7x64 Brenneke - Opinions

[Fastrig]

Have an opportunity to pick up a 7x64 Brenneke barrel for a Merkel rifle at a very reasonable price. Been reading a bit about the round and it sounds like a nice caliber. Would like to hear what you all that have this caliber think about it and how you are using it. Thanks!

 

[YancyW]

I have a 20" sako full shock in 7x64, it is a very fine round. For nearly all plains game, you are going to have plenty of rifle.

 

[Sako AV]

It's basically a ballistic twin to the .280 Remington, it will serve you well.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

I've purchased two 7X64mm Brenneke pre-owned Zastava rifles this year, but have not spent any range time for a number of reasons.

I like the fact that this cartridge predated the .270 Winchester and .280 Remington and probably even wildcat 7mm-06. The available current production factory ammo in the USA is limited. There's Remington 140 grain Core-lokt, PPU 140 grain PSPBT, S&B 139 grain SP & 173 grain SPCE, Norma 140 grain Ecostrike & 160 grain Tipstrike, GECO 155 grain Express, 165 grain SP, & 170 grain Plus. As for custom niche loaders, Hendershot's doesn't list 7X64mm cartridges; Reed's ammunition and Research in Oklahoma lists a 140 grain PSP 2950 fps muzzle velocity cartridge.

I have a 7X57mm rifle with 20" barrel, I plan on seeing what bullet works best in it in the 140 - 156 grain weights. For the 7X64mm rifle with 24" barrel, I plan on seeing what bullet it likes best in the 155 - 175 grain range. The larger cartridge case makes the 7X64mm a more versatile cartridge IMO than the 7X57mm cartridge.

 

[stug]

I have a 7x65R which is nearly a twin of the 7x64. So far I’ve shot 5 red deer from about 70-390 yds. Used either a 160 accubond or a 162 a-max. I’m pretty impressed with the capabilities of the round.

 

[Foxi]

You don't make a mistake with that.
For us Germans it's the edition of the .30-06
@stug :the 7x65R is the most guided cartridge in tip-up rifles in this country

 

[Deleted member 43267]

Tholo safaris offered me several choices for a camp gun; I chose a 7x64 Blaser R8. After watching it drop two gemsbok, a springbok, and an impala in their tracks last summer it became my new favorite cartridge and I want a rifle in that caliber. Perhaps not a Blaser because for that price I could have a Mauser and a 7 day trip plus VAT. I was using the 156 grain Norma Oryx. I hate the endless ballistics debates about minutia, but would offer that the 7x64 is just a slightly hotter 7x57. I think it gives you only an extra 100 feet per second, but it does drive a 156 grain bullet at the same velocity you can achieve with a 140 grain bullet in the 7x57. Since thousands of plains game have been taken with the 7x57, there is no need for the 7x64 so do not bid on any of the 7x64's currently up for bid on the auction sites. I will do the forum a huge favor by taking as many as possible so that others are not snookered into buying a rifle that is a handloading proposition only with no real advantages over the ubiquitous 7x57.

Jeff

 

[HWL]

7x64 Brenneke ammunition is made by Remington, Winchester, Federal, Hornady, Barnes, Norma, RWS, PPU, PMP, Geco, Blaser, Brenneke, S & B, Sako, Lapua, for example.....

And, no doubt, it can be handloaded, too.



HWL

 

[Foxi]

But if you take the same bullet weight as a basis, it is 330 feet/ps faster.
Already a difference.
If I had to choose between x 57 and x 64 it would clearly be the 7x64

 

[sestoppelman]

Great round. My CZ 550 Lux is extremely accurate in this cal. As above, identical in performance to the .280 Rem. Two peas in a pod.

 

[Fastrig]

Thanks guys for all the input. I bought the rifle with the 300 win mag barrel/mag bolt head and am going to pick up the 9.3x62 barrel/stand bolt head. Was going to get the 308 win barrel (same bolt head as the 9.3) for white tail, hogs, etc. because I'm so familiar with the cartridge. The dealer is clearing out other barrels including ones in 30-06 and 7x64 at pretty steep discounts. The 7x64 has the heaviest discount, which got me to looking at it, plus it looked interesting. 308, 30-06, 7x64 are kind of overlapping calibers really but if you were going to pair one with the 9.3 Mauser, which would you choose? Go all German with the 7x64 and 9.3x62 in the Merkel

 

[Deleted member 43267]

7x64 Brenneke ammunition is made by Remington, Winchester, Federal, Hornady, Barnes, Norma, RWS, PPU, PMP, Geco, Blaser, Brenneke, S & B, Sako, Lapua, for example.....

And, no doubt, it can be handloaded, too.



HWL

Yes. But I can never find the cartridges I want in stock.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

7x64 Brenneke ammunition is made by Remington, Winchester, Federal, Hornady, Barnes, Norma, RWS, PPU, PMP, Geco, Blaser, Brenneke, S & B, Sako, Lapua, for example.....

