Introduced in the Mauser Model 1892 rifle, the 7 x 57mm and the later '93 Mauser rifle were adopted by the Spanish government for military use. American troops armed with .30-40 Kragslearned how effective the 7mm was during the Spanish-American War when 15,000 attacked around 700 Spaniards at San Jaun Hill. The effectiveness of the Spanish troops and their Mausers prompted the development of the 1903 Springfield and its .30-03 (later .30-06) cartridge by the U.S. Government. When loaded to higher chamber pressures for modern rifles such as the Ruger Models 1 and 77 and Ultra Light Model 20, the 7 x 57mm cartridge is an excellent choice for big game hunting. Although seen at its best when used on deer sized game, the elk hunter who turns down shots beyond 200 long paces or so can get by with the 7 x 57mm. The best bullets for deer, black bear, and pronghorn are those weighing 130 to 140 grains. Bullets for bigger stuff start at 150 grains. H414, H4350, H380, IMR-4350, IMR-4320, and W-760are good 7mm Mauser powders. 

This text is based on information from “Cartridges of the World”, Hodgdon reloading manual, the cartridge designer and/or own resources.