7 X 57 MAUSER - Cartridge Collector

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7 X 57 MAUSER

HISTORY

The 7×57 was developed by Mauser during 1892 and was based on the 7.9mm necked down. At that stage the Germans had already adopted the 7.9mm in 1888 and because they were already committed to the 7,9 and were happy with its performance, the 7mm was not adopted by them although it was designed as an infantry rifle. It was however adopted by many other nations around the world. Small numbers of the M92 rifle was made when the 7mm was adopted by Spain, but it was quickly changed to the improved M93 rifle. The 7mm Mauser was used with great effect by the Spanish against the US forces which led to the demise of the 30-40 Krag and the development of the 30-06.

The countries of the Commonwealth (Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) encountered an enemy armed with the M93 7×57 during the second Boer war (1899-1902). The Commonwealth forces were armed with the Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle and when they encountered the South Africans equipped with the M93 rifle they promptly received a very costly lesson in precision shooting. This was also where the term “war of the flea” was born where guerrilla style tactics were used with great effect against an enemy not used to ambush and escape tactics. Were it not for the concentration camps and Kitchener’s scorched earth policy, the war might have had a very different outcome. The 7mm Mauser is known as an accurate, flat shooting cartridge with mild recoil and is still a favourite with many hunters and sport shooters in South Africa.