7MM STW

[ballistic]

I dont know why but Ive kind of had a fascination with the 7mm stw lately. Ive known about them for a long time and thought about getting one back when weatherby chambered the accumark in it. I dont know if I'm considering one just want to hear opinions and experience with them.

[HuskyMusky]

How about a 7mm RUM?

[sseden]

Why? The 7mm Rem Mag with 168 grain Bergers will kill ELK out to 1000 yards. Cheaper to load and won't destroy barrels as fast. Easier to find firearms and factory loads. I thought about building a Vanguard in STW 7MM and backed away. Do we really need more than what the 7mm Rem will do? Sorry but it's a no go for me.

[Oregon Jim]

I haven't had a chance to shoot one, but it looks like a super caliber to me. If my budget would allow it I would certainly add one of these to my collection in a heartbeat.

[ballistic]

I havent looked into the RUM, guess Im mostly interested in weatherby rifles. I do have two 7mm rem mags, a Mark V sporter which i shoot 160 accubonds and an Accumark that I'm working on 168 bergers for. Havent done much with them yet, waiting for spring to get out and do some shooting. I think the stw would be a fun caliber to toy with, would be cool to have one in the stable. Would like to have a 7mm wby. mag in a lazermark, that will have to wait, am seriously considering a finally getting a 257 in a S2, always wanted a 257.
  I guess if I was going to do a ton of shooting with a stw I would be more concerned about barrel life, would be more of a toy or collectors item.

[zonie]

Kind of like the old 8mm mag for me way back when and couldn't decide so I didn't.  A good friend has a Sako 7mm stw and loves it for elk.  Never shot it don't know a whole lot about it other than reading.  Would be a great long range caliber.   Ron

[Chip]

It's an easy conversion from 7mm Rem Mag to 7mm STW.  I'm a 7mm fan too so I think you should have one of every 7mm you can get. 

Chip

[Derrill Fox]

Ballistic i would highly recomend a 7mm-300wby. The reason being is you can easly get 300wby brass and run it through the 7mm-300 die and you are ready to load with no fire forming. The two rounds( 7mm-300wby and 7mmstw) are so close in balistics. And with the 7mm_300wby you would have a weatherby wildcat. Also the 300wby brass is cheaper and more readly available. Just my 2 cents.
Derrill

[NIK SOKO]

I was going to suggest a 7mm-300wby aswell would be worth looking into as there would be some advantages but the the 7mmstw is a factory round now (isn't it) i'm pretty sure you can buy ammo here,they seem fairly popular here too mostly with the guys who travel overseas to hunt and they report decent barrel life,but does barrel life really matter if it's the cartridge of your dreams several members have 30-378's and i've never heard them complain,if you want a one i say go for it you could even buy a cheap 300wby and get it re barreled brass would be just as easy to form as 7mm-300wby brass or get bertram in aus to make them if you cant find any they will even put your own head stamp on them if you want
                                                        Nik

[ballistic]

Chip: I couldnt have enough 7mm's in a collection, to bad the budget says otherwise.
Ive never heard of a 7mm-300wby., can you actually get dies for that or do you have to have them made? Im thinking Ive seen a couple different companies that make 7mm stw brass, I do believe Nosler is one. Wonder if the Weatherby custom shop would chamber a accumark in it. Wonder what bolt you'd need if ya wanted to build one, if a 7 rem mag bolt would be long enough, any thoughts?

[Chip]

The bolt would not be an issue but the magazine length might be.
I think it would be a cheaper conversion and less messing around in general than a 7mm/300 Weatherby would be. Now the Weatherby wildcat would have some major cool factor going for it but not much else.

Chip

[NIK SOKO]

Ballistic the 7mmstw fits the standard magnum bolt but you will need the h&h length action same length as the 300 wby,it's actually the 8mm magnum necked down to 7mm on the full length 375h&h case so it would be a struggle to squeeze it into a 7mm rem that's been rechambered
                                                        Nik

[Chip]

Yea so like I was saying make sure the magazine has room to get the longer round into it.  Otherwise you end up with a single shot. It's a common conversion any good gunsmith can tell you what you need to do it.  It's only .31 inches longer than a 7mm Rem mag. So if you want to know if your magazine is long enough load up a 7 mag dummy round at 3.600 oal and see if it goes in your magazine.
If it doesn't your magazine is going to be too short. If it does your in good shape.
There have been a bunch of 7 rem mags that have had the 7 STW reamer run into the chamber and a new stamp put on the barrel.
They all work fine as long as the magazine is long enough. 

Chip

[ballistic]

I'm going to get ahold of my gunsmith and get his advise, I may call the custom shop to, see what they have to say. There sure is alot of cool calibers companies dont make anymore or just never took off. For instance the 240 wby, hope they dont discontinue it. The 222 rem is another one, I have one and love shooting it, fun and accurate. The 204 ruger looks like a pretty cool little caliber, I'd have to get one of those if I didnt have a 222.

[Chip]

The 222 isn't completely dead yet. Tikka still offers it in some of the T3 line.
I have a 222 Mag and that one was a really good one too. I think it's mostly dead.
I can still get brass for it or use the Ruger 204 brass since it is nothing more than a necked down 222 Rem mag.  A lot of good performing rounds don't make it.
The 6mm Rem is a really good example.  The 280 is always on the edge of extinction as well even though it's a great round.  I think most of the last batch of short magnums  that Remington made are probably not going to make it but who knows.  Same goes for the Ultra Mag line.   

Chip