7x57...When Did It Become An Obsolete Cartridge?

As long as I've been alive, and for 60 years before that, the 7x57 was a respected sporting cartridge that took a back seat to nothing in its class.

Modern rifles have been chambered in 7x57 with Ruger, Remington, Winchester, and many more. A search today showed nobody is chambering the 7x57 in catalogued rifles.

Guess what? I have been at a dozen sporting goods retailers over the last few days looking to buy 7x57 ammo, and only two places had it. Cabelas only had Eastern Bloc ammo, and Sportsmans had Federal, but at a higher price than many modern magnum cartridges.

Of all the cartridges, I don't know why this one would be doomed to obsolescence.

WAYNO.

Not obsolete just replaced by the 275 Rigby :lol: but last time I bought brass all that was available was Prvi Partizan.

Call it 7x57, 7mm Mauser, or .275 Rigby. If it's not on the shelf, and the stores are not stocking it, that still sounds obsolete.

I am excited to be owning a KM77 RSI in this chambering, but a criteria I've tried to abide by with my hunting rifles, is ammo has to be available at any country gas station. 7x57 was always on every shelf. Again, I'm just surprised it no longer is.

WAYNO.

I am 66 yo. I have never seen ammo for it anywhere. Then again
I wasn't looking for any either. The .270 was pushed by Jack O'Connor. Then the 7mm magnum came along. I would say that is why the 7x57 disappeared. IMO
gramps

It's around. I see it on a regular basis at gun shows. More so than at most big box stores. Some smaller shops still have it occasionally.

Can't answer your initial question, but for ammo, go to ammoseek.com. They show many brands & bullet weights at several distributors.

A great cartridge, but the generation, or generations of shooters that appreciated it are slowly leaving the range. New shooters are bedazzled with a wide array of new offerings.

There are a lot of reasons that a cartridge falls out of favor. Many of the older smokeless military rounds that became very popular hunting/target rounds for civilian use have fallen in popularity.
Some of this has to do with "what's new", what's new in guns, what's new in cartridge development, what's the new whizzbang in marketing.
Many of this is justified if looked at closely, many bolt gun makers are concentrating on short throw actions, something these older rounds don't fall into.
I don't know how many seemingly normal guys I've met that now are insane for a .338 Lapua Mag rifle and its' set the prairie on fire cartridge. Heck half the guns sold for hunting now days look more like an overloaded sniper rifle than something you would want to lug around all day on a hunt.
I agree it's sad to see, I have a love for many calibers that are twice as old as me.
I will add that Norma, Federal, Nosler, Remington, Hornady and Winchester all offer at least one type of cartridge in 7mm Mauser. Sellier & Bellot, I wouldn't call them east bloc, offers 5 different loads and they make fine hunting and target ammo, so not all is lost.
Unfortunately, many people just don't want to stock stuff on their shelves anymore, that's why most of my factory ammo is purchased online.

It's called marketing, IMHO. Sure, that 7X57 Mauser rifle will kill anything that walks. But, I (as a manufacturer and/or retailer) would rather sell you a new rifle chambered for the latest and greatest WSSM or SAUM cartridge, so you also have to buy a new scope, mount, rings, sling, case, ammo, dies, brass, etc., than I would a couple of boxes of ammo every year or two. Then after a few years I either entirely abandon those cartridges or else relegate their ammo production to a 'seasonal' basis, and the cycle continues.

Have you tried to find .30-40 Krag ammo recently?

I guess the world progresses when I think I don't need to.

One day, I guess I will read that the .30-06 is no longer made, as the .3000 Short-Long-Extra Magnum has taken the shooting world by storm. And then the .280, the .270, and the .25-06 will be gone also, as they're based on a 100+ year old case that is old school. There will be new .28's, new 27's, and new 25's that will do a remarkably better job of bruising shoulders. Then the really old folks will say, remember how well the old 30-06 shot?

WAYNO.

WAYNO, I was thinking the same thing. To expand on that, I have been thinking back to the times when all I ever needed was a 30-06. That still holds true today. I personally believe the '06 will always have a significant place in the shooting world, much like the 30-30.
Just recently I purchased a Ruger American chambered in 30-06. Why? Because I wanted one rifle to bridge the gap between my dedicated deer rifle calibers and those chambered for bigger game such as elk and moose.
What this says to me is that the old '06 can do the job for all my hunting needs. I think if pinned down, most folks would take a 30-06 as one rifle caliber to meet most all hunting requirements in the continental U.S.
And don't forget the other '06 knock-offs; the 35 Whelen and 338-06.

