new to the 7mm stw

[rem22-243]

Hey guys I'm new to the 7mm stw. I just ordered a select match shilen barrel putting in on a 700 stainless action.

Was going to see what information I could get out of you guys as far as reloading and velocities.

I'm mainly going to be deer hunting with It i don't want to go any heavier than 140 grain bullets. I bought some 120 Barnes ttsx, 130 Sierra match kings, speer 130 grain, 140 Sierra hpbt gameking.
Just curious what powders ya guys use

Appreciate all the help

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Mudrunner2005 will likely say 7828sc with a 168-180 grain pill...
I'll give my .02 also... I've been using 82 rl25 with a 140 nos ab for two rifles now; the last rifle was about 3400 fps with rl25 and the 140ab... the new rifle hasn't been over a chrono I trust yet. My pops is running the 140 sierra pro hunter with enough rl22 to pass 3300 fps by a good bit.
If you don't work the heck out of your rifle it will last a lot better than if you squeeze it for the last few fps of course, so we don't push much over 60 kpsi with our rifles. The 7stw will not show brass distress (shiners on the head/ loose pockets) until well over 70 kpsi so watch for heavier bolt lift first. The shoe test is appropriate here; if you couldn't open the bolt with a tap from your shoe, the load is too hot. Logical max speeds for an stw are roughly 3600 fps for a 120, 3400 fps for a 140, and 3050 fps for a 175-180.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Lefty has been around me too long.

I am a fan of using heavy-for-caliber bullets in almost all calibers. Some folks like lazer beams with lighter bullets and massive velocity, and there's nothing wrong with that either. I just prefer the 180's in my STW's. Plus I'm shooting true 1/2" 5-shot groups at 100, so I know I'm good to 1K and beyond...If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[rem22-243]

The place I hunt their could be many shots from 800 to 1000+ and from what I read this is the round to do it. I'm just not sure of the lighter bullets are going to do that for me?

 

[harleybug]

A 7 mag will drop deer at a 1000 no problem also

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

The place I hunt their could be many shots from 800 to 1000+ and from what I read this is the round to do it. I'm just not sure of the lighter bullets are going to do that for me?

Step up in bullet weight to a 168-175 then. Lighter pills are more for midrange shots where you don't want to dial imo..

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

A 7 mag will drop deer at a 1000 no problem also

yes, but the 7rem is hamstrung by the fact that it was introduced when the best powder available to load an overbore round like that was 7828..... That's hardly a slow burning powder compared to many of the better mag. powders available today. Slow burners like rl33, rl25, retumbo, and ramshot magnum were not really available. Of course you could get h870 and I5010 from time to time, but those are better suited to the 50bmg for the most part.

 

[Blacktail]

Sorry guys jumped in late been a spell since I posted. I have had good luck with 140 and 160 ABs both under ideal conditions holding less then .5" with h1000. 140 hair over 3400 160s 3215. I settled on 160 when u look at charts not much diff in 140s and buck wind better. Just my exp

 

[harleybug]

yes, but the 7rem is hamstrung by the fact that it was introduced when the best powder available to load an overbore round like that was 7828..... That's hardly a slow burning powder compared to many of the better mag. powders available today. Slow burners like rl33, rl25, retumbo, and ramshot magnum were not really available. Of course you could get h870 and I5010 from time to time, but those are better suited to the 50bmg for the most part.

I would think the same would apply for the stw also. The 7ma g seems to be a more efficient cartridge considering powder use. Plus the stw is a minimal fps gain. Doesn't seem worth the hassle for brass and ammo. I like the stw but I can't convince myself to get one after searching for brass and ammo. When the 195 vlds come out I would lean more to a 7rum if I were planning to shoot them.

 

[budlight]

I would think the same would apply for the stw also. The 7ma g seems to be a more efficient cartridge considering powder use. Plus the stw is a minimal fps gain. Doesn't seem worth the hassle for brass and ammo. I like the stw but I can't convince myself to get one after searching for brass and ammo. When the 195 vlds come out I would lean more to a 7rum if I were planning to shoot them.

