7mm stw

[Tim300wsm]

i am flirting with the idea of a 7 stw for a long range deer rifle i know they have a less than ideal barrel life but it shoots like a laser could be a hell of alot of fun anyone have one of these kickin around id like to hear your opinions on the round

[wbm]

Had a Savage STW that I liked a LOT. Sold it to do a new build. Barrel life is a relative thing. Once a given cartridge gets the reputation of a short barrel life it is difficult to overcome. If you shoot light bullets at high velocity in the STW you are going to have short barrel life. The STW comes into it's own when you shoot nothing less than 162g bullets. I settled on 168 and 180g Berger VLD's in mine and it was a very accurate rifle. Shoot the heavy bullets with slow powder and barrel life will be extended. The STW does not do much more than the 7MM Magnum until you get into heavy bullets.

A Berger 180VLD (BC=.659) at 2900fps set 3.7" at 100 is -232" at 1000 and still moving at 1653fps. That basically eats most 30 caliber pumpkin rollers for lunch.

[calib]

out of the 7's what would be a good one to use for pushing a 180 vld i have thought 7 rem mag, stw, rum but what is going to be a good long ranger

[wbm]

The RUM and STW have it over the 7mm Mag with the 180g bullets. The RUM burns a lot of powder and has a slight margin over the STW. RUM components are easier to find than STW stuff.

My choice of the three? The STW for sure. I like em. In Sierra's 5th Edition they liked them too!

[calib]

is the belted isssue really much of an issue? i reload, but not had the opportunity to reload a magnum yet.

[wbm]

is the belted isssue really much of an issue?

Not at all. Never understood the critical stuff written for years about the belts. If you don't want it to head space on the belt you do what I have done for years and set the head-space just a wee bit shorter and after one or two firings it is head-spacing off the shoulder anyway. Another thought if you find a good buy on say a Savage barrel in a varmint contour it is easy to re-chamber it to an STW. Lot's of guys do it.

[leather5to1]

I have a 7x300 weatherby which is identical to the 7 stw, the shoulder is just a little different because of it being made from the 8mm rem instead of the 300 wby. Actually up until the stw took off I didn't have near the powder options. My original data was for h870. Now I have all the new stw data to run with. Mine likes 7828 and 4831. It will be a powder hog though. You don't max out the pressure as much as run out of room in the case, and those are big cases. If you do go with it stay at 160 grains or above to maximize barrel life. I love mine for long range shooting.

[thunderchief]

To make the idea a little easier on yourself, go over to Numrich, and order a 7mm STW barrel for 80 bucks. I just picked up two, just in case the barrel life does become an issue, I am prepared. Barrel, magnum bolt head, ammo, and a little prayer and you go yourself a winner!

[calib]

thundercheif,
do you know if those barrels are finished? i heard from some one else that they had an unfinished barrel sent to them in stw and they said they had to send it off to get done up.

wbm,
what twist where you shooting your 180 bergers at? i am wondering if the savage 1:9.25 would be ok for the recommended 1:9 i know its real close probably will just asking?

[calib]

if i where to do a 7stw build would i need to change out the bolt head?

[wbm]

Shot the 180 Bergers in a Savage barrel 1-9.25 with no problems. Fired it at 300-400 to make sure. The 168g Bergers were awesome!

The 7MM STW requires the same bolt head as the 7MM Magnum. The stock Savage I had used a Savage RUM action and the only difference I could tell between the RUM action and the 7MM Magnum action was that Savage milled down the feed ramp in front of the chamber so that it was more shallow. The magazine and follower were the same as the 7MM Magnum.

Sounds like a great buy on the Numrich barrels finished or unfinished.

[calib]

i am thinking this is the rout that i am going to go is with the stw. now i just have to start thinking of all the parts and pieces to collect to do this.

would a 26" barrel do this round justice or should i goo a bit longer? 26" is fine with me, just have heard that with a nother inch or more some guns get with it

[wbm]

Just bought one of the Numrich barrels in STW. They are 26", small shank, stainless, varmint contour with a recessed crown. I will definitely let you know how finished they are. 26" in a heavy contour should be all you need in the STW. The Savage I had was 24" with the magnum contour and I thought it was a bit light for an STW.

[calib]

yeah do that and let me know how the barrel turns out. if it is everything you where hoping for ill get one or two. how long tell you get it?

[wbm]

The barrel should show up by the middle of next week. Course considering that it's in New York right now and that state seems to be delusional a lot of the time it ain't no telling.

[Tim300wsm]

im going to buy a shilen select match for my tc encore my savage im planing a 6.5 creedmoor maybe an stw on a long action next year but not this year

[wbm]

+1 On the Creedmoor. The factory ammunition is outstanding and the brass "drought" seems to be over.

[Tim300wsm]

i love the boomers but powder is expensive

[Hammer]

.

The Big Sevens will double as prairie dog rifles.

Especially if you use 32-inch barrels.

.

[calib]

i think i would rather shoot at some steel than a prarie dog with that round. and the barrel length i am gonna try to go 26"-28"(if i can find a 28" for not bad). what lengths are you all shooting?