7mm STW Brotherhood - For those who shoot the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner

[7stw]

Originally Posted by ButterBean

Riverman, I have never killed anything with the Accubond,I could never get them to shoot in anything, but I have killed an Elk with the 160 Nosler Partition, Dead on the spot,Thats what I would use if it were me....... I know it works and I know its a little old fashiond in this day and age but it has proved itself time and time again,I feel sure that the Barnes TSX would be up to the task but I have never taken anyting bigger than deer with it

I will have to completely agree with my " partner in crime, " Butterbean. I have not used the heavier 160 partition, but have used 140 in 7mm, and 165 in 30 cal. Again as was stated, they are old fashion, as to " today's" standard, but NOTHING walks away from a well placed Partition. This bullets just flat out work.
I will throw another bullet into the ring. Almost any of the Barnes bullets, TTSX, TSX, or what ever. And last but not least, I have been having GREAT accuracy with some of the older Hornady 154 Spire point, flat base. These things shoot well, they are consistent, and I have heard they stay together when the going is tough.
I personally want a 3X exit hole, I will exept a INSIDE blow up, but NOT a external blow up. The first two spell DRT, the third spells a suck track job. Take you pick!! Bottom line is, if you can get a Partition to shoot, and be consistent, load it , shoot it, and don't look back. The one thing that the Partition has is a time honored rep of DRT. Some of these " newer" ones dont have that yet. ( and maybe won't).
Good luck in your search, and use the " brain trust" here if need be. That's why we are called the " Brotherhood".

[lizardsinep]

Okay I'ave killed a few elk (6) & moose (3)& 250+LB on hook mulies (4)

bullets were all 160gr with 7stw speer grandslams , partions, tsx
and 225 accubond with 338wm

Theres not much chance for longer then 200m shots here with the bush


elk with stw
nosler partion/speer worked best for me , they seem to transfer the energy to shock the animal...
which elk need ,there toughest animal Iave hunted , even with a well placed vital shot they will run 50 -100 yards , ofcourse neck shots will drop them, I never shoulder shoot my animals

tsx shoot abit better (better for neck shots)but they dont seem to wack the animal , and there exit wounds dont leave much of a blood trail to track. I did recover a bullet in one elk , hit rib going in , deflected threw liver (perfect mushroom tear ) nicked rib stuck under skin on other side , that was from about 150yrds and it ran 100 yrds , little drops every 20ft ( if that) to track , took almost a hour to find ....its not easy when there in herds and bush

I use the 338 in heavy bush when we call them in , it has a 1.5 x6 scope , I shot a bull at point blank range ....maybe 20 ft away , my brother thought I was gonna get stomped ..... even then it managed to stagger away 50 feet , I recovered that bullet too . shot another that was on the run at 50yrds , it still ran far enough it took half hour to find it ... no blood trail

moose were with tsx neck shots (all threw/threw) & 1 H/L shot walked maybe 50yrds ....again not more then 200m shot

this year Iam trying to get set up for 175 partions or 180 bergers , 160gr nosP was good for the deer

I'll try and post pics of the recovered bullets and there weights

powder was 7828 or H1000 with the stw

james

[bobs]

I have taken several deer, both whitetails and mulies, with Nosler Partitions. Ranges from 30-250 yards. Most were broadside lung shots, a couple were quartering towards me and I hit them on the point of the shoulder. One was quartering away. I have never recovered a Nosler Partition. None were DRT, though all showed obvious signs of having been hit (humping up, leaping, or in one case, dropping then getting back up and running off). The broadside lung shots traveled the farthest - 50 to 120 yds. Quartering shots on point of shoulder broke shoulder bone, sprayed the lung cavity with bone fragments & lead and exited the off side just behind the last rib. Massive internal damage. Traveled aprox 30-50 yds. On all broadside lung shots the lungs were jellied. Sometimes the heart too. All had relatively small exit holes but ALL left a heavy blood trail, starting with a spray of blood & tissue on the off side from the bullet exit. Then there would be a gap - where there were just a few drops here & there - till chest cavity filled with blood up to the entry & exit wounds, then very heavy blood trail - sprayed on tree trunks, etc. I am now experimenting with TTSX, Amax & Accubonds to see if I can get better accuracy and flatter trajectory, but I doubt I will get any better terminal performance.

