120gr TTSX in 7x57

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Interesting thread here guys.

I'm loading the 140gn T.S.X and have registered a max 2950fps in my 7x64mm with 57gns of R19.
With the capacity of the x64mm case being a bit more than the x57mm case I expected to get closer to the velocities the manuals suggest (3150fps).
Maybe I need to re-test ?

I am intrigued to read about the velocities some of you are getting in the various 7mm cases.

Phil have you done any further loading/testing with the 120's ?

No, show season kept me busy. Best load so far are 140gr North Fork bonded cores. Getting 2850fps and well under 1" groupings. Still want to work with the 120gr TTSX's but haven't had much time lately.

 

[PaulT]

No, show season kept me busy. Best load so far are 140gr North Fork bonded cores. Getting 2850fps and well under 1" groupings. Still want to work with the 120gr TTSX's but haven't had much time lately.

Wow, there's not a lot between the two cartridges, Phil, the obvious difference being the length of the mono T.S.X and the lead core N.F taking less cartridge space.

I'm going to try fooling with the load length and re-test them.
Obviously I don't think there's much wrong with a 140gner at 2950 but I just wonder if that's enough muzzle velocity to ensure the T.S.X's peel back on soft skinned game down range at 200 +yds where they have slowed down some.

Thanks for the feed-back

 

[sestoppelman]

Yes, in the 7x64 you should be able to get 3150fps, its basically the same round as the .280 Rem and its easy to do there. I used to use 57 grs of IMR4350 with a 145 Speer and get over 3000fps. We were getting just over 3k (140 Barnes) in my boys .284 Win for RSA last summer. 55.5 grs of Win760 worked for us there. That in a 22 inch bbl too.

 

[Code4]

I worked up a 140gr Nosler BT load that is very accurate in my son's rifle.

When I read 'very accurate' I thought, no need to go any further.

Better off to spend your time and money finding more 140 BT's.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Wow, there's not a lot between the two cartridges, Phil, the obvious difference being the length of the mono T.S.X and the lead core N.F taking less cartridge space.

I'm going to try fooling with the load length and re-test them.
Obviously I don't think there's much wrong with a 140gner at 2950 but I just wonder if that's enough muzzle velocity to ensure the T.S.X's peel back on soft skinned game down range at 200 +yds where they have slowed down some.

Thanks for the feed-back

That's why I like the NF's, no such worries.

 

[LRich]

I'm getting ready to start a 7x57 project. Seems everyone in this thread is mostly discussing 120 gr to 140 gr bullets and barely any mention of 160 gr - 175 gr bullets.

That being said, what twist rate are you guys using for the lighter weight bullets?

Is there a twist rate that generally shoots most of the bullet weights pretty well?

 

[sestoppelman]

Best all around twist for any 7mm is 1 in 9. It will handle the heavy bullets fine as well as the lighter. Better to have a quicker twist than slower, you will have more latitude as regards bullet weights. Put differently, if you want to shoot a full range of weights well, go quicker. If you want only to shoot lighter, shorter bullets, then a slower twist might be better.

 

[Divernhunter]

I only have a 7mm-08 and it shoots 110gr TTSX into one hole at 3000FPS as I remember. They work. Remember a Barnes bullet acts like a lead core bullet 30% heavier so the 110gr TTSX works like a 143gr lead bullet.

 

[nztimb]

I'm getting ready to start a 7x57 project. Seems everyone in this thread is mostly discussing 120 gr to 140 gr bullets and barely any mention of 160 gr - 175 gr bullets.

That being said, what twist rate are you guys using for the lighter weight bullets?

Is there a twist rate that generally shoots most of the bullet weights pretty well?

As mentioned above (by sestoppleman) a 1in 9 twist works well across the board and while the original question was on the light weight bullets my favoured bullet in my 7x57 is the 160gn Woodleigh and over a good dose of H4350 runs at 2700fps from my 25 in barrel.

