Help with a 7mm caliber build

[william101]

Hi everyone, I need help deciding on a 7mm caliber that would be best suited for the 195 grn Bergers , I work for Montana Vintage Arms as a Machinist and my Awesome Boss is Giving me a 1885 Winchester 1400.00 Highwall action to call my own to build, all I need to do is decide on a Barrel brand ,twist and length , and wood for this long range single shot gun. Im pretty excited about it. Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[harleybug]

28 nosler or 7mm rum is the caliber i would use. If u want to shoot big bullets as far as u can then i wouldnt waste time with a 7 mag or 7 stw. U definately want a 1 in 8 twist barrel and i would use krieger or bartlein for the manufacturer. They are the best to barrel companys imho but there are alot of decent manufacturers for barrels out there. If u want a wood stock then look at bobby hart stocks but i would go with a mcmillan or manners personally. Congrats on the build and good luck.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

I have one in a 7mm STW. Great rifle. But mine his a factory barrel that was rechambered from 7mm Mag. It doesn't like the heavies. I wouldn't hesitate to build a 7STW or 7Mag with an 8.5 or faster twist for the 195s. Speed isn't everything and you get plenty far out without enormous cases. I like krieger, bartlein, and brux the best.

This was shot at 2018 yards with a 7MM Dakota. 180 Hybrid @ 2800fps

 

[william101]

Awesome shooting! I wonder though would it be better to get away from the belted mags? and go with a 7 rum etc like Harley bug suggested? I wonder what velocities you would get with the 195 grn out of the7mm remington mag, 28 nosler or stw?

 

[bigngreen]

I'm starting with a 7-300 Win mag set up for the 195 then I may get a 28 Nosler set up for them, having a belt make zero difference. I like the ease of brass and dies for the 7-300 Win and should get a guy in that 3000 fps window.

 

[shortgrass]

Is this Highwall of modern manufacture, or an 'original'? Whichever it is, the traditional wood is American Black Walnut, but a nice piece of English Walnut wouldn't be out of the question, either. Needs straight grain at the wrist for strength, doen't matter if the lower tang is bent for a 'pistol grip' or straight like 'traditional' field rifles of the past. Are your plans for just a round barrel of something else? Barrel profile may have a direct bearing on "whos' barrel". Serious thought should be given to "will/can the extractor be made to work with a case that has a head dia. of .550" and an extraction groove/rim of std. .532"?, like the RUMs/.260 Nosler case, before I made up my mind about the chambering. Harleybug must not know what a 1885 Winchester Highwall is, otherwise he wouldn't have recommended McMillan or Manners and I seriously doubt Bobby Hart makes anything for the Highwall.

 

[william101]

Is this Highwall of modern manufacture, or an 'original'? Whichever it is, the traditional wood is American Black Walnut, but a nice piece of English Walnut wouldn't be out of the question, either. Needs straight grain at the wrist for strength, doen't matter if the lower tang is bent for a 'pistol grip' or straight like 'traditional' field rifles of the past. Are your plans for just a round barrel of something else? Barrel profile may have a direct bearing on "whos' barrel". Serious thought should be given to "will/can the extractor be made to work with a case that has a head dia. of .550" and an extraction groove/rim of std. .532"?, like the RUMs/.260 Nosler case, before I made up my mind about the chambering. Harleybug must not know what a 1885 Winchester Highwall is, otherwise he wouldn't have recommended McMillan or Manners and I seriously doubt Bobby Hart makes anything for the Highwall.

Its a Modern day Machined 1885 high wall that we've made in the past for Wyoming Armory. They are beautifully made no doubt. Im hoping to stick a really nice piece of English walnut on it, not sure weather to blue or put a cool looking case hardening on it. These High walls have been made in several magnum calibers as well, hopefully shouldn't be a problem. I would rent the Reamer from 4 D Reamers up in Kalispell Montana where im from which is pretty sweet, they have more than 600 reamers to rent! Just need to decide on a caliber and a Barrel Blank I guess from a good manufacturer. 28 Nosler sounding quit nice , not really wanting a big beast like a 7mm allen or anything, just a good all around 7mm caliber that would get me around 2900 on a 195 grn Berger without a huge amount of recoil if possible.