Harley, I loaded for 7 mag for many years back when shooting was cheap and I shot a lot. Then I acquired a 7STW wildcat before it became official. I owned a chrono and when the 7 mag is popping the primer to get a FPS the 7stw is not even breaking out in a sweat. I had a slower twist and mine favored 160+ bullets I zeroed in on 175's and perfected them.

The old story about something being more efficient is ...................... I can down load a big volume case and match the fps of a near over pressure small case. It is like comparing a 30-06 to a 300 win mag.

If you are going to rebarrel get the 28 inch. It is also another source of free FPS.

I agree with this quote

yes, but the 7rem is hamstrung by the fact that it was introduced when the best powder available to load an overbore round like that was 7828..... That's hardly a slow burning powder compared to many of the better mag. powders available today. Slow burners like rl33, rl25, retumbo, and ramshot magnum were not really available

 

[MudRunner2005]

Harley, I loaded for 7 mag for many years back when shooting was cheap and I shot a lot. Then I acquired a 7STW wildcat before it became official. I owned a chrono and when the 7 mag is popping the primer to get a FPS the 7stw is not even breaking out in a sweat. I had a slower twist and mine favored 160+ bullets I zeroed in on 175's and perfected them.

The old story about something being more efficient is ...................... I can down load a big volume case and match the fps of a near over pressure small case. It is like comparing a 30-06 to a 300 win mag.

If you are going to rebarrel get the 28 inch. It is also another source of free FPS.

I agree with this quote

yes, but the 7rem is hamstrung by the fact that it was introduced when the best powder available to load an overbore round like that was 7828..... That's hardly a slow burning powder compared to many of the better mag. powders available today. Slow burners like rl33, rl25, retumbo, and ramshot magnum were not really available

I agree. A 250+ fps gain is a lot when it comes down to only 15 grains of powder difference in load charges. Harley says he's getting 2850 with his 7RM and 180's, and I can easily hit 3050, and can probably hit 3100 with minimal pressure signs In my STW.

I don't agree that 7828 is not a slow burner. It only sits 1 spot above RL25 on the burn chart... And it works great in all of my calibers shooting heavy bullets.

Check out numbers 132 and 133... http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Burn%20Rates_121211.pdf

Also, Retumbo and H1000 are jokes... Retumbo won't shoot in ANY of my guns and H1000 won't stabilize to save its life. And both of these opinions are based on MY personal experiences with them. If you have had good experiences, then more power to you, but mine have been horrible with those 2 powders. My buddy's .300WM loves H1000, but none of my rifles seem to be consistant with it.

 

[budlight]

Like I said, down loading ultra mags can bring in great accuracy and still have ample HP to go hunting. I used to use 7828 years ago and then when AA magpro and ram shot magnum came out I also used R-25.

My 7 mag friends switched up after seeing mine and taking it Elk hunting on loan.

I have the 1:9 lilja 28 inch

 

[WildRose]

I would think the same would apply for the stw also. The 7ma g seems to be a more efficient cartridge considering powder use. Plus the stw is a minimal fps gain. Doesn't seem worth the hassle for brass and ammo. I like the stw but I can't convince myself to get one after searching for brass and ammo. When the 195 vlds come out I would lean more to a 7rum if I were planning to shoot them.

It's well worth the gain which you'd discover after shooting one for a while.

The gain of going on up to the Rum case however is not worth the reduced barrel life or having to tolerate the additional recoil ad muzzle blast.

There comes a point with every caliber where the gain in case capacity reaches the point of diminishing returns.

Going large than the STW case with the 7mm is definitely where you start seeing ever decreasing returns and many more problems.

 

[7mmstw]

reloader 25 & 150 grain scirroco has been a go to load for years
have used it for elk & mule deer both...have yet to find a bullet
at 80.0 gns it leaves a 24" gun at about 3350... i have used it
since that bullet was new... now we have bullets that have more bc & heavyer
but the object is the same ... flat ... fast very accurate..
light lighter bullets than 150/160/175 really make a mess inside of 200 yards
even on elk