Is the 7mm Mauser a good deer rifle?
MS
I have hunted small game for years but due to my location - haven't
been able to hunt larger game. A recent move is enabling me to hunt big
game(deer) this season!! Yahoo! Anyway, I am interested in trying to
acquire a relatively inexpensive (less than $200) deer rifle. I have seen
ads for 7mm mausers, 30-30's and some single shot rifles that fit the bill.
Many of the 'locals' recommend a 30-30 win. Although, I am not opposed
to this, I have found a 7mm Mauser being sold locally that would really fit
the bill financially.
In trying to investigate the 7mm, there seems to be some confusion
concerning the effectiveness of the 7mm as a deer rifle. I have 'surfed'
the net and have come up with one opinion that the 7mm Mauser is an old
cartridge and not real effective compared to other, newer calibers - where
the author recommended other calibers. On the other hand, I have seen a
couple of sites comparing the ballistics of the 7mm to a .308 and discussing
their effectiveness of medium-large game rifles. Not having much
experience, I would appreciate comments from those of you that have used
them for deer hunting.
Thanks,
MS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at:
http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
P.A. Harrington
wrote:
> In trying to investigate the 7mm, there seems to be some confusion
>concerning the effectiveness of the 7mm as a deer rifle. I have 'surfed'
>the net and have come up with one opinion that the 7mm Mauser is an old
>cartridge and not real effective compared to other, newer calibers - where
>the author recommended other calibers. On the other hand, I have seen a
>couple of sites comparing the ballistics of the 7mm to a .308 and discussing
>their effectiveness of medium-large game rifles. Not having much
>experience, I would appreciate comments from those of you that have used
>them for deer hunting.
The 7mm Mauser is an excellent deer cartridge. It is typically loaded
with long-for-caliber bullets (160 gr range) which tend to have
excellent penetration capabilities, even with lightly constructed
bullets. You will be well served by the 7mm Mauser for all practical
distances, and your shoulder won't get beat up.
..P
Tom Rutledge
> Hello there,
>
> I have hunted small game for years but due to my location - haven't
> been able to hunt larger game. A recent move is enabling me to hunt big
> game(deer) this season!! Yahoo! Anyway, I am interested in trying to
> acquire a relatively inexpensive (less than $200) deer rifle. I have seen
> ads for 7mm mausers, 30-30's and some single shot rifles that fit the bill.
> Many of the 'locals' recommend a 30-30 win. Although, I am not opposed
> to this, I have found a 7mm Mauser being sold locally that would really fit
> the bill financially.
> In trying to investigate the 7mm, there seems to be some confusion
> concerning the effectiveness of the 7mm as a deer rifle.
7x57 is an *excellent* deer cartridge. I like experimenting with different
wierd stuff, but if I ever had to finally settle down with one deer cartridge,
that would be a strong contender.
I would wonder more about the rifle; in that price range, I'd want to have a
gunsmith I trusted (with my life!) check it out and deem it safe before I fired
it.
Tom
Brian Lawrence
One of my hunting partners uses the 7mm mauser. He loves it. It works
great for deer, and he has taken 2 elk with it, both dropped in their
tracks.
It is very similar to the 7mm-08. But the thing to really look at is the
condition of the rifle you plan to buy some of the really old ones may be in
need of some serious work. I would have a reputable gunsmith look at
anything you are considering.
Best Regards,
Brian
----- Original Message -----
From: MS <stoich...@HOTMAIL.COM>
Newsgroups: rec.hunting
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2000 12:37 PM
Subject: Is the 7mm Mauser a good deer rifle?
> Hello there,
>
> I have hunted small game for years but due to my location - haven't
> been able to hunt larger game. A recent move is enabling me to hunt big
> game(deer) this season!! Yahoo! Anyway, I am interested in trying to
> acquire a relatively inexpensive (less than $200) deer rifle. I have seen
> ads for 7mm mausers, 30-30's and some single shot rifles that fit the
bill.
> Many of the 'locals' recommend a 30-30 win. Although, I am not
opposed
> to this, I have found a 7mm Mauser being sold locally that would really
fit
> the bill financially.
