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7mm Rem Ultra Mag OR 7mm STW

I'm with Rose.... "Handle them better" is not an accurate term. They will be very similar, but the RUM will still get worse barrel life and will require more powder to reach the same, or slightly higher velocities over the 7mm STW. Just like it already has to do now.

When it comes to the 7RUM...More powder means more pressure, which means more concentrated flame, more muzzle blast, more recoil, and ultimately shorter throat/barrel life.
 
True...but it ain't a wildcat anymore.

Nosler will find a way to eff it up... They always do. Just like leaving such a heavy taper on the .26 Nosler case walls. It's a waste of a good case. You have to blow out the walls to make it truly functional to get all the useable capacity. Why do people still design cases with such heavy taper? It's 2015, we don't have to use stick-powders (Cordite) anymore... 0.010" taper is perfect for maximum useable capacity, while not having any ejection issues.

Look at the heavy taper in the picture, it looks stupid.

But that's ok....I have already improved it. It's call the 7MM, or 7mm Mud Magnum.
 
Having had both, I cast my vote for the STW. For me, the STW is just easier to deal with in every way. From a gunsmithing perspective, the STW is also easier to do. It is easier to get smooth, reliable feeding from the magazine. It is easier to cut a good chamber. In hand loading, it took a lot less effort to find a good load. The Ultra Mag uses such a huge powder charge for a relatively small gain in velocity and I just couldn't get my extreme spreads down to anything close to single digits. I know others have conquered these issues, I just like keeping my life easy. I also had a 7mm Dakota which is the fat case like the Ultra mag at closer to a standard magnum length. I was almost able to duplicate the STW performance with the Dakota, but it still only held 2 rounds in the magazine and the available brass was quite poor.

I don't like to carry a barrel longer than 26 inches and I prefer less. I was able to get 3400 fps with 140 grain bullets with a 24 inch barrel from my STW. A little over 3500 from 26 inches with the Ultra mag. If it is worth it for you, a longer barrel will get more velocity. Order a 9 twist for 175 grain bullets.
 
Mud,

From what I've experienced the 26 Nosler has too much case capacity as is. I can't find a powder that is even close to filling the case before it pressures out. And with this high strung of a number that means you are risking detonation which did happen when I tried some IMR7828SSC. I had to pound the bolt open with a hammer and I do mean pound. I'm just glad the action I'm using is a beast.

By the way, I vote for the 28 Nosler. I do love this case and in the 28 it won't be near as crazy as the 26 is.
 
The taper does serve a purpose...to some at least...that purpose is smoother feeding and extraction.

It was designed as hunting round, so assuring proper feeding and extraction is a good thing.

Its impossible to please everybody...everybody's priorities don't always match.
 
Mud,

From what I've experienced the 26 Nosler has too much case capacity as is. I can't find a powder that is even close to filling the case before it pressures out. And with this high strung of a number that means you are risking detonation which did happen when I tried some IMR7828SSC. I had to pound the bolt open with a hammer and I do mean pound. I'm just glad the action I'm using is a beast.

By the way, I vote for the 28 Nosler. I do love this case and in the 28 it won't be near as crazy as the 26 is.

The .26 was a stupid attempt to follow trends (the current 6.5mm bonanza going on). The case is virtually useless for anything smaller than a 7mm bullet. It should have been introduced as the .28 Nosler to begin with. It would have made more sense and gained more popularity, because barrel life can't be remotely as bad as it is wih the small 6.5mm bullet. The .30 Nosler is also going to be a beast.
 
I'm a fan of both the 7stw and 7rum. I was just loading some 168 berger match for the 7rum today with 95 rl50 and a 215 lighting the fire. It is actually a rather mild load in my lss lh, but I'm not pushing a berger that hard either.
 
The 28-Nosler is surprisingly, not messed with from the 26 and yup, not a wildcat anymore.

The taper is angularly the same as the RUM and WSM, suits me fine.

I have crunched number on a lot of powders and bullets. There are many combinations where the 28 will best the STW velocity at the same seating depth, pressure and barrel length. As close to apples to apples as possible. Only usable case volume and powder column shape are different. One is not better than the other, only different. FWIW: I have better feeding with beltless cases. To each his own.

The 7RUM is so little gain for so much more. The 28 and STW can be so close...

If the Nosler had not come out, I would never gotten a 7RUM, for a big 7 it would have been the STW or a 7/300wm.
 
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