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Common uses: Hunting, Big Game
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 175gr Federal Power-Shok Jacketed Soft Point |
| Muzzle velocity | 2390 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 2220 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.272 |
| Case length | 57 mm |
| Overall length | 78 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 51000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:8.7" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2390 | 2219 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2086 | 1690 | 0 |
| 200 | 1805 | 1266 | -6.6 |
| 300 | 1553 | 937 | -23.9 |
| 400 | 1337 | 694 | -55.7 |
| 500 | 1166 | 528 | -107.1 |
At 1,000 yards, 7x57 (175gr at 2390 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 82.2 MOA / 23.9 MIL, retaining 815 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 1553 | Supersonic | -23.9 | 7.6 | 2.21 |
| 400 | 1337 | Transonic | -55.7 | 13.3 | 3.87 |
| 500 | 1166 | Transonic | -107.1 | 20.5 | 5.95 |
| 600 | 1049 | Subsonic | -184.2 | 29.3 | 8.53 |
| 700 | 969 | Subsonic | -292.6 | 39.9 | 11.61 |
| 800 | 909 | Subsonic | -438.2 | 52.3 | 15.22 |
| 900 | 859 | Subsonic | -625.8 | 66.4 | 19.31 |
| 1000 | 815 | Subsonic | -861.0 | 82.2 | 23.92 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The 7×57 is a classic medium-bore hunting cartridge prized for its mild recoil, flat-shooting nature, and the deep penetration of heavy-for-caliber bullets with high sectional density. It remains an excellent choice for deer, antelope, and larger plains game, and is still respected on heavier animals thanks to its penetration reputation. Loaded with lighter, faster bullets it makes a capable long-range and open-country round, while heavier loadings favor bone-breaking penetration over velocity. Its moderate pressure ceiling and older chambering mean factory ballistics run conservative compared to modern 7mm cartridges, out of deference to the many century-old rifles still chambered for it. More than a century after its introduction, it endures as a soft-shooting, effective, and well-balanced hunting cartridge with a devoted following.
Designed by Paul Mauser and introduced in 1892, the 7×57mm was adopted by Spain in 1893 as its standard military rifle cartridge, giving rise to its common "7mm Mauser" name. A first-generation smokeless rimless bottlenecked round, it was subsequently adopted by several other militaries and saw combat use over more than half a century. Rigby chambered it as the .275 Rigby, and it earned lasting fame as the cartridge ivory hunter W.D.M. "Karamojo" Bell used to take hundreds of African elephants with long, heavy solid bullets.
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