7mm STW or 28 Nosler?

[RevJim]

I have to admit it, I have never had an issue with the belted case. I always resize so the case
headspaces on the shoulder, i.e. "partial resize". When they get hard to chamber, I resize all the way, bumping the shoulder back, but that's been rare. But, again, I am not a LR Hunter.

 

[fmajor]

Negativity around belted mags.....hummmm.....been shooting a dozen or more factory 7 Rem mags and half that in 300 Winchester....have yet to see a belt issue, and I do full-length size after every firing. Throw in two 7 Stws shooting Win brass also...no belt problem.

I think that 'problem with the belt' rumor was started by Abe Lincoln before he switched back to paper-patched .54 cal. He posted a thread on presidents.org back in the day iirc.
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fish-story on a rifle forum!!!!

 

[victor3ranger]

So you are diminishing usable brass life where the 28 is already done

Probably but I can only do what I can do.
Since brass isn't available then it is what it is.
I am annealing every time the brass is fired so I can get as many shots as I can from each piece of brass.

 

[southpa]

Probably but I can only do what I can do.
Since brass isn't available then it is what it is.
I am annealing every time the brass is fired so I can get as many shots as I can from each piece of brass.

Brass is a consumable. You will go through it with any cartridge so if you like the STW send it. I definitely won't be choosing the 28 over the STW because of brass. I still don't understand how 28 brass is so dang expensive, the cost of it is a deterent enough for me haha.

 

[victor3ranger]

Brass is a consumable. You will go through it with any cartridge so if you like the STW send it. I definitely won't be choosing the 28 over the STW because of brass. I still don't understand how 28 brass is so dang expensive, the cost of it is a deterent enough for me haha.

Yep that's my thinking to

 

[FEENIX]

For the STW??
Yes but it's not as much as you think.
8RM brass I just neck down and load, same with 300 weatherby, 6.5x300 weatherby I just neck up.
With the H&H cases is where you need most of the fireforming, but even with those I just get the neck set, COW form, then just load and go, the second time in your chamber is going to get you pretty complete.

Agreed! I, too, use the COW method to pre-form brass for my wildcats. I also use a hydraulic forming die. For 7MM STW, the end-user can use, as you noted, 8MM RM, .300 WBY, and the H&H (.300/.375) brass, as well as .358 STA, .416 RM, .300 Jarrett (very pricey), and now Peterson belted basic magnum brass. Below is my .30 LARA.

From L-R
1 - 8MM RM virgin brass
2 - After running through the custom hydraulic forming die (Whidden)
3 - After running through the custom sizing die (Whidden)
4 - After fire-fomed from the rifle's chamber.

So you are diminishing usable brass life where the 28 is already done

As others noted, brass is a consumable item, and do not worry about load development until it is fired from the rifle's chamber. It is not the best brass, but Qual Cart also makes custom 7MM STW brass - https://www.qual-cart.com/284 cal.htm

 

[ARlife4me]

If you do go with one of the big 7s I'd go with a 7 1/2 twist.

Especially on mid heavy to heavy monos or 190's and up. I have an 8t, but that's ok as I'm limited on coal of 2.870.

 

[pacowboy]

I agree with all of this and this is what you can do. Or as I've said before just build a 7mm-300 Weatherby and simply neck down and have STW performance. You can use 300 WBY brass or call Quality Cartridge and have them make you 7mm-300 Wby head stamped brass. I agree with getting the faster twist barrel for the heavier bullets but my 1:9 does very well with the 180 Accubonds.

 

[VinceMule]

One thing to remember, the Weatherby Radius never forms doughnuts, at least I have never had them.

 

[RevJim]

I didn't know that Vince! I never reloaded any Weatherby rounds in my past enough to worry about do-nuts ( .240, 257, 340 factory made, or 375 Wby (blown out Win H&H)

I wonder if the 7mm/300 Wby is as finicky as my two STWs and that RUM was?

 

[MagnumManiac]

One thing to remember regarding Weatherby brass is that the double radius is harder to resize to get correct headspace control…
I have a little experience, mine are 257Bee, 270Bee, 300Bee, 340Bee & 375Bee, which I form from H&H brass.
I have Remington H&H brass for the 375 and run Norma or Weatherby in the others.

My STW brass is also Remington in STW headstamp and 8mm REM Mag, very happy with it.

Cheers.

 

[Salmonhead]

28

 

[victor3ranger]

Agreed! I, too, use the COW method to pre-form brass for my wildcats. I also use a hydraulic forming die. For 7MM STW, the end-user can use, as you noted, 8MM RM, .300 WBY, and the H&H (.300/.375) brass, as well as .358 STA, .416 RM, .300 Jarrett (very pricey), and now Peterson belted basic magnum brass. Below is my .30 LARA.
View attachment 553734
From L-R
1 - 8MM RM virgin brass
2 - After running through the custom hydraulic forming die (Whidden)
3 - After running through the custom sizing die (Whidden)
4 - After fire-fomed from the rifle's chamber.

As others noted, brass is a consumable item, and do not worry about load development until it is fired from the rifle's chamber. It is not the best brass, but Qual Cart also makes custom 7MM STW brass - https://www.qual-cart.com/284 cal.htm

I have really considered a hydraulic forming die.

 

[dogz]

Looks like I found a Donor rifle. An older Model 700 BDL SS in .264 Win Mag from a local guy. I'm supposed to make the buy tomorrow. When I shoot its barrel out, I will find a 26" factory takeoff/ream to the 7-300WM or Mashburn. Thanks for all the input guys!

If you choose to go the route of the Mash let me know and I can assist with dummies and my reamer. Long as your smith will get it done quickly, which of course works to your favor