hunting bullets for 7mm STW

[trondheim]

Hello STW shooters!

I am going to load some hunting ammo for this autumns deer,red deer and moose hunt. But i don't know with what bullet yet.
I want minimum meat damage, good effect and the range is from 100-600 meters.
I hope someone in here have any advise.
Barnes,berger,swift,norma,nosler,sierra or hornady?
I use 162 grs amax for target and their going great in the rifle.(rem cases,fed215,73grs vith n560)
The rifle is a Sako 75, 1-9,5 twist.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I am a big fan of the 168 & 180 Berger VLD's. Also the 160 Nosler Accubonds work good, too.

This year I will be hunting with the 168 VLD's backed by H1000 powder, Fed 215 primers, & Federal brass.

 

[Bownut]

i like the barnes, i use them in all my rifles i would look at the 168 LRX or if you want something a little faster shooting the 145 LRX. barnes train better than 90% of there weight and mushroom great. with every little meat damage.

 

[trondheim]

Thanks for the input on barnes. I have used the 265 lrx in 338 lapua magnum with great precision. I'll try to get some 168 grs lrx for the stw, But as i remember are they a bit long, or?

 

[trondheim]

I am a big fan of the 168 & 180 Berger VLD's. Also the 160 Nosler Accubonds work good, too.

This year I will be hunting with the 168 VLD's backed by H1000 powder, Fed 215 primers, & Federal brass.

What is your oal with the berger bullets and how are they as to meat damage?

 

[Tikkamike]

Berger is not a hunting bullet,,, they are overweight target bullets they do still kill game if hit correctly due to the sheer weight but a tru hunting bullet you should look at Barnes and Nosler. I tried 168 lrx out of a sako 7stw and they wouldnt stabilize in the 9.5 twist. I would try the 160 tsx or the 160 nosler accubond or partitions.. all of those should do well

 

[trondheim]

Berger is not a hunting bullet,,, they are overweight target bullets they do still kill game if hit correctly due to the sheer weight but a tru hunting bullet you should look at Barnes and Nosler. I tried 168 lrx out of a sako 7stw and they wouldnt stabilize in the 9.5 twist. I would try the 160 tsx or the 160 nosler accubond or partitions.. all of those should do well

Thanks for info on lrx. I have looked at accubond but wasn't sure if their too soft.

 

[MudRunner2005]

What is your oal with the berger bullets and how are they as to meat damage?

I discovered the Berger VLD's about 6 months ago, and have been hooked since. They are grouping better than my Nosler Accubonds, and are extremely consistant. As far as meat damage, I have no idea...Our deer season doesn't start until November, so I should be able to tell you later on this year. I have never read any negative reviews about them, other than one guy was trying to shoot their "Target" VLD's at animals and wasn't getting any expansion, but it was his own fault for shooting the yellow box "Target" bullets on live game, instead of the ornage box "Hunting" VLD's like he should have been. The Target models have a slightly thicker jacket, which could cause them to be harder to expand.

I can tell you this, the Accubonds have been the best bullets for lowest meat damage I've ever used (thus far). And that includes using comparing it to the Barnes TSX 160gr 7mm bullets. From everything I've seen, heard, and read, the Berger VLD's should beat the Accubonds, which would be a feat in itself... So I am anticipating excellent results from the Bergers.

With the 180gr VLD's I am seating them where they are just barely touching the lands of the rifling in the throat. I has to be shot as a single-shot currently, until I take it to my smith and have the magazine area milled out to accept the Wyatt's Outdoors 4.000" magazine and follower setup. Then I will be able to run my 180's up on the lands, and still use the rifle as a repeater for hunting, instead of a single-shot every time.

 

[7stw]

Hello STW shooters!

I am going to load some hunting ammo for this autumns deer,red deer and moose hunt. But i don't know with what bullet yet.
I want minimum meat damage, good effect and the range is from 100-600 meters.
I hope someone in here have any advise.
Barnes,berger,swift,norma,nosler,sierra or hornady?
I use 162 grs amax for target and their going great in the rifle.(rem cases,fed215,73grs vith n560)
The rifle is a Sako 75, 1-9,5 twist.

Trondheim, I have recently switched to the Barnes 145 LRX bullet, and I love it. I should mention, that it has nearly the mass of a 160 grain conventional bullet. In my STW's, they are smokin fast, and deadly on game. They won't walk away. Internal shock delivery is incredible, and the bullet is also drop dead accurate! I also like the TTSX, but I'm really booked on the LRX at this point! IMHO!

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I'm using the 140 accubond here. My 10" twist seems to be flaky with heavier pills so I've stayed away since winter. I shot one deer with my last stw through the neck at a bit over 500 yards with the 140 accubond and you could see through the neck; it was dang near like a hole saw was used on her.
I load to 3.650" so no single shot; this round wants a bit of freebore.

 

[trondheim]

Thanks for all the input on bullets and keep it coming. It looks like its almost impossible to get bullets in 7mm here in Norway. Stop buying up everything all of you Americans!!!!!! I've ordered some amax from my supplier 3 months ago, aint seen nothing of them yet. Waiting for shipment from USA is the answer i get.
Got 300 cases, huge amount of primers, much more powder but missing bullets.

 

[MudRunner2005]

We wouldn't have had to buy up everything if our idiot president hadn't tried to take away our guns and rights...

For the record, I did NOT vote for him....Either time.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Thanks for all the input on bullets and keep it coming. It looks like its almost impossible to get bullets in 7mm here in Norway. Stop buying up everything all of you Americans!!!!!! I've ordered some amax from my supplier 3 months ago, aint seen nothing of them yet. Waiting for shipment from USA is the answer i get.
Got 300 cases, huge amount of primers, much more powder but missing bullets.

Can't you get Woodleigh or Norma pills where you are?? They make some good pills but we shy away from them in the States because of import costs, etc.. You've got to pay to play either way so get the bonded or mono bullet that works best and is available to you.

 

[trondheim]

Can't you get Woodleigh or Norma pills where you are?? They make some good pills but we shy away from them in the States because of import costs, etc.. You've got to pay to play either way so get the bonded or mono bullet that works best and is available to you.

Norma oryx is my favourite in my Sauer 200 STR 6,5*55, but it is to soft for the STW. A friend who is in the business found some 160 accubonds so i'll give them a try. Anyone who have loading data for them with Vihtavuori powder, N 560?