[bobs]

Almost forgot about the one & only DRT kill I have had. I was a stander on a deer drive in Northern Wisconsin and took a shot at a running whitetail at about 50 yds. Touched off the trigger as the cross hair passed his nose - way too much lead. Deer did a somersault and never even twitched. The Nosler partition had just creased the back of his neck about 2" behind his head, cut the fur and a little hide only. No bone or meat was showing but the neck was broken. Shot was witnessed by 2 others - we were all amazed.

[PaHuntin]

I posted this first in the Reloading section but thought this might be a better place for it here.

I have been a long time fan of the 7mm STW but this is my first time actually working with one.

Yesterday I was at the range and started load development in my 7mm STW shooting 168gr Berger VLDs.

The first batch of loads I was shooting I was using RL-25. The maximum charge Berger recommended was 75.3 grs. I started lower and was working my way up. At 73.0 grs I started to get alot of burnt powder residue all the way down the casing. With 73.5 grs I had 2 cases where there was a large dent in the shoulder (the dent was running vertically). Unfortunately I wasn't running these loads across a chronograph so I am missing that piece of the puzzle.

What would be the cause of this? Low pressure?

I was checking each case after firing and I didn't have any flattened primers or sticky bolt lifts.

I was using CCI 250 Magnum primers, Remington once fired brass.

To touch the rifling with the Berger in my rifle the COAL is 3.865" but to have them fit in the magazine I had to seat them at 3.660". Would this have something to do with the issues I was having? I know Bergers like to be seated alot closer to the lands but I just wanted to try jumping them this far to see how they shoot in my rifle.

Does anyone have any insight or past experience with issues like this?

[7stw]

Originally Posted by PaHuntin

I posted this first in the Reloading section but thought this might be a better place for it here.

I have been a long time fan of the 7mm STW but this is my first time actually working with one.

Yesterday I was at the range and started load development in my 7mm STW shooting 168gr Berger VLDs.

The first batch of loads I was shooting I was using RL-25. The maximum charge Berger recommended was 75.3 grs. I started lower and was working my way up. At 73.0 grs I started to get alot of burnt powder residue all the way down the casing. With 73.5 grs I had 2 cases where there was a large dent in the shoulder (the dent was running vertically). Unfortunately I wasn't running these loads across a chronograph so I am missing that piece of the puzzle.

What would be the cause of this? Low pressure?

I was checking each case after firing and I didn't have any flattened primers or sticky bolt lifts.

I was using CCI 250 Magnum primers, Remington once fired brass.

To touch the rifling with the Berger in my rifle the COAL is 3.865" but to have them fit in the magazine I had to seat them at 3.660". Would this have something to do with the issues I was having? I know Bergers like to be seated alot closer to the lands but I just wanted to try jumping them this far to see how they shoot in my rifle.

Does anyone have any insight or past experience with issues like this?

Wow, my first guess is as you stated, low pressure. Actually, it is a bit more than a guess. I am using RL 25 now in a few of my STW's, and that charge you re using seems quite low. Additionally, you may want to try federal 215 primers. Also, you CAN get those bullets to shoot and still fit in the mag. You have to manipulate the load a little, but it can be done. The STW is a great round to get to shoot, and really not hard too fussy. Your powder/ bullet combo is good, I think that the charge is too low.
The vertical dent is from the neck not sealing to the chamber, and the pressure is taking the easy way out. Let us know how you make out.

[ButterBean]

Originally Posted by PaHuntin

I posted this first in the Reloading section but thought this might be a better place for it here.

I have been a long time fan of the 7mm STW but this is my first time actually working with one.

Yesterday I was at the range and started load development in my 7mm STW shooting 168gr Berger VLDs.

The first batch of loads I was shooting I was using RL-25. The maximum charge Berger recommended was 75.3 grs. I started lower and was working my way up. At 73.0 grs I started to get alot of burnt powder residue all the way down the casing. With 73.5 grs I had 2 cases where there was a large dent in the shoulder (the dent was running vertically). Unfortunately I wasn't running these loads across a chronograph so I am missing that piece of the puzzle.

What would be the cause of this? Low pressure?

I was checking each case after firing and I didn't have any flattened primers or sticky bolt lifts.

I was using CCI 250 Magnum primers, Remington once fired brass.

To touch the rifling with the Berger in my rifle the COAL is 3.865" but to have them fit in the magazine I had to seat them at 3.660". Would this have something to do with the issues I was having? I know Bergers like to be seated alot closer to the lands but I just wanted to try jumping them this far to see how they shoot in my rifle.

Does anyone have any insight or past experience with issues like this?

Low pressure is your problem I would start at 76 and work up from there