Dave

Not obsolete on my place. I currently have three 7x57 rifles (2 on 98 type actions and a 93). Using proper handloads, the 7x57 is equal to (or a wee bit above) 7mm08 performance which makes it a decent choice for most hunting up to elk with range considerations. The 7x57 was my primary deer rifle for several years during the "big numbers years" and put a LOT of meat in the freezer.

Hi...
Not obsolete over here...I have a couple of 7x57 Mauser bolt action rifles that My son and I shoot regularly.
If I could find one of the CZ Mannlicher-stocked rifles in 7x57, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

Pretty much the only type of hunting rifle I am currently in the market for. I don't really need one but I sure would like to have one for white tail hunting.

Not obsolete here either, I use my RSI #1 in 7mm for Deer and hogs here in FL. Reload all my own ammo, Max load, 7mm with 120 Sierra's is Deadly and accurate

The younger generations may not appreciate the grand old 7X57 but it always has been & always will be a great deer, elk & bear cartridge when used with good bullets. The bigger & newer calibers only give you more distance but do it at the expense of more powder, more pressure & more recoil. The 7X57 is up to the task out to 300 yds or so in the hands of an experienced shooter using quality ammo & is easy on the back end & tough out the front end,what's not to like.
My first one, built in the early 70's on a pre 64 model 70 action took several mule deer, a bear & a couple of elk using either 139 gr. Hornady or 140 gr. Sierra bullets. All were one shot kills & the big magnums couldn't have saved me one single step.
My second 7X57 was one of the very rare Ruger 77's with the 24" barrel, I believe these rifle's were only made one year & very few people even know they were ever made. Mine would shoot just about any handload under an inch at 100 yds & was a great game getter, who needs a magnum?

Dick

7x57 using 140 Nosler BT with H414 powder in a strong action is equal or better than anything the 7mm08 can offer. The wimpy commercial factory loads are what I'd call "reduced recoil" levels vs. "real" ammo, but are safe for even the shakiest/weakest actions.

sixshot said:

........ who needs a magnum?

Dick

Click to expand...

Everybody needs a magnum, at least according to current gun rags and internet chatter. For the last 20 years or so we have been told that we need a .300 Win Mag for whitetail deer (the old .30-30 just won't do the job) and a .338 Mag for elk - it's a miracle that any of them were ever killed with a .270 or a .30-06.

The idea that a super-duper boomer is necessary just overlooks the fact that it still won't compensate for poor marksmanship or taking a shot that should have been passed up.

It does seem to be fading, no new rifles being chambered & not much ammunition available locally. Plenty to be had if you can buy online, but not a great selection of bullet weights & types. Handloading components are plentiful, though.

Have a CZ 550 American in 7x57. If any gun would ever have to be pried from my cold dead fingers, that'd be the one.

Bet you're gonna love that RSI.

Hi,

Suppose the 7x57 is fading everywhere, or just in the US?

It's been a while since I recall a post from him, but fellow member Pieter (Kudu m77) in South Africa's shared many pictures of fine animals he and his family/friends have taken in his part of the world. Two rifles seem to show up in most of them: a 7x57 and a .30-06. It would be interesting to hear his take on how "cartridge wars" affect that world.

Rick C

Rick Courtright said:

Hi,

Suppose the 7x57 is fading everywhere, or just in the US?

Click to expand...

Interesting question, for sure. Seems it's always been a more popular choice in Africa & EU, maybe it still is.

holmegaard said:

Rick Courtright said:

Hi,

Suppose the 7x57 is fading everywhere, or just in the US?

Click to expand...

Interesting question, for sure. Seems it's always been a more popular choice in Africa & EU, maybe it still is.

Click to expand...

It very likely is. But, I have been searching for a good part of a week, even online, and this ammo is scarce, unless I want to spend $40 to $60 a box of twenty. I've found it multiple places for thirty-ish, but in every case, it is out of stock. Even the S&B ammo is sold out. PPU is the only ammo I'm finding regularly. Then just yesterday, at Natchez, I found Remington Premium at $26 bucks a box! Betchur culo I ordered 200 rounds.

Also, if a feller googles "Is 7x57 obsolete?", there are tons of hits, suggesting many folks have the same question.

WAYNO.