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

[7stw]

Lefty,

Thanks for the response. I am not looking to replace the barrel right now. I would like to get hold of a good barrel maker that has good experience with this type of caliber. A few conversations and I should be able to decide upon the design for a good accurate barrel. I am looking this early because of the wait time. I expect up to a several month wait for a barrel to be built, backorders and all.

I am moving to 200,300,400 yds later this week. I expect a good Zero range will be 300 yds. Thanks for the advise and happy shooting.

I also have a Sako 75, V action, and mine has a 26 inch barrel. ( actually 25, 5/8 to be exact.) But from your posting, I wouldn't change that barrel yet. Your accuracy seems to be very good, and with a partition at that!!!! Leave that baby just like she sits!! You may be able to get a little more speed, but if you can't, leave it alone.
Is your gun stainless, and do you have the synthetic stock? Mine is stainless, with the synthetic stock, and is very accurate. A bit fussy with it's load, but as with anything else, once you find it, you are golden. Barrel cleans very easily, and can go quite a while before it really does need to be cleaned. Aftermarket stocks are few and far between, and pricey too!

 

[7stw]

I have 7mag dies , do u set it as usual to bump it? or do u just do a FL size?
I havnt seen new stw win brass here (canada) in 10yrs
My other problem is my throat , max oal to load in my gun is about 3.645 BUT I dont touch the lands till 3.702 ...with a .20 (3.682)jump Iam still .37 to long !!

Your barrel is free bored, just ahead of the loaded round. You will not be able to touch the riflings, and still fit into the box magazine. Most of the super mags are free bored, otherwise, the speed wouldn't be what they are, and the pressures could easily skyrocket. I seat my bullets .010 under max box length, and manipulate the load until it shoots accurately. I have never had problems getting one to shoot, and shoot well. These are one of the most SHOOTABLE rounds that I have ever shot, and are very responsive, if you know how to read the targets, brass, and gun. Above all, this is a HUNTING round. ( a very accurate one, I might add), so I always make them fit in the magazine as they were intended.

 

[Nvhunter]

7STW,

Mine is not a stainless. It is blue. Just like all it's brothers. It has the original Sako Hunter stock. It is a 7STW (typo in the first post). I installed a NEAR MFG MOA rail and Leupold III 40mm for the scope. If I can figure out this photo thing I will post a picture. I am happy with the solid mount of the NEAR MFG one piece rail, but have to eject cautiously so the brass is not dented by the rail during extraction.

You are correct on running a dirty barrel. Mine likes at least 3 loads before the group tightens. This is the first rifle I have ever had that really likes a dirty barrel. My Voere 30.06 shoots better when it is clean. Each rifle has it's own personality.

I had worked up to 78 grains of H1000. The H1000 78 grain shot an average of 3004 fps in an 8 shot run (highest 3030 lowest 2989). However, the grouping opened up to 1.1 inch. Could have been the load, could have been me. It seems to like the 77 grain so far.

This weekend should bring no wind at first light. I will be firing 77 / 77.5 and 78 grains. I would prefer a bit lower speed for this fall Mule Deer hunt. A hot load in this 7STW can create carnage at distances less than 300 yards. I have jumped younger deer in these Nevada mountains as close as 30 yards, but the big boys like to stay at least 500 yards from me.

I have ran the newer Barnes TSX, Nosler ballistic tips and other new style bullets. I listen to hunting and shooting podcasts at work. An interview from one long time hunter that has taken every huntable species in N. America said he has always received consistent performance from that Nosler Partition. I know it is an old style bullet, but it works. I hunt for grub and need consistency during hunt season. Following hunt season I will be pushing newer style bullets that have a better BC at faster speed. I approach hunting deer and target shooting each differently.

 

[Big Jake Duke]

Range Data: Rifle 7mm SAKO V Hunter 75, 24 inch barrel. Temp 80 f, Elevation 2700 ft, Humidity 5%, 100 yards, Nosler Partition 160 grain, H1000 77 grain. Chrono FPS avg of 6 shots 2980 fps. Highest 2996 fps. Lowest 2949 fps. 3 shot Group 0.061 inch.

