I am shooting a STW and undecided on which bullet powder combo to use. Any help is greatly appreciated.

To me the 7mm Mags are built around the 160 bullets.

While I am not a STW shooter, I would think the bullet like a boattail GameKing is what you want with that laser. Something that has good range, yet expands. Something in the 160 range. Of course you can get some more range with the lighter bullets like the Accubond bonded, and then the Barnes or Bergers, but you likely wont need it for a more normal 200 -300 or even 400 yeard shot. And for a softer and smaller animal like antelopes they just drill a hole througn with less expansion.

A Nosler Partition in 150 or 160 too if your guns shots them well.

If I went to the bondeds I would think the lighter bullets like the 140 Accubond would be where I started. But if you get a up close shot it might be a mess.

What is this STW's load and bullet now?

If you are using the Sierras you could just call their bullet-smiths and get a best load recommendation.

The Nosler book shows their best accuracy powders with their bullets, but as I am not a STW guy I hesitate to say which as I have not tested them myself.

I know some STW guys will be along. Or I am sure there are other load threads.

Good luck on bagging a trophy.

Pronghorns are extremely thin skinned and it don't take much to tip them over.

That said they can offer some long shots due to their environment.

Flat trajectory may be more important then ft-lb of energy.....one of the reasons such calibers as the 257 Weatherby shine so well.....With your STW, I'd be inclined to find some 120 B-Tips for this hunting experience.

I shoot the STW for antelope.
At STW velocities, the light bullets just blow up too much. Condequently, I now shoot the 160gr Nosler Accubond almost exclusively in that rifle. In my experience they provide the most consistance performance across the widest range of velocities.

..."7mags are built around 160gr bullets"...

+2

I ran both the 120 and 140 Noslers with heavy loads of 7828 and RL22 through my STW either would be great Antelop medicine. But if were to choose it would be the 140Accubond and 7828 (at least in my rifle)

quote:

Originally posted by BighornBreath:
I am shooting a STW and undecided on which bullet powder combo to use. Any help is greatly appreciated.

150 Swift Scirocco will be your perfect bullet for that game. Flat trajectory. Will not blow up. Mid-weight. Use Re22 or H1000 to start.

Thanks for all the feedback. I currently use Retumbo and 160 grain Accubonds. Looking into a full body mount so I don't want to destroy any of the hide. Thanks again.

In that case, you might want to borrow a buddy's .223 or 22-250.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
Pronghorns are extremely thin skinned and it don't take much to tip them over.

That said they can offer some long shots due to their environment.

Flat trajectory may be more important then ft-lb of energy.....one of the reasons such calibers as the 257 Weatherby shine so well.....With your STW, I'd be inclined to find some 120 B-Tips for this hunting experience.

^^^^^This^^^^^

If you are deciding between Nosler bullets, the Accubond won't expand as well at Antelope distances as the Balistic Tip. You really don't need more than a 120 gr. bullet for Antelope either. If your hunting a windmill or something where your gonna get a close shot, then Hornady 139 gr. Interlock BT would be a great choice. Actually, the Hornady would be a great choice period. Use it at any range. The Nosler BT was created for exactly this kind of hunting, and would probably be my top choice if my gun liked em. Long range with effective expansion.

If it is of any interest, Rifle #255 (March 2011) has an article on the 7mmSTW and 168gr Berger VLD bullets. The best powders (from those listed in the article) look like RL25 (71.5-75.3), H1000 (72.5-76.5), N170 (74.0-78.0) and Retumbo (74.0-78.1) which all have a 94-98% fill rate.

I do not have experience with the STW but I have shot several antelope with a .280AI using 140 grain Nosler ballistic tips with success. Prior to the .280AI, I used a 25-06 with 117 grain Harnady interlocks.

I also agree that the 7mm and 160l-class bullets go together, but I have killed gobs of deer with the 139 Hornadys and they are great without being too expensive. They have always been very accurate in my 7 mags.

Based on what I've seen a 120 grain BT do to small deer from a 7mm-08 I would recommend you steer well clear in a fully stoked STW.

Even if it is purely trophy hunting some poor bugger would appreciate the meat and I suspect with that bullet even a rib hit would make a hell of a mess.

Accubonds are surprisingly versatile, the 200 grainers I shoot from 06 seem to expand somewhat on animals as small as fox and muntjac.

In any event, the antelope is not going to walk away from a 7mm hole in it's vitals even if the bullet doesn't expand at all.

Besides, light bullets do not make good long range bullets, they shed their velocity advantage by the time you get out to any serious range, say past 300 yards or so, and suffer in the wind much more than heavy for calibre bullets. Go for the 160 gr accubond.

i suggest a soft heavy bullet like nosler bal tip or sierra game king in a 160 gr bullet, they hold up velocity out yonder but expand readily.

quote:

Originally posted by BighornBreath:
I am shooting a STW and undecided on which bullet powder combo to use. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I shoot 7mm Remington, have settled on 140-grain Noslers of one persuasion or another, most of time, the Partition bullets. I'm told that I'm wasting its capability with a 62-grain load of IMR 7828.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
i suggest a soft heavy bullet like nosler bal tip or sierra game king in a 160 gr bullet, they hold up velocity out yonder but expand readily.

Using anything else would be akin to putting regular gas in a Ferrari!

I been launching 150 gr 7mm Bullets out of my current 7mm RM because that is what the barrel likes. I have not messed with loads much. I would suspect that any of the 150 gr bullets will work well for the game you seek.

I used Nosler Partitions on my antelope a few years ago out of my 7 RM. I think they were 160s and they worked great like everything else I have shot with that bullet. An Accubond or Ballistic Tip would have worked just as well. They are not tough animals.