7x57 bullet mold

[soonerfan66]

Looking for a bullet mold for my 7mm Spanish Mauser . I know a long round nose works best around the 160gr area . Only thing I have seen close is a (I think) 130-140 gr mold by Lee . Not sure if that is to light . I looked on Accurate Molds site and didn't see one for a round nose but saw some with the rounded flat top style , again not sure how that would work . Anybody casting for their 7x57 loads ?

Information

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[old tanker]

I have pretty good luck with this bullet. The bores on my Chilean Mauser and my Rolling block are both pretty generous. Shooting these as cast works pretty well while jacketed bullets which are .284 in diameter scatter all over the place.

[soonerfan66]

Great minds must think alike ! I just ordered one today but it's the double shot not the soup can one . Glad to hear you had good luck .I was worried about it being to light of a bullet and a flat point and not a round nose .

---------- Post added at 03:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:09 PM ----------

What load and powder do you use . Right now all I got is IMR4895 . Powder is like toilet paper when this covid stuff first started !

---------- Post added at 03:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:11 PM ----------

I bought some pulled round nose bullets and loaded and shot them and really liked them with a 34.0 charge of the IMR4895 . But the 175 spitzer bullet was barn door size groups .

[old tanker]

I have not loaded these with IMR 4895. I use SR4759, which, unfortunately, had been discontinued as my go to cast bullet rifle powder. I use it in 7x57, .30-06 and .375 H&H

In 7x57, 23.5 grains of SR4759 drives the "soup can" bullet about 2000 fps. A pleasant shooting load that delivers about 2.5 MOA groups for me.

[soonerfan66]

Thanks tanker . My go to powder is H4895 but right now beggers can't be choosey !!

[soonerfan66]

Good news , bad news . Good news . Got a package in the mail Friday and it was the new bullet mold I ordered . I cleaned it up and made up a few new bullets , this morning I checked the load data for them and made up a few test rounds . Only made 12 rounds , was mainly just wanting to get a ball park idea were I was at . Now the bad news . I put up a 3x4 ft piece of paper and spread 4 pieces of orange duct tape as my target for each 3 round group . Goose egg , no hits on paper at all . Never had that happen before . . Will load up some more rounds and put up a 6x6 feet spread of paper next time and move closer !! But will be several days before can shoot again . To much stuff at church Sunday and the weather is rain all week long . Guess will just have to wait and see .

[Ovidio]

The virtue of these days...patience.
At what range did you try the new boolits?
Although no hits on such a target really sounds wrong...

[Daan Kemp]

What distance? Seems like they are either way too low or way too high.

[soonerfan66]

Was at 50 yards . Yes was surprised with not seeing holes anywhere . I like using a large piece of paper like that when using a new bullet . Seen some pretty wide spreads before from rifles from the load/bullet or just a well used barrel but never a total miss !!!! . I am wondering about one thing . I have been told for years and done this several times in the past and not had issues that you can use a gas checked bullet and not use the gas check and be ok . Could this maybe a case were it NEEDS a gas check ? I don't have any experience using gas checks so totally out of my area with them .

[browningautorifle]

you can use a gas checked bullet and not use the gas check and be ok

As suggested, get closer and see. You'll probably find oblong holes because you aren't stabilizing. If they want a gas check use it. If you're loading full house loads with regular powders and un gas checked bullets, you're blowing them straight through the rifling. Even when using the gas checks, you might want to consult a book like Lyman lead bullets to get the loads. You may be loading them too hot.