You don't see much talk about the 7mm STW anymore...and it looks like Nosler is doing a good job with their .30-06 length action 28 Nosler. Haven't seen much in the way of the 7RUM either lately.

I know there is a market for the quick 7mm's...but is anyone on here still using the STW? I always said if I didn't get the 300rum I would want the 7mm STW for a long range cartridge.

Reloading data shows that they are all pretty close on velocities...the RUM,Nosler & STW.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
You don't see much talk about the 7mm STW anymore...and it looks like Nosler is doing a good job with their .30-06 length action 28 Nosler. Haven't seen much in the way of the 7RUM either lately.

I know there is a market for the quick 7mm's...but is anyone on here still using the STW? I always said if I didn't get the 300rum I would want the 7mm STW for a long range cartridge.

Reloading data shows that they are all pretty close on velocities...the RUM,Nosler & STW.

I have one. It shoots Nosler 150 BTs and ABs well, but I can't get it to shoot heavier bullets well, and for that reason, I have better rifles available for long range use. IMO, unless you move to a big .338 like the Edge or Lapua, the .300 RUM as a LR cartridge is pretty tough to beat. On the other hand, inside of 400 yards, it is pretty tough to beat a .338 WM or .30-06, and I can count on one hand the animals I have shot past 400, even though I am a confirmed long range nut.

Glad you responded AnotherAZ...when I think of long range I am talking 350-600y. It is too windy out this way to shoot way out there, and I don't trust myself with windage.

I figured the STW would be great, just like the 300rum, for Aoudad Sheep around the 400y range. Flat enough shooting to do minimal adjustment and shoot in a short period of time once you see the animal.

Have you shot any critters with your stw with the 150gr load?

I like mine... controlled feed m70 with KDF slimline brake... got in a Corpus Christi pawn shop several yrs ago for less than $600...has an older Denver redfield 6-18 on it.. shoots the Nosler premium 140 gr accubonds into less than an inch at 100 if I do my part.. longest shots have been 250, groups less than 2" too...

quote:

Originally posted by jimatcat:
got in a Corpus Christi pawn shop several yrs ago for less than $600

Good deal, I just picked mine up from a Pawn shop also . Apparently he borrowed $300 on it and stopped making payments on it

Remington 700 Stainless action, Stainless 26" aftermarket heavy fluted barrel, McMillan Hunter stock with detachable mag, Aftermarket trigger and Leupold VX3 6.5-20x50LR

My STW is a Model 70 Winchester Laredo with bull barrel and Boss. It is deadly with 160 gr. Nosler Partition or Northforks. I have a 6.5 X 20 Leupold mounted on it and it will put three shots touching each other when I can do my part pulling the trigger. H-1000 is my magic powder with Fed 215M primers. Several Mulies and Whitetails have been accounted for with it. Good Shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
Glad you responded AnotherAZ...when I think of long range I am talking 350-600y. It is too windy out this way to shoot way out there, and I don't trust myself with windage.

I figured the STW would be great, just like the 300rum, for Aoudad Sheep around the 400y range. Flat enough shooting to do minimal adjustment and shoot in a short period of time once you see the animal.

Have you shot any critters with your stw with the 150gr load?

It will do fine out to 600 yards. I use mine quite often to gong shoot at 500 yards and have no problem hitting a ten inch circle even when the wind is blowing.

I used mine on a Coues deer hunt a few years ago but didn't get a shot.

I don't think I have shot any game with my STW, which is a rechambered 7mm Rem Mag (it has a custom barrel that I deliberately had chambered for a long shank so I could rechamber later). When it was a 7mm, I shot 12 caribou, four sheep, four gemsbok, four antelope, a zebra, springbok, blesbok, and probably some others I don't remember off the top of my head (I keep track of everything I shoot in log however). Most of what I shot was using the Nosler BT, if you can believe that. Was deadly.

I had built 4 kept 1. Sold it about a year later. Had to stress the cases to achieve the "published" velocities. Just wasn't worth the longer barrel muzzle blast and extra powder for the velocity gains. I simply dropped back to a 7mag and my 280PDK.

I have 2 7STW rifles. First one has a heavy 28 in barrel. Built as kind of a "bean field" rifle. It weighs 11 1/2 lbs so its not much fun to carry around. With the long barrel it pushes 160 gr bullets to some pretty respectable velocities. The other was built on a Rem 700 action with 26 in barrel. It only beats a std 7mm Rem mag by a little over a 100 fps with most bullets I've shot. I've taken a pretty nice 5x5 elk and a couple nice bucks .One buck was further away than I would have liked it to be but the STW made the shot doable. There are a few slow powders on the market that work pretty good....just try to find some when you need them. RL 25 and Retumbo have been available and they work. Would I build one knowing what I know now........ not likely. It fits a niche but its a pretty small niche .

