First 7mmSTW and Accubond Long Range Bullets

[woodnut]

Well, I am hopeful the 150 ABLR bullets will work in mine. I have been using Swift Siriccos with fine results on deer and they are accurate. But, they be very expensive! I hope the accubonds will at least give me some range time. I did use the 140 Accubonds and while they were accurate, they didn't drop deer like the Swifts do. I'm only guessing, but maybe the added 10 grains and velocity made the diff? Construction too I suppose.

 

[coyotezapper]

Just retired my STW this year - shot out bbl and will be going the 28 Nosler route next so I can't give examples with the STW but I am currently shooting the 150 ABLR in a 7mm-08 Ackley and the 168 ABLR in a 7MM SAUM and have been very pleased with the accuracy. Have not tried them on game yet so performance rating still pending. FWIW the last loads I ran in my STW were 168 Classic Hunters w/ N570 and 180 Hunting VLD's w/ RL33 and Retumbo. Great loads and deadly.

 

[Catskills]

I wanted to also put in a plug for RL 26. It's shooting faster and more accurately than my go to 7828 load with 160 Accubonds. Recoil has also gone from a crack to more of a push (kind like the difference between a 340wby and a 300wby). Going to have to find something to shoot all the 7828 I've stockpiled.

 

[woodnut]

"stockpiled"? Ain't that just another word for hording??? If so, I am guilty too!

 

[sterlingsc1]

I am VERY partial to either rl22 or rl25 with a 140 in a 7stw. My Pops was shooting 78.5 rl22 with a 140 sierra pro hunter in his ss dm bdl for many years and has recently switched to rl25 and 150's.
I've used 82 rl25 lit with a 215 with a 140 nos ab at (3.650")on top for three barrels in a row now. It will vary a bit in speed but be terribly accurate in most barrels. I was only getting 3200 fps from it in my 24" bbl, but am currently getting 3320 fps from the load (27" bbl); my rem. sendero would run 3400 fps with that ammo. I've played with rl26 a bit and gotten stellar velocity (over 3450 fps safely) out of the 24" bbl. but I haven't worked it over yet with my new barrel. It should be able to crack 350 fps with ease... if the accuracy holds up I may go with rl26 after the three hundred 140ab/rl25 rounds I have loaded get shot up.

I am VERY partial to either rl22 or rl25 with a 140 in a 7stw. My Pops was shooting 78.5 rl22 with a 140 sierra pro hunter in his ss dm bdl for many years and has recently switched to rl25 and 150's.
I've used 82 rl25 lit with a 215 with a 140 nos ab at (3.650")on top for three barrels in a row now. It will vary a bit in speed but be terribly accurate in most barrels. I was only getting 3200 fps from it in my 24" bbl, but am currently getting 3320 fps from the load (27" bbl); my rem. sendero would run 3400 fps with that ammo. I've played with rl26 a bit and gotten stellar velocity (over 3450 fps safely) out of the 24" bbl. but I haven't worked it over yet with my new barrel. It should be able to crack 350 fps with ease... if the accuracy holds up I may go with rl26 after the three hundred 140ab/rl25 rounds I have loaded get shot up.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I still haven't switched overe to rl26... rl25 shoots too well to bother.

 

[troupe]

I remember that the 83 gr. of 7828 over a Nosler BT was Laynes posting. I shot it and it was a warm load for sure. .25 groups at 3560 fps. Do not use it up close on whitetail. After reading these post, I need another STW. I sold mine and regret it. Sounds like the newer powders are better, RL 26 sounds great.

 

[drakehammer]

I remember that the 83 gr. of 7828 over a Nosler BT was Laynes posting. I shot it and it was a warm load for sure. .25 groups at 3560 fps. Do not use it up close on whitetail. After reading these post, I need another STW. I sold mine and regret it. Sounds like the newer powders are better, RL 26 sounds great.

Well here I go resurrecting my old thread so take it easy on me. Its been over 4 years since I finished this build, but I finally got out to hunt with my 7STW between Christmas and New Years, 2019. I had two bucks on my hit list and I got a shot at one of them just before sunset on NYE. He was a decent sized buck by GA standards with some character to his headgear. He presented a perfect quartering away shot between 40-50 yards. The load I used was actually a test load, Danzac coated 140gr Accubond over 83gr 7828 out of a 26" 4-groove 9-twist Brux. I've never chronographed it so not sure where we're at with that, but I'm pretty sure 3600+ fps. Well, I put it behind his shoulder and let the Accubond sail. I expected bang-flop but what I got was the fastest 35 yard sprint I've ever witnessed, culminating in a broken character tine courtesy 5" sweetgum tree. I was shocked that he even took the first step. Not 1 drop of blood...no exit wound. Felt the jacket just under the hide on the opposite side. Chest was a little squishy but other than that, only one little 7mm entrance hole. I guess I finally proved to myself what I already knew but was always kinda hard to believe. I'm careful about how I talk about kinetic energy, but fwiw, over 4000 foot-pounds...if ever there was proof that bullet energy does not knock deer down, this must be it, right??? Unreal. Never again. Its ok, just another science project. Hate that he got busted up bc that rack was the only reason I squeezed. Still only has 25 rounds down the tube. Not real fond of the extra effort going with moly or Danzac. Guess change is a coming. Thinking Hammer-time.

