Making decision on new gun

[dragman]

I am getting a new toy later this week and I am torn on the caliber to stick with. Here are my choices and my thoughts looking for any input or info from others to help:

300WSM:
Very comfortable with this caliber easy to load and make shoot and very reasonable barrel life

7SAUM:
Not the easiest caliber to load for people say (guessing because throats always moving. Bad barrel life but awesome ballistics

7WSM:
I am reasonably comfortable with this caliber as well really good ballistics but suffers from bad barrel life too

Now I shoot a lot and this gun will be mainly shot at range and ground hogs and make the occational trip to a long range match, But I want to take it for whitetail too if I get a chance to hunt the spot I was promised I will have 1500 yards.

 

[MudRunner2005]

It appears you want a 7mm rifle.

If you aren't worried about barrel life, but want incredible ballistics go with the 7mm STW. And it should be able to handle whitetail sized game @ 1,500 yards with the right projectile (Berger 168 or 180 VLD).

If you want good barrel life, and 7mm RemMag ballistics, check into the .280 Ackley Improved.

 

[dragman]

I am not really sure. I know the SAUM and the WSM can push the 180's 3100+ as they will be 30" barrels and that is ballistically pretty freaking awesome but I don't know how I feel with putting a couple barrels on in one year. while the 300WSM I can get away with one barrel for the whole year and push 190's at 3200, but it isn't as high of a B.C. kind of a coin flip at the moment.

 

[MudRunner2005]

The 7mmSTW can last 1,500-2,000+ rounds.

The .280 AI can last over 2,500 rounds.

 

[dragman]

The 7mmSTW can last 1,500-2,000+ rounds.

The .280 AI can last over 2,500 rounds.

to maintain Benchrest accuracy I was always told on the "big 7's" under 1000 rounds and on a .280AI around 1200-1500 at best. the only 7 that I have a lot of exsperience with is the .284 and I was seeing accuracy drop off at just over 1200 rounds.

 

[JARHEAD1371]

I have about 800 rds through my 7 SAUM and it's still as accurate as ever. I don't see how the 300 WSM could push the 190's to 3200 fps, even with a 30" barrel, or have a noticably longer barrel life over the SAUM. My 7 SAUM is easy to load for using the 180 Hybrids, the hardest part is finding componets. IMO, if you are looking for a 1500 yd deer rifle than go with something like the 284/300 Norma Imp with a bullet over 180 gr or 300 Norma Imp with something over 220 gr. Or even the 7 LRM with a bullet like the 195 gr Hybrid. Just my thoughts.

 

[dragman]

I have about 800 rds through my 7 SAUM and it's still as accurate as ever. I don't see how the 300 WSM could push the 190's to 3200 fps, even with a 30" barrel, or have a noticably longer barrel life over the SAUM. My 7 SAUM is easy to load for using the 180 Hybrids, the hardest part is finding componets. IMO, if you are looking for a 1500 yd deer rifle than go with something like the 284/300 Norma Imp with a bullet over 180 gr or 300 Norma Imp with something over 220 gr. Or even the 7 LRM with a bullet like the 195 gr Hybrid. Just my thoughts.

I am not just looking at it as a 1500 yard deer gun that was one possible application I have other guns for that so it isn't the be all end all for this one. I am super intregued by the SAUM but my friends when he pushes it hard is only getting 800-900 rounds before it is going south. Even when pushing the 300WSM hard I have been getting around 1500-2000 of them. at equal speeds the SAUM definatly has the edge on B.C. no doubt.

 

[MudRunner2005]

If you want barrel life, get a .308 Win.....10,000+ rounds.

 

[dragman]

If you want barrel life, get a .308 Win.....10,000+ rounds.

yea but I want some power!!! lol

 

[MudRunner2005]

Stick a Berger 210 VLD stuffed with 39.1gr of Varget in a Lapua case with Federal 210M primers, and seat it to the lands.....I get 2,400 fps out of my Rem 700 5R, which has a 24" 5R rifled 11.25" twist barrel.

But if you want power, with decent barrel life for a hotrod....7mm STW with Berger 180 VLD's, H1000, and Fed 215M primers seated to the lands. I have had my STW for 11 years and still have the same original Sendero SF barrel still on it, and it still shoots 1-ragged hole groups.

 

[dragman]

Stick a Berger 210 VLD stuffed with 39.1gr of Varget in a Lapua case with Federal 210M primers, and seat it to the lands.....I get 2,400 fps out of my Rem 700 5R, which has a 24" 5R rifled 11.25" twist barrel.

But if you want power, with decent barrel life for a hotrod....7mm STW with Berger 180 VLD's, H1000, and Fed 215M primers seated to the lands. I have had my STW for 11 years and still have the same original Sendero SF barrel still on it, and it still shoots 1-ragged hole groups.

The STW is interesting what kind of speed are you getting with the 180's

 

[MudRunner2005]

The STW is interesting what kind of speed are you getting with the 180's

Right @ 2,900 fps. It would be a very capable 1,500 yard rifle for deer with that load. There's some guy shooting the STW over a mile (1,650 yards). It can be loaded a good bit hotter than I do, but at the time I developed my load, brass was scarce, and mine was running out of life. Now that I have tons of brass I think I might try to step it up over the 3K mark.

There's several guys who are getting over 3,200 fps with that load, but higher powder charge, and claim it's a safe load.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

The 7mmSTW can last 1,500-2,000+ rounds.

The .280 AI can last over 2,500 rounds.

MudRunner, what are your references that a 7 STW will last 1500-2000 rounds? I have burned out a 7RM in a little over a 1000 rounds and guys are burning out 7 RUMs in about 500 and the STW is right in bweteen. So if this guy goes with a 7 STW and burns it out in 800 ronds, are you going to pay for a rebarrel? I think you should. I think it's mis-leading and irresponsible to be saying things like this which you do often. You say you've got 1500 rounds through yours and it's still shooting good. Good for you. That is far above normal round count for a 7 STW. There is no way that a 7 STW is going to get longer barrel life than a 7 SAUM which has less case capacity, a sharper shoulder and longer neck. No Way!

So if you're going to continue to spread this misinformation you need to be offering a guarantee to rebarrel for the guys who listen to you and burn their barrels out much quicker than you're telling them.

 

[barnesuser28]

MudRunner, what are your references that a 7 STW will last 1500-2000 rounds? I have burned out a 7RM in a little over a 1000 rounds and guys are burning out 7 RUMs in about 500 and the STW is right in bweteen. So if this guy goes with a 7 STW and burns it out in 800 ronds, are you going to pay for a rebarrel? I think you should. I think it's mis-leading and irresponsible to be saying things like this which you do often. You say you've got 1500 rounds through yours and it's still shooting good. Good for you. That is far above normal round count for a 7 STW. There is no way that a 7 STW is going to get longer barrel life than a 7 SAUM which has less case capacity, a sharper shoulder and longer neck. No Way!

So if you're going to continue to spread this misinformation you need to be offering a guarantee to rebarrel for the guys who listen to you and burn their barrels out much quicker than you're telling them.

+1, if all 7 stws could go 2k, EVERYBODY would be shooting them, especially in competition.