We have built quite a number of rifles for this cartridge, and everyone who has one loves it.

quote:

It only beats a std 7mm Rem mag by a little over a 100 fps with most bullets I've shot

+1
For me the STW gave me right at 100fps. Now compare a 65,000 psi STW to a factory 7 Mag limited to 61,000 then yes the difference is more than 100.

Yes the STW gives you confidence because it is so "flat" shooting. Until you compare them side by side. Both using a 160gr accubond zeroed at 200 yds the STW calculated .6" less drop at 600.

I never measured my difference at 600 but my actual was around .5" if my memory is working before coffee.

There is nothing wrong with it. Layne did a great job of selling it. If that last 100 fps and .6" at 600 is what you are looking for the STW RUM or 28 Nosler will float the boat. I would opt for the Nosler simply because I like a shorter case.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

It only beats a std 7mm Rem mag by a little over a 100 fps with most bullets I've shot

+1
For me the STW gave me right at 100fps. Now compare a 65,000 psi STW to a factory 7 Mag limited to 61,000 then yes the difference is more than 100.

Yes the STW gives you confidence because it is so "flat" shooting. Until you compare them side by side. Both using a 160gr accubond zeroed at 200 yds the STW calculated .6" less drop at 600.

I never measured my difference at 600 but my actual was around .5" if my memory is working before coffee.

There is nothing wrong with it. Layne did a great job of selling it. If that last 100 fps and .6" at 600 is what you are looking for the STW RUM or 28 Nosler will float the boat. I would opt for the Nosler simply because I like a shorter case.

Paul: At the end of the day, I agree. For whatever reason, you don't get a huge jump in performance relative to the increase in case capacity. I guess that is why I like the .300 RUM better for a long range cartridge: you really do some performance increase for the big case when using heavy bullets like the Berger 215 VLDs. That load nearly matches drift for big .338 bullets.

But like I said before, these days, I just pick up my .308 if I am deer hunting, my .338 WM for general big game, and one of my specialized LR rigs if I think I will be shooting past 400 yards.

Did you have a 'pet' twist for those builds? Just curious. The others mentioned best loads came with 140-150 weight bullets. Just curious if anyone has tried a faster twist for 162 or 175's.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
We have built quite a number of rifles for this cartridge, and everyone who has one loves it.

quote:

For whatever reason, you don't get a huge jump in performance relative to the increase in case capacity

I normally see a 1 to 4 gain(1% vel for 4% capacity) on an 06 based case. On a magnum case more 1 for 5 or 6. The STW is 18% larger so figure a 3-3.6% velocity gain. That calculates 93-111fps gain. That ASSUMES both the 7Mag and STW are loaded to same pressure and same barrel.

I think the STW provides comfort(real or not) for those longer shots. The shooter feels it is flatter and more forgiving. Even if the gain is very small.

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
Did you have a 'pet' twist for those builds? Just curious. The others mentioned best loads came with 140-150 weight bullets. Just curious if anyone has tried a faster twist for 162 or 175's.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
We have built quite a number of rifles for this cartridge, and everyone who has one loves it.

Most people here prefer the lighter bullets, most are using 140 grainers.

My Dad loves his Remington Sendero 7mm STW. It has accounted for:

Rabbits, foxes, goats, pigs, red deer, fallow deer, donkeys, horses, camels, buffalo, scrub bulls, wild dogs, zebra, impala, kudu, warthog.

He also missed a vervet monkey!

He likes using Barnes TSX, but I can't think what weight.

I too had a hard look on the 7mm stw. But the with a 150 grain bullet doing 3280 ft/sec or a 130grain @ 3500 ft/sec the .270wea was very hard to ignore.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
Did you have a 'pet' twist for those builds? Just curious. The others mentioned best loads came with 140-150 weight bullets. Just curious if anyone has tried a faster twist for 162 or 175's.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
We have built quite a number of rifles for this cartridge, and everyone who has one loves it.

Most people here prefer the lighter bullets, most are using 140 grainers.

I don't get that; lighter bullets give it up in the wind at long range. I tried the 195 Bergers in mine, but the twist isn't fast enough. If I was going to shoot 140s, I would just get a .280 or 7mm Rem Mag.

quote:

I don't get that; lighter bullets give it up in the wind at long range.

I always figured it sounded hotter to say 3400fps+ instead of 3200+.

Maybe it depends on your range??? Maybe not. Using some of Layne's loads for nosler 140 and 160. With a 200yd zero the 140 is .5" lower at 600 and only 1.1" lower at 1000yd. The 140 does have 11% less energy at 600yd.

Don't bet huge $$ on those numbers they are simply JBM Ballistics.

quote:

Originally posted by jens poulsen:
I too had a hard look on the 7mm stw. But the with a 150 grain bullet doing 3280 ft/sec or a 130grain @ 3500 ft/sec the .270wea was very hard to ignore.

