of accuracy and performance of either round.

Sometimes older is better, we often look forward for new innovative designs and technology. Largely this is true but many a time a good idea is reinvented or just plain over looked or has become old hat. That does not means it is not any good but trends do come and go.

The all round or multipurpose cartridge has long been sought by sports people, something that will do for small game and deer thus being able to master one weapon and also cut costs. I have had many a favourite over the years and too be quite honest it keeps changing. The .308 Win is an obvious choice, but I still like the .260 Rem or 6.5X47L but having shot several 7x57mm rifles I might have to readjust my thinking slightly.

IMPRESSED

The 7x57mm Mauser is like so many cartridges; old! First developed by Mauser in 1892 and assigned to many a military rifle. But it was not long before hunters realised its potential and found it ballistics very capable of hunting European, American and plains game. Although less powerful than the .270 Winchester, the 7x57mm`s ability to shoot light or heavy loads with inherent accuracy and light recoil has made it a firm favourite. Just ask Rigby`s who used the case and re-named it the .275 Rigby.

If the 7x57mm Mauser is good then the Wildcat 7x57mm Ackley Improved has to be better, surely? Well being keen on exploring potential and not taking things for granted or listening to armchair shooters I decided to have an old Tikka M65 re-chambered in the Improved Mauser and boy was I impressed!

The standard 7x57mm Mauser case is a pretty efficient design capable of propelling a 120-grain bullet at 2800 fps, a 140 grain at 2700 fps and 160-grainer at 2500 fps with merge power charges ranging from 42, 46 and 45-grains respectively dependent on burn rate.

Being an older slender slow tapered and 20° 45 minute shoulder angle the case can certainly be improved somewhat by making the side walls more parallel and sharpening the shoulder angle. The standard (RWS) 7x57mm case weighs 187.4-grains and holds 58-grains of H2O. The Improved version by comparison when fire formed weighs the same obviously but now can hold 62.2 grains of H2O, a 7% increase that is well worth having. (Different case wall thickness will alter the results).

It’s also so simple to create an Improved case by just shooting factory ammunition in the improved chamber dimensions and hey presto you have a super looking torpedo of a round with many ballistic advantages.

THE RIFLE AND RELOADING

I have seen some reload data for the 7x57mm AK Imp but this proved almost disastrous when tried and some were decidedly lack lustre! I therefore used my trusty QuickLoad and QuickTarget ballistic program to work up some safe loads.

The basis of the test rifle will come as no surprise to many. Gregor from McLeod’s of Tain came up trumps again with an ex forestry .270 Tikka M65 rifle, barrel shot out but action was excellent. To this a McMillan Lazzeroni thumbhole stock 50/50 black green marble was added with 15.5” length of pull and at this stage no bedding , just to see!

To this bomb-proof action Callum Ferguson (Precision Rifle Services) fitted a select, match grade Shilen .284” cal barrel with a profile of 1.15” at the receiver tapering down to a slender 0.660” at the muzzle. This had a 14/1 mm pitch thread and invisible thread protector. The reasoning behind the profile was this was to be a more hill stalking rifle than sit and wait gun where a heavier barrel might be beneficial.

PERFECT HANDLING

The barrel length was kept to 24” and again from the load data if you wanted a varmint version then I would go longer at 28” and really exploit the speed gain. But the length and weight were perfect for me and specified keeping it light and short even with a MAE Compact mod fitted. I picked Callum as he had a reamer in stock and his work is second to none!

Dies were again easy and Callum supplied a set of Redding Full Length 7x57mm IMP 40° shoulder as the chamber neck was standard and no neck turning was necessary and the full length sizing ensured reliable feed in this rifle.

Bullet choice for the 7mm cal is huge but I narrowed it down to a couple of choices in light, medium and heavy categories. These days I tend to get a feel for what a rifle likes and if it shoots with a small selection of bullets then I tend to fine tune these loads rather than test reams and reams of bullets burning up powder and eroding the throat in the process.

Medium rate burning powders like Vit N140, Reloder RL 15 and Varget work well but some RL 19 was suggested but proved very poor and too slow in this gun.

IN THE FIELD

First up the factory ammunition was very accurate and I nearly stopped there! The RWS 123-grain Cone bullets shot sub 0.75” three shot groups and yielded perfect fire formed brass for reloading. The new MAE Compact moderator was a perfect match for the max 5- grain powder charge used and quelled the report to a stifled ‘thok’.

Reloads offered brilliant accuracy and velocity. Those 120-grain bullets really flew at 3200 fps, quite hot loads but no flattened primers or sticky bolts so their 0.25 -0.65” groups were blissful. Top load was the Nosler Solid Base Soft Point with 50-grains of RL 15 powder for 3107 fps/2573 ft/lbs and 3-shot, 0.25” groups.

The 140-grain Nosler Ballistic Tips also shot small groups at 0.35” with a load of 46-grains of Vit N140 for 2829 fps/2489 ft/ lbs , I did get up 3000 fps from the 140 grainers but they were a bit too hot for my liking!

The heavier 150-grain Ballistic Silver Tips too shot very well with the 44-grains of Vit N140 for 2701 fps/2431 ft/lbs and printed 0.35” groups. I did try RL19 powder but it proved too slow and bulky and I had no RL 17 powder to test.

I fitted a LightStream 4.5-14x44mm which is one hell of a scope for the money and headed for the woods after late season Roe. After a very wet and windy stalk through the thick yew tree woods of Surrey a shot presented itself at a very old Roe buck at 125 yards. Very little noise, bugger all recoil and whomp, straight down with the 140-grain Ballistic Tip load.

CONCLUSIONS

Again I was surprised at the performance that this oldy but goody produced. It wins on many levels to me. One it just looks fantastic! Sharp 40° shoulders, minimal taper and long slender neck that also supports the longer bullets very well. It also allows the powder to burn more in the neck and not in the chamber throat too.

Its increase in performance is most welcome and easy to achieve, there are no hidden problems and the true potential of this venerable cartridge achieves and surpasses the 7mm-08 Remington round.

But failing that the 7x57mm is still a great cartridge in its own right! Either way Callum can produce a rifle of superb quality to eke every last bit of accuracy and performance of either round.