7mm STW Brotherhood - For those who shoot the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner

Welcome to the brotherhood. I purchased the STW in 2014 after reading this whole thread. It's become my favorite, and I've got plenty of choices. Don't hesitate to ask for advice. Lots of great and very knowledgeable people on this site that are more than happy to help.
Just a little advice for you........get H1000 powder and you can use it with any bullet weight with good velocity and great accuracy.
or rl25... or retumbo... the stw just needs a decent slow burner to get going.
 
or rl25... or retumbo... the stw just needs a decent slow burner to get going.
I have a half lb of h1000, 4lbs of h50bmg and 11-12lbs of 7828 along with some rl19 and h4831sc. H1000 seems impossible to get but i actually know of another 4lbs of 7828 locally. Searching for rl25 or 26 and imr 8133 came up empty handed too. I can't even find 160gr accubonds without a $15 shipping charge. Im going to give 175gr partitions and imr7828 a try.
 
I have a half lb of h1000, 4lbs of h50bmg and 11-12lbs of 7828 along with some rl19 and h4831sc. H1000 seems impossible to get but i actually know of another 4lbs of 7828 locally. Searching for rl25 or 26 and imr 8133 came up empty handed too. I can't even find 160gr accubonds without a $15 shipping charge. Im going to give 175gr partitions and imr7828 a try.
That combo should work well.
 
Welcome to the brotherhood. I purchased the STW in 2014 after reading this whole thread. It's become my favorite, and I've got plenty of choices. Don't hesitate to ask for advice. Lots of great and very knowledgeable people on this site that are more than happy to help.
Just a little advice for you........get H1000 powder and you can use it with any bullet weight with good velocity and great accuracy.
I have some great components, and i pickup on things quickly but i definitely have a lot to learn.
 

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I have some great components, and i pickup on things quickly but i definitely have a lot to learn.
That's an awesome reloading room.
For the STW, multiple powders will work well. H1000 is the one I'd pick if I could only have one.
160 gr bullets are also the one weight I'd go with if I could only have one. This cartridge is so accurate and pretty darn easy to find a load. It's the one rifle I find myself always grabbing out of the safe for a hunt. People are going crazy for the 28 Nosler, but it is just a reinvented version of the STW.
An outfitter in WY I've been using for years was happy when he found out I was bringing a 7 STW for my first hunt with him (pronghorn). He told me it's a very fine cartridge and his brothers favorite. His brother is a gunsmith and gun shop owner and he's killed everything all over the world with his 7 STW. Take that for what it's worth.
 
That's an awesome reloading room.
Thanks man. I built the shelf and butcher block/steam pipe table myself. I'll stain the shelf eventually.
The only thing I like about the 28nosler is the slightly shorter COAL that would allow me to seat closer to the lands. I feel like im jumping these a mile but as long as i can find an accurate load it wont matter.

QUESTION TO READERS:
Assuming you are within a grain of max load (pressure sign max, not book max) with a 160-175 grain bullet on a 65 degree day shooting approx 3000fps.... how long are you guys waiting between shots? 5 minutes?

The other thing i have noticed is that some of my load data books are way off..... was this to favor the 7mm RUM? there is a huge difference between the two but I dont see how.
 

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Thanks man. I built the shelf and butcher block/steam pipe table myself. I'll stain the shelf eventually.
The only thing I like about the 28nosler is the slightly shorter COAL that would allow me to seat closer to the lands. I feel like im jumping these a mile but as long as i can find an accurate load it wont matter.

QUESTION TO READERS:
Assuming you are within a grain of max load (pressure sign max, not book max) with a 160-175 grain bullet on a 65 degree day shooting approx 3000fps.... how long are you guys waiting between shots? 5 minutes?

The other thing i have noticed is that some of my load data books are way off..... was this to favor the 7mm RUM? there is a huge difference between the two but I dont see how.
The STW likes jump, so don't worry about getting close to the lands. The fantastic thing about this cartridge design is that 80-90% of the bullet is still in the case neck when it engages the rifling, which is what makes it so accurate.

