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

[SFR292]

Hey Guys,
It's been awhile but I've been pretty busy in the shop, custom rifle builds are taking up most of my time now and with a few month to opening deer season the orders are coming in by the truck load, but thats a good thing.

Anyway I made some head way on my personal STW build. Barreled action is finished and locked up, I ended up fluting the barrel and the bolt with a 6 flute twisted. I also threaded the bolt handle and put a precision armament handle on it. Barrel is threaded 5/8-24 and recoil isn't bad at all without a brake on it Currently the barrel is 29" and took it out last weekend for testing. I put a SilencerTech surpressor on it (300 WM can) and it worked great. It held a 5 shot group in 5.7" at 1120 yds which is acceptable by me. I just blew the gun back apart Friday so I can do a bit more machine work to the receiver to get some more reliable ejection (opening and reshaping the ejection port on the rear side) with loaded ammo.

Now that this project is coming to a close I have my eye on the next one. Looks like a 375 Chey Tac is going to be the ticket. The STW should take me out to 1600-2000 yds (1100-1400 hunting) but I want into the 3000 yd club.

 

[marioq]

Hey Guys,
It's been awhile but I've been pretty busy in the shop, custom rifle builds are taking up most of my time now and with a few month to opening deer season the orders are coming in by the truck load, but thats a good thing.

Anyway I made some head way on my personal STW build. Barreled action is finished and locked up, I ended up fluting the barrel and the bolt with a 6 flute twisted. I also threaded the bolt handle and put a precision armament handle on it. Barrel is threaded 5/8-24 and recoil isn't bad at all without a brake on it Currently the barrel is 29" and took it out last weekend for testing. I put a SilencerTech surpressor on it (300 WM can) and it worked great. It held a 5 shot group in 5.7" at 1120 yds which is acceptable by me. I just blew the gun back apart Friday so I can do a bit more machine work to the receiver to get some more reliable ejection (opening and reshaping the ejection port on the rear side) with loaded ammo.

Now that this project is coming to a close I have my eye on the next one. Looks like a 375 Chey Tac is going to be the ticket. The STW should take me out to 1600-2000 yds (1100-1400 hunting) but I want into the 3000 yd club.

Ben, you are a nut!!!!
Glad it all came out nice!!! What load did you use?

Mario

 

[SFR292]

I just threw together some 168 Berger VLDs with 79.8gr of Retumbo seated with 0.002" worth of jump. I never got a chance to shoot through my chrono with them yet. And I only shot two rds at 100 to check and adjust my zero, after that I didn't shoot anything closer than 800 yds.

 

[Bownut]

good morming Guys,

this is the first time i have posted on this page , i have chated with some of you on the laod data page. i just finished reading through all 513 pages in this thread. i have been trying to find some powder to burn. i finally found some H1000. and started working with it and some 162 amax.

i have one of the rem 700 sps. only changes is a muzzle brake and triger adjustment to 2.25 lb. that is the best my gunsmith could get out of it. there has been some talk on here that they are not of very good quality as of lately. i was worried at first because the rem 140 corelocks i got to brake it in with would not group better than 3 in at 100. with the hand loads 80 gr H1000 put the gun at a 3 leaf clover... that got my attenchen. i am mainly a hunter but you guys have got me in the mind set to get all my guns shooting like that. i have been reloading for a number of years but not a lot of experiance. so i will be picking your minds. i am not afrade to ask questions.. my grandpa use to tell me the only dum question is the you never ask..

will post more latter thanks for the great info on the forum and your willingness to share...

 

[7stw]

good morming Guys,

this is the first time i have posted on this page , i have chated with some of you on the laod data page. i just finished reading through all 513 pages in this thread. i have been trying to find some powder to burn. i finally found some H1000. and started working with it and some 162 amax.

i have one of the rem 700 sps. only changes is a muzzle brake and triger adjustment to 2.25 lb. that is the best my gunsmith could get out of it. there has been some talk on here that they are not of very good quality as of lately. i was worried at first because the rem 140 corelocks i got to brake it in with would not group better than 3 in at 100. with the hand loads 80 gr H1000 put the gun at a 3 leaf clover... that got my attenchen. i am mainly a hunter but you guys have got me in the mind set to get all my guns shooting like that. i have been reloading for a number of years but not a lot of experiance. so i will be picking your minds. i am not afrade to ask questions.. my grandpa use to tell me the only dum question is the you never ask..

will post more latter thanks for the great info on the forum and your willingness to share...

