Need Help Choosing!

[7mmRemMag]

Ok guys, looking to buying my next rifle within a month or so. Originally I had to specific Calibers in mind. Either 264Win Mag or 257Weatherby Mag. But was told by a friend that I should look into the 7mm STW. This will mainly be a deer rifle, however, I want to be able to kill em at 500 yards as I have done so far with my 7mmRem Mag and My 300 Win Mag. I havent researched much on the STW but was hoping to find some good advice from you guys. I will be reloading for whatever setup I choose as I have found it to be most effective in shooting all my rifles accuarately.

I will probably get a factory rifle, as I havent saved up for a custom setup. Would you all recommend a Remington, Weatherby, or Savage?

Thanks in advance for your input.
-Jay

 

[Buffalobob]

You are a couple of days late. There was a Sendero in 264 for sale at a reasonable price. I would have bought it but am expecting the Ether Bunny to return a few more times. It costs a lot of money to get a visit from the Ether Bunny.

 

[silvertip-co]

Youre only gaining a little on your 7mm Rem Mag by going to the STW. Save your ca$h and get some Hornady Heavy Mag ammo for the 7mm Rem Mag, you'll be lots happier sittin on a fat wallet.

 

[Fiftydriver]

With conventional weight 25 cal bullets, I am not a big fan of the 257 Wby for legit 500 yard and out deer hunting. It will certainly work and work very well if all goes well but there are better choices, the 264 Win Mag you mentioned is one of them.

Now many will say its the same thing as the 257 Wby just in a different package, that is not entirely true, it has the option to get easy to find 140-142 gr class bullets with good BC values.

Where I hunt deer, a mature deer will be 300 lbs on the hoof and sometimes more. At 500 yards, thats not a small animal. You get a mature whitetail in full rut, they are much harder to put down then many think. You want them dead by the time that bullet exits them. I am not saying dropping them in their tracks, I am saying that the bullet has done enough damage that the target will die quickly.

The heavier, higher BC bullets will allow you to out the bullet on the mark with more consistancy which is exactly what we need.

Again, in my area, 500 yards is not a chip shot. We get alot of wind, in fact, over half of our 5 week season will have winds that would make 500 yard shots very difficult to make cleanly.

If it were me, I would prefer the higher BC bullets over the higher velocity. Just my opinion.

 

[AJ Peacock]

I'd either stay with the 7mm Rem Mag, or jump over the STW and go with a 7mm RUM. Remington 700 would be my choice.

AJ

 

[trueblue]

I agree with what AJ posted. I am a 7 STW owner, and love the cartridge, but since you already own a 7RM there is not much more to be gained by going to the 7 STW. I however differ from the other posts in that I would not look at even getting another rifle in the calibers that you mentioned. The 2 rifles that you have will already do whatever you will need them to do on deer or elk. Now if it is a matter of just getting another rifle, by all means get one.