JDJones75, 257 STW information...

JDJones75,

I have rechambered several 25-06 Remington 700 BDLs to the 257 STW with 26" barrels and and they are getting right at 3950 fps with the 100 gr Ballistic Tip and 3650-3700 fps with the 115 gr Ballsitic Silvertips.

I prefer a 28" pipe but his round will still give you 200 fps over the 257 WBY out of a 26" barrel.

You will also not have to put up with the Wby double radiused shoulder.

The Rem 700 is the best action for such a conversion because all that is needed is to rechamber the barrel, open up the bolt face and install a Sako extractor.

I must warn that a custom barrel is by far the best option for this round as any barrel that will foul even moderately with a 25-06 will really do so with the STW, plus your still dealing with the factory tube so sometimes you get a great shooter, sometimes just a decent shooter.

It is a bit more of a gamble recutting a factory pipe.

Good Shooting!!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

Lynn,

For a big game round, there is nothing wrong with the Wby shoulder, even as a match round they are ok but I personally feel the conventional shoulder of 35 to 40 degrees will align the bullet more accurately to the axis of the bore then the Wby design.

I have seen no difference in velocity or powder burns either.

It may be more of a personal thing but I prefer a conventional shoulder as do many others in the extreme range hunting crowd.

Good Shooting!!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

JGH,

I have found Rl-25 and H-1000 are the best performers with the 100 gr bullets. Rl-22 will get good velocities but the load density is pretty poor.

FOr the heavier 115-120 gr bullets, H-Retumbo has really produced the best combination of velocity and consistancy.

I like the Hodgdon powders in rounds like this as they are very stable under a range of temperature changes which is a very good thing with a case that will hold 90 gr of powder and shoots a 1/4" bullet.

There are a host of others that would also work but these are the best three I have tested to date.

As for lighter bullet, less then 100 gr, I do not recommend them to be used in the 257 STW because they will not produce consistant powder burns and generally the smaller Wby will produce the same velocity with the light weight bullets.

100 gr is still quite light and will only work its best at near max to max loadings. The 115-120 gr bullets are a much better match to this case but most guys want the extreme speed.

TO me a 115 gr Partition loaded faster then any factory 22-250 with a 55 gr bullet is pretty impressive.

I have ordered some 130 gr ULD rebated boattail hunting bullets from Richard Graves who owns Wildcat Bullets and these should really produce some impressive results in the big STW.

Good Shooting!!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

Texas Dave,

I have been in contact with a fine fellow that lives in Canada and runs a business building custom extreme range bullets. He has many very interesting designs including rebated boattails and bonded core hunting bullets.

Here is his information:

Wildcat Bullets
Richard Graves

phone:780-352-8592
Email: wildcatbullets@hotmail.com

I guarantee you willget a response from Richard quickly, great guy and makes great bullets.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

JDJones75,

I only recommend using the 100 gr Ballsitic Tip on deer for shots outside 300 yards and then only for behind the shoulder shots.

They are great for hunting pronghorn and coyotes at any range if you do not care to save teh pelts on the yotes that is, BIG exit holes. Leaves good blood trails though for tracking !!!

For deer I like the 115 gr Ballsitic tip or Partition. I will also be testing a 130 gr ULD rebated boattail make by Richard Graves, owner of Wildcat Bullets(wildcatbullets@hotmail.com). This long heavy bullet could really bring this round into the flat out amazing catagory perhaps as the ultimate extreme range deer round.

Hope to get the 130 gr clipping along at 3500 fps from 28" barrels. We will see.

Good Shooting!!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

Donham,

THe 130 gr bullet is a bonded core bullet that has a flat base so it is shorter then one would think for a long range bullet design.

THe STW is driving the 115 gr pills to +3700 fps from 26" barrels and the 100 gr coated bullets to 4000 fps. From 28" barrels youcan add another 100 fps.

In a 28" barrel the 130's should run at 3500 fps pretty easily and the 140's should be right around 3300 fps. I would imagine the B.C. of the 140 gr ULD would be in the mid 6's but will find out more once I test them.

IT does have a very long sharp nose profile from what Richard has told me. I think it will be fine for the faster 25 caliber rounds like the Wby and STW.

The 25-06 may have trouble stabilizing it in a 1-10 twist.

This bullet is designed for deer hunting and provides a level od sectional density that has not been around for a long time in the 25 caliber rounds.

Richard is also designing a 140 gr Rebated Boattail ULD bullet for the 25 caliber rounds that I will be testing and evaluating for him when he gets them built.

Can you imagine the S.D. and B.C. of such a bullet. To be honest I do not feel that the 1-10 standard twist for 25 caliber rounds will handle this bullet even at teh velocities the STW will produce but that surely is not the bullets fault.

In fact, I think I will be investing in a Pac-Nor 1-9 blank that I will machine just for these bullets.

Richard Graves is vertainly not above pushing the envelope in bullet design. He is developing some bullets that are simply amazing as well as inovative to say the least.

He has one design that he is working on now that would offer a 30 caliber bullet with a B.C. comparible to the heavy weight match bullets but with a weight of around 70 gr.

He reported 3800 fps from a 308 Win with these bullets and 3/4 moa groups.

I will not giev any details to the specifics of these bullets as they are still in the experimental stage but I will say Richard Graves is a top contributor in bullet manufacturing and his current bullets are state of the art.

He has been kind enough to get a special sizing die to make his 300 and 350 gr .338" bullets a true .3380" diamter to work perfectly in the tight match .3382" throats where as the Sierra Matchkings run in the .3385" range and pressure problems arise fast.

If your looking for top quality bullets get ahold of Richard at wildcatbullets@hotmail.com

He makes bullets for most calibers in some very interesting designs.

Good Shooting!!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

Donham,

He does not have a web page. Just the e-mail address.

I just spoke with Richard this morning and he is expecting his 140 gr RBT ULD to have a B.C. a bit over .700.

This will be a most impressive extreme range bullet for the .257" bores. I will be interested to find out what twist will be needed to stabilize it.

Will report as soon as I have data on them.

Good Shooting!!!

Kirby Allen(50)