Federal Hi-Shok 7x57 mm Mauser 175 Gr Ammunition

[Hunter-Habib]

I recently picked up this box of Federal 175 Gr round nosed soft points for my E.J Churchill 7x57 mm Mauser. I’d really appreciate it if anybody here would be able to share their experiences with this make of 7 mm Mauser ammunition. In the past, I’ve used 175 grain Winchester Super X soft points and found them to be fairly lacking in the velocity department. I currently use Brenneke TIG 177 Gr soft points in my 7 mm , and have found them to be very satisfactory. I intend to use this ammunition for Chital deer, wild boars, barking deer and the odd sloth bear.

Thank you all in advance for your help,
H.H

 

[Wyatt Smith]

My friend used this ammunition in his 1936 Chilean carbine with good results on whitetail deer. However it is not loaded to the same pressure as European 7mm Mauser ammunition. I would guess they will be similar to your Winchester cartridges.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

My friend used this ammunition in his 1936 Chilean carbine with good results on whitetail deer. However it is not loaded to the same pressure as European 7mm Mauser ammunition. I would guess they will be similar to your Winchester cartridges.

Thank you so much, Wyatt Smit. In that case, it’s no good for sloth bears but should be fine for Chital and barking deer. Not my first choice for wild boars, however.

 

[Shootist43]

Although it probably isn't the exact same ammo you are asking about, Federal's current offering i.e. Power Shok is 2440 FPS with 2313 Lbs. of energy. Like Wyatt Smith I agree that this is much lower than what you'd get out of European ammo. You could put one round over a chronograph to confirm our suspicions.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Although it probably isn't the exact same ammo you are asking about, Federal's current offering i.e. Power Shok is 2440 FPS with 2313 Lbs. of energy. Like Wyatt Smith I agree that this is much lower than what you'd get out of European ammo. You could put one round over a chronograph to confirm our suspicions.

Thank you very much , Shootist43 . Let me chronograph one at the range tomorrow.

 

[PerH]

American 7x57 and 8x57 generally follow SAAMI specs regarding pressure and velocity contrary to the Euro ones like say the Brenneke 177 that is something completely different.

 

[Red Leg]

American 7x57 and 8x57 generally follow SAAMI specs regarding pressure and velocity contrary to the Euro ones like say the Brenneke 177 that is something completely different.

They were fudged even lower by the ammunition makers because of all the surplus rifles in this country of questionable condition.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

American 7x57 and 8x57 generally follow SAAMI specs regarding pressure and velocity contrary to the Euro ones like say the Brenneke 177 that is something completely different.

This is very unfortunate, Per H. They’ve basically taken away all of the 7x57 mm Mauser’s great potentia.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

They were fudged even lower by the ammunition makers because of all the surplus rifles in this country of questionable condition.

Oh yes, Red Leg. I remember seeing many of them being advertised on the 1970s issues of various gun magazines. You could get them very affordably, along with a lot of military surplus FMJ ammunition.

 

[Shootist43]

Very true Hunter Habib. THAT is why I /we reload.

 

[PerH]

Oh yes, Red Leg. I remember seeing many of them being advertised on the 1970s issues of various gun magazines. You could get them very affordably, along with a lot of military surplus FMJ ammunition.

8x57 also and 6l5x55 in some US loadings is so done to also. Som 140 loadings like Fusion 140 grain is sadly " roe deer energy" legal over here . Good to see they uppwd the 156 or 160 Fusion higher up.



The first 7mms i fired in my Mauser was some Kynoch i bought of the store, at 3.5 USD a shot they were bit steep,but the 173 was something else.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Very true Hunter Habib. THAT is why I /we reload.

By the way , Shootist43. I chronographed the Federal ammunition’s velocity. 2384 fps from the barrel of my E.J Churchill Mauser.

 

[Shootist43]

Hunter- Habib, like you said good for Chital, barking deer and maybe target practice. If ammo is in as short of supply there like it is here, you have almost no choice but to get what is available and or reload. Even components are tough to come by.

 

[Nevada Mike]

Owing a 7 X 57 in the USA (I own one) requires handloading your ammunition, or buying from a custom loader. A complicating factor is chamber leade length. Many 7 X 57 Mausers have significant leade allowing bullets to be seated further out, allowing more powder and somewhat lower pressure. My Winchester M70 7 X 57 gets about 2800 FPS with 140 Grain bullets in a 23" barrel. Some loaders can do a bit better, I think.

 

[Longwalker]

Out of my Brno carbine, those loads produce a velocity that is much too low for my liking, only 2250 FPS. That Federal load shot accurately but it effectively turns a 7x57 into a .30-30! Of course a 30-30 can effectively kill large game, but is not my choice when a proper load can produce more power. A few years ago I picked up a large lot of various types of 7x57 ammunition from both European and American makers that were offered as part of an estate sale. It was an opportunity to conveniently compare several makes. I shot off all the 175 gr. Federal and 175 gr. Winchester 7x57 ammunition at targets rather than use them for hunting game because I also had on hand RWS, Norma, S&B, even some old Canadian Gevelot ammo that all produced 2400-2500 fps with a 175 gr. bullet, or about 200 fps faster than the American loads along with acceptable accuracy.
At least your rifles longer barrel is getting the Federal load out of .30-30 power level, but it isn't offering you what your rifle is capable of.