7mm STW--any thoughts/experience with?

[Scorch]

The 7mm STW was first introducedin 1979 by Layne Simpson of Shooting Times magazine fame, developed from necking down 8mm Rem Mag. In the 40 years since, there were lots of people talking about it but few people really wanted or needed it. Remington chambered the 700 for 7mm STW for a few years, then dropped the chambering when they introduced the 7mm RUM, which is bigger, faster, harder on barrels, and has a sexy middle name. And now we have the 28 Nosler, which is more of everything. The 7mm RUM is faster by about 100 fps, 28 Nosler by about 300 fps. I only ever chambered 1 rifle for 7mm STW, I have chambered several rifles for 7mm Rum for customers, a few of them twice. Barrel life with a 7mm RUM is about 1,200 rounds, so I would expect a 7mm STW to be about the same. Biggest hit against the 7mm STW is non-availability of factory ammunition (Nosler loads for it). Brass can be made from 375 H&H, the parent cartridge for the 8mm Rem Mag.

My first question would be "why?".

[old roper]

stagpanther, I'm looking at 1/8 or 1/7 for 28 Nosler and using Berger 195gr. I'll have Manson make reamer. Going to be my 80th birthday present.

[Mike38]

I have a Remington 700 in 7mmSTW built in the Remington Custom Shop back in 1998. The model is M700AWR, Alaskan Wilderness Rifle. Not to be confused with the 700AWR American Wilderness Rifle that is an off the shelf rifle. Mine is stainless steel coated in matte black Teflon. It can never rust under normal circumstances. Very nice 2.5 pound trigger. I toped it with a 4.5x14x40 Leopold VXIII scope. With my reloads it will shoot just over 0.5 MOA. It will push 100 grain bullets to 4000 FPS, but I don't do that often. I found the best accuracy is 162 grain bullets at 2800 FPS which is below a magnum load, but it should save the barrel for many years of shooting. I did take it Antelope hunting once. Got one at 450 yards with those 162 grain reloads. It hit the Antelope so hard it spun the animal 180 degrees and it crumpled on the spot. Never took even one step.

[stagpanther]

My first question would be "why?".

Just curious.

stagpanther, I'm looking at 1/8 or 1/7 for 28 Nosler and using Berger 195gr. I'll have Manson make reamer. Going to be my 80th birthday present.

Nice! why the heck not?

I have a Remington 700 in 7mmSTW built in the Remington Custom Shop back in 1998. The model is M700AWR, Alaskan Wilderness Rifle. Not to be confused with the 700AWR American Wilderness Rifle that is an off the shelf rifle. Mine is stainless steel coated in matte black Teflon. It can never rust under normal circumstances. Very nice 2.5 pound trigger. I toped it with a 4.5x14x40 Leopold VXIII scope. With my reloads it will shoot just over 0.5 MOA. It will push 100 grain bullets to 4000 FPS, but I don't do that often. I found the best accuracy is 162 grain bullets at 2800 FPS which is below a magnum load, but it should save the barrel for many years of shooting. I did take it Antelope hunting once. Got one at 450 yards with those 162 grain reloads. It hit the Antelope so hard it spun the animal 180 degrees and it crumpled on the spot. Never took even one step.

Very cool. That's what I figure--if you take it easy, time your shots and don't go for max loads might help prolong life of the barrel. For a few hundred dollars I don't mind spinning the barrel nut every 2 to 3 years.

[handlerer2]

I guess it was 15 years ago or so, I was on a Weatherby site, that many members were talking about the 7mm/300WBY wildcat. Of course there were those that said it had already been done in the form of the 7mmSTW. Others said yeah, but it hasn't been done by Weatherby. There were rumors of a 6.5/300WBY factory offering.

I thought the idea of both of these were interesting. I thought then that the 7/300WBY made as much or more sense as the 6.5/300WBY. Both would be titanic barrel burners.

I own a Cooper MDL22, 6.5/284. If they call these barrel burners, then there should be new terminology for what the uber magnums are, sub 30 cal.

I have read that the best of the barrel on 6.5/284 will be gone by 800 rounds. So, what would the barrel life on STW or 6.5/300WBY be? Maybe 600 rounds.

I, of course don't have to worry about that, because Cooper has a barrel replacement policy. Shoot out one of their barrels and for $125 they will replace and test a new barrel. I love bragging about this. I'm so ashamed.

