7 STW and Berger

[FullCurlEarl]

Curious what kind of success anyone is having with Berger VLD's and OAL's? I am just starting to work up a load on my Sendero and of course the bullet design does not allow for optimum seating unless I turn it into a single shot!
My measurements are as follows:
Lands 3.925
Eject port allows 3.875
Internal mag allows 3.660

Any suggestions regarding the safety and throat wear on this .265 "Jumper"! I have read some data where they are having good success with .200 jump, but I have always aimed for about .025 on a hunting rig.

 

[LewisH]

Contact Wyatt's, and have magazine box extended to 3.800. Berger 180 gr VLDs work best at this OAL in my Kirby Allen Rem. 700 based rifle.

Wyatt's Outdoor

 

[LouBoyd]

The Wyattes model CFE-9 magazine and F-10 follower allows a Rem 700 Long action to be extended to handle up to 3.990" cartridge overall length. It rrequires minor machining of the action and bolt stop. but so does the shorter 3.825" Wyatt's magazine.

CFE-9 Magazine Box, Wyatt's Outdoor

The information I have is that the neck of a 7mm STW with the shank of a 180 Berger seated 0.278" deep (so the shank is at the shoulder) will give a cartridge overall length of 3.877" Personally I like to keep the shank of a bottail bullet a bit in front of the shoulder for good velocity consistancy. I would use the longer Wyatt's magazine if going to the effort to do the modificaitions.

Before modifying the action for an extended magazine you might want to test the rifle as a single shot to see if the barrel's throat works well with the seating depth and overall cartridge length you plan to use. . The modificaitons for an extended magazine don't change that. You can of course extend the throat depth with a throat reamer if necessary.

So far I haven't made the decision to shoot 180 Bergers regularly in my 7mm STW's. At ranges to 1000 yards lighter bulllets have some advantages, like better accuracy unless wind deflection is dominant.