And, no doubt, it can be handloaded, too.



HWL

In the USA, 7X64mm factory ammunition is no longer loaded by Federal, Winchester, Barnes, and Hornady. The availability of European 7X64mm is quite limited, and I don't think PMP ammunition has been imported to the USA for quite some time (10 years-ish?).

I picked up two 20 round vintage boxes of Federal 7X64mm ammunition, loaded with 160 grain Partition projectiles at a published muzzle velocity of 2650 fps recently. It doesn't exploit the full potential of the cartridge, but it's sufficient for my purposes.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/828962647

Fastrig, my choices would be either 7X64mm or .30-06 Springfield. There's a cachet for the lesser used 7X64mm here in the USA, but it's tough to argue the versatility, availability, and popularity of .30-06 Springfield ammunition.

 

[grand veneur]

I also do not think that the 7x64 offers much more advantages in comparison with the 30-06.

However , the use of the lighter bullets caliber .284 may make it possible to reach a flatter trajectory with the possibility of long range shooting of smaller game. But as far as the external ballistics is concerned , it is slightly behind the 7mm Rem Mag. For long range shooting on small game with lighter bullets i would prefer it the 270 Win cartridge.

In France , under the law with the prohibition of military caliber and cartridges , the cartridge 7x64 was the number one among cartridges in use. After the law was changed, cartridges like the 30-06 and 308 Win became very popular and replaced for the most part the 7x64.

 

[Fastrig]

In the USA, 7X64mm factory ammunition is no longer loaded by Federal, Winchester, Barnes, and Hornady. The availability of European 7X64mm is quite limited, and I don't think PMP ammunition has been imported to the USA for quite some time (10 years-ish?).

I picked up two 20 round vintage boxes of Federal 7X64mm ammunition, loaded with 160 grain Partition projectiles at a published muzzle velocity of 2650 fps recently. It doesn't exploit the full potential of the cartridge, but it's sufficient for my purposes.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/828962647

Fastrig, my choices would be either 7X64mm or .30-06 Springfield. There's a cachet for the lesser used 7X64mm here in the USA, but it's tough to argue the versatility, availability, and popularity of .30-06 Springfield ammunition.

Thanks. Probably will go with the 7x64 and 9.3x62 combo on this rifle. 30-06 and 308 are the more flexible choices, at least State side, but wanting something a bit different. The 160 grain Tipstrike rounds from Norma in 7x64 look promising, though a number of other rounds that are a lot cheaper.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

I'd like to test Norma factory 7X64mm ammo with the 170 grain Oryx projectile, but I haven't found any for sale in the US. I bought a box of 7mm 170 grain Oryx projectiles from Graf & Sons and I'm working on having Reed's load them to the same velocity as Norma factory ammo but I haven't gained much traction there yet. In the mean time I have a couple boxes each PPU 140 grain PSPBT, Geco 165 grain Softpoint, Geco 170 grain Plus (a bonded HP), and now Federal 160 grain Partition ammo to work with when I start putting in some range time again.

 

[Fastrig]

I'd like to test Norma factory 7X64mm ammo with the 170 grain Oryx projectile, but I haven't found any for sale in the US. I bought a box of 7mm 170 grain Oryx projectiles from Graf & Sons and I'm working on having Reed's load them to the same velocity as Norma factory ammo but I haven't gained much traction there yet. In the mean time I have a couple boxes each PPU 140 grain PSPBT, Geco 165 grain Softpoint, Geco 170 grain Plus (a bonded HP), and now Federal 160 grain Partition ammo to work with when I start putting in some range time again.

Have you tried calling Midway and asking if they will order the Norma ammo for you? Was thinking about that the other day as they are a major distributor and can’t see any reason why they wouldn’t agree to order in what a customer requested....might have to prepay for the order but you can’t return ammo so that’s not a big deal....worth a try.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

No, but I've already gone down another path.

As for the 7X64mm Tipstrike, Target Sports has a lower per box price than Midway, but if you get a free shipping code for Midway, it's probably a wash.

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/nor...-polymer-tip-flat-base-20171152-p-109886.aspx

 

[sgt_zim]

Looks like an interesting cartridge, but I don't see a whole lot of reloading data on it.

Of the manuals I have, only Norma and Hornady show anything.

Until I found out MRC is shuttering operations, I was thinking a pair of 7x57 (one left, one right; for my daughter and myself). With them going by the wayside, looks like my only real option, without going custom, is a Sako 85 in 7x64. I know. 1st world problems.

I'd do 280 Rem, but in LH, that's a custom rifle. Not a huge issue, but I'd end up spending as much money on a LH 280 as I would on the Sako 85 in 7x64.

Is load data for 7x64 and 7x65R interchangeable?

 

[steve white]

It's better than the 7x57 which is saying a LOT