> In trying to investigate the 7mm, there seems to be some confusion
> concerning the effectiveness of the 7mm as a deer rifle. I have 'surfed'
> the net and have come up with one opinion that the 7mm Mauser is an old
> cartridge and not real effective compared to other, newer calibers - where
> the author recommended other calibers. On the other hand, I have seen a
> couple of sites comparing the ballistics of the 7mm to a .308 and
discussing
> their effectiveness of medium-large game rifles. Not having much
> experience, I would appreciate comments from those of you that have used
> them for deer hunting.
>
> Thanks,
> MS
joe huhn
you are looking at able to accept a scope without alterations? that is
usually the prime concern for older military rifles. Also is 7mm ammo
available and affordable in your area? that can be another draw back.
Remington offers this round in 140 grain soft points
muzzle velocity = 2660 ft/sec
muzzle energy = 2199 ft/lbs
slightly faster and hits a little harder than the 30/30 (2390 ft/sec and
1902 ft/lbs according to Remington)
John Galt
>
> In trying to investigate the 7mm, there seems to be some confusion
> concerning the effectiveness of the 7mm as a deer rifle. I have 'surfed'
> the net and have come up with one opinion that the 7mm Mauser is an old
> cartridge and not real effective compared to other, newer calibers
Bunkum and hokem. The 7mm Mauser is as good today as it was 80+ years ago when
it was WDM Bell's favorite elephant rifle. The 7mm has a good enough trajectory
to handle your deer out to 300 yards (assuming suitable sights {scope}).
Remember that the 7x57 has been around for a long time, so most factory ammo is
downloaded a bit to be safe in the older rifles. If you are a reloader and know
how to read pressure signs (Bob Hagel's book Guns, Game, and Hunting Loads), you
can develop loads that will make a modern 7x57 sit up and speak with authority.
If not, standard Remington loads and their Core-lokt bullet will dispatch deer
at ranges 200 yards and under with the same efficiency as any other rifle in the
7mm through .308 class. It is all in where you put the bullet. Hit the deer in
the heart/lungs and it will die. Hit it in the ham and it will run off and
you'll probably never see it again.
--
I do not exist to serve the state.
Charles Rice
>Hello there,
>
> In trying to investigate the 7mm, there seems to be some confusion
>concerning the effectiveness of the 7mm as a deer rifle. I have 'surfed'
>the net and have come up with one opinion that the 7mm Mauser is an old
>experience, I would appreciate comments from those of you that have used
>them for deer hunting.
ranges.
I have used it many times in Minnesota and Wisconsin with no problems.
Longest shot taken was about 175yds.
altj...@webtv.net
(guestimate 300 plus pounds) in Germany with it. My son has killed 2
small feral hogs, a Texas whitetail buck and a doe with it as well.
Other calibers we use are 30-06, .308 Winchester, and .250 Savage. I
doubt any animal less than 500 lbs would know whether it was hit with
the 7x57, .308 or 30-06 with proper bullet selection. My preferred ammo
is the Remington Corelokt (140 grain in the 7mm).
The gun we use on a particular day is usually decided by what's
available and our preference for the rifle, not the cartridge (except
maybe the .250). The 7x57 will serve you well on deer.
Paul
L. Cooper
>
> Hello there,
>
> I have hunted small game for years but due to my location - haven't
> been able to hunt larger game. A recent move is enabling me to hunt big
> game(deer) this season!! Yahoo! Anyway, I am interested in trying to
> acquire a relatively inexpensive (less than $200) deer rifle. I have seen
> ads for 7mm mausers, 30-30's and some single shot rifles that fit the bill.
> Many of the 'locals' recommend a 30-30 win. Although, I am not opposed
> to this, I have found a 7mm Mauser being sold locally that would really fit
> the bill financially.
The 7X57 is an excellent deer round, far superior to the .30-30 except
at perhaps ranges of less than 50 yards. I would be concerned about any
rifle chambered in the cartridge that sold for less than $200 since the
round is recognized by so many as a very good one and good rifles so
chambered usually are worth more. Have it checked out by a good
gunsmith before you lay down the money permanently, but have no qualms
about the old Mauser cartridge.
