What's the best caliber? Always a popular question. Of course there is no definitive answer. Too many variables. But I do have my own personal favorite. Not the magic caliber that can do it all (which doesn't exist) but a good choice for hunting most big game American hunters would pursue and a darn good cartridge for fun shooting.
The 7x57 Mauser is well over 125 years old and I have a long love affair going with it. Not all 125 years, mind you. I'm not quite THAT old.
The .284" bullet in 160 and 175 grain weights have great ballistic coefficients for long range shooting. The 7x57 is powerful enough without being in the least bit punishing on recoil.
A few years ago a big surplus outlet was selling military 7x57 ammo for about a nickel a round if you bought a thousand. I bagged three thousand. Stamped 1970 this ammo is loaded with a 139 grain pointed, boat tail, FMJ bullet. It is loaded pretty hot. It clocks 2925 FPS over my Chrony and is incredibly consistent. No more than 5 FPS variation.
Here are a couple of the 7x57 rifles I currently own.
The 7x57 Mauser is well over 125 years old and I have a long love affair going with it. Not all 125 years, mind you. I'm not quite THAT old.
The .284" bullet in 160 and 175 grain weights have great ballistic coefficients for long range shooting. The 7x57 is powerful enough without being in the least bit punishing on recoil.
A few years ago a big surplus outlet was selling military 7x57 ammo for about a nickel a round if you bought a thousand. I bagged three thousand. Stamped 1970 this ammo is loaded with a 139 grain pointed, boat tail, FMJ bullet. It is loaded pretty hot. It clocks 2925 FPS over my Chrony and is incredibly consistent. No more than 5 FPS variation.
Here are a couple of the 7x57 rifles I currently own.