7mm STW

[Ankeny]

I just hate the Internet threads that start out one caliber vs. another caliber but here I am asking for some information. I am still trying to set my brother up with a factory rifle and factory cartridge for the old deer/elk combo rifle out to 500-600 yards. I will be loading the ammo, but his budget won't support a custom gun in a wildcat so a factory chambering is in order.

As a left handed shooter, he has settled on an Accumark and I have found several. He isn't a fan of Weatherby cartridges but I have found an lefty Accumark in a .300 Win Mag and several in 7mm STW. I did a search here and came up empty on the 7mm STW. I have had local experts tell me the 7mm STW is the neatest thing since sliced bread, others tell me it just has a healthy appetite for powder and offers little more than a 7mm Remington Magnum. I have no first hand knowledge or either caliber, but I have shot a .30-.338 for many years so I have a good idea what to expect out of a .300 Win Mag.

The .300 Win Mag is priced $135.00 more than the 7mm STW. I am so tempted to just get the .300 Win Mag, but I am wondering if the 7mm STW might have an advantage over the .300 such as less recoil, flatter shooting, etc. Which would you choose? Flip a coin? For the $135.00 difference I could get a decent set of dies, lol.

 

[Fiftydriver]

Ankeny,

Ballistically, the 7mm STW will have the advantage as it will have a higher velocity advantage over the 300 Win. Both are great long range rounds so you can hardly make a mistake with either.

Yes the 7mm STW will have a shorter throat life but for a big game rifle this will not be a concern to be honest.

Loaded properly, the STW offers alot more then the 7mm Rem Mag can offer. Personally I would get the 7mm STW and either a supply of moderatly heavy Wildcat bullets or some 160 gr Accubonds and load them up to 3200 fps and be happy with it.

The 160 gr class of 7mm bullet will do anything the 180 gr class of 30 cals will and generally with better BC values. Also, the STW will drive a 160 gr bullet significantly faster then a 300 Win can push a 180 gr pill.

On game performance will be very similiar with the slight advantage going to the 300 for elk but nothing to be worried about.

Personally I would go with the STW but again, we are splitting hairs. Both are great rounds and would serve your brother very well.

Recoil will be nearly identical between the two with top loads.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Ankeny]

[ QUOTE ]
Loaded properly, the STW offers alot more then the 7mm Rem Mag can offer. Personally I would get the 7mm STW and either a supply of moderatly heavy Wildcat bullets or some 160 gr Accubonds and load them up to 3200 fps and be happy with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I keep thinking the same thing, but of course the .300 Win Mag has been around forever and seems like a safer bet. I know the .300 has good accuracy potential, but I really haven't heard much about the 7mm STW. I reckon I am about to find out. Thanks Kirby.

 

[stevet]

I shoot an STW and love it. With the Limbsaver recoil pad the recoil is mild. My 16 year old daughter can shoot it all day. I have a friend looking for an accumark in the 7mm STW, can you tell me where you found them??? Thanks, Steve

 

[Ankeny]

Kirby:

I just ran some figures through Xbal. I compared the 7mm STW with a 160 Accubond at 3200 to a .300 Win Mag with a 180 Accubond at 3050. At 500, 600, 700 yards, the STW has less drop and more retained energy. I was suprised the 7mm is not only flatter but it hits harder. I don't see how the .300 could have an advantage of any kind on an elk unless sectional denisity plays a bigger role than I thought.

SteveT:

Phil Pomeroy has six of the lefty Accumarks in 7mm STW priced at $1065.00 plus shipping. His e-mail is [email protected]

 

[stevet]

Thank you...Steve

 

[Fiftydriver]

Ankeny,

In factory rifles, its really a crap shoot which would shoot best because of all the variables involved. Would simply depend on the rifle you happened to end up with as to if it was a shooter or not.

With a custom rifle, both would perform to the same very high degree of accuracy and consistancy.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Ankeny]

Kirby:

Yeah, I know what you mean about factory rifles being a crap shoot. What I was talking about is I am suprised at the ballistic information from Exbal. It is interesting that the 160 Accubond out of the 7mm appears to be a better performer than the 180 Accubond out of the 300 Win Mag as far as retained energy and flatness of trajectory. I expected the STW to shoot a bit flatter, but I figured at 600 yards and out the 300 would arrive at the target with more authority. Such is not the case. Kind of makes me wonder why I don't see more 7mm STWs out west.

 

[abinok]

[ QUOTE ]
I expected the STW to shoot a bit flatter, but I figured at 600 yards and out the 300 would arrive at the target with more authority. Such is not the case. Kind of makes me wonder why I don't see more 7mm STWs out west.


[/ QUOTE ]
Just keep in mind there is a lot more work than just energy. When a big bullet like a 220SMK lands, stuff happens. On a recent P dog shoot, it was obvious that the 220SMK would put more dirt in the air to spot misses at LR than the 7 REM that was along... even comparing 900-1100yds vs 600yds or so. I love my 300WM... but if external ballistics is what youre after the 7STW certanly wins hands down.

 

[Fiftydriver]

Ankeny,

There actually are alot of STWs out here being used. Many of them were built before the rounds was standardized by Remington.

To be honest, the reason you do not see more of them is because of Remington. When they came out with the STW they seemed to drop the performance level of the 7mm Rem Mag to make the STW look better which was not needed. With a 140 gr pill the STW was listed at 3400 fps and the Rem Mag dropped to something like 3250 fps.

Well, as we all know when the 7mm RUM was released, it was rated at 3425 fps with the 140 gr bullet. Interestingly enough the STW advertised performance was then dropped to 3325 fps.............

Was this an attempt on Remingtons part to buy up the rights to the STW and then bury it with their own new round. I suspect so. The reason was that in a 26" barrel, the custom STW rifles could be loaded to nearly the same performance if not the exact same performance as the factory offered RUM rifles could be loaded to with their looser chambered and bores.

This would have been a real drain on the RUM sales so they bought the rights to the STW from Mr. Simpson and there you have it.

Not that the RUM is not a great round but in a 26" barrel, it is not a dramatic advantage over the STW.

In both cases, the 140 gr bullet is simply playing in my opinion, its with the 160 gr pills that these rounds really start to strut their stuff.

In custom rigs, the 200 gr ULD RBBT give them a major boost in ballistic and terminal performance.

Just my opinon,

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Ankeny]

Abinok:

Actually, the 7mm STW isn't even for me. I personally shoot a .30-338 with 200 grain Accubonds. I seriously doubt that a bull elk at 500 yards is going to be able to tell the difference between a properly constructed 160 grain pill out of a 7mm STW vs. a similar 180 bullet out of a .300 mag when it punches him between the ribs. What this discussion is/was about is will the 7mm STW serve the intended purpose? The answer is yes it will, with the bonus of a flatter trajectory.

 

[wapiti13]

Ankeny, With either round delivered to the correct location: Dead is Dead!

 

[Jimm]

aaaahh,aahh, ahh!!!

My winnie is pushing a 190 smk @ 3050 . Abinok , you are just lookink to get a new wife /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Just wait till I get my 210 wildcat bullets , I'll show you 7 suitors /shooters ? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Jim Brown

 

[ss7mm]

Jimm:

If you're gonna be shooting those "little" 210 Wildcats in your "winnie" you'd better be careful about what you'll show the 7mm suitors. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The 200's are going down range out of the 7mm now and the "winnies" don't even know what blew by them. By summer time I expect the 200's will have been given a healthy dose of steroids and will have put on even some more weight. Look out then. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif