7mm STW Brotherhood - For those who shoot the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner

[etisll40]

Interesting post I see this morning on this site.

"Berger to introduce 7mm 195 gr EOL Hybrid Hunting Bullet"

A must read with consideration towards new builds...

The 7STW is going to re-surge, new luster great cartridge.

 

[Black67]

The new bullet that I think my be a good long range one is the new Barnes 7mm 168gr LRX unit. This bullet should hold up better than the Berger bullets, possibly be as accurate too. I bet these things are long though, which is good and bad at the same time.

Fred, I am with 7stw on this, if you have the AB shooting great from your gun, I would stay with them. I have not shot the Bergers yet, but have read good and bad stories about them. But, this happens with just about every bullet out today.

 

[etisll40]

The Barnes bullet may prove to be the best accuracy/hunting combination in some guns. I heard a lot about the effectiveness of the old Barnes X bullet in terminal performance. It killed things dead and quickly.

Shortens the walk back!

 

[Head shot]

New to the 7STW just got mine a couple months ago.Its a Winchester Durango. It was born a 7mmMag but was changed up to the 7STW with a 27'' Hart barrel This DUDE is wicked on deer & hogs still working on loads but I sure am impressed. You dont see many STW'S down here in the south east.

I'LL tell one thing IM proud to own this onegun)

 

[gamehawker]

The new bullet that I think my be a good long range one is the new Barnes 7mm 168gr LRX unit. This bullet should hold up better than the Berger bullets, possibly be as accurate too. I bet these things are long though, which is good and bad at the same time.

I'm eager to try the 168gr LXR and the 145gr LRX in my Remington 700 Sendero 7mm STW.

When I called Remington last week and gave them my rifle serial # they told me that my rifle was built in 1997. Last night I check and my barrel twist is 1-9. I these bullets will do well in it!

 

[ButterBean]

New to the 7STW just got mine a couple months ago.Its a Winchester Durango. It was born a 7mmMag but was changed up to the 7STW with a 27'' Hart barrel This DUDE is wicked on deer & hogs still working on loads but I sure am impressed. You dont see many STW'S down here in the south east.

I'LL tell one thing IM proud to own this onegun)

Sounds like you scored Dude......I have a Winchester Laredo LRH Still waiting on my scope to get back,cant wait to start working on some loads

 

[7stw]

Guys, I just back from the range. I took the Sako, the 300 LSS, which was going to be my sacrifice gun for the new build, and my Browning A- Bolt in .270. I switch off while one is cooling. I shot some of the old style A- Maxes, 162 grain again. I had two loadings, one had 76.2 - RL22, and the other loading was 81.5- VN170, both using fed 215 primers @ 3.702. Did not take chrono, very cloudy today. Accuracy was again very good. Groups at 100' and 200 were nearly identical. I think I am in the 3075-3100 fps range. I shot one of those loads awhile ago, when I was sampling a few loads. I was just checking these bullets, against the newer ones, as these are the old style, which have a higher BC. Also, at the last minute this morning when I was loading these bullets, just as a whim, I loaded 3 with 80.3- RL 22, and the Barnes 140 TSX. I only shot these at 200 yards. Group measured .477. When I first got this gun, I could not get it to shoot 140 grain bullets, but I did not try the TSX's.I am pretty sure that the speed is around 3340-3350. That is what the other 140's were shooting, but I went up 1 grain of RL22. Just a little load info to share, and by the way, I am glad that I decided NOT to use the LSS as a sacrifice. I put a Leupold Vari- X 3, not the VX3, 4.5-14 AO on the 300. Adjusted trigger etc. I picked up a box of fed. Premium 150 Bearclaw ammo. It shoot very well. The group at 200 was around 1.5 inches. I did the shoot and clean thing for the first twelve rounds, and then fired a few at 200. Glad I kept it now. Sorry about the long read, just had a good time at the range and wanted to pass it along. Take care guys.

AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL gun) 7 STW.

 

[ButterBean]

Guys, I just back from the range. I took the Sako, the 300 LSS, which was going to be my sacrifice gun for the new build, and my Browning A- Bolt in .270. I switch off while one is cooling. I shot some of the old style A- Maxes, 162 grain again. I had two loadings, one had 76.2 - RL22, and the other loading was 81.5- VN170, both using fed 215 primers @ 3.702. Did not take chrono, very cloudy today. Accuracy was again very good. Groups at 100' and 200 were nearly identical. I think I am in the 3075-3100 fps range. I shot one of those loads awhile ago, when I was sampling a few loads. I was just checking these bullets, against the newer ones, as these are the old style, which have a higher BC. Also, at the last minute this morning when I was loading these bullets, just as a whim, I loaded 3 with 80.3- RL 22, and the Barnes 140 TSX. I only shot these at 200 yards. Group measured .477. When I first got this gun, I could not get it to shoot 140 grain bullets, but I did not try the TSX's.I am pretty sure that the speed is around 3340-3350. That is what the other 140's were shooting, but I went up 1 grain of RL22. Just a little load info to share, and by the way, I am glad that I decided NOT to use the LSS as a sacrifice. I put a Leupold Vari- X 3, not the VX3, 4.5-14 AO on the 300. Adjusted trigger etc. I picked up a box of fed. Premium 150 Bearclaw ammo. It shoot very well. The group at 200 was around 1.5 inches. I did the shoot and clean thing for the first twelve rounds, and then fired a few at 200. Glad I kept it now. Sorry about the long read, just had a good time at the range and wanted to pass it along. Take care guys.

AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL gun) 7 STW.

Sounds like a great day.......Sounds like you made a wise choice

 

[Fred Ea]

All,
I appreciate the input on the Berger bullets, I thought that was the case on them. The thick jacket must play a big part in the AB's holding up well, they sure get the job done for me. My brother and I have been using them in our 7stw's since they came out and they have done nothing but punch big holes and plant deer, only recovered one bullet in around 30 kills and that was a head-on shot at 300 yards, recovered the bullet at the hind quarter.
FE

 

[7stw]

All,
I appreciate the input on the Berger bullets, I thought that was the case on them. The thick jacket must play a big part in the AB's holding up well, they sure get the job done for me. My brother and I have been using them in our 7stw's since they came out and they have done nothing but punch big holes and plant deer, only recovered one bullet in around 30 kills and that was a head-on shot at 300 yards, recovered the bullet at the hind quarter.
FE

They are a tough bullet for sure. I shot a doe three years ago at just under 400 yards, that was facing me. She would not turn side to, to save my life. Finally, I said to myself, the next time she puts her head up, I'm going to shoot her at the base of the neck. I was shooting the 300 Rum at the time, with a 165, and 93.5 grains of RL 22. She raised up and when she did, I let fly. She collapsed as if lightening had struck her. That bullet went ALL the way through her. End to end. It did not blow up, and the shock "channel" was incredible. It hit the left rear joint of where the hip joined the spine, and kept on going. I have never been able to get ANY of my sevens to shoot them. It drives me nuts, because I love that bullet. I did get my Sako to shoot 140 TSX's today, I was tickled about that. That is the ONLY 140 bullet it likes. Maybe I will be able to get the new one to shoot a Accu- Bond. If yours shoot them, you are doing something right. I think the AB, and the partition react the same on impact, but the AB has a higher BC, and normally flies better. Good luck you lucky dog!

AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL, ( punch a big hole) haha. gun) 7 STW.

 

[Fred Ea]

7stw,
You mentioned the 140AB, have you tried the 160's ? That is what we shoot, my brother has a Winchester model 70 in 7mm RM and it shoots them also. My #2 7stw likes them hot- 78.0gr. of IMR 7828, Fed. 215m primers, custom built one with the 5a Douglas barrel ever hotter- 79.0gr. Funny how different rifles shoot differently with the same bullet and I hate yours won't shoot them
FE

 

[7stw]

7stw,
You mentioned the 140AB, have you tried the 160's ? That is what we shoot, my brother has a Winchester model 70 in 7mm RM and it shoots them also. My #2 7stw likes them hot- 78.0gr. of IMR 7828, Fed. 215m primers, custom built one with the 5a Douglas barrel ever hotter- 79.0gr. Funny how different rifles shoot differently with the same bullet and I hate yours won't shoot them
FE

Well, I have not tried the 160 AB. Maybe I should, but at the same time, I have these A- Maxes shooting very well. BUT, the A max is no comparison to the AB. Hands down, the AB wins. I have decided to give my son the semi- custom, and that means that I am going to keep the one that I am building. So, I think that I am going to capitalize on getting this one to shoot premium 160's. ( like the 160 AB). Seeing how this Sako has a definite preference to 160 class bullets, it probably will/ would shoot them well. My friend is about to put together a order at Gunstop.com, so maybe I'll add those to his order. And yea, you are right about the things some guns will shoot or NOT. I had a25-06 a few years ago that was truly a ONE combination gun only. I literally almost scraped that gun, until I tried one final combo. BOY, did that work. ( 25-06's are finicky). Thanks for the reply.

AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL.lightbulb. 7 STW.

 

[Bear 9362]

When I first started my load developement for my STW with the Hornady 162 A max's they were sold out in New Zealand and a friend gave me an old box he had. They shot 1/2 moa @300yds so I was very happy.
When the new shipment of A max's arrived I stocked up with several boxes and thought all my troubles where over.
Pretty soon I was opening the new Hornady 162 A max's same b.c. but formed in their new amp press etc...
As I have said earlier my longrange load is right on the edge and I had no problems with the old A max's but with the new A max's I started having flyers, out in the field I'd get projectiles jammed in the rifleling and end up spilling powder every where etc...
To cut a long story short and after alot of head scratching it turns out that the new 7mm 162gn A max's have a slightly different profile and I had to seat them another 11 thou deeper into my cases to give mine a 5 thou touch which my STW likes.
The A max is still a great projectile but the profile and B C has changed and I am having to re do my drop charts out past 500yds.

 

[captacademy]

How can you tell the new ones from the old ones?