The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting American Big Game Hunting 7STW or 300WMGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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| one of us |
I have two 7mm stw's and they have worked well on deer,sheep,pronghorn,moose and elk.I would not however have one unless it had a 26" barrel.This cartridge needs a barrel at least that long to burn it's powder. | |||
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| <HBH> |
I have both and if I had to choose one it would be the 300 Win. The 7stw is a good cartridge, but it needs a longer runway to be very much better than the 7mm Rem Mag. HBH | ||
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| one of us |
I think HBH is on the right track with this one. I was checking out some charts and the STW is not much more than 200fps faster than the 7 Rem. Mag. I'd lean towards the 300. I very much like those Savage FSAK rifles. Saw a bueaty of one in .338 a while back. | |||
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| one of us |
I started loading the STW this year for a stainless Ruger #1 with a 26" barrel and it shoots fantastic. Admittedly, the factory data looks anemic. Although I haven't taken it to the published max loads, according to several publications it can make nearly 3600 fps with a 140 gr. bullet, 3400 with a 160, and over 3000 with a 195 gr. bullet. That sounds pretty good to me. Shooting off sandbags last weekend though had me wondering whether it kicks more than my 340 Weatherby. It certainly is a faster recoil. This along with the high BC inherent with the 7mm bullets makes it my choice for long range power. | |||
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| one of us |
Either caliber will do the job; the .300 will likely be a little easier to work with and more versatile for the larger game. Neither, most especially the 7mm STW, needs a muzzle brake. A muzzle brake will just shorten your effective barrel length and damage your hearing. | |||
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| <phurley> |
I own and shoot both the 7mm STW and .300 Win mag, and have shot them both very extensively. My accurate loads for both are for the 7mm STW a 160 gr. Barnes XLC bullet at 3100 fps, the .300 Win a Nosler Partition at 3100 fps. I can get faster loads with the STW, but not with my accepted accuracy. The .300 is more flexable in loads simply because of the extensive numbers of different weight bullets offered in .30 Cal. -- W. Wilson -- Sir if you get the speeds you list in your post, I would like to know what they are. Good shooting. ![[Wink]](images/icons/wink.gif){kind=icon} [ 09-24-2002, 23:31: Message edited by: phurley ] | ||
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| Moderator |
Hunting1, Don't get a 7STW with anything less than a 26" barrel, before the brake. You just will not get the velocities you expect. Even a 7mm Remington Mag. will 'suffer' with a 22" barrel. Also, the 7STW does not kick hard enough to require a brake. Forget that idea. The 116 laminate with the 26" sounds like the right combination. George P.S. The .300 Win. Mag. is a good round, too. | |||
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| one of us |
quote:phurley: Welllll, as I said these speeds are published in loading manuals, namely Barnes number one. Actually, my figures off the top of my head at work this morning were about 50 fps high. Still, according to Barnes with a 26" inch barrel the STARTING load with 72 gr 7828 makes 3095 with a 160 grainer. 78 grains lists 3354 for max. 74 gr. of 7828 is the starting with a 140 to get 3337 and 80 grains is max to get 3572. I only can say that their data with the 140 is very close to the mark with the lighter loads as I didn't try past 77 gr.--how much power do skinny whitetails need anyway? This is according to my chrono at 85 degrees. Your results may vary. Good luck with the upcoming season! | |||
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| one of us |
One of my stw's provides 3540fps with 80gr of 7828 behind a 140gr bullet.The other provides 3460 with the same bullet and 78gr of 7828.Accuracy on one averages right around 1/2" with the other being very slightly better. | |||
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| <phurley> |
Stubblejumper -- W Wilson -- Thanks very much for your information, I will try some of these loads, working my way up to the final loading. I have been unable to get the published speeds period much less with acceptable accuracy. Stubblejumper -- which 140 grain bullet are you using. My accuracy load is with the mentioned Barnes XLC using H-1000 powder and a Fed 215M primer. Good shooting. | ||
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| <phurley> |
W. Wilson -- My Nosler book gave a max of 3580 fps with 7828 powder, using 120 grain bullets. I can understand that speed with that bullet. Having shot hundreds of rounds with the 140 grain bullet, my STW was coming up way short of yours. My STW achieved fantastic accuracy with the 160 gr. XLC, and within one week, however it took two years to reach the same accuracy level with the 140 gr. bullets. Some barrels just take a liking to a certain size bullet. Good shooting. | ||
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| one of us |
Velocities of better than 3500 with a 140 grainer would be on the high side for the two 7mm STW's I've owned (one 24" and one 26"), but as the man says "your results may vary". IMR 7828 has been a bit fast in mine except for 120 grain bullets. I've had good luck with surplus WC 872 with 140 to 175 grain bullets. | |||
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| <Oleman> |
I have a 7mm STW and what they are saying about the short barrel is correct. It would be worse that a .264 with a 22" barrel. Mine has a 26" Douglas premium barrel and the gun shoots 140 Gr Nosler BT's a 3550 with H1000 using the load that Layne Simpson had in his original article in Shooting Times. 160 Gr Sierra Gamekings shoot at 3400 fps with H5010. Last animal I shot was a Mullie at 400 yards with the 140. Dropped like you set a Kenworth on top of him. | ||
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| one of us |
Some dude in the American Rifleman about five months ago said he had a custom rifle made that propels the 140 Ballistic Tip at 3600. Last month I saw data from another individual on a website called the Reloading Bench or something like that that had 120 gr. bullets in the 3700 range. I just started reloading the STW this year, will report results as I get them. | |||
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| one of us |
phurley-I use 140 gr ballistic tips in my stw's.They have worked great on deer,bighorn and pronghorn.For elk ,moose and bear I use my 300 ultramag instead. | |||
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| one of us |
Gentlemen, This is a good topic. I think if it was me, I'd take my trusty 7mm Rem Mag and be happy with it, but if you have to choose between the STW and the .300 Win Mag, I'd probably go with the .300. I've been in Africa the last 3 months, and I've seen a whole lot of game shot, big and small, close and far, and the .300 Win Mag works GREAT at any distance you should be shooting. That includes 400 yards and even a bit beyond. Dead is dead, and I saw the proof. The .300 Win Mag has some real advantages...It can be useful with a 24" barrel, although a 26" is better, It has a wide range of bullet weights, and it's not as fussy to reload as the STW. The 7 STW is a good cartridge, though, and it will certainly cleanly kill large animals at long range. I love the 175 gr. Nosler partition. Either way, one thing is for sure, MUZZLE BRAKES SUCK...You don't need one on either of these cartridges, and when one sees up in camp, I cringe, because it hurts my ears too damn bad!! Joel Slate Slate & Associates, LLC www.slatesafaris.com 7mm Rem Mag Page www.slatesafaris.com/7mm.htm | |||
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| one of us |
I had a 7mm stw with a 27" hart barrel until about a year ago when it was stolen. 3600 fps with a 140 gr bullet was no problem and it was an incredibly accurate rifle. That being said, I think if I were looking for an all around western rifle I'd pick a 300 mag. The extra bullet diameter and weight will make it a better round for moose and elk. The 7mm stw is great but in practical killing terms it doesn't do any better than the 7mm rem mag, it just does it with a little flatter trajectory. In my opinion bullet diameter makes more difference when it comes to killing power than speed or weight. | |||
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| one of us |
I shoot both these cartridges, and I prefer the STW for any open country type shooting. The most accurate load in mine so far, has been the 160 gr Win Fail Safe, in front of 79 gr of 7828. This is a max load in my rifle, but gives me 3200 fps. I have had no luck with the lighter bullets. The next best load is the Nosler 175 gr Partition in front of 79 gr of RL 25, 3100 fps. with these bullet weights and velocities, I have no problem taking anything this side of the big bears. I had really hoped to find a 140 gr bullet load for deer at longer ranges, but no luck so far. I just got a box of the Barnes XLC 140 gr bullets and will try them soon, maybe they will work a little better. - Dan | |||
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| <Hux> |
All this STW talk is getting me anxious to get my 7STW project done. Its a Ruger No1 with a 28" heavy varmint profile barrel. Just waiting on the magnum extractor to come from the USA and it can be screwed together.....damn postage takes forever. Was thinking of running 139 gn Hornady SST's and hope to get somewhere near the magic 3600fps being quoted around here....although 3500fps will keep me happy ![[Big Grin]](images/icons/grin.gif){kind=icon} Hux Brisbane Australia | ||
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| one of us |
quote:Craig, I think you will have no problem making them. That's an idea. A 28 in. barrel sounds cool, as the 26 on a number 1 looks more like a 22 incher. | |||
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| <hunting1> |
The 116FSAK has a 24" barrel with on/off brake and the 7STW has a 26 with on/off brake. I don't need it, but the gun has a fluted barrel and just feels good. I think the 300WM is the ticket. Thanks guys for all your input. I may just settle for a 26" barrel for my Encore. I agree on the 7mm mag, but I have an 06 already, so I was wanting a little bigger boom. Good shooting! | ||
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| one of us |
Fella`s i have nailed heaps with my old Win.7.mm.mag and it does fine for all game here in Australia going to something that does 200 fps more is that a gain of much.I`m sure our sambar wouldnt know the diff. | |||
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| <Varmint Hunter> |
The difference between the 7 STW and the 7 Rem is about another 100yds of killing power. If that is what you need (re: want)then stoke up that 7 STW. My 7 STW will launch a 140gr bullet at 3,577 ft/sec from a 26" Hart barrel. However,at that speed, the bolt is a bit stiff to open. I much prefer just lobbing them out at about 3,400 ft/sec. VH | ||
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