7RM or 7mm/300 win

[MudRunner2005]

.30-8mm RM has always intrigued me as well. I have often wondered why it never became a more popular round.

I only get a little defensive about the 7mm STW. I have owned mine since new (12+ years) now. I get defensive because I have been told by so many people that it is a "bastard caliber", or an "overbore piece of junk", and "you should have just bought a 7RUM"... Mostly by local guys who don't know what they're talking about.

I don't get real defensive about the rest, other than .308 Win. People calling it a useless caliber, also gets my goat. If it was so useless, the military wouldn't still be using it as one of their sniper and DM calibers.

My appologies for getting defensive, it just kind of struck a nerve calling 3,000 fps pathetic. I have never been able to work up a load that hot in my STW before without getting serious pressure signs (Rem & Fed brass), but since I've been working up this new Nosler brass I'm temped to push it farther to see if the groups start opening up.

I will probably end up at the range this weekend, because I have a feeling my coyote trip will be cancelled. Not positive, but have a gut feeling...

If I go to the range, I'll try to work up faster than 3,000 fps average.

 

[mrb1982]

Just for conversation sake, why don't you guys give me some real world numbers for the STW.

I know with the 7/300, as well documented by many in a thread I have been reading for a long time, they are putting a 28" barrel on average on one. Most guys with a 28" barrel are running around 3200fps with 180gr Bergers. Not a lock, but this is a pretty good average.

So with that said, if you were to put a 28" 7STW against it, what would you expect for velocities over an average?

To add another twist, lets talk about putting a 195gr to these calibers, since in the end, this is what I am probably specifically interested in.

With both a 7/300 and a 7STW with 28" barrel, shooting 195's.

I am thinking around 2950-3000fps with a 7/300 but no idea on a 7STW because I have no experience with it.

I know that with the 195, there is a ton of subjectivity there because we know nothing about what it "might" or "could" be, but I like a good debate with good discussion so lets here what everybody is "thinking" it could be?

 

[Broz]

Parts will be here in a few days for a 5th 7mm/300 with a custom reamer speced to my liking. 28" + Hart 6 land tube in Sendero contour. 1 in 8 twist. Fluted. Stiller single feed action, fluted bolt, pinned lug, pinned rail. Carbon fiber Manners inletted for an ADL trigger guard. Jewel trigger. I for one believe the 195's will arrive and be close to advertised BC's. We will be ready.

I am of the same belief as IdahoCTD when comparing the two (7mm/300 WM $ STW) from my own experiences.

I don't foresee myself smacking my head and saying "I could of had a STW"

I have high hopes for this medium bore hammer.

Jeff

 

[mrb1982]

Parts will be here in a few days for a 5th 7mm/300 with a custom reamer speced to my liking. 28" + Hart 6 land tube in Sendero contour. 1 in 8 twist. Fluted. Stiller single feed action, fluted bolt, pinned lug, pinned rail. Carbon fiber Manners inletted for an ADL trigger guard. Jewel trigger. I for one believe the 195's will arrive and be close to advertised BC's. We will be ready.

I am of the same belief as IdahoCTD when comparing the two (7mm/300 WM $ STW) from my own experiences.

I don't foresee myself smacking my head and saying "I could of had a STW"

I have high hopes for this medium bore hammer.

Jeff

Ah Broz, I would hate to see you have too much fun with that new gun, you can just send it down to me and I will take care of it for you! lol

I have a 270win Rem BDL that I don't shoot much anymore but I kinda like to keep a sporter barrel around just in case I have the need for one. On the other hand, hate to see a nice long action wasted like that. Maybe I better go get something built lol

 

[mrb1982]

Parts will be here in a few days for a 5th 7mm/300 with a custom reamer speced to my liking. 28" + Hart 6 land tube in Sendero contour. 1 in 8 twist. Fluted. Stiller single feed action, fluted bolt, pinned lug, pinned rail. Carbon fiber Manners inletted for an ADL trigger guard. Jewel trigger. I for one believe the 195's will arrive and be close to advertised BC's. We will be ready.

I am of the same belief as IdahoCTD when comparing the two (7mm/300 WM $ STW) from my own experiences.

I don't foresee myself smacking my head and saying "I could of had a STW"

I have high hopes for this medium bore hammer.

Jeff

woops, duplicate

 

[MudRunner2005]

A nice .280 AI is hard to argue with, since you have a nice older model BDL sitting around.

For the record, my 3,000 fps out of my STW, is out of a factory Sendero SF 26" barrel. It is not a 28" barrel. So, yes, I'm happy with my 3,000 fps load. Those are real world numbers, taken from my gun, while shooting through my MagnetoSpeed V2 chronograph.

