On a whim, I bought a Model 70 in 7mm STW. Not sure why. The allure of speed or unusualness..

Tell me what you like and/or don't like about yours....

I shoot a Laredo Edition Model 70 Winchester in 7mm STW and have enjoyed it for many years. A perfect Deer and Elk rifle for me and mine. It shoots 160 grain Nosler Partition bullets at 3200 plus fps lights out, and does not like 140 grain bullets. It has a bull barrel and very efficient Muzzle brake. I can say it is an amazing rifle. It likes H-1000 powder and Fed Match Magnum primers. Good Shooting.

I have built quite a number of them.

All are very popular for hunting in both Africa and Asia.

Their owners love them.

I own 2

One is a cobbled on a USRA Model 70 action
I have killed my best Red Stag, 1 wild boar, my best mouflon, and an old 3.5 Kilo Fallow, and a whitetail at what was then my longest shot at 245 quartering to.

The bullet is a 160 grain accubond

Only the Ref Stag ran and he dropped in 50ish yards from where he was hit. I shot him dead center of the heart. He went on his back legs, trying to turn. I shot him again and he trotted off, stopped and fell over.

He weighed on an electronic scale gutted w hide on 400 pounds.

Everything else has been violent drop to the shot, kills with massive exit wounds.

I love it. 160 grain bullet at 3200 fps.

The other is a USRA Winchester Model 70 from the custom shop.

My second favorite cartridge after the 358 STA.

What do I not like about it?

Nolser has just about stopped supporting the cartridge w brass since bringing out the 28 Nosler.

I do not have one, primarily because I have a 7mm Rem. Mag. and it is all I ever wanted in a 7mm with more power than the 7x57.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dogcat:
On a whim, I bought a Model 70 in 7mm STW. Not sure why. The allure of speed or unusualness..
/QUOTE]

Ross,
What will you hunt with it ?

Same answer as Mike Robinson above.
Some friends had 7 STW rifles made on Sako actions, McMillan stocks. They’re nice guns, accurate and fast. But I’ve not yet seen them kill anything, that I could not have killed just as dead with my Rem 7 mag.

quote:

Originally posted by df06:
Same answer as Mike Robinson above.
Some friends had 7 STW rifles made on Sako actions, McMillan stocks. They’re nice guns, accurate and fast. But I’ve not yet seen them kill anything, that I could not have killed just as dead with my Rem 7 mag.

Or a .30-06

Velocity and energy is kind of like money. When is enough is enough???

For my money, it depends.

The 7mm STW does what the 7 Rem Mag was intended to do being a 160 grain bullet at 3100-3150 fps.

I have used 270 Win (I was going to take the 280 Win on the hunt I took the 7mm STW, but both the outfitter and agent suggested a bit more if I could handle it due to the body size of the Stag). I am very glad I did.

I have taken game in the 200-225 pound class w the following:
270, 30/06, 375 Ruger, 7mm STW, 35 Whelen, and 358 STA loaded with 280 grain bullets. I have a lot fewer than some on here, but multiples of each.

I have taken game in the 300-500 plus pound range with the following:
7mm STW, 375 Ruger, 35 Whelen, and 358 STA.
Again, the bag w each in numbers is one or two each.

I would not use a 270 Win or 30/06 class of cartridges on elk and bigger if I could avoid it. That is me and my money.

I personally see little difference between a 140 grain binder bullet in .277 compared to a 140/150 grain 7mm short mag, or 180 grain 30/06.

I look at cartridge and bullet weight for caliber more than caliber itself.

In my limited experience the 7mm STW was a good step up from the 270 Win and 30/06. Recoil was no worse than a 30:06 and 180 grain bullet which I contribute to a little heavier rifle. I still could pack it miles at 9000 plus feet above sea level.

Same with the 35 Whelen and 358 STA. I love both. The 358 STA and 280/270 grain bonded bullets have gave me exits at further range on same game that the 35 Whelen with a bit softer bonded bullet and less weight do not at closer ranges. My “best” shot to date was a winter fat cow elk at 318 yards off a BOG POD. The STA took the king’s and knew the legs through the off side behind the last rib. Cow went down.


Again, we think too much in caliber. A 38/55 is not the same class as a 375 Ruger/HH.

I have had a 7 STW for years and it worked beautifully. I have taken a lot of game with it and have had very good results. I found and started shooting a 338 mag and decided I liked it better so I gave the STW to my grandson and he loves it also.

The only issues I have found with the STW is it is more picky on the reloads. It likes heavier 7MM bullets. 160-175 work well and but 140-150 don't shoot as well.

My long throated 7 mag does 3060 fps with a 175 grn bullets and 76 grns of H870. Primers still round on the edges. If I need another 50 fps there is something wrong with my shooting.

Had one, never shot it. Had it converted to a 404 Jeffery by Wayne at American Hunting Rifles and took it to Zimbabwe twice.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
My long throated 7 mag does 3060 fps with a 175 grn bullets and 76 grns of H870. Primers still round on the edges. If I need another 50 fps there is something wrong with my shooting.

Since, I am not mechanically inclined, if I were going to buy a 7mm Remington and have it throated, I would just buy a 7mm STW.

A 7mm Remington with factory spec chamber w a 160 grain bullet has a bunch of published handloads in the 2900-3000 fps top range with a 24 inch barrel. If anyone wants to keep it simple.

Place throater in T handled holder. Insert. Twist to length desired.
If you can clean your ears with a Q tip, you can lengthen a chamber throat. I have throaters in almost every caliber, and throat my rifles to magazine length, or preferred bullet or to freshen up a throat that is starting to burn.

quote:

Originally posted by 30.06king:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by dogcat:
On a whim, I bought a Model 70 in 7mm STW. Not sure why. The allure of speed or unusualness..
/QUOTE]

Ross,
What will you hunt with it ?

