Ran across this searching for something else today. For those that haven't read Mr. O'Connors writings he is one of our best gun scribes ever in the opine of many especially those of us that remember him as Shooting editor of Outdoor Life. He wrote this for Gun Digest on the 7X57
Lots of good in site into hunting and some of the things that have been discussed lately like shot distance is covered in this as well, much better written than I ever could. ..
With the advent of newer bullets the 7X57 might just be better today than when Jack and his wife were traveling the world hunting. What he wrote about it can be said about the 7mm-08 which is its modern ballistic twin, at least until you get over 162gr bullets where the X57 will have a bit of an advantage.
Lots of good in site into hunting and some of the things that have been discussed lately like shot distance is covered in this as well, much better written than I ever could. ..
Just before writing this I read a piece by a writer who dotes on the magnums more than I do. He uses the 7×57 as a dreadful example of the non-magnum. He says that “200 yards is close to the practical killing limit of the 7×57.”-He adds that this is because the energy has then fallen off to about 1,400 ft. pounds.
Jack O’ Connor and friend with a 38½″ gemsbok, the kill made in Southwest Africa in 1972, Jack’s rifle a 7×57.
Well, I’ve got news for the lad. Two hundred yards is not only the practical killing range of the 7×57, but also the practical killing range of the 30-06, the 7mm Magnum, the 300 Weatherby Magnum, and what have you. The reason for this is that very few hunters can lay the bullets into the vital area of a game animal at any greater distance, even under the most favorable conditions. In fact, I’d bet a sugar cookie that most hunters could kill stuff farther away with the 7×57 than they could with the 7mm Magnum. It would not kick them so hard. They wouldn’t be afraid of it, and they would shoot it better. I have some more news: game is not killed by foot pounds of energy. In fact, the energy has little to do with killing power. Animals are killed by putting in the right place a bullet that penetrates deep enough and opens up adequately.
Jack O’ Connor and friend with a 38½″ gemsbok, the kill made in Southwest Africa in 1972, Jack’s rifle a 7×57.
Well, I’ve got news for the lad. Two hundred yards is not only the practical killing range of the 7×57, but also the practical killing range of the 30-06, the 7mm Magnum, the 300 Weatherby Magnum, and what have you. The reason for this is that very few hunters can lay the bullets into the vital area of a game animal at any greater distance, even under the most favorable conditions. In fact, I’d bet a sugar cookie that most hunters could kill stuff farther away with the 7×57 than they could with the 7mm Magnum. It would not kick them so hard. They wouldn’t be afraid of it, and they would shoot it better. I have some more news: game is not killed by foot pounds of energy. In fact, the energy has little to do with killing power. Animals are killed by putting in the right place a bullet that penetrates deep enough and opens up adequately.
With the advent of newer bullets the 7X57 might just be better today than when Jack and his wife were traveling the world hunting. What he wrote about it can be said about the 7mm-08 which is its modern ballistic twin, at least until you get over 162gr bullets where the X57 will have a bit of an advantage.
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