 

[Rob404]

I'm ready to start re-loading my 7x57, it's a Chilean Small Ring built in Berlin with a 22 inch Green Mountain Barrel. I'd like to use 150s because i have an inventory of them from my 7-08 and 7mm Rem Mag. I'm slightly concerned because my understanding that even tho the actions were state of the art a 100 years ago I'm told not to over load the old Mausers, so something in the 25oo to 27oo fps would satisfy me . I would use this as My Plains Game rifle on my next trip to Africa

 

[Red Leg]

This ancient thread is probably worth an update. As I noted in an earlier post, I am a fan of the heavier for cal bullets in the 7x57. I brought one of mine (.275 Rigby Highland Stalker) to Zambia to hunt PG on Mike's (@spike.t) bit of heaven. The 170gr Oryx groups beautifully out of the rifle, and the heavy for caliber bullets worked as expected on game from Sable to Suni.

 

[SRvet]

I shoot the 120g TTSX from my 7 Rem Mag all the time at a modest 3250fps. I have taken well over a hundred red and roe deer out to 300 plus metres (350yards) and never lost a deer or recovered a bullet. Penetration is definitely not a problem.

 

[Red Leg]

This ancient thread is probably worth an update. As I noted in an earlier post, I am a fan of the heavier for cal bullets in the 7x57. I brought one of mine (.275 Rigby Highland Stalker) to Zambia to hunt PG on Mike's (@spike.t) bit of heaven. The 170gr Oryx groups beautifully out of the rifle, and the heavy for caliber bullets worked as expected on game from Sable to Suni.

View attachment 478041

Actually blue duiker and not suni - probably still can't believe I finally had a shot at one of the little buggers.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I’m a huge proponent of the 7x57mm Mauser. My Churchill Gunmakers Model Deluxe has accounted for lots of game over the years. But I recommend heavy for caliber bullets (160Gr-175Gr), especially in rifles with 1:8.7 twist rates (like my Churchill).

175 Gr Winchester Super x

175Gr Sellier & Bellot Nosler Partition

 

[C.W. Richter]

I generally love the TX clan. My only hesitation with the 120 in a 7 mm would be penetration. The TTX drives well, but the 7x57 made its rep with heavy for cal bullets. The 140 is a great general purpose load for medium size game. We're I using my 7x57 on PG, I would old school it and be experimenting with a tough 175.

The SD of a 120 7mm bullet is 0.210 (that's equivalent to a .224" 65 gr bullet for varmints.) No bueno. There is no advantage to plastic tipped bullets inside 400-450 yds. Use Nos PTs (160-175 gr 0.28-0.310 SD.) 140s-150 would be better than the 120s, but the heavier slugs even better. (the 140s-160s-175s all shots touching w/proper handloading.)

 

[sestoppelman]

My boy shoots a .284 Win in the model 70 and our load drives a 140 TSX at just over 3000fps and drops African game rapidly, even wildebeest.

 

[steve white]

This ancient thread is probably worth an update. As I noted in an earlier post, I am a fan of the heavier for cal bullets in the 7x57. I brought one of mine (.275 Rigby Highland Stalker) to Zambia to hunt PG on Mike's (@spike.t) bit of heaven. The 170gr Oryx groups beautifully out of the rifle, and the heavy for caliber bullets worked as expected on game from Sable to Suni.

View attachment 478041

Is that a Puku, I presume?

 

[Ryan]

I have a 7mm-08 using 120 TTSX at 3000 fps muzzle velocity. It drops 250-350 pound caribou without issue. I dropped a bull heading towards me at an angle last year, hitting and breaking the the base of the neck and it still went on through the vitals and some of the stomach where I found it intact.

 

[Red Leg]

Is that a Puku, I presume?

Yes. And a pretty good one.

The blue duiker was a monster male. 18 total days over three safaris in two countries trying to stalk and kill one with a rifle.

Mike @spike.t also has some incredible sable and kafue lechwe.

The 170 gr bullet worked perfectly at 225 yards for the Lechwe to 25 yards for the blue duiker.