 

[Broz]

Mbr, it will probably go to a new owner after testing.

For reference I just looked in my books and we did a 7/300 with a 26" Hart 1 in 9. I tested both the 180 VLD and the 180 Hybrid. Their velocities were close to the same. In slower RWS brass and just under any signs of pressure. It was averaging 3100+ from a new tube across an Oehler 35. I would expect 20 to 40 fps more from higher volume WW brass. Add 20 fps per inch and you will be close to where we were running the Hart 28" tubes at 3175 to 3200.

Jeff

 

[mrb1982]

Mbr, it will probably go to a new owner after testing.

hahaha The worst part is I am kinda a sucker for piecing the parts together myself. the project keeps my mind busy. haha I got a brother in law that would really like to have my 7RM Sendero. I am half tempted to sell it to him and buy back my old 7RM SPS I had from him and then have the work done to it.

Out of curiousity, is the 8 twist too fast for 180's until the 195's come out?????

 

[Broz]

Out of curiousity, is the 8 twist too fast for 180's until the 195's come out?????

I don't think so, no. But with an 8 twist if we were to get up over 3300 fps we could start ripping jackets.

Jeff

 

[mrb1982]

I don't think so, no. But with an 8 twist if we were to get up over 3300 fps we could start ripping jackets.

Jeff

Well lets do a heck of a science experiment then!!!! lol ok, maybe not

We'll see how much of this thread will be relevant to me after this weekend. There's a chance I might not even own the gun I am speaking of after sunday hahaha If that's the case, I will have my next gun up to LongRifle's in a short hurry. hahaha

 

[MudRunner2005]

hahaha The worst part is I am kinda a sucker for piecing the parts together myself. the project keeps my mind busy. haha I got a brother in law that would really like to have my 7RM Sendero. I am half tempted to sell it to him and buy back my old 7RM SPS I had from him and then have the work done to it.

Out of curiousity, is the 8 twist too fast for 180's until the 195's come out?????

I just heard the words "sell my" and "7RM Sendero"...... You have piqued my interest.

For the record, I am a sucker for Senderos.

 

[mrb1982]

I just heard the words "sell my" and "7RM Sendero"...... You have piqued my interest.

For the record, I am a sucker for Senderos.

lol Everything is for sale for a price. I only got about 100rds down the tube so far. Just had a tac bolt hand, LongRifles brake, and KMW loggerhead adjustable cheekpiece installed, and bedded the recoil lug. Real nice. Don't think you could afford it though. Only reason my B-I-L might go for it is we could do some horse trading on the side or work something out. I would have to have basically new price for everythign. hahahaha That should curb your enthusiasum for interest. lol

It shot 1/2 MOA before I took it apart so we'll see if the bedding and getting a good cheekpiece to shore up my cheek weld help any.

 

[WildRose]

Jeff, I would say that's not a fair assessment...I have over 750 rounds down my 7mm STW and she's still stacking 5 inside of a dime @ 100 yards. I would say the STW can get more than 1,000 rounds of accurate barrel life if treated right.

I'm approaching 2000rds down the pipe of my original STW.

Sent it off to a buddy who's a gunsmith last year to look at it because I had the bug to re-barrel and make a "heavy LR Rig out of it". He scoped it and said he could see no reason at this point to even think about it as long as it was still shooting to my satisfaction.

My only "secret" to long barrel life is to never shoot one hot. In the twenty plus years I've owned it I've only gotten it hot one time and that was on a hog eradication job where I piled up a truck load of them before the herd could clear a large wheat field. I was also shooting into the 20mph wind so they had no clue where the shots were coming from so they'd run a few yards and just look at the last one to fall like "Hey Marge you need any help?".

It was brutal LOL.

 

[WildRose]

The 7 mag does not warm my heart in any way, worked with them and they shot well just never really wanted one but the 7mm-300 to me seems to hit that sweet spot for the 7mm bore diameter. The only reason I would own a 7mag was to put a reamer into it!!!
Around here I have never seen STW loaded ammo and it was the last brass to get bought up so I think there may be two somewhere in this area, you'll find 7 mag and 7 RUM at every gas station though. The STW will blow a nut trying to run with even my shorty 7 RUM and a moderate load, I see no point in the STW unless you just think it's cool!!

The only reasons to own the STW vs the Rum are .

Much better barrel life.

Significantly reduced recoil.

Significantly reduced muzzle blast.

All that for 12% less powder with neck and neck performance.

Other than that it's just cool.