 

[woodnut]

drakehammer, you got me to thinking about deer hits I made. This is about energy. First one was a doe at , like your buck, short, maybe 35 yards out. I hit her between the inside of left shoulder and neck, quartering to me. Exit behind diaphragm on right side. She too went an amazing 30 steps. Her insides were mush and the only organ I could identify was the heart, and only because of it's size. It was mushy! Capping out, the shoulder fell off! Bullet? you won't believe it, but honest, it was a 24.6gr, SOLID .17 cal. going 4000fps! I have never seen such utter destruction and she still ran 30 paces.
My other has been with my sweet 7 STW. I went to the Swift Scirroco (SP) , 150 gr. and every deer , no matter what range from 180 to 300, went DRT. Not a speed demon load, but pass through and DRT. Somehow, I am still scratching my head that a pass through and not spine hit, would drop them where they stood. But they all did.

 

[drakehammer]

Oh I'm a believer woodnut. I made a shot similar to what you described with 40gr SP out of 22-250.

This year was the lightweight speed demon 7mm STW experiment. So much for that. Last year my daughter and I took 5 bucks and a doe between both of us. All were taken with 168gr Berger Classic Hunters over 49gr RL-19 out of 7mm-08. The slow, heavy project put giant exit holes on all but one (that was shot nearly lengthwise). All ran the same 35yards with massive blood. Same damage too, as 4 out of the 6 were the same behind the shoulder shot.

I am a big fan of the 180 gr scirocco out of my 300 RUM. Nothing has ever even twitched with those so far. I'll have to look at the sciroccos for the STW as well. Good suggestion.

 

[woodnut]

Thanks, drakehammer, for the kind words. I had are my 600 in 308. Kicked, blew fire, and hard on ears! A good gunsmith friend suggested regarding to a 22" featherweight 7/08. Best move ever! But back then, it was 140s and about all there was. But the Noslers, either partition or solid base, would get the job done.
Don't think Swift makes the Sirroco heavier than 150 in 7mm, but from my experiences, I'm very happy with the 150.

 

[troupe]

Many years ago when I started with my STW, I had a load of 83gr. of 7828 over a 140 gr Ballistic tip (first mistake), but it was before Accubonds were even made. 3560 FPS. At distance, the load was deadly, up close, almost useless. A good W.Va. buck came running past me at 35 yards, quartering up hill. I hit him in the closest shoulder and he went down, only to get up and attempt to leave to the next state. I hit him again and he did not get up.

What I found was unbelievable to me. The front leg and shoulder that I hit with the first shot was ripped off, just a hole. It looked like a bomb had been ignited just under the skin. Upon skinning the buck, nothing had penetrated into the chest cavity. I was shocked that there was nothing in the cavity. I never shot another Ballistic tip out of that rifle. The accuracy was in the .2 with that load, but with that velocity, the bullet could not be counted on.

Extreme velocity is tough on bullets. Use a bullet that can handle the velocity for sure. Back here in the east, it can be a shot at 25 yds or at 600yds on another ridge sitting in the same location.

 

[woodnut]

A friend had a Rem XP100 in 7 IHMSA. He told me to NEVER shoot a deer with the 140 Ballistic Tip where you wanted to save the meat ! I saw how explosive they were, even in a short barreled 7mm. That cartridge was kinda like a 7/08.

 

[drakehammer]

Many years ago when I started with my STW, I had a load of 83gr. of 7828 over a 140 gr Ballistic tip (first mistake), but it was before Accubonds were even made. 3560 FPS. At distance, the load was deadly, up close, almost useless. A good W.Va. buck came running past me at 35 yards, quartering up hill. I hit him in the closest shoulder and he went down, only to get up and attempt to leave to the next state. I hit him again and he did not get up.

What I found was unbelievable to me. The front leg and shoulder that I hit with the first shot was ripped off, just a hole. It looked like a bomb had been ignited just under the skin. Upon skinning the buck, nothing had penetrated into the chest cavity. I was shocked that there was nothing in the cavity. I never shot another Ballistic tip out of that rifle. The accuracy was in the .2 with that load, but with that velocity, the bullet could not be counted on.

Extreme velocity is tough on bullets. Use a bullet that can handle the velocity for sure. Back here in the east, it can be a shot at 25 yds or at 600yds on another ridge sitting in the same location.

Makes me wonder why I used Danzac and/or moly with 83gr 7828 with this load. Apparently its not needed.

Did you guys ever try barnes or hammer bullets? I personally have never loaded either of them. Never used a mono in my life in fact.