I'm all my travels I've never seen a hunter shoot a 7x57 and only seen a few boxes of ammo for sale

They aren't common, that's for sure. To me, that's part of their allure. But they have always had a following and have spiked in popularity in recent years (along with other Euro calibers like 6.5x55, etc.).You won't find the ammo at the feed store, but I have never failed to see a pretty decent selection at the bigger outdoors/sporting goods stores. Have seen it at some Wal Marts, not others.

In this Internet age, ammo availabilty for almost any caliber is not a concern to me unless I'm flying to another country and/or super remote area and my ammo may not make it with me due to baggage issues.
(As an aside, another reason your .257 Wby. may not be the best choice for your BC hunt.)

Your right, in the internet age being able to buy ammo otc is of little concern.

But....the 7mm-08 does everything a 7x57 does in a wider selection of rifles

6MM Remington with a 100 grain bullet is perfect for managed recoil and has more than enough stopping power for Texas whitetail. I have taken deer at 300 yds. with it and have seen a lot of them fall in the scope after the shot. Yes, I am biased since I have been shooting one for over 30 years.

No doubt.

No doubt they do the same thing - plenty of knockdown and range, mild recoil, the ability to load light or heavy. I Have a thing for classics. The 7x57 has a history, the 7-08 doesn't. Ammo availability isn't a big deal, buy online or reload. Honestly, I only know one other hunter personally that shoots 7x57 and I know a lot of folks that hunt.

If the Mrs appreciates nice things, find a nice 7x57.

Unless it sold, there's a winchester m70 fn featherweight in 7x57 at my LGS. 1 of <450 made (verified by winchester) since they had to be ordered and paid for at the SHOT show in 2013.

No one had taken it since they don't really know what the heck it is. I bought one and love it.

chalet I think you would like my old Mannlicher Schoenauer 7x57.

Original Griffin and Howe side mounts with Weaver K3. Not on par with today's optics but I have taken a few animals with it.

Nog,

How do you like the dual trigger set up?

How light is the rear when you set the first trigger

To be honest, it's downright scary. If you set it, a mouse fart will trip the rear trigger. (Advertised at 3oz pull by MS back in the day.) I have read it's adjustable down to so low that the rifle will fire if it is moved from horizontal to vertical in position. Without touching the trigger. That may be hyperbole - but it may not be.

I use the "creepy" front trigger with the 6 lb pull unless I am in a very controlled environment such as bench or blind. I don't dislike the dual set triggers, but would probably prefer a single. They do add to the "old school" factor which I like on that particular rifle.

Dude, a 1908 is definitely on my list of need to have's. I dig the the steel tube Weavers also and have a few. One of these days maybe I'll run across a good Mannlicher. That is a nice looking rifle and what I'm saying the op needs.

Not everybody thinks like me though, I get it. I wouldn't want you suckers picking out gifts for my wife.

chalet you and I think much alike I can tell. "Old school" in our blood.

Old school and ancient are two different things.

That rifle is something the knight that guarded the holy grail would have shot.

If he would have had that within reach Indiana jones might not have got the better of him

I have weaver k4 that needs a good older gun to go on, really love that scope.

NP - I will take that as a compliment. TT85, I'd say the difference in capabilities of that rifle and what comes off the shelf these days ain't enough to affect 99% of hunters out there. The problem would be whether or not it fits a woman, as you don't want to go chopping it up.

It was intended to be.

tt85 the only things old rifles give up to newer ones are usually optics options and (maybe) a little accuracy but usually not enough to matter for hunting purposes. That 7x57 hits game just the same out of an old gun as a 7mm-08 out of the newest rifle made. If you heft it and work the bolt on it, you will see its "feel" is unduplicated in modern rifles.

CZ makes a single trigger system that you push it forward and it sets it otherwise it functions like a traditional trigger. Kinda the best of both worlds


I've shot some 6 oz. triggers before they are scary

No doubt rifles of yesteryear are better built than today's guns. Today's guns suck imo unless you go high end

Those old Mannlicher Schoenauer rifles have a elegance to them that has to be felt and used to truly be appreciated. Butter knife bolt handle because the action is buttery smooth. My 1903 is old/beaten up and not pretty but handles like a dream and shoots quite well in the very mild mannered 6.5X54MS.

