What size engine does it have??? Honda's are great atv's very dependable I have driven one years ago alot, it belonged to SCDNR and was issued to my now ex-wife...Price don't sound to bad if it is a bigger size say 400 plus, but always counter,,,,never know may offered $2500 and get it better than $4000, all they do is say NO...
7mm STW Brotherhood - For those who shoot the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner
- Thread starter The7mmSTW
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
What size engine does it have??? Honda's are great atv's very dependable I have driven one years ago alot, it belonged to SCDNR and was issued to my now ex-wife...Price don't sound to bad if it is a bigger size say 400 plus, but always counter,,,,never know may offered $2500 and get it better than $4000, all they do is say NO...
Yeah, BUT that paper 12 pointer just stands there, if I get Ole Big Boy to stay still like that paper I'll be good to GO!!! LOL
yes it does, working on my .257 Rbts some now, shooting real good up 400yds....I'm now gonna start using the Fred Bear method of practice now with the 7STW....Gonna go out everyday and shoot 1 shot at the deer target at 500 yds, go get the target and come on home...I think that will really build confidence for the up coming deer season, my area of SC starts gun season Oct 11, but the low country opens Aug 15, and I do hunt there sometimes so maybe in a few days I'll get test out the STW for real!!!!gun)
Well I just got back from the range, and I'm at a loss again. Tried 3 loads of H1000, of 80, 80.5 and 81gr, and 3 loads of Retumbo of 78, 78.5 and 79gr. These are all loaded the same, Nosler Brass, 168 gr Berger VLD seated to 3.695" OAL (Maximum the magazine will hold) using CCI 250 primers.
I cannot get good velocities out of it. They were all in the 2900-3000 fps range. There is no real pressure signs yet, primers aren't even starting to flatten. I don't know if I should just keep loading hotter until I start showing pressure? Even if I keep going I don't think I will get up to 3200+ speeds. Seems like a grain of powder gains approx 50fps, so I don't think 4 grains more is possible.
I can get 3300fps using H4350 and 168gr VLD's, but I know this may not be my best option. Am I looking for too much by wanting to see 3200+fps out of H1000 or Retumbo?
I'm using a Sako 75 Stainless, 26" barrel with a muzzle brake.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
If you are at 3100 fps or so on a 168, that's about it. 160's may get you to 3200 fps, and a 175 will drop to 3K or so. A fast barrel may add a few fps, but much more than those numbers is higher than normal pressure.
I'll be trying retumbo this week in my 7stw with the 171 barnes matchburner and let you know what happened there. I have a m700lh 7mm stw with a 24" custom barrel. I'm loading 74, 76, and 78 on the 171. I have it doing 2950 with .3 moa with rl25 with a top speed of 3100 fps(no accuracy there though), but it doesn't like hot weather a bit. I'm trying retumbo to see if that clears up somewhat.
Did any of those loads group?
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
dang-- thought I'd asked that-- looked back after you posted and I simply rambled and forgot the number one question-- did it group well???
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
One other thing-- should I dare take my Volt to the range with the stw or should I wait for the wife's Explorer?? I finally have hot enough temps. that the rl25 load would go nuts. Gonna try the Retumbo/171 loads in a couple of hours.
Yes, the Retumbo loads grouped best. They will work perfectly fine for hunting loads, I would just really like to get STW velocities, not 7mm Rem Mag velocity.
I will work higher with the 2 powders until I see the beginning of pressure, and see what I end up with.
Maybe someone could explain to me the load density problem with the 70.5gr of H4350 load? It had great velocity (3300) and grouped fantastic, .595" @ 200yards.
Fire,I know your looking for numbers as we all are to a point but there is nothing wrong with the numbers your getting rite now remember acuraccy kills not speed.......If you will do the ballistics on what your shooting now vs 3200fps you will see very little differance out to 500yrds
Bear 9362
Well-Known Member
The easiest way I've found to work out your load developement is to start with a ladder test at 100 yds.( you start off with a lower powder weight then with a 1 grain increases in large cases e.g. 7mm stw ( half grain increases in smaller cases e.g. .260 rem>) you load up to a max load powder weight.)
For example you might end up with 6 loads, 71gns,72gns,73gns, 74gns ,75gns and 76gns. Shoot them down the the range @ 100yds with a crony and watching for signs of pressure( like flatten primers, extractor marks, big jump in fps, sticky case extraction etc...) WARNING at the first sign of pressure stop shooting and pull the remaining loads.
Generally you will end up with a tighter cluster within the over all group, these are the ones to pick and do further group testing with, hopefully you will have a winner.
I totally agree with these two coments," It's no use having a 7mm stw with only 7 rem mag performance" and Butter Beans "accurracy is # 1"
Regards Steve.
For example you might end up with 6 loads, 71gns,72gns,73gns, 74gns ,75gns and 76gns. Shoot them down the the range @ 100yds with a crony and watching for signs of pressure( like flatten primers, extractor marks, big jump in fps, sticky case extraction etc...) WARNING at the first sign of pressure stop shooting and pull the remaining loads.
Generally you will end up with a tighter cluster within the over all group, these are the ones to pick and do further group testing with, hopefully you will have a winner.
I totally agree with these two coments," It's no use having a 7mm stw with only 7 rem mag performance" and Butter Beans "accurracy is # 1"
Regards Steve.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
I usually skip to two grain intervals on bigger cases like the stw. As long as you start 5-10% down from expected top, you will see issues before you hit the wall even this coarse. I get a hell of a chuckle out of guys wearing out their barrels playing with 1 grain hops in charge or less. When you hit velocity with decent pressure, then slow down and find your sweet spot.
I've seen deer killed at 1/4 mile with a '06 shooting 150's at 2600 fps because that's where they shot well and the guy behind the trigger didn't chrono the load before he hunted it.
Speed is relative; I'd rather have a 3K load shoot well and be mild than have one at 3200 that you are worrying that you will have issues with if it's too warm out or the sun's shining.
The stw I have now might just get some 154 horrnady fb doing 3K down the bore as it really likes this bullet shot mild with rl22. I'd rather shoot this or the nos 140 ab than play around with flaky bullets. I didn't get out tonight so I'll have to try the 171 barnes once more tomorrow.
I am in total agreement, accuracy is number 1. I just don't want to settle on a load at 2975 that is accurate and not figure out that there may be a load that does 3250fps that is just as accurate if not better. If I get the velocity I want and can't get it to shoot accurate, well then I will settle on the 2975 fps loads. The difference between 2975 and 3250 at 600 yards is over 10 inches(8.5" @500). Doesn't really matter if you know your ballistics and hold overs, but why not go for the flatter shooting load if the rifle will do it?
I will try the ladder test, that is a method I have yet to try. I like the idea of getting to a load using less rounds. Thanks everyone, I will post my results.
7stw
Well-Known Member
BRASS AVAIL. Just read a post in the section that this thread is in. A guy has about 1600 pieces of Rem 7stw brass@ $80 for 100 pieces. He also has some once fired for half the money. Just wanted to pass it along in case no one saw it. Brass is Brass!!!!
Get it while you can!!
Get it while you can!!