Can the STW not match or surpass these #'s with the same bullet weight? I do like the Weatherby calibers as well...and that is one caliber (.270wby in a Sako rifle) that my father wishes he didn't let go.

I was under the assumption that it could do 120gr @ 3,600, 140gr @ 3,400....there is a Barnes manual that shows the 160XLC at 3,384 with 79gr of Norma MRP powder.

For Texas I think a 120GR TTSX at 3,500+ would be very effective.

quote:

But the with a 150 grain bullet doing 3280 ft/sec or a 130grain @ 3500 ft/sec the .270wea was very hard to ignore.

quote:

For Texas I think a 120GR TTSX at 3,500+ would be very effective

No question the STW is effective. However take a 7mag same barrel length loaded to equal pressure and there just isn't much difference.

I will be curious as to what the real world results are for the 28 Nosler. the 7mag STW 270Wby 7RUM etc are all down range killers. Shoot the one you want. Unless you are shooting factory ammo you won't see much difference between them. Low factory pressure for the 7mag hurts it.

I went from the 7x57 to 280 various wildcats magnum cases including the STW and have slowly returned to the smaller cases. To each his own. Shoot safe and be happy.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:

quote:

Originally posted by jens poulsen:
I too had a hard look on the 7mm stw. But the with a 150 grain bullet doing 3280 ft/sec or a 130grain @ 3500 ft/sec the .270wea was very hard to ignore.

Can the STW not match or surpass these #'s with the same bullet weight? I do like the Weatherby calibers as well...and that is one caliber (.270wby in a Sako rifle) that my father wishes he didn't let go.

I was under the assumption that it could do 120gr @ 3,600, 140gr @ 3,400....there is a Barnes manual that shows the 160XLC at 3,384 with 79gr of Norma MRP powder.

For Texas I think a 120GR TTSX at 3,500+ would be very effective.

IMO, the only reason to shoot a "big for the caliber" case is to shoot heavy bullets fast. The 120 may go like greased lightning, but if you could shoot the Berger 180 VLD at 3000, you would see almost half the wind drift at 700 and 800 yards. Even at 400, the VLD drift 1.8 MOA (7 inches) in a 10 mph wind while the 120 drifts 3.1 MOA or 12 inches.

You don't miss these days for lack of trajectory, you miss because of wind. Any other reason is cartridge independent (and far more common).

Brass is not a good deal for the STW or the 8mm Rem Mag...so I guess I am purchasing loaded ammo to begin with before I can reload for it. I think for reloading it is less work to begin with the 8mm brass then to go from the 375 h&h to the STW...

Picked up 2 boxes of the 160gr Sierra Gameking HSM ammo today. Hopefully I can run into a hog this weekend and try the rifle out.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

It only beats a std 7mm Rem mag by a little over a 100 fps with most bullets I've shot

+1
For me the STW gave me right at 100fps. Now compare a 65,000 psi STW to a factory 7 Mag limited to 61,000 then yes the difference is more than 100.

Yes the STW gives you confidence because it is so "flat" shooting. Until you compare them side by side. Both using a 160gr accubond zeroed at 200 yds the STW calculated .6" less drop at 600.

I never measured my difference at 600 but my actual was around .5" if my memory is working before coffee.

There is nothing wrong with it. Layne did a great job of selling it. If that last 100 fps and .6" at 600 is what you are looking for the STW RUM or 28 Nosler will float the boat. I would opt for the Nosler simply because I like a shorter case.

This is where I'm at as well. It will do nothing my 7mag won't do, with less recoil.

At one time I had a Rem 700 24" bbl 7mmSTW. That rifle would shoot factory loaded Remington 140gr. bullets at 3400fps, and was also very accurate, once I had the rifle bedded. For reference, my current 7mmRM, a Model 70 Classic with a 24" bbl as well, shoots my handloaded 139gr. bullets at 3150fps. And this load appears to be a bit warm in my rifle.

For my purposes, the 7mmRM is all I need, but there aren't any flies on the STW!

Well I went and shot the rifle today. One adjustment after the first shot and had a nice group sighted in at 100y.

Recoil wasn't as fierce as I had anticipated...which is a good thing for me. I was thinking it would be like my first 300rum (Savage 110).

One thing that was a first for me was two rounds out of 10...the center of the primers blew straight through....the first time something hit me in my face. Guess the gas exited through the bolt? The primers on the others were flat but didn't look abnormally flat or dangerous. I had imagined all of the factory loaded STW ammo would have flat primers...same as my factory 204 Ruger, 220 Swift, 300 RUM, and the other hot rod calibers. Interesting.

https://www.shootingillustrate...oblems-with-primers/

Going off of this...the problem could be an issue with the firing pin

Yes, I have one also. Ran 140 grain bullet, would have to look in book for powder charge. Took many elk with it.