Bownut, lots of good folks here, and a ton of info and goodies to learn about. You never really stop learning, if you do, your done. I've never heard of anyone doing well with factory corelokts, but GOOD hand loads make these babies purr!!!
Welcome aboard, and don't be afraid to ask questions!!!!

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Bownut, lots of good folks here, and a ton of info and goodies to learn about. You never really stop learning, if you do, your done. I've never heard of anyone doing well with factory corelokts, but GOOD hand loads make these babies purr!!!
Welcome aboard, and don't be afraid to ask questions!!!!

I've used the remmy pills in handloads( never(shiver down the back) factories) to whack a couple of critters, but their accuracy is usually moa at best. I did out run 165 grain 30 cal hornady pills with the 165 remmy pill for a rapid fire ten shot group a winter ago though from my 300 win. They were both satisfactory, but the rem won... ugh... For the most part they aren't even worth looking at for range pills anymore as they want as much as the mainline pills lately.

 

[Bownut]

I've used the remmy pills in handloads( never(shiver down the back) factories) to whack a couple of critters, but their accuracy is usually moa at best. I did out run 165 grain 30 cal hornady pills with the 165 remmy pill for a rapid fire ten shot group a winter ago though from my 300 win. They were both satisfactory, but the rem won... ugh... For the most part they aren't even worth looking at for range pills anymore as they want as much as the mainline pills lately.

thanks for the Welcome,

Lefty i mainly bought the factory rounds for the breaking in and most importantly the BRASS as it is very hard to find... i bought 6 boxes and have put about 4 boxes through it so i have brass to work with. i have been reading on the shoulder bump that has been talked about.think i will play with that a little orver the next couple of reloads sessions.

 

[Bownut]

just looked at Midway for the nosler 168 accoubond LR that were supost to be on the shelf this spring.. ( i think spring has come and gone) there web sight said 7-5-13 avalibility. i think this is going to be the cats meow for long range hunting. the BC is reported to be .652 for the 168...

If i don't draw a rifle tag then it will not make any difference anyway. i draw my general deer tag for bowhunting as the season runs from 8-15 to 11-30... my needed drug fix .. with 9 kids and a stay at home wife i keep hunting in prepective... as it should be..

 

[Brush4646]

Just a heads up. I was at R. W. Harts over the week end and they
had RL-25 in 1# bottles and I saw a 8# jug setting on the counter.

 

[bobs]

I spoke with a a distributor a couple weeks ago and he told me that the reason you will see Alliant powders and not see others is that Alliant is the only powder company that manufactures their powder in the US. All others are imported. He said that this is significant because there was a change in regulations on importing powder. He went on to say that the amount of powder allowed on a container ship has been cut in half. So it will take a long time for supply to catch up with demand according to him. Also, he said that with this regulation-driven shortage, what powder they are able to import is being sold to the big manufacturers, not us handloaders.

 

[80 grains]

Bobs. All i can find is hodgdon products. I haven't seen any Alliant. Northeast Alabama.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I spoke with a a distributor a couple weeks ago and he told me that the reason you will see Alliant powders and not see others is that Alliant is the only powder company that manufactures their powder in the US. All others are imported. He said that this is significant because there was a change in regulations on importing powder. He went on to say that the amount of powder allowed on a container ship has been cut in half. So it will take a long time for supply to catch up with demand according to him. Also, he said that with this regulation-driven shortage, what powder they are able to import is being sold to the big manufacturers, not us handloaders.

Partly true.... The slower rl series alliant powders are either made in sweden or switzerland. The Win "ball" and Hodgdon spherical powders come from st marks in florida for the most part. The manufacturers/ distributors are all globally sourcing this stuff to make a full line of powders. It's the powder company equivalent of "would you like fries with that??"

You like whizbang #1 from alliant in your 223; why wouldn't you try one of their shotgun powders if you are trying a new load.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I like the Alliant powders. But I have had more consistancy with H1000 in my magnums. The consistancy from lot to lot with Varget is also incredible.

 

[bobs]

Partly true.... The slower rl series alliant powders are either made in sweden or switzerland. The Win "ball" and Hodgdon spherical powders come from st marks in florida for the most part. The manufacturers/ distributors are all globally sourcing this stuff to make a full line of powders. It's the powder company equivalent of "would you like fries with that??"

You like whizbang #1 from alliant in your 223; why wouldn't you try one of their shotgun powders if you are trying a new load.

Lefty you clearly know more than me on this subject. What I found interesting was what the guy told me about the change in the quantity they are now allowing on a ship.