7mm STW Brotherhood - For those who shoot the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner
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Fred Ea
Well-Known Member
Black Sheep,
One of my rifles is a 700 SPS SS rechambered and it does pretty darn good for a factory Rem. barrel, shoots 160gr. Nosler AB's in the high .6's and this is my main rig for hunting for now. Killed a 10 pt. at 304yds. this year with it. The stw makes quick, easy work out a 300 yard shot. My brother has the twin to my rig and almost shoots as good, his seems to like 140's better.lightbulb
FE
One of my rifles is a 700 SPS SS rechambered and it does pretty darn good for a factory Rem. barrel, shoots 160gr. Nosler AB's in the high .6's and this is my main rig for hunting for now. Killed a 10 pt. at 304yds. this year with it. The stw makes quick, easy work out a 300 yard shot. My brother has the twin to my rig and almost shoots as good, his seems to like 140's better.lightbulb
FE
Howdy, Just had 7mm stw built by Randy Selby. Kreiger #5 barrel, 1-8.5 twist, 27"long, rem action trued, jewell trigger, bedded B&C medalist stock, tubb recoil lugg, manson reamer, tight chamber on shoulder instead of belt. First 4 shots break-in, then next 4 on clean barrel with 74 grains retumbo, 175 gr matck king, fed 215m primer, shot in same hole at 100 yrds. Tried to up velocity with 75g, 76g, 77g, and 78 gr. Pressure was ok, but after the 4 shots in same hole accuracy left and never returned. Have tried everything you can think. Scope, rings, bullets, powders, primers, seating, cleaning etc. Now has 215 rounds thru it and best group is 1 1/2". Any suggestions?
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Black Sheep
Well-Known Member
Dammit, now I'm going to have to explain ANOTHER rifle purchase to the wife!!! I figure for $500 shipped and background, I couldn't beat that for a SS 7mm. Even if it sits in the safe until it becomes a donor action in a few years for a 338 Edge (or whatever LR caliber you guys make me get
) it will be a good investment. Anyone want to buy a Ruger M77 in 7RM to appease the wifeetisll40
Well-Known Member
WSM
It's hard to understand what you are saying. The initial load with Retumbo shot one hole groups and then you tried to increase velocity with more powder? Is that right?
Now after 215 rounds down the tube it is no longer a 1 hole shooter? When did the groups widen, at what powder level? Was it a stwady progression with powder variance?
Can you go back and see if the first formula stills works? What was the velocity originally and now with the powder change?
It's hard to understand what you are saying. The initial load with Retumbo shot one hole groups and then you tried to increase velocity with more powder? Is that right?
Now after 215 rounds down the tube it is no longer a 1 hole shooter? When did the groups widen, at what powder level? Was it a stwady progression with powder variance?
Can you go back and see if the first formula stills works? What was the velocity originally and now with the powder change?
captacademy
Well-Known Member
Thanks 7stw, I won't give up, my 7 stw has too much potential! I really love the way it shoots. I'll try the 7828 and H-1000.
New barrel shots 1-4 with 73 gr. retumbo. group size 2". Shots 5-8 with 74 gr. retumbo gouped 1 hole velocity was around 2825-2850. Shots 9-25 grouped 1-2" trying 75gr., 76 gr., 77 gr., 78 gr. All subsequent shots changing seating depths, powders, primers, bullets, scopes, mounts, rings, neck trimming, etc. have not grouped. Even same load that grouped orginally won't group. The gun builder Randy Selby says to try nosler partition, or hornady interlock. I did no luck. Don't know what to do!
