7mm stw deer load

TheNewGunnut

TheNewGunnut

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Hey guys I'm looking for some advice on a load for deer. Most of my shots will be within 100-300yrds depending on the zone I'm in. I get that this is a big rifle for a deer but I will also be after moose and elk in the zones I'm going to.

My internet searching seems to point towards a 140gr mark but most guys are talking 300+ yrds. Any input would be great

Thanks in advance
Rob
 
I have used the 140gr TTSX in front of IMR 7828, for deer, moose, elk, and pronghorn, and it works well in all of those applications. This combination produces 3500fps in my rifles.
 
I wish I had load data for You, to answer Your question. But I do have an opinion on your statement, since I’ve hunted plenty of elk and deer with many different cartridges. So far with shooting deer and elk with big magnums, both 300 win mag and 30-378 weatherby made a mess of deer and elk using 180gr and 200gr bullets on both elk and deer. My 375 H&H with 270gr bullets, dropped deer didn’t make a mess. Dropped a few elk and didn’t make a mess. Now I know shot placement is key.

Now saying all that. I would load Your 7STW with the heaviest bullet the rifle can shoot accurately. First off with a good solid bullet, it will like pass right through a deer, dropping it where it stands. Plus having a nice big heavy bullet is perfect for elk. Shot placement still being good.

I get some off what I’ve said might be a bit confusing, but either way that 7STW is going to shoot fast, I’d just personally put a heavy bullet in it, light fast bullets really make a mess of deer. I big bullet can do the same but it will be good for moose and elk.

I have never had either a deer or an elk take more than a step shooting them with a nice big heavy bullet. Plus dead is dead, doesn’t matter if its too much gun.

Just load Your rifle for elk and moose, the dear won’t care.
 
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I'd likely put H1000 behind a 160 grain Accubond and call it GE if I had groups under or around 1 1/2", if 300 yards is your max. A monometal like a Barnes TTSX, TSX or Hornady GMX will certainly do the trick and if you were insistent on 140 grains would be my pick. I'd have no qualms running a 140 Accubond, 145 Hotcore or grand slam, 150 Ballistic tip or 154 interlock either if kept to 3000fps or so muzzle velocity, but then you might as well have a 7mm Rem mag.
Of course where the 7 STW really shines in my mind is slinging 175 grain bullets fast and any of them if they shot well would ruin a critters day.
 
300 hundred yard deer loads for an STW aren't much of a trick. Put a 140 or 150 grain NBT, 140 (new) 150 or 160 Accubond or a plain vanilla flat base 139 or 154 Interlock through a deer's ribs and you can either go get the deer or go get the truck. Whichevers easiest.

Or you can shoot a mono and go look for it, maybe follow it around for awhile.
 
Thanks for all the input, "making a mess" of a deer is really what I'm trying to avoid. I just inherited this rifle and it came with some 175gr sbt bullets so I've loaded up a bunch of rounds with them backed my imr7828. I'll give them a shot(heh heh get it) and see if I need to change my load for next year.
 
Dogleg said:
300 hundred yard deer loads for an STW aren't much of a trick. Put a 140 or 150 grain NBT, 140 (new) 150 or 160 Accubond or a plain vanilla flat base 139 or 154 Interlock through a deer's ribs and you can either go get the deer or go get the truck. Whichevers easiest.

Or you can shoot a mono and go look for it, maybe follow it around for awhile.
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I have shot pronghorn, deer, elk and moose with 140-150gr TTSX, and I haven't had to track any of them.
 
I have only used 160 gr bullets in my 7MM STW, both the AccuBond and SGK, on animals from antelope to elk, including whitetails, mulies, caribou, moose, mountain goat and mountain sheep (stone's and bighorn) from 15 to 475 yards, over the past 20 years. Double lung or high shoulder shots have worked well, depending on circumstances and need to anchor on the spot. Has never let me down! I get 3220 fps out of a 24" barrel. Will put 3 AccuBonds into 1" @ 300 yards and 3 SGK's into 3"@ 400 yards, when I do my part. Manageable recoil too. Is a great cartridge!
 
stubblejumper said:
I have shot pronghorn, deer, elk and moose with 140-150gr TTSX, and I haven't had to track any of them.
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We did fun little things like shoot a hundred animals each with one bullet, then repeat with another then again with another. The next week I might do something different, or switch rifles.Might take a day off. No preconceived notions will survive that.
 
Dogleg said:
We did fun little things like shoot a hundred animals each with one bullet, then repeat with another then again with another. The next week I might do something different, or switch rifles.Might take a day off. No preconceived notions will survive that.
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I haven't taken part in culls, but I have killed 70-80 animals with the 7mmatw, so my opinion isn't based on a handful of kills.
 
stubblejumper said:
70-80 animals in 20 years, or 70-80 animals in one day, is still 70-80 animals, which is enough to see if there is a trend.
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Not really. First off you need to have something to compare it to. 70-80 with SFA to compare it too is still SFA. Even then, part of your decision will have been made on bullets made 20 years ago. They may or may not be the same as what's made today.

Awhile back we did a 600 animal test with TSXs against a bonded bullet and the most stupidly ordinary of bullets; the Hornady Interlock. The TSX came in solidly last. It wasn't even close. That left some people shaking their heads in bewilderment and some others laughing. Did another with TTSXs at 3950 fps against a number of more conventional bullets and 3 professional killers/cullers/market hunters for witnesses. My favorite comment was "They should quit fooking making those".;)
 
Shot a 7 stw for a number of years, tried a number of different bullets on bears and moose. The 140 tsx was what I ended up using, very accurate, always performed as expected. Fellow I hunt with has been using an stw for 20 years, has tried a number of bullets as well, settled on 140 tsx, with no regrets. We both use 7828 powder.
 
I dont understand the dislike for the Barnes tsx......I've shot many different bullets from many different makers. Barnes tsx has performed the best for me. This is the first time I've ever heard anyone put down Barnes. But maybe I dont know sfa?
 
Finding this thread, I’m starting to doubt my decision on doin load development with 200gr LRX in 30-378. Dogleg, what bullet would you then suggest for a high speed rig as such, for all around hunting? 200gr Accubond? 210gr Accubond LR?
 
My thought on those bullet choices would be, 220 swift velocities and buy barrels by the case. Look at 300 rum choices....just 2-300 ft/sec more. How about ...??? Berger 210 hybrid....is the 208 amax still made...maybe now its the eldx or eldm.

How about some really big high sectional density bullets.....230ish.
 
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