Larry
Joakim Baeckstroem
> Other calibers we use are 30-06, .308 Winchester, and .250 Savage.
How common is the .250 Savage, really?
I recieved a Savage 99 lever action chambered for the .250 Savage
from my grandfather a couple of years ago. I really like the rifle,
and the cartridge is perfect for the Swedish roe-deer and other game
that size. The problem was to find ammo. I asked around in all weapon
stores I could find in the country, and finally I found one who had
20 boxes Winchester Silvertip 100gr. I bought all of them, even if I
think the bullet is too soft and destroys too much meat.
I have asked around some more, and from what I can see nobody is
importing .250 to Sweden anymore. Some stores even claimed that it's
not even manufactured anymore. Is this true? In that case - why? It's
a very nice cartridge, in my opinion.
So, my questions are (1) is the cartridge common in the US (in
Sweden I've met only one other guy using it, most people haven't even
heard of it) and (2) is anyone manufacturing ammo anymore?
Personally, I have taken up handloading, so I can continue to use
the rifle no matter what (.25 caliber bullets are not too tough to
find), but I'm curious.
/Joakim
--
((( ))) _ _
\''/ Joakim Backstrom, bac...@fy.chalmers.se
(__) <http://fy.chalmers.se/~backstr/jocke.html>
U
joe lunenschloss
>How common is the .250 Savage, really?
The ammo is stocked in any decent gun store in the USA, but it is not
nearly as popular as it once was. It is still a good cartridge for
deer sized (200 lb or less) animals.
>I have asked around some more, and from what I can see nobody is
>importing .250 to Sweden anymore. Some stores even claimed that it's
>not even manufactured anymore. Is this true? In that case - why? It's
>a very nice cartridge, in my opinion.
It is still manufactured in the US, and probably will be for years to
come. BTW, you can get premium bullets for it if you wanted something
less explosive to shoot in it. You will have to reload though.
>Personally, I have taken up handloading, so I can continue to use
>the rifle no matter what (.25 caliber bullets are not too tough to
>find), but I'm curious.
Well you've already got enough brass, if bullets are easy to get,
you've got no problems for the foreseeable future.
joe
"The doorway to all freedoms is framed with muskets"
--from an old NRA 'junk mail' solicitation--
CMorgan731
It's still a popular cartridge here in the states, especially in custom
light weight rifles. Production of ammo has been cut back by Winchester to a
few runs a year but brass is still plentiful and most of us reload here so
bullet choice is no problem.
I also have a Savage 99 in .250 Savage and I'm planing on building a bolt
action in that caliber soon. Hope this helps.
Chris
altj...@webtv.net
Remington in a 100 grain core-lokt. I don't necessarily find it easy to
find in local stores. Ordering it from Redhead or Cabela's is not a
problem.
Paul
Tom Jennings
The 7x57 is a good deer rifle. Back in the Eisenhower era I took my first 3
deer with an old Chilean Mauser.
That being said, there are newer and more powerful cart.s available, but I
would never feel undergunned with a 7.
Im shopping for a .243 now. I can't take the pounding of a 30-06 as well as I
used to. If I ran across a good 7 mm or even a 257 Roberts. I'd jump on it.
I am in CA, and our deer are small. Keep in mind that hunters like what works
for them, and where they live.
I don't consider the 30-30 much of a deer rifle at more than 150 yds., even
though it is dearly beloved by people who hunt the thick stuff. I don't.
If you are on a tight budget, don't ignore the $50-$80 8 mm Mausers, or the 7.62
Mosin Nagants. They are all comprable to the 30-06. The 8mm, actually 7.92x57,
especially some of the Turkish imports, will let you shoot good commercial ammo
for hunting, and have a lot of cheap surplus for practice.
