7mm build

[WildRose]

Sounds like rifle and load issues, not cartridge choice issues.
I have exactly one belted magnum out of 6 custom rifles. I but myb7RM on a rifle my late father-in-law gave me when he passed away early last year. He asked me to rebuild it and kill an elk with it. So I built it in 7RM which is what he always carried. So no belted mag supporter here. But, there is absolutely nothing wrong with them that good hand loading will not remedy. And the fallacy of belted magnums having "issues" is easily averted or remedied with proper procedures.

The only thing "wrong" with belted magnums is that they've been around so long and don't give the companies today something new and cook to offer unless they are coming up with non belted magnums to offer.

It's just about marketing and market share, nothing else.

 

[jjmp]

Seems like the op is leaning towards the new style non magnum rds ,that's fine but the 7STW has very much proven it's self over and over , just like the 7 Mag has done, but when pushing them heavier bullets you need more powder room rite , the 7/300 win /mag was brought up it's got the moxy,one that gets pass over time n time again is the 7mmDakota,with a hi tech barrel 26 inch it'll run with the 7STW and match it across the board ,Love the STW , but the Dakota's one Fine thought out rd,only 2 checks against it ,Cost of Propriety brass ,& brass head diameter . Other then those points it'll beat the Compotition , which brings us rite back to more affordable ,efficient ,rounds , what not a compermize go figure ! Thks gd luck !!!.

 

[johnnyk]

Gotta go with WildRose on the belted case "issues". I didn't hear about any issues until marketing from the ammo/rifle makers started pushing the RUM/WSM/SAUM cases out on the streets years back. Which, they're all good cartridges but they are not up there with the Holy Grail of cartridges; the 6.5mm Creedmoor! LOL. That is marketing at its absolute best! When the 7mm Creedmoor comes out you can hang up your 7RUM, STW, Wtby/Remington Mags, Sherman's, .280/.280AI, .284Win, 7X57Mauser and 7mm-08. They will be Hornadified and rendered obsolete!

"Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart." – Joe Chernov

 

[Luke.Nukem]

I have a browning hells canyon long range in 7mm RM, 1:8 twist. It shoots the 195's at about .5 moa and 2800 FPS over 73 grains of rl33. Its not as fast as some of the newer, "cooler" rounds but I'm very happy with the results.

 

[Predator 22]

The 28 Nosler gets very close in performance but will never quite match it and certainly lacks the "cool factor" of the STW.

Do you have any evidence to prove this? From what I can find the Nosler case has a couple grains more capacity. So I would say it would be a wash velocity wise.
I have no hatred towards the belted cartridges, but i don't see any gains/benefits for having a belt either. If anyone has a real world gain/benefit for having a belt I'm all ears?

 

[Wedgy]

If I were going off of a short action case such as the WSM then I would build it with a cartridge that can truly fit in a short action platform using long, high BC bullets such as the 7mm Sherman. This is actually my next build.
3,000+fps with a 180 grain in a short mag...what's not to love ??

 

[MudRunner2005]

Thinking of building a 7mm to use the Berger 180's or 195 EOL's. Going to primarily use for S Texas long sendero shooting but also will be packing it out west. Thinking of using a Proof 26" 8 twist to stabilize the heavy bullets. Not tied to a specific caliber. Looking at a Bighorn TL3 long action to be able to have the option to switch calibers at a later date if wanted.

Thoughts on cartridges?

Short-action, 7mm SS... Long action, 7mm Sherman or .28 Nosler.

 

[jda2631]

I had the exact same idea. Settled on TL3, Manners EH1 w/CIP length mini chassis, proof 26" 8 twist 28 Nosler, TT Special, Arc Rings, and AMG. I had the barrel throated specifically for the 195's, and my coal at 3.715" is about 0.020" off the lands. I use retumbo for temp stability instead of RE33, I'm about 3033 fps. I think I could gain 100 fps or so if I used RE33. Could not be happier, and as long as you reload I would highly recommend the 28 for a hunting gun. Other people have said that with their barrel throated for the 195's that the 180 ELD-M's and 180 Bergers shoot well too, but I have only shot the 195's.

