7mm STW

[deerslayerok]

Well my gunsmith called today and I am having him rebarrel a 7mm STW an old laredo Winchester. I bought a 1-9 twist hart and told him to chamber it to shoot 180 or 168 bergers. Here is the problem he called today and he had reamed the chamber but not the throat and there is no way I will be able to fit the bergers in my magazine. Since I don't want to go single piping all the time while hunting, looking for ideas... Sierra game kings? or has anyone shot match kings on animals? How about hornadys ? Told him I would get back to him on what direction I wanted him to go, thought I would ask here first.

thanks

 

[ackleyman]

I have two custom 700's and have a special reamer with zero freebore so that I can use the magazine with 140's Nosler Combined Technology bullets. 700's have the longest mag box.



You are screwed with the shorter win mag box, and screwed again if you use Berger anything because they will demand that you jam the lands.

I am afraid that you are stuck with a single shot, but you can work up a load with the bullet jammed the lands, then seat a bullet deep enough for magazine for a back up hail mary shot.

I have not shot more than one shot at a deer since the 70's, with a quality rifle like yours, I doubt that you will need more than one shot....depending on range.

Your gunsmith should have warned you about this ahead of time...

Another thing, you don't fill the stw case full of powder, so you may consider stuffing the bullet down in the case like I do with my zero freebore.

There is a wild cat cartridge call the 7mm Mashburn that is a 300 Win mag necked down to 7mm, it is better suited for magazine use on Berger bullets...about the same velocity as the 7 STW.

If push comes to shove, the standard 7 Mag with the berger 180's and Retumbo really rock, and will help you out on the magazine length. Your gunsmith could cut off the threads and part of the chamber and turn it into a 7 Mag(if you have enough shank to do this).

Good luck!