Tom
for a real
MS wrote:
> Hello there,
>
> I have hunted small game for years but due to my location - haven't
> been able to hunt larger game. A recent move is enabling me to hunt big
> game(deer) this season!! Yahoo! Anyway, I am interested in trying to
> acquire a relatively inexpensive (less than $200) deer rifle. I have seen
> ads for 7mm mausers, 30-30's and some single shot rifles that fit the bill.
> Many of the 'locals' recommend a 30-30 win. Although, I am not opposed
> to this, I have found a 7mm Mauser being sold locally that would really fit
> the bill financially.
> In trying to investigate the 7mm, there seems to be some confusion
> concerning the effectiveness of the 7mm as a deer rifle. I have 'surfed'
> the net and have come up with one opinion that the 7mm Mauser is an old
> cartridge and not real effective compared to other, newer calibers - where
> the author recommended other calibers. On the other hand, I have seen a
> couple of sites comparing the ballistics of the 7mm to a .308 and discussing
> their effectiveness of medium-large game rifles. Not having much
> experience, I would appreciate comments from those of you that have used
> them for deer hunting.
>
> Thanks,
> MS
Mr. Frink
>Hello there,
>
> I have hunted small game for years but due to my location - haven't
>been able to hunt larger game. A recent move is enabling me to hunt big
>game(deer) this season!! Yahoo! Anyway, I am interested in trying to
>acquire a relatively inexpensive (less than $200) deer rifle. I have seen
>ads for 7mm mausers, 30-30's and some single shot rifles that fit the bill.
> Many of the 'locals' recommend a 30-30 win. Although, I am not opposed
>to this, I have found a 7mm Mauser being sold locally that would really fit
>the bill financially.
> In trying to investigate the 7mm, there seems to be some confusion
>concerning the effectiveness of the 7mm as a deer rifle. I have 'surfed'
>the net and have come up with one opinion that the 7mm Mauser is an old
>cartridge and not real effective compared to other, newer calibers - where
>the author recommended other calibers. On the other hand, I have seen a
>couple of sites comparing the ballistics of the 7mm to a .308 and discussing
>their effectiveness of medium-large game rifles. Not having much
>experience, I would appreciate comments from those of you that have used
>them for deer hunting.
>
>Thanks,
>MS
My father has two Mausers, one 7mm, and one that has been bored to a
30-06. I would say that the first thing to consider is mounting a
scope. You see the "safety" is on the back of the bolt and it might
hit the scope. Also, older model Mauser have a straight bolt which
might hit the scope. A good gunsmith can mount a scope on a Mauser but
it will cost you a little extra. Good luck...
Sam Guy
In a word, yes, the 7mm Mauser is an exellent round for deer. If you
do your job, the 7mm will do it's.
Sam in Miami
In trying to investigate the 7mm, there seems to be some confusion
> >concerning the effectiveness of the 7mm as a deer rifle. I have 'surfed'
> >the net and have come up with one opinion that the 7mm Mauser is an old
> >cartridge and not real effective compared to other, newer calibers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
trigger
deer round would sat that the 7mm08 is a good round. When hand loaded they
are basically twins. I have been shooting the 7mm08 for 17 years and have
never lost a deer that I hit with it yet. There are many good deer rounds
and in my opinion these are some of the best. By the way I have harvested
deer with seversl different rounds 22 Hornet, 223, 22-250, 243, 257 roberts,
7-30 Waters, 7m08, 7STW, 30-30,30 carbine, 30-06, 357 Mag, 44 Mag, and
45-70. I belive that covers most of the guns I have used on deer and though
some are on the light side all have done the job. The key is put it in the
right place and respect the limits of yourself and the wepon in hand.
That said when I really get serious about collecting a deer I reach for the
7mm08. Go with the 7 mauser if you like it and my bet is you won't be
dissapointed in the least.
Good luck and have a great year,
Kevin
The glass is half full
The glass is half empty
The glass is twice as big as it needs to be
Sam Guy wrote in message ...
______________________________________________________________________
Posted Via Uncensored-News.Com - Still Only $9.95 - http://www.uncensored-news.com
With Servers In California, Texas And Virginia - The Worlds Uncensored News Source