7mm 180gr Berger VLD

[CryptoChief]

Rabbitslayer78,

If you can't hit that sweet spot, mag extensions are no big deal. The smith simply takes a small amount from the rear of the receiver where the back of the mag well begins and shortens the bolt stop. Most procedures can give you up to an extra 200/1000 of room in the mag well. That's a lot of expansion room for bullet seating. Hopefully it won't come to that. If you are like me, I would rather take the money that would go to alterations/modificatins and put it in components for loading or a really good scope or something. Anyway, good luck with your load development.

CC

 

[Rabbitslayer78]

CryptoChief, do you utilize a drop turret on your scope. If so what kind of scope do you prefer and who built your turret? Thanks.

 

[CryptoChief]

Rabbitslayer78,

On my custom 30-338 I am using a Huskemaw 5-20 X 50 LR w/30mm tube. Turret is made by the folks at The Best Of The West in Cody, WY where I purchased the scope. It is calibrated for the area and conditions you plan to hunt in. Mine is set up for 6000 ft elevation for hunting Idaho this Fall. If you want to hunt another area, the folks at BOTW will take your current load data and make you another turret for the elevation/area you are planning to hunt. If you put it on another rifle with different caliber, you send the data in for that particular rifle/caliber combination and the area you plan to hunt and they make you a different turret for that particular set up. Unless you want to keep buying more of these scope for your different rifles, I would just obtain data for each rifle/caliber and buy the turret for that particular situation. That's what I plan to do with my 7mm Rem Mag. One scope, several turrets. At least for the time being. Scope runs just over $1100 and the first turret is free. Cost for additional turrets is listed in their on-line store. Depending on my financial situation in a year or two, I will probably buy another one.

I tested mine here in Virginia on several ranges, different elevations. Even though the air is a bit thicker here in VA (350 to 900 ft above sea level) as compared to Idaho (5 to 6 thousand), the adjustments for each range was dead on out to 500 yards (my longest yardage distance available). For the 500 yard range I simply added an additional 25 yard click to compensate for te air density, and the shot fell right where it was supposed to. Actually, if I would have left it at 500 instead of 525, the shot would still have been well inside the kill zone.

Windage stadia are built right into the optics and the turret gives you the windage adjustment for the distances you shoot . Example: 800 yard shot with a full value crosswind means I have to add 4 minutes of wndage. Shows that right on the turret. 20 mph full value cross wind and the same range, simply double the windage.

Great scope. Outstanding optics and finite, dead on click adjustment. No more hold over for me unless I absolutely, positively have to take a nano-second shot. But of course, I won't let myself be pushed/rushed into taking a less than desireable shot. No fair to the game I'm hunting, to the guide, or to myself.

Anyway, hope this helps.

CC

 

[Rabbitslayer78]

Thank you for heading me in the right direction CryptoChief. I found the sweet spot for my 7mm STW with 180 Bergers. Here is the proff at 100 yrds 5 shot group.

 

[Limbic]

What load and MV? That is a good looking group. I don't know how to get that little bit of verticle out. Maybe go up on powder a few tenths at a time.

 

[Rabbitslayer78]

Average out of a 5 shot Muzzle velocity is 2812 fps, 74 .0 gr Retumbo, 7mm STW 180 Berger Hunting Load C.O.A.L is the factor!!!

 

[CryptoChief]

rabbitslayer78,

Excellent! Glad to be of any help. Looks to me to be about a 2 1/2 inch group at 500 yards. Maybe less. Don't think you will have any problem knocking them down with that load in your STW. My best load with my 7 Rem Mag with 168 Bergers are running right around 2800fps. Not a speed demon by any stretch of the imagination but DOB accurate. Your 180's will carry better than my 168's starting at about the same velocity. Both bullets will do the job though. Happy hunting.

Cheers,

CC

 

[Limbic]

I'm getting about 2950 for my 180 bergers from my 7mm remmag. I'm using retumbo 68 g. 26" barrel The STW should be pushing them faster

 

[Rabbitslayer78]

Don't know what else to say, Cronograph was at lease ten feet from muzzle, power scale said 74.0 grs. Barrel is 28" I swear. Maybe my crony is not correct.

 

[Colby]

What was your final C.O.A.L?

 

[Colby]

How far did you end up being off the lands?

 

[Limbic]

I'm .01 with 180's
.08 with the 168's

 

[Rabbitslayer78]

Colby,

C.O.A.L.= 3.658 (7mm STW) and its 0.242 off the lands. I Started with what would fit in my magazine and went from there.

 

[Rabbitslayer78]

Hey guys I'm looking to tweak my load a little bit just wanted some helpful input. I would like to load my 7 STW with H50BMG has any one had good luck or a nice load data to start from on this powder. I currently use Retumbo and it is a great powder. But if you don't try you'll never know. Shooting 180 Bergers. Thanks