I don't know what the barrel life will be, but I'd imagine around 6-700 or so? but this is strictly a hunting barrel. I went with bighorn for the ease of switching a barrel and bought a steel 6.5x55 barrel to target shoot with and practice outside of hunting season.

 

[MudRunner2005]

JDA, your barrel life should be more than 600-700 rounds. The .28 Nosler is ballistic twins with the 7mm STW, and there are guys who had over 1,250-1,500 rounds on theirs that was still shooting acceptable groups. Provided you take care of the barrel and don't shoot it hot, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to get 1,000...Maybe more? Barrel life is one of those things you just can't really predict. Sometimes you get a bad tube, and it goes south way too early, sometimes you get a really good one that seems like it's never going to run out of steam. It's all a crap-shoot.

 

[WildRose]

Seems like the op is leaning towards the new style non magnum rds ,that's fine but the 7STW has very much proven it's self over and over , just like the 7 Mag has done, but when pushing them heavier bullets you need more powder room rite , the 7/300 win /mag was brought up it's got the moxy,one that gets pass over time n time again is the 7mmDakota,with a hi tech barrel 26 inch it'll run with the 7STW and match it across the board ,Love the STW , but the Dakota's one Fine thought out rd,only 2 checks against it ,Cost of Propriety brass ,& brass head diameter . Other then those points it'll beat the Compotition , which brings us rite back to more affordable ,efficient ,rounds , what not a compermize go figure ! Thks gd luck !!!.

If you are running the same bullets, same length barrel etc no, the Dakota won't quite keep up with the STW and it will always be far more expensive to shoot.

You can go faster than the STW. You can move to a non belted magnum that gets close to it but you're not going to beat it in an apples to apples comparison without running a wildcat of some sort or going to a much greater powder charge.

It just happens to fall right at the breakpoint of the point of diminishing returns.

There have been times when finding properly headstamped brass was an issue but we have enough mfg's out there now producing good quality STW brass it's no longer an issue and when worse comes to worse you can always just neck down 8mm RM with no problem.

It looks like Hornady and Nosler are going to give it a good run with each coming out with their own non belted magnum 7's using shorter, fatter cases but they still won't quite get there with the performance.

 

[WildRose]

Do you have any evidence to prove this? From what I can find the Nosler case has a couple grains more capacity. So I would say it would be a wash velocity wise.
I have no hatred towards the belted cartridges, but i don't see any gains/benefits for having a belt either. If anyone has a real world gain/benefit for having a belt I'm all ears?

Just the load tables and the real world velocities produced by shooters.

 

[lancetkenyon]

There is always the 7 RUM.

 

[jda2631]

JDA, your barrel life should be more than 600-700 rounds. The .28 Nosler is ballistic twins with the 7mm STW, and there are guys who had over 1,250-1,500 rounds on theirs that was still shooting acceptable groups. Provided you take care of the barrel and don't shoot it hot, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to get 1,000...Maybe more? Barrel life is one of those things you just can't really predict. Sometimes you get a bad tube, and it goes south way too early, sometimes you get a really good one that seems like it's never going to run out of steam. It's all a crap-shoot.

I just got that number from Ryan Pierce who has done a ton of testing with the 28 and 195's and written a bunch about it. Those were his estimations based off his testing with throating the barrel so far out (about .4" over sammi spec). If I get more I'd be super happy. But I shot right at 150 for break in and load development and just shooting it because it was a new rifle, but from now on will basically only shoot animals with it and maybe 3 shots or so a year to confirm zero before hunting season. So it should last me a long, long time.

 

[MudRunner2005]

There is always the 7 RUM.

Why? So he could gain only 25 FPS, and lose half his barrel life?