Elk, mule deer, possibly sheep, plains game in Namibia and hopefully a large pile of baboons

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I do not have one, primarily because I have a 7mm Rem. Mag. and it is all I ever wanted in a 7mm with more power than the 7x57.

Michael,
I am a victim of high oil prices. When oil prices are high, I victimize myself by buying more toys..

So, I have a 7x57, .280 Rem, 7mm Rem Mag and now a 7mm STW. Why? No reason other than to play with something else.

Going after elk this fall on a private ranch and will be able to hunt and be picky. So am thinking - 7 mm STW, .300 H&H or .338 WM. I like them all, so will likely take them just for fun.

I also have a .30-06 that is seriously accurate and fun to shoot too....

In my youth, it was "so many woman, so little time".

In my current stage of life it is "so many calibers, so much time"....

I understand the fun of a new toy!
But, when you consider a 30-06 with a 165 and a 24" barrel and a 160 STW with a 160 with the same barrel length. At 500 yds it's only 7-8". The 06 has been making those shots for 100 plus years.
Think about the old sharps cartridges. Hunters made those shots with rainbow trajectories. But, they knew their rifles better than most nowdays.
I have a series of white rocks set into the hillside from my dooryard. Random, 100 to over 500 yds. You would be surprised what you can do with a common cartridge when everyday you step out and pick a different rock to shoot.
Most folks dont think of a 375 H&H as a long range gun. It will reach 500+ easy enough so I have to replace that rock every year! It still packs a punch at that range.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
Place throater in T handled holder. Insert. Twist to length desired.
If you can clean your ears with a Q tip, you can lengthen a chamber throat. I have throaters in almost every caliber, and throat my rifles to magazine length, or preferred bullet or to freshen up a throat that is starting to burn.

Trust me, I could screw it up. You should have seen me taking an engine out of a Triple 7.

lIKE MOST SUCH TOPICS IT IS A FINE CALIBER BUT NOT ENOUGH DIFFERENCE TO RUN OUT AND BUY ONE IF YOU HAVE A rem 7 MAG. OR ITS ILK.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I do not have one, primarily because I have a 7mm Rem. Mag. and it is all I ever wanted in a 7mm with more power than the 7x57.

Michael,
I am a victim of high oil prices. When oil prices are high, I victimize myself by buying more toys..

So, I have a 7x57, .280 Rem, 7mm Rem Mag and now a 7mm STW. Why? No reason other than to play with something else.

Going after elk this fall on a private ranch and will be able to hunt and be picky. So am thinking - 7 mm STW, .300 H&H or .338 WM. I like them all, so will likely take them just for fun.

I also have a .30-06 that is seriously accurate and fun to shoot too....

In my youth, it was "so many woman, so little time".

In my current stage of life it is "so many calibers, so much time"....

No explanation needed, although high oil prices only affect me in a negative way.

I am trying to kick the rifle habit. It's not easy.

My cousin had a sendero 7 mm rem mag that he turned into a 7 mm stw .He really liked it for about 6 years but it was heavy to carry and kicked like a mule for some reason .I shot it and it was not fun at all to shoot .It needed a different recoil pad and stock which us weird because my 416 rem mag with hs stock was actually easier to shoot than that 7 mm stw .He went to 280 ai but then switched to 300 wsm in a 700 .I still have 66 pcs of once fired 7 mm stw brass federal and Remington if someone wants to buy them .

Cutting thru the chafe, my chronograph sez the 7 mags don't improve on the 30-06 enough to justify owning one, not to say they are an inferior caliber, they are a fine caliber, but I consider the 30-06 hard to beat under any conditions when you take into account all the pros and cons.

I used a 7x61 S&H for several decades of hunting. A very efficient case smaller than the 7mm Rem Mag but with a powder charge around 60.0 would give an honest chronographed 3000fps with 160gr bullets. Norma factory ammo with 160gr bullets stated 3100fps MV and chronoed in my Schultz and Larsen rifle at 3040fps. Never chronoed the 7x61 Super ammo which had a factory spec of 3150fps MV with the 160gr bullet. These velocities from the 26" barrel.

I now use a 7mm WSM, short action, 22" barrel, both Winchester and Hornady loads with 160gr bullets chronograph at 3008fps and 3005fps (factory MV's 3050fps and 3000fps respectively).

Federal 140gr TBT factory ammo 3200fps, chronographed 3230fps!!!

What's not to like about that performance from a short action and barrel?

Yes the 7mm STW gives about another 200fps over the other 7mm magnums but at the expense of a longer action and barrel and a lot more powder and potential recoil.

I bought a Winchester "new" pre64 model 70 in 7STW about 25 years ago for a bean field rifle, and with the gun I also purchased 2 boxes of Remington ammunition for it. I tried to shoot it a couple times but had to use my foot to open the bolt because extraction was so difficult. I was done with it and started looking for a 300RUM but didn't find one, but fell for a Remington Sendero 338RUM with the fluted stainless barrel and H&S precision stock to trade the 7 in towards. Those 2 rifles was the catalyst for me to start hand loading. Looking back, I wish I had started loading for the 7STW.

Best use I can think of for a 7mm STW…

I had a custom 7mm STW based on a pre-64 action with Hi Tec stock. I was looking for another pre-64 express action as I wanted to have a 375 H&H built. It dawned on me that I could simply get a barrel in 375 and forget about the STW. So I did. That STW is way in the rear view mirror and the 375 has become my new favorite rifle.

I have only one 7MM, a RJ Renner Ruger in 7x57, an amazing caliber