Hey guys, sort of new to the long range brotherhood. Used to reload a lot back in the day ( 20 years ago ) and hoping to get back into it and long range stuff too. I am currently shooting 140 grain boat tail ballistic tips in my stw ( tack drivers ) but all I hear about in the long range stuff is 168 grains from the 308 guys. Is that considered the best weight to reach out and touch someone in any caliber or just 308? Hoping to save a lot of time and money and not re-invent the wheel here, Thanks, Mike
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Whats the best grain bullet for long range from the STW?
- Thread starter bigbass
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Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
Of course as you go up in bore diameter preferred bullet weight will increase. Many of the heavyweight 7mm bullets today are in the 171 to 180 grain range with a couple of specialty makers going heavier than that. You'll need faster than a 9" twist to go over 180 grain by much though.
It really depends on what you are looking at doing. The stw is really flat shooting with a 140 nos bt(or ab) at 3400 fps. You will hit harder and still have good trajectory with the heavier bullets though.
I have a 10" twist barrel on my rifle so I limit my bullets to 140 and 150 grain. At present I'm shooting the 140 nos ab in rem brass with rl25 and 215's doing the work. Mudrunner and a few of the others are using 180 grain pills.
Yea I love my 140's and they are like an electric shock on deer here in Louisiana where most are not huge. I guess to re-ask the same question," are the 140's too light and unstable if I am going to attempt to shoot 5-6-700 yards?" They do an excellent job on anything normal ( normal around here is 2-300 yards ) but long range should I go heavier from the get go, sacrifice trajectory for stability?
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
Why would you need to go to a heavier bullet for stability?
I shot this buck through the neck at 480 yards this year with my stw. I had no problem with accuracy with the rifle. The biggest problem with mid weight bullets in 7mm is they drop off energy wise a bit quicker but that doesn't start to get bad until you approach 1,000 yards.
Cool, that's what I needed to know, I haven't tried the 140's at an extended range and was wondering if that light of bullet would "drift" to much past normal ranges. Nice Buck by the way! With that being said I'd love to stay with my flat shooting 140's , thanks, Mike
Broz
Well-Known Member
Maximum distance and size of game should be considered when choosing the bullet for the job. We hunt elk so I tend to lean toward sectional density and higher BC for less drift, more energy and terminal damage at longer distance. I have built, owned and shot many 7mm-300 wins which are very close in ballistics to the STW. I will load nothing less than a 180 gr high BC bullet for my type of use. If you plan to keep it relatively short distances under 500 yards then that could be different. But on elk I want the heaviest bullet at any distance. I load for the best results on the longest pokes I would ever take, the larger bullets prove to have less drift and drop when stretching out a 7. And I have tested this side by side in the field.
Jeff
PS: this is assuming you have a 9 twist.
Jeff
PS: this is assuming you have a 9 twist.
Broz
Well-Known Member
I would say it is a 1 in 9.25 twist but I can not say for sure. Others may no this better than me on a STW. Maybe lefty will return and confirm this.
I have had good results at long range with the 180 Berger Hunting VLD and the 180 Berger Hybrid in the 9.25 twist sevens.
Nice rifle by the way. gun)
Jeff
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
If you have a sendero 7mmstw you have a 9.25" twist and I'd look at the 171 barnes or 180 berger For anything past the 600 yard marker. The sendero is a heck of a rifle; I wish I still had mine. My lh bdl is a flighty little B#$%h compared to what the sendero was. I'd look to rl25, rl50, and retumbo to push these pills.
I just sighted in my new lss lh 7rum this morning in a prarie hurricane (10 degrees...20 mph + and varying wind) and she was still holding moa without any load workup at all with the 171 barnes and a heap of retumbo. I am still using the little 3x9 redfield from the rifle I traded for it; I need to put a bigger optic on it but I need $$ for other things at present.
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
Does it have black flutes (Sendero SFII) or is it a all stainless barrel (Sendero SF) model?
SFII has a 1:9...And the SF models have a 9.25 twist. They will still shoot the heavy 180's fine. I shoot the 180 Hybrids out of my Browning A-Bolt II 7mmRM, which has a 9.5 twist. I shoot the 180 VLD's in my Sendero SF (9.25 twist) 7mm STW and they shoot great.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Pick up a box of Nosler or Double Tap loaded with the 160gr accubond and see if they shoot well for you.
They shoot very well for me in my STW's. If they shoot well for you that's a good place to start. Of course when you get ready to reload I'd suggest trying some of the Nosler Accubond LR's. If the regular accubond shoots well for you the 168 or 175 should shoot well for you as well and of course it's hard to beat the terminal performance of the accubond line of bullets.
There's a five page thread from 2010 over on 24hr campfire full of positive results with the 160gr 7mm Accubond on Elk mainly but other game as well. The calibers mentioned run from 7mm-08 to 7mm Rum so I'd say this is a great combo for you to try.
What I have is the solid stainless barrel, it is fluted but no black stripes so I must have the SF. Thanks for all the info, and I hope to have the time to start back reloading in the next few weeks, cleaned out shop yesterday that was my starting point, Thanks again, MIke
etisll40
Well-Known Member
Lefty, nice Buck, I think it's the first time I saw it, I remember you said you got one early in the season.
Happy and Safe New Year to all.
I got some Berger 180's and some 177 Catteruccio's for the my STW. I was a good boy this year, I guess! I really think these could be the nuts or my STW. Enough weight to sail about as far as an STW can launch em.
Happy and Safe New Year to all.
I got some Berger 180's and some 177 Catteruccio's for the my STW. I was a good boy this year, I guess! I really think these could be the nuts or my STW. Enough weight to sail about as far as an STW can launch em.
gamehawker
Well-Known Member
I do not think Remington ever made a Sendero SFII in the 7mm STW caliber.
