help me decide.... keep 7mm STW alive or move on to different caliber??

[powermax]

I purchased a 7mm STW 22 years ago +/- and since have migrated to the 300RUM, (but kept the stw in my safe) I now have a 16 year old son that is hunting and using the 7mm STW and is a very confidant shooter, handles the gun quite well, however I'm getting tired of the brass shortage for this caliber, my stw shoots best when loaded HOT and only get 3X until primer pockets are done.
I'm toying with the idea of sunsetting this caliber but what do I have my son shoot? he is smaller framed 125 lbs. I don't want him to lose his confidence from shooting a heavy recoil gun like the 300RUM, He did take an elk with my 300RUM this fall because the stw went for a tumble and made a great shot.
Do i turn this 7mmSTW turned into a different caliber that brass is more readily available or what do you 7mm STW shooters do about brass?

 

[adk hunter]

Good for him!
I'd stay in the 7mm family and get back into the mainstream of component availability.
7 rem mag probably wins this race but darn I love the .280AI!
300 win mag with lighter monos would be a sweat spot too.
Allow for a lighter rifle too for a smaller shooter.

 

[Rick Richard]

I would say keep shooting it as long as you can. If you want to stay in the 7MM family then maybe down the road the 7PRC might be an option when components become available.

 

[Bghunter338]

Every now and then you will see it on here someone selling some. The best way is to get it from Bertram. He's been doing a good job of keeping some in stock. But unfortunately he's out at the moment. Nosler has it once in awhile but you pay though the nose. Quality Cartridge was so post to have done a run this summer but have not seen it yet. Need to contact him again and see if he did and I missed it or if he still needs to. Lastly you can make it out of Peterson brass. It's a few steps to do it but you can and you have a full accomplished feeling when done. I made a post on here about it a while ago. If you already have the rifle and it's shooting good it might be cheaper just to keep brass for it.

 

[powermax]

Every now and then you will see it on here someone selling some. The best way is to get it from Bertram. He's been doing a good job of keeping some in stock. But unfortunately he's out at the moment. Nosler has it once in awhile but you pay though the nose. Quality Cartridge was so post to have done a run this summer but have not seen it yet. Need to contact him again and see if he did and I missed it or if he still needs to. Lastly you can make it out of Peterson brass. It's a few steps to do it but you can and you have a full accomplished feeling when done. I made a post on here about it a while ago. If you already have the rifle and it's shooting good it might be cheaper just to keep brass for it.

I did get some Peterson brass and followed your post but don't have the patience,..
brass does pop up every now and again, just last week someone posted some but I was to late to the draw, got to be quick on this site!
it is shooting ok but its got 500 + rounds down the pipe and pickier then it used to be, it wants what it wants, just like we all are when we get older

 

[Bghunter338]

I did get some Peterson brass and followed your post but don't have the patience,..
brass does pop up every now and again, just last week someone posted some but I was to late to the draw, got to be quick on this site!
it is shooting ok but its got 500 + rounds down the pipe and pickier then it used to be, it wants what it wants, just like we all are when we get older

I totally understand about the making part of the brass. I did reach out to Pete over at quality cartridge to check in for the brass. If you want I'll let you know what he says.

 

[sedancowboy]

I faced the same dilemma. I went with a 28 Nosler and could not be happier. While expensive 28 Nosler is available. It also gives you room in the Magazine for the 195s. Very easy load development for me.

 

[powermax]

I faced the same dilemma. I went with a 28 Nosler and could not be happier. While expensive 28 Nosler is available. It also gives you room in the Magazine for the 195s. Very easy load development for me.

how do you find recoil compared to the STW?

 

[sedancowboy]

The recoil is the same. Same amount of powder and same bullet weight. The 28N might be a little more efficient with a shorter fatter case.

 

[Bghunter338]

If I had to do it all over again because I couldn't get brass I would either go 28 Sherman mag, or 28Nos. Building a 28 Sherman mag now for a buddy of mine. Quite impressive with the brass capacity and length. It's probably the same thing as the nosler brass one to.

 

[Calvin45]

If you don't want the stw the 28 Nosler is it's ballistic twin. No belt (which mAtters to some, not to me, my 3 go to guns at the moment are a .257 bee, 300 Winnie, and .358 Norma). Various quality manufacturers running properly headstamped brass with no need for for forming. It's what I would do if I were you, besides just keeping the stw which would be my first choice.

 

[budlight]

Could you explain the loaded hot statement and what are you gaining in destroying the cases? My "STW" was a wildcat before the STW came out. I zeroed in on 175 grain hunting and 190 for paper.

But anyway I found US 869 to be my go to powder because I also had a 30-378. I found the highest accuracy at less than max loaded. My 175's with a 28 inch barrel were downloaded to right on 3000 fps. No elk ever withstood it or even stopped a bullet.

I had a friend who was a 7 mag man and very proud of it. we would set up the chrono and he was popping primers and not getting the speed I was down loading. I never was a fan of 284 which is even less performance.

I did try 150 and 160 grain with retumbo,reloader 25, and 26. The lower BC just didn't justify bragging rights about the couple hundred fps gain

 

[General RE LEE]

Im running low on brass and I am afraid I won't be able to replenish my supply. I picked up a 6.5 PRC for deer hunting as a back up.

 

[powermax]

Im running low on brass and I am afraid I won't be able to replenish my supply. I picked up a 6.5 PRC for deer hunting as a back up.

the 6.5 PRC looks to be a nice caliber to shoot