Advice for loading 7x57 & 6.5x55

[hawkeyesatx]

That is the same rifle I have. It likes 160 and 175 gr bullets. It does not like 145s but the Barnes likely overcomes that with greater length to weight ratio.

That's excellent to know!
I figure the 154 Hornady SST'S might be a good place to start there. I figured out that the 150 - 154 gr bullet weight corresponds to a .308 cal bullet in the 180 gr weight. So, if a .30-06 shooting a 180 gr bullet at 2700 - 2750 fps is a good hunting round, I figured if I get the 154 gr going as fast, it should equal the .30-06, without all the kick, and blast.
Now, the 162 gr SST'S I have on hand is probably the bee's knees for all around hunting bullet weight for the 7x57. I could be wrong though.


Hawk

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

No doubt Bob, it will! I just don't like cleaning rifles with bores smaller than .284".

@7x57Joe
I don't like cleaning rifles period until accuracy starts to drop off. My 25 has a couple of hundred rounds thru it and still shoots less than an inch @ 200yard so why clean it.
Bob

 

[MS 9x56]

@7x57Joe
I don't like cleaning rifles period until accuracy starts to drop off. My 25 has a couple of hundred rounds thru it and still shoots less than an inch @ 200yard so why clean it.
Bob

That’s the main reason I do not use Barnes solid copper bullets. The fouling required a lot more cleaning than I wanted to do. I am with you Bob I don’t do a deep clean until I notice an increase in group sizes. With Barnes that was between 30 and 50 rounds. That and I prefer heavy for caliber bullets.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

That’s the main reason I do not use Barnes solid copper bullets. The fouling required a lot more cleaning than I wanted to do. I am with you Bob I don’t do a deep clean until I notice an increase in group sizes. With Barnes that was between 30 and 50 rounds. That and I prefer heavy for caliber bullets.

@MS 9x56
Mate my 25 is like my 35 it doesn't seem to matter what I chuck down its guts it takes a while to foul.
In my 25 I mix Nosler combined technology silver tips with Hornaday SSTs as well as Barnes TTSX.
The barrel is a Liijla stainless match grade and cleans up v e run easily with a couple of applications of foaming bore scrub.
Bob

 

[bruce moulds]

@7x57Joe
I don't like cleaning rifles period until accuracy starts to drop off. My 25 has a couple of hundred rounds thru it and still shoots less than an inch @ 200yard so why clean it.
Bob

"why clean it"?
because you can.
bruce.

 

[bruce moulds]

depending what you are shooting, 7mm 140 gn bullets can be very effective.
you can load 140 sierra, 140 partition, 140 swift, and 140 barnes all with similar charges and velocities and same sight settings.
you could also include the 140 woodleigh pp.
these bullets cover a wide range of game suitability, and the lighter weight will partially uvercome a weakness of the 7x57 which is poor trajectory.
140 gn 7mm is similar to 165 gn 30 cal for reference.
if game is a little more on the big side you could do the same with 150 gn bullets.
you would be surprised what a 150 gn barnes 7mm bullet will do to big things.
bruce.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

depending what you are shooting, 7mm 140 gn bullets can be very effective.
you can load 140 sierra, 140 partition, 140 swift, and 140 barnes all with similar charges and velocities and same sight settings.
you could also include the 140 woodleigh pp.
these bullets cover a wide range of game suitability, and the lighter weight will partially uvercome a weakness of the 7x57 which is poor trajectory.
140 gn 7mm is similar to 165 gn 30 cal for reference.
if game is a little more on the big side you could do the same with 150 gn bullets.
you would be surprised what a 150 gn barnes 7mm bullet will do to big things.
bruce.

I would imagine that a Barnes 140 gr TTSX would be pretty close to optimal for the 7x57. It certainly would be able to take larger species because it is all copper, and would stay together even through the toughest muscle and bone. It has a longer bearing surface, and might actually do quite well in my M70.
The 7mm 150's in a premium bullet would work quite well too, I'm thinking.
I just saw too, that Barnes has 6.5mm 120's, and those could be used for a little heavier game as well, if the velocity is there.


Hawk

 

[7x57Joe]

@7x57Joe
I don't like cleaning rifles period until accuracy starts to drop off. My 25 has a couple of hundred rounds thru it and still shoots less than an inch @ 200yard so why clean it.
Bob

Bob,
Humidity! We have very high humidity here. I didn't clean a .222 rifle once after a range session and a few months later, the bore was full of red rust and pits. Lesson learned. Now I clean every time I fire a rifle no later than the next day!

 

[WAB]

Bob,
Humidity! We have very high humidity here. I didn't clean a .222 rifle once after a range session and a few months later, the bore was full of red rust and pits. Lesson learned. Now I clean every time I fire a rifle no later than the next day!

Agreed. I learned the same lesson about 40 years ago with a very accurate .222. It made me sick. I’m fanatical about cleaning firearms now.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

"why clean it"?
because you can.
bruce.

@bruce moulds
I know I can but If'n it ain't broke why fix it.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob,
Humidity! We have very high humidity here. I didn't clean a .222 rifle once after a range session and a few months later, the bore was full of red rust and pits. Lesson learned. Now I clean every time I fire a rifle no later than the next day!

@7x57 Joe
I might not clean my rifle bores very often but after ever y use the bore gets a good dose of INOX and t he outside of the whole rifle gets done with Gilleys gun polish wax and have no problems. Before shooting again I run a few patches down the bore to remove the INOX.
Bob

 

[NE 7x57]

I have a 6.5 CM and a 6 CM. I've hunted coyotes with the 6.5 in situation when they might hang up a way out further than I'd shoot with the 5.56. Same with the 6. But I actually got them both to shoot steel with at fairly long ranges. It's a lot of fun and a poor hit on steel isn't going to hurt anything but my ego. I'd use either on deer but I'd limit those shots to 400 and under.

But usually I'm going to take something else hunting, like the 7x57.

(If reloading supplies hadn't slipped off the face of the earth I was planning on loading some long slippery bullets in the 7x57 and seeing how that would work whacking steel. )

 

[7x57Joe]

Bob, is INOX the same as CLP?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob, is INOX the same as CLP?

@7x57Joe
I don't know mate. INOX is a penetrating lubricant that lubes plus disperses water. It a great protectant.
Bob.

 

[Shootist43]

Hawkeyesatex, I tried several different loads of H4350 and Barnes 120 gr. bullets and couldn't get any of them to shoot up to the standards I've come to expect out of my Swedes. That being said groups with the 120 gr. Barnes were 2 MOA (ish) which is still good enough for the "eastern" White tailed deer hunting that I normally do. I was trying to develop a "lighter" load for my youngest grandson who is currently 10. Now that he is a little bigger and has fired several of my normal "Swede" loads he will be using 140 Gr. Partitions or 160 gr. Woodleighs like the rest of us.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

Here are my rifles I’ve been talking about.

Hawk

 

[bruce moulds]

hawk,
the m70 is a lovely rifle.
have you considered lower mounts?
bruce.

 

[Frederik]

Here is a photo of y Carl Gustav 6.5x55 sporterized and barrel cut down to 23"
Gives me around 1/2 MOA accuracy all day long as long as barrel is not too hot max 3 shots to group.

 

[7x57Joe]

Hawk, That's a nice and unusual Featherweight as not many of them, mine included, have iron sights. I have a friend who has a 6.5x55 with the irons.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

hawk,
the m70 is a lovely rifle.
have you considered lower mounts?
bruce.

Thank you!
Yes, that is on my short list to actually get medium rings and bases for the rifle.
It would make for a better cheek weld.


Hawk