Anyone hunt with the 7mm.-Mauser. Caliber.
If so; how does it compare to the 30-06.
Ammo; availabity?.

Thank you.
Also. What Rifles are availabe in this, Caliber.

yes, a little flatter shooting than the 30-06 with similar bullet weights. good hunting ammo is available from several of the major US and European ammo companies. I had a sporterized Mauser, but I know they are chambered in the Remington 700, Winchester 70, and Ruger 77 and No 1. I also think Blaser and Mauser chamber it in their strait pull rifles. The old 275 Rigby(7X57) makes a fine cartridge for medium game.

Fine old round, have a Ruger #1 International in the 7X57 which is the much older ballistic twin of the 7mm-08.

Ammo is more available for a 30-06. Between 06 and 7X57 for most hunting I would pick the 7X57 unless going for elk or larger game but for all else give me the 7mm.

I have a couple sporterized 7x57 98 Mausers. Great round for anything in Texas. Have killed numerous deer and a few pigs with them - mostly with Remington 140gr Core-lokts. They run about $30/box at Academy these days so I started reloading for it last year. Best thing in my opinion other than the fact it does a great job putting critters down is the lack of recoil. Very easy on the shoulder.

I'll take a 7x57 any day over 30-06.

Thank you Folks.
Outstanding advice.

I bought an old sporterized 93 Mauser from a member up in Ok. several years ago. It was pretty rough, so I halfway reworked it as a gun for my youngest grandson to shoot. It shoots like a champ and the recoil is light enough for my 53" tall 88 lb. grandson to shoot when loaded with 139 gr. bullets.

NO!

The 30-06 is faster in every bullet weight, ergo flatter shooting. Even considering the 7x57's higher Ballistic Coefficient for the same bullet weight and type.

http://www.nosler.com/7x57-mauser
http://www.nosler.com/30-06-springfield

Roo compare apples to apples here's 156 gr 7mm and 180 gr 30/06 from a European manufacturer that loads the 7 to full potential
http://www.norma.cc/en/Products/Hunting/7x57-Mauser/Oryx/
http://www.norma.cc/en/Products/Hunting/30-06-Springfield/Oryx/
The 7mm is very close.

Mike,

I beg to differ, the only thing the 7x57 has going for it is sectional density.

The 30-06 is still 50-100 FPS faster and this is while carrying a 24 grain heavier bullet.

The 30-06 has 340 pounds more of energy at 300 meters.

If you compared the 165 Oryx load in the Springfield to the 156 Oryx load in the Mauser, the Springfield totally blows it out of the water.

I have killed a wide variety of game with the 7mm and 8mm Mauser as well as the 280 (actually a 7x64 Brenneke) and the 30-06.

The Springfield is impossible to beat until you are in the world of magnums.

My point is that they are very similar in terms of drop and wind drift. There is no great difference. In terms of usability, the 30/06 is better when an animals live weight is heavier than 500 lbs, but below that, there's something to be said for the somewhat lower recoil of the 7x57. I shoot and prefer the 30/06 but I try to keep things in perspective, that for most game, they are in the same class.

The BC of the 7mm will be higher as well besides the SD.

Depends on how much you want to spend. You can get a new Zastava commercial '98 Mauser 7x57 9 twist 24" barrel with iron sights from K-Var dist in Las Vegas for around $600. The Euro styled stock is not well finished but this is the same metalwork that Remington used for their 798 series, or is better known as a Mark X from Interarms.

Or

You can order a new & "improved" hand finished production grade Winchester M70 clone from Montana Rifle Co in the 1999 ASR aka American Standard Rifle series that is equal to or better finished inside & out than a FN Winchester in 4 finish's - blue/wood, SS-wood, blue/syn & SS/syn & for around $1100-$1200. 9 twist 24" barrel and all the bells & whistles. Money aside I'd buy either one...but I'd start with the MRC's.

OBTW the ASR MRC Synthetic stocks are probably the same B&C Medallist's that FN uses on their WW EW M70's, since some other parts are commonly exchangeable, like scope mt's and so on. MRC also has a longer caliber list than FN does with 22 calibers offered. Some left hand stuff coming on line too. MRC is who built the CZ Model 3 Short Mags.
Ron

Absolutely, got on my high horse on the 30-06 as I think it does 99% of the hunting in the world well. I have used it on five continents with great success.

Personally though I long for a 1 in 8 twist super 30 shooting 220-230 Grain VLD bullets maybe a 300 Ultra. I'll see how it goes when I get back.

An STW and a 180VLD or if the 190VLD ever comes out are nasty medicine.

I think it is a great cartridge especially for the medium size game animals like deer. Though I can't remember the gents name in Africa, he use to bag elephants with it and 175 gr cupro-nickel bullets. It has more case capacity than the T65 case and can shoot usually higher BC balls. I am not sure who makes rifles in the US at this particular time, but Ruger use to chamber it in the 77 and possibly Remington in their pumps and autos. The factory ammo for it now is basically sort of expensive ? and more or less low recoil ammo because of the "93" & "95" actions. If you were to get 275 Rigby ammo it is the same as the 7x57, but should be loaded close to its potential because of the English chamberings. If you had an action other than the 93 or 95 or the like and of good steel like the 98, 24, or earlier factory actions then you can load it to its full potential. It is also a bit more comfortable to shoot than the 06. The 06 with ammo availability almost everywhere is just a killer of all sizes of game at short range and long range.

Mr Bell killed well over 1000 elephant's with 7x57.

WDM Bell, aka Walter Dalrymple Maitland Bell, born Scotland UK, 1880 to 1954 or 1881 to 1957 depending on source. Got the nickname "Karamojo" from the area now known as NWest Uganda where he Safari'd primarily. Recorded over 1000 elephant kills in his career & known for taking close in brain shots with a 275 Rigby aka 7x57 Mauser.

Modern 7x57 rifles are capable of using higher pressure ammunition loaded to todays standards. 7x57 rifles are produced today by european companies from high end mfg'ers like Steyr & Blaser to the low end like Zastava's commercial mausers under several names like Mark X, Whitworth and others.

The Kalispel, MT Montana Rifle Co 1999 American Standard Rifle "ASR" Production series catalogs new 7x57's in 4 styles of wood/blue, wood/SS, blue/Syn & SS/Syn in the WW M70 clones they build. Receivers are investment castings, done by Pine Tree Castings, a Ruger Company. Stocks are American Black Walnut in the same grade as Ruger & FN Winchester's.
Ron

actually according to winchester ballistics
7x57 145gr 1566v fps super x power point is faster than the 30.06 150gr 1558v fps super x power point

I love my 7x57 chileano 95 mauser, got it as a bday gift from Dad 24 yrs ago. Still Killing Dear...my daughter 13 will be using it for her 1st deer hopefully sat! I will result to my 93 Brazilian mauser in 30.06...

either way... both outstanding calibers, go with the rifle that fits you best, 30.06 always easier to find the ammo for