Speaking of mild mannered rifles the CZ 527 mini mauser is being offered in the 6.5 Grendel this year. Light weight rifle with a pretty smooth action and in a caliber that is effective past 300 yards on deer and has that single set trigger. Might be worth a look.

Savage makes the lady hunter model which is proportioned for the ladies and is a very nice rifle also.

I went through the same thing when buying a rifle for my wife. I started her out with my 22-250, which she liked and got her first hog with. But the rifle itself was too big for her to get comfortable with. We decided to look into youth model rifles and found that they where the perfect size for her. Unfortunately, it appeared to us that the ones we found locally where all the low end models. They felt cheap, the bolts where rough,and the triggers where hard to pull. Our thought was that these where all temporary rifles bought for kids to use for a couple of years until they where big enough to handle a larger rifle.

Eventually we drove the two hours to Cabelas and looked at what they had to offer. She fell in love with the Remington 700 youth model. It just felt good in her hands. She loves that rifle!!!! I've come home from work to see her walking back to the house with it after going out to target practice by herself. When she sees a snake, she uses her rifle to shoot it instead of her pistol. I've bought her three guns now, and that Remington is by far her favorite!!!

We went with 7mm-08 because of the variety of bullet sizes available. I think all of the short action calibers are close enough to each other that you can't go wrong with caliber. Ammo is easy to find. It's deadly accurate. She has taken 3 hogs, a whitetail buck and two beavers with it. Beavers swimming out in the pond are very small targets. Even more difficult because they are moving along and all you can see is the top of their heads.

Whatever you do, be sure that she picks it out. You want her to be happy with it, and for it to feel right in her hands.

Depends on your budget...

For 40 years of marriage I'd get her the weatherby Camilla and a diamond ring or piece of nice jewelry. My wife hunts too, but would love the little extra...

Or If honestly she wants a rifle I'd get a blaser R8 success, in a 6.5x55, or 6.5 creedmoor, or a 7-08...what ever is your fancy.

Ed

"Whatever you do, be sure that she picks it out. You want her to be happy with it, and for it to feel right in her hands."

Now I have a problem!!!!, I told her that I was going to get her a new rifle for our 40th anniversary and she looked at me and said, "I like my 30-06. I had it for almost 40 years. I shot it 25 times and have 21 whitetail, 2 mule deer and 2 antelope, all on the ground, all with one shot. Why would I want a new one?"

Her rifle is a long story. It is a Springfield 1903 Sporterized 30-06. When I was in high school, the ROTC program was in a portable building. They had 30 original and fully functional Springfield 1903....it was a different world then. The building caught fire and everything burned up. I bought 2 of what was left of the riles for $5 each. I saved up my money, (this was in 1969) and had them both Sporterized. Cost me a total of $100. Then I saved up some more money from cutting the lawns in my neighborhood during the summer and bought two Weaver 4 power scopes. When she came along, I had the stock cut down a little, I did not have it fitted to her, I did not know you did stuff like that. Anyway, that is the rifle that she has used all her life and she has never even shot another one. Only change is that two years ago, I took the 4 power off and put a 6 power on. I too had only shot my rifle until two years ago, when it began hurting my shoulder and so I decided that I needed a Weatherby 270 because all my life I have wanted one. I bought it on my 65 birthday.
I love my wife very much, so I'm still going to buy her a new rifle and most likely it will sit in the closet while she uses her old Springfield. But maybe someday she will try it....Women, if it was a few new pair of shoes I was talking about, she must have 50 pair now and would jump up and down at the thought of some new ones. So, maybe we will get both.

Honestly, I would go another direction then. She seems perfectly happy (indeed downright in love) with her .30-06. That's all that really matters....

Sounds like your wife is the living proof of the old Oak Cliff po folks like mine were fond of saying ...."Having Money don't buy Class" ...'cause with given that back story, she is for sure a Class Act...and a rare diamond of a person indeed.
Ron