 

[shortgrass]

I know now that the modern 1885s have been made in the WSMs (Brownings rendition of the 1885). I'd NOT rent a reamer from 4D or any other for any project, let alone a 'special' project. With the current climate of the "do-it-yourself", you've got to wonder about the tools and how they were used. If you are a machinist, you understand tool 'condition''. Did the guy before you chuck it up in his B&D and have at it. Read 4Ds info closely, they'll only be liable for the cost of the tooling rental, no more. The only time I rented a reamer it arrived with an egg-shaped pilot (removable pilot reamer). I've got a pretty good selection of pilots so the job proceeded. The point is, if they missed a bad removable pilot during their 'inspection', what else got missed? Is not ISCAR or Kennametal tools 'better' than the Chinese imports? Same holds true for chambering reamers. There are better choices, much better choices, than what the reamer renters offer. What material are the actions made of?

 

[william101]

I know now that the modern 1885s have been made in the WSMs (Brownings rendition of the 1885). I'd NOT rent a reamer from 4D or any other for any project, let alone a 'special' project. With the current climate of the "do-it-yourself", you've got to wonder about the tools and how they were used. If you are a machinist, you understand tool 'condition''. Did the guy before you chuck it up in his B&D and have at it. Read 4Ds info closely, they'll only be liable for the cost of the tooling rental, no more. The only time I rented a reamer it arrived with an egg-shaped pilot (removable pilot reamer). I've got a pretty good selection of pilots so the job proceeded. The point is, if they missed a bad removable pilot during their 'inspection', what else got missed? Is not ISCAR or Kennametal tools 'better' than the Chinese imports? Same holds true for chambering reamers. There are better choices, much better choices, than what the reamer renters offer. What material are the actions made of?

Great advice! thanks for the info, will definitely take heed. I cant remember the grade of steel offhand shamefully, but the actions have been pressure tested at HP white I believe in New York to pressures up to 458 win Mag levels with no problems.

 

[shortgrass]

Great advice! thanks for the info, will definitely take heed. I cant remember the grade of steel offhand shamefully, but the actions have been pressure tested at HP white I believe in New York to pressures up to 458 win Mag levels with no problems.

"Chamber pressure" is the limiting factor when choosing a chambering for a particular action. Check out the chamber pressures of the .458 Win. and stay within that spec for your chambering.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Its a Modern day Machined 1885 high wall that we've made in the past for Wyoming Armory. They are beautifully made no doubt. Im hoping to stick a really nice piece of English walnut on it, not sure weather to blue or put a cool looking case hardening on it. These High walls have been made in several magnum calibers as well, hopefully shouldn't be a problem. I would rent the Reamer from 4 D Reamers up in Kalispell Montana where im from which is pretty sweet, they have more than 600 reamers to rent! Just need to decide on a caliber and a Barrel Blank I guess from a good manufacturer. 28 Nosler sounding quit nice , not really wanting a big beast like a 7mm allen or anything, just a good all around 7mm caliber that would get me around 2900 on a 195 grn Berger without a huge amount of recoil if possible.

I would take a look at the 7mm STW. I have 2 of them in my collection, and it is a hell of a caliber. There is a member here named "Lefty7mmstw", and he is shooting 195's in his STW at nearly 3K (2,900+) with a 28" 1:8 twist.

 

[william101]

I would take a look at the 7mm STW. I have 2 of them in my collection, and it is a hell of a caliber. There is a member here named "Lefty7mmstw", and he is shooting 195's in his STW at nearly 3K (2,900+) with a 28" 1:8 twist.

Thanks for the suggestion, I think I've narrowed my choice down to this caliber the more I think about it. The 195 @2900+ has some pretty amazing ballistics and killer remaining bullet energy at 1000+yards.

 

[matt_3479]

IF it were me Id most likely do a 7-300. Win mag. Most because I have 1000 pieces of norma 300. Win mag brass and 450 pieces of Remington so even trying to get through the life of that brass I'll need 5 300. Win mags so I might as well try and help going through some with a 7-300. Win mag

 

[harleybug]

I would stick with 7-300 28 nosler or 7 rum if it were me if u are building a gun for 195 bullets then dont skip on the caliber just go big.