They started this policy after offering some new rifles in any over the top chambering you can think of. All the WBY's up to 340WBY. 6.5 and 7mmSTW, 7mm and 300RUM, 300 and 338Lapua, and the Noslers. They knew that these customers are going to go through barrels quickly. Being owned by the barrel maker and the fact that these are premium priced rifles, must leave enough wiggle room for a profit.

This policy was greeted with great joy by Cooper's varmint rifle owners. Varmint rifles were what they were for a long time. Varmint rifle owners shoot a lot. So, I'm happy. I may use this policy next year, if I can get in some shooting this year.

I seriously considered having a WBY Vanguard, 300WBY rebarreled to 7mmSTW. It is said that WBY brass can be necked down 7STW. It seems more work than 300HH brass. Not only that, but it would be cool if you could just neck down WBY brass then fire form it. I wanted to try a Lilja barrel. It never happened.

If you are like me and enjoy shooting grossly overpowered firearms then this sounds like fun.

[stagpanther]

I thought the idea of both of these were interesting. I thought then that the 7/300WBY made as much or more sense as the 6.5/300WBY. Both would be titanic barrel burners.

Could be--my 300 wby is already showing signs of incipient throat erosion--but it's a vanguard sporter barrel, not as "tough" as the Mark 5's from what I have seen. Also--Roy's "thing," if I understand it correctly, seemed to be making elongated freebore and compensate with longer case necks to enhance concentricity as a means of reducing the higher pressures of his monster capacity cases. I'm very fond of the 300 wby, actually, I just bought some 220 gr partitions just out of curiosity. There's a number of hunters in the area who go after big game around the world who use the 300 wby--I warned them in the summer of 2020 they better stock up on ammo while they can (I'm the only one that reloads in our community).

I've recently heard that a 7mm XC may be in the offing.

[Bart B.]

The 300 Weatherby Mag has the same 65,000 psi max pressure specs as some other 30 caliber cartridges.

One is the 300 Win Mag with zero freebore. The Weatherby has .34" freebore

[Scorch]

Cooper has a barrel replacement policy.

Most hunting rifles in any caliber will never be shot enough to erode the throat, so Cooper can score kudos and bragging points by offering this guarantee. There is nothing "special" about their barrels. I would venture a guess they cost Cooper about $62.50, half of what they ask a customer to pay in their guarantee. Still a great guarantee!

Could be--my 300 wby is already showing signs of incipient throat erosion--but it's a vanguard sporter barrel, not as "tough" as the Mark 5's from what I have seen

Last week I scoped the bore on a 300 RUM. About 120 rounds down the tube and it is already showing about 1/8" of gas cutting in the throat and leade. Doesn't take much! And Vanguard barrels are no better or worse than Mark V barrels, I bet. Just that most people don't own bore scopes.

[Bart B.]

There is no universal standard for assessing rifle barrel life.

After a friend set a national highpower record at 1000 yards with a borrowed 7mm Rem Mag in 1970, that was the cartridge to use for a few years. Wasn't long before their 700 to 800 round barrel life and iffy bullet quality that 30 caliber magnum's 1100 to 1200 round lives replaced them.

As soon as 26 caliber long, heavy good match bullets were available, the 6.5x284 used them out scoring the bigger caliber magnums.

[HiBC]

There are other factors,of course,but one barrel life factor ,for equal steel,bore,twist,etc, might be the number of pounds of powder you can burn through it.
I would guess significantly longer barrels have longer flame duration.

Barrel life is remarkably short if you think in terms of time. Total time a bullet is traveling through the bore...total time the powder is burning.

[Bart B.]

Calculating barrel life......

https://www.accurateshooter.com/tech...l-barrel-life/

[stagpanther]

Barrel life is remarkably short if you think in terms of time. Total time a bullet is traveling through the bore...total time the powder is burning.

True--but add back time accurizing and cleaning and it gets longer again.

[stagpanther]

Calculating barrel life......

That's the one I used--which led to my questions about moly-plating bullets.

[stagpanther]

Vanguard barrels are no better or worse than Mark V barrels, I bet.

Not my experience having shot a few of both models of wby mags, my impression is Weatherby's USA made M5 barrels seem to shoot and last better.