If you want more velocity, try 7828, but if you are shooting.061" for three shots, that is one very small hole, you must have to use a mic on your groups! Nice shooting.

 

[Big Jake Duke]

I have 7mag dies , do u set it as usual to bump it? or do u just do a FL size?
I havnt seen new stw win brass here (canada) in 10yrs
My other problem is my throat , max oal to load in my gun is about 3.645 BUT I dont touch the lands till 3.702 ...with a .20 (3.682)jump Iam still .37 to long !!

Now you can look at that issue a couple of ways, 1. Too large a jump for the bullets you have been using or 2. Proper seating for the Matrix 190 gr super high bc bullet.

See the barrel isnt wearing out, it is maturing into a different kind of shooting.

 

[Nvhunter]

Range Data: Rifle 7mm SAKO V Hunter 75, 24 inch barrel. Temp 80 f, Elevation 2700 ft, Humidity 5%, 100 yards, Nosler Partition 160 grain, H1000 77 grain. Chrono FPS avg of 6 shots 2980 fps. Highest 2996 fps. Lowest 2949 fps. 3 shot Group 0.061 inch.

If you want more velocity, try 7828, but if you are shooting.061" for three shots, that is one very small hole, you must have to use a mic on your groups! Nice shooting.

Dern! Second Typo. 0.61 inch group. Sorry about the typo.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Dern! Second Typo. 0.61 inch group. Sorry about the typo.

I kinda figured that. When she breaks 1 moa for 5 shots, then it might be time. If your throat is showing erosion, that is. That's when I dropped my 7rum like a hot potato. The groups doubled in size for both my 140 and 175 grain loads and broke the moa mark for 5. Turned her for a lh 300rum(the7rum was a righty). The interesting thing on that rifle is she got faster as she wore out. It started life at 3425 fps with a 140. By the time it dies, she was 100 fps faster.

 

[lizardsinep]

Now you can look at that issue a couple of ways, 1. Too large a jump for the bullets you have been using or 2. Proper seating for the Matrix 190 gr super high bc bullet.

See the barrel isnt wearing out, it is maturing into a different kind of shooting.

I think it was like this from new , I only have about 150 rds threw it . thats why Iam trying the 175gr from the 160...... 190 seems interesting

funny thing is that when I was doing some varmit loads the fb 120 shot nice

 

[Big Jake Duke]

I think it was like this from new , I only have about 150 rds threw it . thats why Iam trying the 175gr from the 160...... 190 seems interesting

funny thing is that when I was doing some varmit loads the fb 120 shot nice

I am sure it was designed that way, i was just trying to make you feel better about it.

My 270 improved shot lights out with the 100 gr varmint loads( flat based) and only slightly acceptable with everything else. Maybe there is something to that?

 

[Nvhunter]

Freebore -

I found a very interesting article on Freebore. View 7mm Remington Ultra Magnum

This article is about the 7mm RUM, The 7mm STW article was retracted for correction. So- Question: Are all 7mm STW rifles free bored? As previously stated, mine is a Sako V 75 Hunter.

Question 2 - Should I expect different accuracy by changing the OAL to different lengths? Currently, my reloads are made to the published 3.600 OAL.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Freebore -

I found a very interesting article on Freebore. View 7mm Remington Ultra Magnum

This article is about the 7mm RUM, The 7mm STW article was retracted for correction. So- Question: Are all 7mm STW rifles free bored? As previously stated, mine is a Sako V 75 Hunter.

Question 2 - Should I expect different accuracy by changing the OAL to different lengths? Currently, my reloads are made to the published 3.600 OAL.

