7-300 or 28 nosler

[coyotelite]

Im sold on the 7mm caliber running the 195 berger or a comparable eldx. trying to choose between these two calibers. I wont be burning through ammo every weekend so barrel life isn't a concern but id like some opinions on which is preferred and why. thanks in advance

 

[FEENIX]

Im sold on the 7mm caliber running the 195 berger or a comparable eldx. trying to choose between these two calibers. I wont be burning through ammo every weekend so barrel life isn't a concern but id like some opinions on which is preferred and why. thanks in advance

Performance between the two should be very close and might boil down to personal choice/preference, belted vs non-belted cartridge, old vs new (fad, cool factor), etc,. Regardless which one you end up with, IIWY I'd go with at least 26" 1:8" (or faster) barrel.

Good luck!

 

[Capt RB]

One has mutiple brass options you need to make. The other has one option from a store or ready to fire. Look at the Matrix 180 n 190 also. The numbers might not be as good but the performance on target is stellar

 

[Wedgy]

There have been a few threads here and other forums about that bullet not performing; no expansion, bent like a banana, etc. but what I might suspect is either the tips/hollow point were clogged or they did not have a fast enough twist to properly stabilize the bullet. Just because it shoots good on paper doesn't mean it is going to expand properly when it hits so make sure to get a fast twist barrel. A 1:9 may shoot well but you are asking for trouble if you don't get and 8.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Agreed, 1/8 twist regardless of the cartridge . Don't forget about the 180 hybrids, they're well proven and don't require the issues that it takes to send a 195 at respectable velocity.

 

[coyotelite]

There have been a few threads here and other forums about that bullet not performing; no expansion, bent like a banana, etc. but what I might suspect is either the tips/hollow point were clogged or they did not have a fast enough twist to properly stabilize the bullet. Just because it shoots good on paper doesn't mean it is going to expand properly when it hits so make sure to get a fast twist barrel. A 1:9 may shoot well but you are asking for trouble if you don't get and 8.

What bullet? The berger 195?

 

[WildRose]

Between the two I'd go with the Nosler just due to the availability of factory ammo.

Of course, you could just join in with the rest of us in the 7mm STW family and do it right.

 

[WildRose]

Agreed, 1/8 twist regardless of the cartridge . Don't forget about the 180 hybrids, they're well proven and don't require the issues that it takes to send a 195 at respectable velocity.

Another vote for the faster twist since the idea is to shoot the heavies.
Personally I see no reason to go heavier than 180-185gr class in the 7's but even there you're better off with the 1:2 or 1:8.5.

Marginal stability is not the goal, you want to completely stabilize any bullet you are shooting.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

28-Nosler. Hands down. Yes, brass will be more expensive.

 

[coyotelite]

Between the two I'd go with the Nosler just due to the availability of factory ammo.

Of course, you could just join in with the rest of us in the 7mm STW family and do it right.

What does the stw offer that the other 2 don't?

 

[Wedgy]

What bullet? The berger 195?

Yes, the 195

 

[MudRunner2005]

What does the stw offer that the other 2 don't?

A hell of a proven legacy...

But if you want technicality, the 7mm STW and .28 Nosler are ballistic twins. Either one will be fine. I have two 7mm STW's, and have been shooting the cartridge since 2002.

Not really a fan of the 7mm-300 WinMag. Might as well just build one of the other 2. Now, if someone were to build a 7mm-300 WinMag Improved 40º version, that would be a better cartridge than the straight 7mm-300WM...But you might as well just build a .28 Nosler at that point, since it already exists, and so does load data.

 

[Wedgy]

Mudd, which would have the better(or least bad) barrel life ?
My buddies Proof barreled 28 went south at ~500 rounds and over 150 of that was load development, as it kept changing and hitting pressure once a load was found.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Mudd, which would have the better(or least bad) barrel life ?
My buddies Proof barreled 28 went south at ~500 rounds and over 150 of that was load development, as it kept changing and hitting pressure once a load was found.

I've got somewhere between 500-750 down the tube of one of my 7mm STW's and it's still shooting as good as it ever has... Sub 1/2 MOA. And I'm not running light loads by any means.

My other STW was built in 2013/2014 and has still never been shot. It was built on a 7RUM action, so I might rebarrel it to .28 Nosler just to diversify and see what all the fuss is about. If I do, I will be keeping the STW barrel, that way it's already headspaced and I can swap it back on later if I want to.

What powder was he using? That could also have had a bit of an effect on his pressure spikes if he was using the same powder each time he ran a ladder test. Also, if he suspected the barrel was at fault, I'd have contacted Proof and had them send me another tube for free, because you just wasted that whole one from manufacturing defect. Not to mention that 500 rounds worth of components, and time...