[stagpanther]

At long last, my 28" SS match profile 7mm STW barrel from Shilen arrived today. One quality point I noticed right off the bat--they go to the trouble of packing the barrel in a very sturdy 3/8 ths inch walled cardboard tube with metal end caps fitted and stapled--been a long time since I've received a barrel from anyone that was packed as well to realistically withstand the abuse of shippers these days.

[HiBC]

Different strokes for different folks.Enjoy doing it your way.

I spent many years as a fan of the 7mm Rem Mag. It IS a great cartridge.

I've hunted a lot of pronghorn. I like to eat them. The damage done by the 7mm Rem inspired me to build my .257 R AI. IMO,there is no doubt it was a good move.

Loading in general, there are few powders/loads for the 7mm Rem that permit better than 85% load density.Why on earth would I want more case capacity?

IMO,the 7x61 Sharpes and Hart hit closer to ideal,but the 280 AI comes pretty darn close to optimum for 7mm.

The chrono will tell you for all the thunder and belchfire not all that much real velocity increase occurs with the 7mm STW,

Is the point extended useful Max Point Blank Range? Run the numbers with a 280 AI . How much MPBR do you gain?

If you use the knobs and dial,what is the gain?

Given mag box length limits,I've heard bullets over 145 gr may not work out so well with the STW,
This might be particularly noticable with the bullets I would imagine I'd choose,myself....175 gr or heavier VLD type javelins.

At mag length COAL,at what point does the cylindrical portion of the bullet get seated deeper than the case mouth? The ogive into the neck? Or are STW's used as single shots? Just curious.

This is the same problem that eliminates the Hornady 75 gr AMAX from being loaded to mag length in an AR.

I must admit,I have never owned a 7mm STW. Considering these issues,along with barrel life....Nope. I'd go 280 AI.

I do not give any magical properties to the 6.5 bore. Its just a bore size

The bullet manufacturers have given a lot of attention to the bore diameter. More than the 7mm.

IMO,there are more long range projectile choices in 6.5, 30 cal, and 338.

And,for very long range shooting,I'd figure on having time to use the target knobs. Those make two or three hundred fps rather moot.

I just don't get it. Is it the looks of the cartridge and the OOOOW and AAAHHH factor?

[stagpanther]

I already have 280 AI and enjoy shooting it very much. Why the 7mm STW? Cause I want to--and I don't mind changing barrels.

[old roper]

stagpanther, Should be good barrel. I kind of put 28 Nolser on hold and with 280AI in mid 2900fps with Peterson brass/175gr ABLR. I tried to get some Berger 175gr and 180 VLD's but no luck. Good Luck

[stagpanther]

stagpanther, Should be good barrel. I kind of put 28 Nolser on hold and with 280AI in mid 2900fps with Peterson brass/175gr ABLR. I tried to get some Berger 175gr and 180 VLD's but no luck. Good Luck

Thanks OR--Sorry you can't find the bullets--I noticed all the way up until about this past winter 7mm bullets were still pretty available even when most others were long gone; I love the fact they aren't so popular, great ballistics performance. You might have noticed the 183 MK loads I did for my 280 AI turned out pretty well, I think they and 190 vld's will be OK in a 8 twist or better driven fast enough.

[reynolds357]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

7mm is one of my favorites--but I see very little talk of this cartridge.

I have one. It's all it's supposed to be. 7 Rum and 28 Nosler kind of stole its thunder.

[stagpanther]

I've worked on and shot a rem 700 7mm RUM, a very nice rifle IMO --but the problem with it is that it is more than capable of over-driving smaller bullets at closer ranges. I warned the owner about that but a friend of his took a shot at a deer within 200 yds with a smallish bullet, I was told they were sure it was a good hit but the deer just ran off.

[old roper]

stagpanther, I'm hoping to use 280AI on bull elk hunt this year. I've been seeing lot more target bullets also.

[stagpanther]

stagpanther, I'm hoping to use 280AI on bull elk hunt this year. I've been seeing lot more target bullets also.

What are you using for bullet? I bought the new Berger 190's specifically for the 7mm STW but may try them out on the 280 AI.

[old roper]

I was going to use Nosler 175gr ABLR. I got 8lbs of R-26 this past spring and been shooting pretty good in that 280AI and I was looking for change.

I think 180gr be top for me on bullets in that rifle.

[stagpanther]

How about the 160 partition?