My New 7 STW

[jdwelch10]

This is my first 7 stw build. Mark Phar of Tumbleweed rifles in Round Rock, TX put it together for me and I am very pleased with the fit and finish. Going to break the barrel in today after work. Hopefully it shoots as well as I am hoping it will.

The specs:
- Winchester 70 action w/ claw extractor made in U.S. blue printed, trued, and bedded, Squared bolt face
- Kreiger 5.5 barrel, 9" twist, at 28" long, fluted, threaded for suppressor that's on order
- Boyd's laminate stock

Any thoughts on loads? I'm planning on trying out some 162 sst and 140 partitions? Planning on sticking with retumbo or other hodgdon extreme powders bc of the temperature variability in TX, has anyone used any of the slow stuff like H870? I bought some nosler custom ammunition with 140 partitions and it was loaded with 88 gr. of powder, wish I knew what kind of power they loaded it with?

 

[PCR]

Congrats!

What's your freebore length? I just cut the chamber on one today with a JGS .050" freebore reamer to run Berger 180's fed from a Seekins DBM. The plan was for 28" but the fluted barrel will only allow me 26.75". It's a hunting rifle with an 8.5 tw kreiger varmint in a GAP camo A3.

We just started chambering the 7 STW and I'm excited to see what it will do with the 180's.

 

[jdwelch10]

I didn't ask the smith to cut any extra free bore in it ... i still have to measure the OAL to the lands. It should be stupid flat with some 140's ... any idea on some reliable bullets that won't blow up that are that light ?

 

[PCR]

For 140's, I use Nos. bal. tips but in a 24" 7 mag and they've always been good for me. I get 3250 fps with 65 gr IMR 4350. Great out to 6-650 .

650-1000 I like the 168 Berger hunting VLD's w/ 65 gr R22 @ 3000. Both for hunting and hit hard for the ranges I use them.

 

[KYpatriot]

Should be awesome, if you have the freebore you have to try a few berger 180 hybrids and see how they do.

 

[7mmSTW]

Mine loves Retumbo and 168 Bergers

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[redirt78]

I have had great results with my STW and 140 Nosler B tips. If they're within a few hundred yards I like to shoot for bone, high shoulder/spine/top of lungs area. Such a flat shooting round, takes a lot of guess work out of shots that have to be taken very quickly. Deer and coyotes around here hate it.

The deer in my profile pic showed up at 500 yards but never presented a shot through thick vegetation, rattled him in to under 100 and dropped him with a high shoulder shot.

 

[Engine 22]

My hunting bud shoots the 180s through his STW. I'll check with him on powder and velocities.

 

[leadbullet]

I had a 7STW before it was factory loaded, necking down 8 rem mag was easy enough. I was pushing 140 ballistic tip at 3600 out of a 27 inch Krieger. Burned the sucker up in 740 rounds, wouldn't worry too much about breaking the barrel in they burn out way too quick.
Accuracy was .3 to .4 MOA with either 79 gr of RL22 or 81 of H1000 topped by the nosler 140 BST, speed was 3595 to 3605 for ten shots, not too shabby.
I know you'll enjoy shooting yours as much as I did mine.
Cheers and congrats

 

[jdwelch10]

I had a 7STW before it was factory loaded, necking down 8 rem mag was easy enough. I was pushing 140 ballistic tip at 3600 out of a 27 inch Krieger. Burned the sucker up in 740 rounds, wouldn't worry too much about breaking the barrel in they burn out way too quick.
Accuracy was .3 to .4 MOA with either 79 gr of RL22 or 81 of H1000 topped by the nosler 140 BST, speed was 3595 to 3605 for ten shots, not too shabby.
I know you'll enjoy shooting yours as much as I did mine.
Cheers and congrats

That is stupid flat and fast ... I'm sure that was deadly on some deer.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Mine shot 140 NBTs and 140 Barnes, both about 3500fps. I really want to work up a 168 or 180 Berger load though. I will look up my recipes when I get back home to Phx. I am in the Corpus Christi airport waiting on a ride home now.

 

[eshorebwhntr]

I have a 28 in Krieger 1-9 twist in STW. People complain about barrel life in this caliber but I haven't had a problem as of yet (~1200 rounds). Ran mostly Berger 180, VLD and Hybrids. Mine liked about .010 or less to the lands with VLD. Any jump seemed to work good with the Hybrid. I've only used H-1000 and Retumbo to this point and both worked great. Retumbo was a little quicker so I stuck with that. Pretty sure, have to check later, that I use 78.3gr Retumbo in this gun and that gets me a chart that works out to 1000 with the printed BC and 3200 fps MV.

Way over kill for smaller deer and stuff but I really can't wait to use this combo on an elk some day.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[jdwelch10]

Thanks for all the replies

 

[Who Dat]

I use H1000 and mine will kill elk like a bolt of lighting, fast with a lot of knock down power.