7stw
Well-Known Member
Man,...I am at a total lose on that one. My buddy had a 308 that dis that, but it settled back down after about 125 rounds. I still shoots awesome to this day. We never did figure out what was the cause. I shot it, he shot it, my cousin shot it, same results,then one day, " Hello' I'm back". If you haven't tried them already, try the 162 A max, and 168 VLD. Additionally, would try H1000, and RL25. I know you said that you have tried other combos,just wanted to throw those out there. ( never have had much luck with Retumbo ) . One last thing that lots of people over look, that is right in there face, is the crown. It can have nearly a scratch on the exit ramp, and that will throw off a boat tail bullet like you read about!!!!! There's an option, try a flat base bullet!!!! They are as accurate out to 450 as a boat tail. Sometimes even more.
E R Shaw Barrels?? I have been offered a 7mmSTW Barrel made by E R Shaw, it is a heavy varmint contour. has anyone ever used a E R Shaw Barrel? I personnal know nothing of them, except for their website that looks real good??
Fred Ea
Well-Known Member
WSM,
I'm with 7stw, it may need some more break in. My stw that I built with a douglas barrel shot better after 100 to 150 rounds and seems to have settled in and shoots fine now, it had fliers on 5 shot groups at first. It could also be something simple like lose action screws, a friend of mine had a 7RM one time that quit shooting and it ended up being the front action screw was not snugged, we tightened it and it fixed the problem. It could be anything and hopefully it will come back to you. He is right also about the crown, it can really wreck groups with a minute ding.lightbulb
FE
I'm with 7stw, it may need some more break in. My stw that I built with a douglas barrel shot better after 100 to 150 rounds and seems to have settled in and shoots fine now, it had fliers on 5 shot groups at first. It could also be something simple like lose action screws, a friend of mine had a 7RM one time that quit shooting and it ended up being the front action screw was not snugged, we tightened it and it fixed the problem. It could be anything and hopefully it will come back to you. He is right also about the crown, it can really wreck groups with a minute ding.lightbulb
FE
Bear 9362
Well-Known Member
Hey WSM it's a big pain in the butt when your custom built rifle is not performing. what did your gunsmith have to say? has anyone had a look down the bore with a bore scope. sometimes a barrel will copper foul in a little spot and this will upset things. usually a good bore paste will smooth it out.
seems like youv'e tried another proven scope and all the scope base screws and scope ring screws are nice and snug.
Next is your action screws, they need to tighten up evenly and if the bedding job has been done correctly you should not see any more than 4thou movement on your barrel when your giving the action screws that final torque up. The action should fit easily into the stock with no binding around the action but of course snug in the bedding area.
At the end of the day the rifle will tell you what it likes, some are fussy and some are not, with your twist rate I,d give 180 Berger hybrids a go or drop back to 162 A max's "Good luck"
Boy, its really nice to see the replies & suggestions. Thanks again for all the help. I have tried playing with the action screws and also the mentioned bullets. Crown looks ok. I do not have a bore scope, wish I did. A friend of mine says he gets 50-60 rounds thru his bore before he cleans his. I've been cleaning mine every 15 rounds, maybe that is too much! Any thoughts on that?
etisll40
Well-Known Member
I'd try the best load you originally had and shoot 25-50 rounds without cleaning, to see if your gun likes a dirty barrel, some do. I read an article that a 1000 yard benchshooter wrote and he won the 2003 or 4 championship as I remember and he cleans his barrel after 100 rounds?!
Don't shoot your barrel out before having the original gunsmith check it out. Or ask a gunsmith pn lrh, check the gunsmith area out on here and send a personal email, je custom, darrel holland, shawn carlock, there are some really top notch shooter/gunsmiths here. Eric Wallace out of Michigan could probably do it too and he has pretty fast turn around time and is reasonable and easy to talk with. He's on here. I have his number if you can't find it.
Good Luck.
Don't shoot your barrel out before having the original gunsmith check it out. Or ask a gunsmith pn lrh, check the gunsmith area out on here and send a personal email, je custom, darrel holland, shawn carlock, there are some really top notch shooter/gunsmiths here. Eric Wallace out of Michigan could probably do it too and he has pretty fast turn around time and is reasonable and easy to talk with. He's on here. I have his number if you can't find it.
Good Luck.
