Major....my favorite for the 7X57 is 50 grains of 4350 and 140 grain Sierras...2850 plus out of a custom 1908 Argetine Mauser. Bullet is set far out due the long throat to accomodate the long 175 grainers. 22" Douglas air guaged barrel, Brown glass bedded synthetic stock , Timney trigger @2 3/4# pull. Leupold 2X8 VArX III. Groups routinely run less than an inch, could be better if I wasn't getting to damn old to hold er' steady!!!
Have accounted for quite a few deer and varmits with this combo. Longest kill was about 350 yds...two does back to back. In fact after that I put the 7mag in the safe for the really "big" stuff" because the Mauser is about 2# lighter!
Now looking at 160 gr Nosler Accubonds and 4350..Expect to go to about 46-47 grains. Will use that for PA black bear. Interesting comments on this post about how much the loading books have in my opinion succumbed to the legal deparments. I mentioned 69 gr of H4831 in my seven mag Mod 700 with 140 gr Sierras. Shot that load for 30 years,never once had a fear of "too much" because when I started, I think Speer was suggesteing 72 gr as max!! Plus, I got as much as 10 reloads with no problems. Anyhow, hope this helps. Thanks for the dialogue.