I've worked with a few 7mm stw now, and they all look like they are cut to 150 -200 thousandths free bore.
The 7mm ultra (righty bdl) I had was throated to 4.1" so that's a full 1/2" of free bore. It shot 140 sierra fb bullets to .3" at 100 yards with rl25 and a 215 in rem brass.
The longest kill I made with this rifle was 700+ yards on a mule deer from sitting position with no rest or bipod. The thing flat shot and was so predictable I knew exactly where it was going even on running critters. Three of the four critters I killed with the 7mm ultra were at least at a trot. Of those, one was at 600 yards+ in a cross wind, one was an antelope at full run going into a 30 mph + wind(70 mph lead at 1/4 mile), and one was a head shot at 250 yards. I shot every one from sitting with no rest.
I sure hope this lefty stw is as good a ticket as that rum was. If it is, it's horn soup come November. I never really got into field shooting with the 7mm stw sendero. I always felt like it was to dang heavy for the badlands.
Accuracy as always is the matter of the bore and bullet liking each other, with the primer and powder not fouling up the mix. If I can take a 8.5# sporter 7mm ultra with a 6-18x nikon on top with 1/2" freebore and 140 flat base bullets and toss .3 moa (.9 moa 5 shot without cooling)with it( and hunt it as far as I feel comfortable shooting offhand), I doubt a few thousandths or even tenths of freebore means much for our game. Who knows, I still have the dies, I might just make up a 7rum barrel to go with the 300rum I have......

 

[Nvhunter]

Lefty,

Thanks for the experienced feedback. Sounds like I can stick to the 3.600 OAL with confidence. I have been working with RL 25, IMR 4831 and H1000. CCI Magnum Primers and Nosler Partition 160gr. The Sako seems to like the H1000 the best so far.

One observation - This Sako V does not like slower speeds with any powder or any bullet weight. 2700 - 2950 fps provides 0.9 - 1.3 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yds.

I have range time at daybreak on Saturday (Who Hoo!). 3:30 am will be an early rise. I hope to have the range setup for daylight. Working only with H1000 in the morning.
I'll post the results.

Thanks.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Lefty,

Thanks for the experienced feedback. Sounds like I can stick to the 3.600 OAL with confidence. I have been working with RL 25, IMR 4831 and H1000. CCI Magnum Primers and Nosler Partition 160gr. The Sako seems to like the H1000 the best so far.

One observation - This Sako V does not like slower speeds with any powder or any bullet weight. 2700 - 2950 fps provides 0.9 - 1.3 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yds.

I have range time at daybreak on Saturday (Who Hoo!). 3:30 am will be an early rise. I hope to have the range setup for daylight. Working only with H1000 in the morning.
I'll post the results.

Thanks.

Kool beans man,
h1000 is a powder I worked with and set aside mainly because it works in a rather narrow window. It likes to be loaded(heavy bullet) in a mid mag., but isn't so slow as to fill the case on an over-bore that well. My 7mm stw(sendero) didn't like it, but my old rem lefty 300 win liked it alot with 190 hornady bullets. 3" groups at 400meters off the hood with a couple of sandbags were common. I have gravitated to rl series, but if h1000 works for your set-up it can be a great powder.
The thing about free bore is if it shoots well and stable, forget it exists at all. If you are fighting seating depth issues in a big rifle, you might need to think about a different bullet. Benchrest rifles with their small bores and relatively fragile bullets do well seated to jamb, as do lead bullets for most rifles.

I seat lead for my 375h&h well into the rifling; if I pull a round it has rifling nearly to the second driving band. The 375 will put three lead slugs in an inch and a half at 100 yards and I really haven't worked with it enough yet to see how good it can get. With lead bullets in a rifle speed doesn't matter, it is pressure developed and bullet obduration that results from that pressure. You want to take the bullet close to the point where the alloy is destroyed by the pressure for best accuracy, but too far and you'll be scrubbing lead and spraying bullets. Accuracy will be sub-par at light loads also.
An interesting thing about lead bullets in rifles is you can't seat the bullet below the base of the neck, the bullet has to be contained in the neck or the powder will erode the base and possibly blow the gas check loose.

 

[etisll40]

It seems Roy Weatherby proved the freebore myth. It's just a variable. Let's face it, the straighter your barrel is the better it shoots. Find a bullet and powder charge. After that' it's you and how straight your barrel is. Skill and a little luck happens with practice.

2cents