Want To Buy 7mm 160gr or 175gr bullets - Swift A-Frame or Northfork

[rookhawk]

I could use some heavy-for-caliber bullets for my 7x57. I’ve always used 175gr but I’m told a 160gr gets the velocity/expansion up a little bit and would like to give it a try if I could find them.

Anybody have a couple boxes they can spare? Since I did a WTB I realize I’m inviting scammers, only interested from established members, otherwise I’m going to expect to pay with Paypal fraud protection enabled.

 

[DWB]

I could use some heavy-for-caliber bullets for my 7x57. I’ve always used 175gr but I’m told a 160gr gets the velocity/expansion up a little bit and would like to give it a try if I could find them.

Anybody have a couple boxes they can spare? Since I did a WTB I realize I’m inviting scammers, only interested from established members, otherwise I’m going to expect to pay with Paypal fraud protection enabled.

My apologies. Message was meant as a PM so as not to disrupt your thread.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I could use some heavy-for-caliber bullets for my 7x57. I’ve always used 175gr but I’m told a 160gr gets the velocity/expansion up a little bit and would like to give it a try if I could find them.

Anybody have a couple boxes they can spare? Since I did a WTB I realize I’m inviting scammers, only interested from established members, otherwise I’m going to expect to pay with Paypal fraud protection enabled.

North Fork: https://www.reloadinginternational.com/product-detail/?id=26315

5 boxes left in stock according to the website.

 

[rookhawk]

Thanks for the info. Problem solved. It never occurred to me that anyone would actually have the bullets I need in stock. (Life usually doesn’t work that way for me!)

 

[North Fork Technologies]

I could use some heavy-for-caliber bullets for my 7x57. I’ve always used 175gr but I’m told a 160gr gets the velocity/expansion up a little bit and would like to give it a try if I could find them.

Anybody have a couple boxes they can spare? Since I did a WTB I realize I’m inviting scammers, only interested from established members, otherwise I’m going to expect to pay with Paypal fraud protection enabled.

Good day, Sir. Please feel free to contact us directly at any time, and we would be pleased to assist you in connecting with our distributors in your region. We wish you a pleasant day and a successful hunt (if you have any planned)! Best regards, North Fork Technologies Team

 

[rookhawk]

Good day, Sir. Please feel free to contact us directly at any time, and we would be pleased to assist you in connecting with our distributors in your region. We wish you a pleasant day and a successful hunt (if you have any planned)! Best regards, North Fork Technologies Team

I did contact you @North Fork Technologies, twice this week. Once to ask for load data, and then for the order.

I’d appreciate a response to my load data request when convenient for your staff.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Reloading International shows some 160 gr NF in stock

Reloading International

 

[North Fork Technologies]

I did contact you @North Fork Technologies, twice this week. Once to ask for load data, and then for the order.

I’d appreciate a response to my load data request when convenient for your staff.

Good day,Sir.

Please accept our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience. We always try to respond promptly, and we apologize for the delay.

We would also like to inform you that, beginning in January 2025, you can readily access the load data you require on our website https://www.northforkbullets.com/bullet-construction/loaddata/ and https://www.northforkbullets.com/bullet-construction/data-about-our-bullets/.

We wish you, Sir, a successful hunt and a pleasant weekend.

Best regards,
North Fork Technologies Team

 

[rookhawk]

Good day,Sir.

Please accept our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience. We always try to respond promptly, and we apologize for the delay.

We would also like to inform you that, beginning in January 2025, you can readily access the load data you require on our website https://www.northforkbullets.com/bullet-construction/loaddata/ and https://www.northforkbullets.com/bullet-construction/data-about-our-bullets/.

We wish you, Sir, a successful hunt and a pleasant weekend.

Best regards,
North Fork Technologies Team

Thank you @North Fork Technologies for supporting this forum and your customers. Your website doesn’t offer any load data for 7mm cartridges. Could you please publish the 7x57 load data on your website, respond to my email, or post it here?

Many thanks.

 

[roverandbrew]

@roohawk. I have used in 7x57, 170 grain Oryx (2500fps), 175 Grain NF Softs (2500fps), and 160 Grain NF Softs (2600fps) over the last few trips. My lesson learned is if I expect to shoot over 150 yard I either used the 170 Oryx or 160 NF as the 175s tended to not open well. The Oryx open a bit better at lower velocity.

 

[roverandbrew]

 

[roverandbrew]

Top was 175 NF into a Wildebeest at 125-150 yards
Bottom is 170 Oryx into a Lechwe at 125-150 yards

 

[rookhawk]

Great information @roverandbrew what load data did you use for your 160gr NF SS loads in 7x57?

If velocity was more than adequate, I was thinking of simply picking a powder that was "most accurate" at near starting loads. I'm not a speed maven, I just want them to work.