I shoot 3 group strings in the heat of summer or cold of winter. I just wait until it cools down before the next string. By a Chamber Chiller to help speed up the process.......it works well and is worth the money.

Current Load data tends to be really conservative. If you can find some of Layne Simpsons articles (in Shooting Times Westerner magazine) on the cartridge, he posts load data that is real world with much higher velocities.
 
I have a half lb of h1000, 4lbs of h50bmg and 11-12lbs of 7828 along with some rl19 and h4831sc. H1000 seems impossible to get but i actually know of another 4lbs of 7828 locally. Searching for rl25 or 26 and imr 8133 came up empty handed too. I can't even find 160gr accubonds without a $15 shipping charge. Im going to give 175gr partitions and imr7828 a try.
Welcome! my Remington 700 is nothing more than a reamed 7mag and loves the 175 partition over 72,3 grains of 7828
 
Welcome to the brotherhood. I purchased the STW in 2014 after reading this whole thread. It's become my favorite, and I've got plenty of choices. Don't hesitate to ask for advice. Lots of great and very knowledgeable people on this site that are more than happy to help.
Just a little advice for you........get H1000 powder and you can use it with any bullet weight with good velocity and great accuracy.
You will certainly not go wrong with the choices you made to keep on your bullets, for sure. For years, I shot RL22, and would ring her bell, but when RL25 came along, it was a gamechanger for me, and mine. As Dougduey said, H1000, will do you no wrong. Lots of load info here, and people too! Enjoy the ride, it's a good one,and you'll never forget it. It's simply the best long range 7mm round out there. Bar none!
 
do you guys have any tips for loading some barnes ttsx or lrx? how do monolithic bullets compare to bonded as far as pressure and velocity?
 
do you guys have any tips for loading some barnes ttsx or lrx? how do monolithic bullets compare to bonded as far as pressure and velocity?
Most monos will pressure out more quickly than cup and core bullets. The exception to this is Hammer Bullets. I used to shoot the 140 gr E-tip in the original factory barrel. I believe I used RL25. Velocity was right around 3300 fps and it shot better than 0.50 moa. Bullet performance was very good on mule deer and antelope.
I shot out that barrel and put a CarbonSix carbon wrapped barrel with 1:8 twist on my STW. I pretty much exclusively shoot Hammer Bullets now. I shoot the 177 gr Hunter and I also shoot the 175 gr Hornady ELDX. Both shoot tiny groups. The Hammer shoots .250 moa or better depending upon how I'm shooting that day.
I'd use Barnes load data if you want to shoot their bullets. The 150 gr TTSX shot very well with H1000 out of my old factory barrel.
 
do you guys have any tips for loading some barnes ttsx or lrx? how do monolithic bullets compare to bonded as far as pressure and velocity?
Yes, thst was my favorite bullet, 145lrx. Start at about 79 grsins, of RL25, and work up, use 215, or 215gmm primers. Set the bullet down to the top groove, and thst will get you started. That bullet flat out shoots, and i never had one walk away, as most never took a step. Same with ttsx, but lrx is better at longer ranges. I was getting 3460 with 26 inch barrrel, no pressures. Whitetsil lightening to say the least. I once shot a ground hog at over 400 yards with it, cut him half. There is s 168lrx, but i couldnt get it to shoot in mine. But for whitetail, the 145 is magic. Im a monolithic freak, especially where high velocity is involved, as they thrive on turbo speed. Another great bullet, is the Hammer bullets. They are a mono as well, but seating depth isnt an issue, as it is with the Barnes. I would check them out as well, they are pretty remarkable. Good luck in your searches, questions are welcome, always good snswers!
 
There is s 168lrx, but i couldnt get it to shoot in mine.
i loaded up some 168g lrx loads but they showed pressure signs almost immediatley. i was suprised at how fast it snuck up on me. i also couldnt get them to stabilize with 1:8.5 twist. i wanst sure if the long bullet or monolithic construction was the one to blame but the "1:8 twist or faster" recommendation was very accurate.
 

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