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7STW worth the trouble??

I want to shoot heavies with high BC in this barrel, so what do you all recommend apart from Berger's? They are just too difficult to get here in the quantities I require.
I was thinking ABLR, but have zero experience in 7mm and STW velocities.

What say you?

Cheers.
ABLR all day. That bullet shoots, and anchored deer. Just sort them when you open the box.
 
ABLR all day. That bullet shoots, and anchored deer. Just sort them when you open the box.
Yep, ran the barrel in with 150gr BT's and have settled on 168gr ABLR's.
The 175gr ABLR's I ordered have still not arrived.
Doesn't matter, we are still in Stage 4 restrictions, can't get out to shoot now indefinitely, doesn't look like we'll be out of Stage 4 before Christmas.
Totally ruined my 50th birthday, which is what this rifle was for!

Cheers.
 
Yep, ran the barrel in with 150gr BT's and have settled on 168gr ABLR's.
The 175gr ABLR's I ordered have still not arrived.
Doesn't matter, we are still in Stage 4 restrictions, can't get out to shoot now indefinitely, doesn't look like we'll be out of Stage 4 before Christmas.
Totally ruined my 50th birthday, which is what this rifle was for!

Cheers.
What is your rate of twist? You may be on the edge with the 175. If it's a 9.25. Maybe not . I had trouble with 168lrx. But it's a LOOOONG bullet!
 
What is your rate of twist? You may be on the edge with the 175. If it's a 9.25. Maybe not . I had trouble with 168lrx. But it's a LOOOONG bullet!
Yeah, twist is 9.25, but I don't intend running mono's.
This is my first, and most likely last, 7mm. Just never been a fan to be honest.
Just like the 6mm calibre, it does nothing for me.

Cheers.
 
Go 7mm Mashburn Magnum. You easily form brass from .300 win mag. It holds maybe 4 or 6 grains more powder than the 7mmRm. It also has a nice, long neck. for those 175 Nosler partitions. It gives you a nice velocity bump over the 7mm RM without going crazy over bore. Not too long for the magazine. A very sensible round.
 
Go 7mm Mashburn Magnum. You easily form brass from .300 win mag. It holds maybe 4 or 6 grains more powder than the 7mmRm. It also has a nice, long neck. for those 175 Nosler partitions. It gives you a nice velocity bump over the 7mm RM without going crazy over bore. Not too long for the magazine. A very sensible round.
That is true but the only thing I don't like about the mashburn is that the shoulder angle changes.
If I could get a simple 7-300WM then I would definitely jump on it but I couldn't find what I wanted.
So, I just went with the next step higher and went with the STW and I am happy with it.
 
Also, I have never seen such neutered load data for a cartridge except for the 7mm STW and 7mm RUM. I do not know if it is a marketing gimmick or what, but Barnes is the only bullet manufacturer that pushes both cartridges to where they are supposed to be. Lyman, Hornady, Nosler, and Hodgdon all list STW and RUM data but with anemic powders as if this was still the 1990s while newer cartridges like the 28 Nosler get the fancy newer, slower powders. Heck, Nosler factory ammo for both the STW and RUM get more velocity than their own load data. For example (all shot with 26" barrels):

7mm STW Nosler 160 AB: 3250 average
7mm RUM Nosler 160 Partition: 3450 average

When it comes to high performers, I paid for the extra capacity so I am going to use it.
 
Also, I have never seen such neutered load data for a cartridge except for the 7mm STW and 7mm RUM. I do not know if it is a marketing gimmick or what, but Barnes is the only bullet manufacturer that pushes both cartridges to where they are supposed to be. Lyman, Hornady, Nosler, and Hodgdon all list STW and RUM data but with anemic powders as if this was still the 1990s while newer cartridges like the 28 Nosler get the fancy newer, slower powders. Heck, Nosler factory ammo for both the STW and RUM get more velocity than their own load data. For example (all shot with 26" barrels):

7mm STW Nosler 160 AB: 3250 average
7mm RUM Nosler 160 Partition: 3450 average

When it comes to high performers, I paid for the extra capacity so I am going to use it.
You are absolutely correct. Same goes for the 7RM load data.
Maybe it's a liability thing for those companies but I have seen over and over that the published max data is definitely not matching what they say the velocity is.
I was shocked when I got a chronograph and saw what velocities actually were.
Almost every single one of my rifles perform far better when I find what actually is max pressure and back down to find the node.
 
MY brother in law went the opposite. STW to 7Rem mag throated for 180s. I know he is right over 3000 fps.
He went this route after he shot my R Bros 7Mag with this setup.
 
That is true but the only thing I don't like about the mashburn is that the shoulder angle changes.
If I could get a simple 7-300WM then I would definitely jump on it but I couldn't find what I wanted.
So, I just went with the next step higher and went with the STW and I am happy with it.
I've been a Mashburn for over 3 decades and with multiple barrels over the years. Can't sort out what you don't like about the "shoulder angle changes"?
 
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