7 STW and Berger VLDs

[Dano1]

Well,

I just aquired a 7STW and I'm wanting to shoot the heaviest Longrange bullet I can find that It will stabize. It has a 28" 1-9"twist #4 coutour bbl.

I'm really wanting to shoot 180g Berger VLDs for a long range hunting bullet. The bullets have to be seated deep to fit the magazine (if I want to use as a repeater), thereby eliminating the possibility of seating just off the lands.

Can the Bergers shoot accuratley, seated deep, Or should I just go to single shot mode???

Are there other heavy bullets out there that will work out to 1000 or more yards???

This is the largest cased cartridge that I own or will be loading for my self (for now). I' used to loading for variations off of the -06 Case...so any thoughts on this subject are welcome. Tips or advice.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Lyons7STW]

I use the 168's in mine and had my gun smith set the chamber for a dummy round I gave him. So I can get well into the lands and still use the factory mag on my remington 700. Ther is an article in here tha says there is a 30 to 40 thousandths "sweet spot band" on the bergers and you just have to fimd it for your rifle. They can be picky. I shpt a hell of a group the other day, switched presses and scales, reset my dies and somethig shifted. I thought I got it all set back but the next batch shot like crap.

 

[Dano1]

Unfortunately I didn't build this rifle. I just got a smoking good deal on it. It is an old custom, built on a early to mid 60's Remington700. All of the work was done right on it, Blue printed, lugs are mated to the recesses. Action is really smooth. Unfortunately the throat is longer and the more that I think about it, I'll probablly have to go single shot to obtain the accuracy I expect.

Right now I'm refinishing the stock. It looked like crap, but it had been fully bedded wilth Pillars installed. The metal work is flawless and the blueing has no wear. I picked it up out of a local gun shop that didn't know what it was. It has (as I stated before) a 28" barrel and is sporting a Vias Muzzle brake. I wish I Knew the make of the bbl. It also has an oversized recoil lug thats been pinned. The trigger also has been tuned and is about 2lbs. The thoat and lands are clean and Sharp, I doubt that the rifle has been shot once in the last 10 years. The metal inside and out was covered with a laquer from dried up solvent and oil. Needless to say it took a full evening to break it down and clean off all of that stuff.

As a Bonus, and I consider this stuff as free as the price of the rifle was rediculously cheap, there was a brand new harris Bi-pod attached and it was wearing a 80's vintage Redfield 8-32x40mm AO Target Scope with target knobs.

The screws on the bases were locktite-ed in and I broke the Redfiled onepiece base getting it off. I replaced the rings and bases with Warne Maxima Rings and bases.

I think I did OK getting this rifle for $450

Still, I have high hopes for this rifle. The poor ting just got lost for a while and has found a good home. It's the new project .

Thanks for the help so far.

Dan

 

[mtnwrunner]

Dano, interesting timing. I spent this last weekend developing a berger load for a 300 win mag. One of my criteria was that they had to fit in the magazine. So this is how i went about it.
I figured out what my longest length was and then I loaded up several different powder combinations along with different grain charges. I took a little while but this is what i ended up with..............................
I think I'll stick with it. And this load was with the berger seated fairly deep.

Randy

 

[moombaskier]

Dano, if you are going to use it for a long range rig then I recommed seating the bullet out and using it as a single shot. That of course depends on how deep the bullet infringes on your case capacity when seated to fit in the magazine. Why have an STW with a regular 7mag capacity or velocity. Get all you can from the STW case and make the FIRST SHOT COUNT! FWIW it doesn't take long to load another round if you need to.

 

[Dano1]

Great Ideas guys

I'll probablly go the single shot route. Because all of the Bergers That I have shot have been seated just off of the lands to achieve the desired results. The Bullet intrusion into the powder has always been a big concern essentially taking away case capacity from this large case.

I have hunted with and shot single shots quite a bit and the one shot one kill has always been the goal and my motto. So far I've only need a second shot one in the last 10 years. So Moombaskier, I'm listening and this is sounding good to me.

However mtnwrunner has a point, It worked for him in his .300 Win Mag. those are amazing groups. BTW, What kind of velocity are you getting out of that load???

I get 2950FPS out of my .30-06 AI with a 190g BergerVLD with H4350. I also get 3130FPS with a 168g Berger VLD with H4350 as well.

Dan

 

[mtnwrunner]

Dano, i am getting 2948 out of 71 grains of IMR 4831. I went up to 72 grains and got 3005 fps but the group opened up to half and inch. I just decided to stay with 71 grains being that is what shoots the best.
If you have the time, i'd mess with different powders and just try and seat them the length of the magazine. I think you would be surprised.
And i usually only need one bullet also but it's nice to have a magazine full if you need them. BTW, my rifle is a ruger 77 with a pac nor barrel and timney trigger----it is a shooter. Yeah, yeah, I know, rugers can't shoot very good.....................

Have fun with your load development.

Randy

 

[Dano1]

thanks, I will have fun.

Who says rugers can't shoot? I have a light weight M77MKII in a .243AI That can shoot tiny little groups....My Father's Ruger No1s shoot sub MOA as well. One from the beginning, the other needed a little work.

Dan

 

[mtnwrunner]

Oh, i know---it kills me to hear that but i have guys tell me that all the time.
No matter to me---they do what i want them to do and do it quite well.
I acutally have a number 1 in 7 stw that i am working with right now. Just got a kepplinger trigger and a dlask brake put on it. She is looking pretty good.

 

[Dano1]

Most of my rifles are Older remington 700s 3 being built in 1971 and older the newest one is from 1998.

I've owned several Rugers and they were all fine. My father has The 2 No1s and he wishes he had a MkI Flat top Varmit in a .243 that he had in the 1970s and he loved them all.

I had a Target M77MkII that I enjoyed as well. They are all good guns. It irratates me as well that people don't like the rugers.

That Ruger no1 sound like a wonderful project, definately fun. I gotta see the pics when you get her dialed in.

Dan

 

[mtnwrunner]

Dano, i'll get you some photos----see you are Idaho Falls. Fairly close--I am up in the Carey area.

Randy

 

[Dano1]

Randy,

That's not really too far. Just a hop & Jump over Craters of the Moon....

How did the Muleys fair over there over the winter???

I usually hunt 76 with my Pa every Fall, but there are too many people. I'm thinking of trying some new areas...

Dan