I used to want one, but the additional cost seemed steep for the gain. However, lately, I've been day dreaming of a 7x300 Win Mag/7mm Mashburn. Same gains with the smaller case, and easy/cheaper brass. Still looking into it more, but seems possible to just use a neck die, or a 300 mag with a 7mm bushing. Personally I'm considering it because I have 300 components, but no rifle (and no desire to get one) and a 7mm Rem Mag rifle with no components/ desire to shoot.

quote:

Originally posted by mudstud:
For reference, my current 7mmRM, a Model 70 Classic with a 24" bbl as well, shoots my handloaded 139gr. bullets at 3150fps. And this load appears to be a bit warm in my rifle.

For my purposes, the 7mmRM is all I need, but there aren't any flies on the STW!

I was getting 3150 with a 139gr Interbond out of a 24" barrel M700 CDL 280.

Compressed loads of Norma MRP weren't even getting warm. I couldn't get enough MRP in the case to get over 60K.

not an stw, my pops has a 7RUM, bone stock rem700 that shoots 175gr a-frames well and has accounted for a few quick elk kills.

he's never mentioned a primer issue, i'll ask him if he's ever had an issue.

is your rifle a J-lock model? those firing pin springs are kinda wonky and seem too long and really rub the inside of the bolt. i replaced my j-lock assembly with a PTG recently, we'll see soon if i have any primer issues on my 7RM.

quote:

Originally posted by MileHighShooter:
I used to want one, but the additional cost seemed steep for the gain. However, lately, I've been day dreaming of a 7x300 Win Mag/7mm Mashburn. Same gains with the smaller case, and easy/cheaper brass. Still looking into it more, but seems possible to just use a neck die, or a 300 mag with a 7mm bushing. Personally I'm considering it because I have 300 components, but no rifle (and no desire to get one) and a 7mm Rem Mag rifle with no components/ desire to shoot.

I did up a 7/300 Win awhile ago, mostly because I'm sitting on a pile
Norma manufactured brass. Did a 6.5-300 shortly after too.

I've sized the 7-300 cases with a 7Rem FL die screwed out, a 7mm neck die, and 300 Win S series bushing dies in FL and NK. It's almost like there is no wrong way to do it; but have settled on the FL bushing die.

Trajectory is a subject that has always been mystifying to me inasmuch as if one really studies and tests trajectory you will find there is a difference, in the different calibers, of a certain range of calibers, such as from the 30-06 to the 300 RUM, but it isn't breathtaking, its about as much as I can wiggle on or wiggle off the same target at 600 yards so to speak, just not much in inches is a fact of life, but only after one cuts thru the BS and the assumed. ds On top of that windage at extended ranges usually voids all else, so whats the point.

When I first got my 7STW,I began trying different powders and bullets working up loads for it.I was getting great accuracy,but I was not getting the velocities I knew it was capable of.The guy I bought my 7STW from gave me a box of factory Winchester Power Point 150gr ammo,so just for the heck of it,I shot a round over the chronograph.It read 3450fps for that 150gr factory round!Now that's what I was hoping for.I pulled the bullet out of one of the factory rounds,weighed the powder,80.0grs.I did a little research and found Winchester was using WXR powder.I went down to the local gun shop and bought a pound to try it out to see if I could duplicate that load.It did.I use that load for my bullets 139-150grs.It's close to max load for the 150gr bullets in my rifle.I dropped down to 77.0grs for 154-160gr bullets,getting 3300fps with the 154gr and 3200fps with the 160gr.WXR is a discontinued powder.I bought quite a bit of it while I still could.From what I researched,it is the same powder as Reloader-22 and they were lots of Norma MRP that didn't meet the specs.I was only getting 15fps less velocity with Reloader-22 than I was getting from WXR and the powders grouped the same,so I guess it may be so.

Looks like a solid rifle--not left handed though...I shot a STW for a long time, one of the few guns that I actually shot a barrel out, and re barreled One of the few true super mags that will work with a 24 in barrel, mine had a 25 in barrel and shot the 180 grain bullets well. My First cousin has that rifle, and he told me it still shoots 180s--and the new 195s into small groups.

Ed

Here is some pressure test data using a 140gr Sierra bullet.

Here is some more.The problem with these test is,the rifle had a 24" barrel.Mine has a 26" barrel.

Thank you for the data Baldhunter

Here is the video from May 19th (Sorry for the sideways video...this is probably the first video my friend has recorded)

https://youtu.be/aYqwEylwBbM/

That 7STW gets there fast.

76.0gr of Reloader-22 with a 175gr Hornady Spire Point will give me 3040fps and 1" groups @ 200yds in my 7STW.