Would you have any hesitation using the same 160gr NF SS load for all North American game or do you feel the bullet was too tough for deer?

 

[roverandbrew]

Great information @roverandbrew what load data did you use for your 160gr NF SS loads in 7x57?

If velocity was more than adequate, I was thinking of simply picking a powder that was "most accurate" at near starting loads. I'm not a speed maven, I just want them to work.

Would you have any hesitation using the same 160gr NF SS load for all North American game or do you feel the bullet was too tough for deer?

For the 175 NF and 160 NF I used Hendershots as my reloading equipment is still packed from a move. I have loaded the 156 Grain Oryx with 46 grains H4350 as per The Big Book of Gun Gack.

I would not hesitate to use the 160 on North American game. I like NF a lot. With that said...........

After testing A frame, NF, and Oryx I have settle on 156 Grain Oryx for North America and 170 Grain Oryx for Africa. While the Oryx may retain a little less weight I feel on softer skin game they open more reliably.

I love NF in my 375 H&H.

 

[rookhawk]

For the 175 NF and 160 NF I used Hendershots as my reloading equipment is still packed from a move. I have loaded the 156 Grain Oryx with 46 grains H4350 as per The Big Book of Gun Gack.

I would not hesitate to use the 160 on North American game. I like NF a lot. With that said...........

After testing A frame, NF, and Oryx I have settle on 156 Grain Oryx for North America and 170 Grain Oryx for Africa. While the Oryx may retain a little less weight I feel on softer skin game they open more reliably.

I love NF in my 375 H&H.

Wonderful insights. I'm a dyed in the wool A-Frame fan but I wondered whether it would be too much of a good thing in a 7x57 for North America and smaller plains game. I've heard wonderful things about Northforks but I'm always skeptical of new things. The significant testimonials have convinced me to try them in the 7x57 to see if I can get a bit better expansion at lower terminal velocities so I don't have to build multiple loads for a rifle.

 

[Wahoo]

Wonderful insights. I'm a dyed in the wool A-Frame fan but I wondered whether it would be too much of a good thing in a 7x57 for North America and smaller plains game. I've heard wonderful things about Northforks but I'm always skeptical of new things. The significant testimonials have convinced me to try them in the 7x57 to see if I can get a bit better expansion at lower terminal velocities so I don't have to build multiple loads for a rifle.

Not related to your caliber but I’d strongly endorse the Northfork PP version for North American game

 

[rookhawk]

Not related to your caliber but I’d strongly endorse the Northfork PP version for North American game

Doesn't exist @Wahoo . They had a solid and a SS soft when I looked.

 

[Wahoo]

Sad times

 

[Wahoo]

Wonder if jacket thickness is decreased enough in smaller bores to initiate quicker expansion thus no need for the PP version? Sort of along the lines of Aframe vs Heavy Aframe ( unless that’s just marketing hype).

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Wonderful insights. I'm a dyed in the wool A-Frame fan but I wondered whether it would be too much of a good thing in a 7x57 for North America and smaller plains game. I've heard wonderful things about Northforks but I'm always skeptical of new things. The significant testimonials have convinced me to try them in the 7x57 to see if I can get a bit better expansion at lower terminal velocities so I don't have to build multiple loads for a rifle.

Provided they're accurate in the rifle chose, I'd use an A-Frame anytime. But I mostly use North Forks bonded cores. They've typically been easier and quicker to find an accurate load for.

Mind you, NF bonded like good brass. Think Lapua or Norma here. The bullets are true diameter and a consistent neck thickness is critical to avoiding the occasional flier. It's not that the flier is that bad, but it screws with my shooting OCD that I spend the extra on brass to maximize accuracy.

I can't tell you how many NF softs I've loaded from various 7mm cals, .308 cals, .375HH and .470NE, nor how many animals they've accounted for.

As for the 7x57, I wouldn't go higher than 160gr in the NF. It's just not necessary with the weight retention of the bullet. My youngest killed a zebra on a quartering too shot using his 7x57 and a 140gr NF soft. The bullet entered just to the right side of the stallions left shoulder, traversed across the top of the heart severing the blood vessels, through the right lung coming to rest under the hide at the back of the right shoulder.

The stallion dropped at the shot. He regained his feet when Jacque's jack russel caught up to it, ran 20 yards and dropped dead. When we gutted the stallion, the heart just rolled out of the cavity attached to nothing. I don't know how the bullet could perform better.

The load for my son's rifle uses IMR4350, I wouldn't be surprised if that worked well for the 160gr bullet too.

This is nothing against the A-Frame. I just typically find somewhat better accuracy and with fewer variations required to get to my NF loads. Again I'll stress you really need to use the better brass. It took me awhile to figure that one out and talking to the owners of NF prior to Jorgen buying them.