7mm STW - A Groundhog's Worst Nightmare

6mm06

6mm06

Well-known member
Next week I hope to head to the "killing fields" in Southwest Virginia to do some groundhog hunting. I've been gearing up and really looking forward to doing some shooting. I've got the video camera and gear ready too, hoping to get some good footage. If nothing more, I'll have fun trying.

Here is one outfit that will accompany me next week. This is a 7mm STW in a Remington Sendero. I purchased this rifle new way back in 1998 and have only used it to take one critter - a Wyoming mule deer. I dropped that one with a 145 gr. Speer Grand Slam at 173 yards. I had been thinking for some time of using this rifle for groundhogs - IF I could get the accuracy for such long-range work. I just never seemed to get around to working much with it. But, a few days ago I set about trying to work up some loads. Here are my results.

120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip, with IMR-7828, for a velocity of 3531 fps.

100 gr. Sierra HP, with IMR-7828, for a velocity of 3602 fps.

I probably could get the velocities up a bit, but the accuracy is so good where it is that I decided to stop right there.

Next week I hope to put a dot reticle on some cow-pasture grizzlies. With some luck, I'll get them on film too. I'll keep you posted.

Does anyone else out there use an STW for grounhogs - or anything other game? Just curious about your results.

Good shooting to all.

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Hey 6mm06, been a while since we chatted. I have had a 7STW since the magazine article was written by Layne Simpson in 1988. Still have a copy of the article with the loading info and would be glad to send you a copy if you were interested. I have killed 3 mule deer and 1 antelope (and a few PD's with leftover ammo) as well as numerous whitetails over the years. It is my go-to western rifle. Dont think I have shot a groundhog with it, but it should really make a mess!
 
I don't, but I've used my 280 Remington on coyotes prior to hunting season to tune up for deer hunting. Those light 7mm bullets should really ruin a ground hogs day. I don't think there will be much left to skin or for a stew when your done.

I'll be looking forward to your after action report.
 
You are probably right Bob, there won't be much left. I just hope it will do a "Wilbur Wright" as my good friend, Jim says, and get airborne for a video.

I certainly can't argue with the accuracy I'm getting so far - and from a factory production rifle.

Va Ken, good to hear from you. It has been a while since we chatted. Hope you are doing well. You have certainly had more experience with the STW than I have. What bullet or bullets did you use? Powders?

Also, I appreciate the offer of some load data. I too remember that article of Layne Simpson and first reading it. I decided right then that I had to have one. I've got the magazine here somewhere, but if you have the info handy and can e-mail it, then I'd appreciate it.
 
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I have found that Hornady Interlocks in the 139 and 154 grain perform to my requirements. I am shooting IMR7828 with both bullets and F215 primers. The 154's get 77.5 grains and the 139's get 78.5 grains of powder. I recall now that I did shoot one coyote in Wyoming(chest shot)at about 250 yds that was an impressive DRT as all the big game I have shot with the STW. The Shooting Times article is May 1988. My gun is a Rem 700 with a stainless 25" Shilen barrel in a lightweight McMillan stock with a Leupold 4-12X VXll. Have fun with your new toy!
 
Here's mine, a mark bansner built UR-1 built in 1996.

26" 1/9 #5 lilja, have taken dozens of bucks and one bear with it to as far as 626 yards.
My loads are a 140 BT in front of 86 gr of H-1000,for 3550 fps or a 160 accubond running 3340 fps from 94 gr of WC872.
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awesome rifles, thats for sure.
RR
 
Nice rifle Ridge Runner. Good looking buck too. You sure have those ballistic tips running hot. How is bullet performance with them? What about close-range shots? Lots of damange? I have considered trying some 140 Accubonds.

I did try 140 Ballistic Tips with IMR 7828, but didn't get the accuracy I was hoping for. I used 82.8 gr. for 3476 fps.
 
the 140's do well, not alot of damage, most of them exit unless you hit the shoulder. yeah mine does run a bit faster than most, that load is 2 grains away from a heavy bolt lift at 70 degrees from my rifle but it is over max according to the books. the buck in the pic is the only deer thats ever took a step after the rifle's report, he was chasing does at about 70 yards and stopped behind a tree so I took a liver shot, then anchored him with a shoulder shot.
RR
 
6mm-06

Try some of the Hornady 120gr V-Maxs. If anything will get those 15 pound puppies off the ground, the V-Max will.

They are much more fragile than the nosler BTs.

I sure wished I lived in a different state right now - all my ranges are shut down because of developers that are trying to get their own land to increase in value - it won't work, but in the meantime, it is hell on shooting - all loaded up and no place to test loads /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif


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In South Dakota if you see a licnse plate that reads 7MMSTW that's me. Lots of antelope, mule deer, and white tail, along with coyote (not fur freindly), prarie dogs and other stuff. I have the unofficial world record (at least at the ranch) for biggest prarie dog splatter. 140gr Corelock remmington factory, cronagraphed at a little over 3600 fps out of a shillen match grade barrel 27.5" long, in the mouth and out the poopper produced a 47 yard splatter from furthest chunk to furthest chunk (not wind aided) along with huge air. I have no experience with other bullets becaus I couldn't touch factory velocity reloading.
 
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Are you working up loads based on 2 shot groups?



I won't speak for 6mm06, but with flamethrowers, I do.

I have a 264 Win Mag Sendero-II... and the first preliminary loads were worked up in 2 round "groups".

Here's why.

Rifles like the 264WM and the 7mmSTW eat barrels really fast - and they really heat up while bench testing - it is easy to eat up half of a barrel's life while doing bench testing.

If you fire two shot groups to start, here's what you get.

1 - if two shots are 1" apart, you know all you need to eliminate the load and that you don't need to shoot the rest... and you can look at the primers and note when you are on the pressure scale of things.

2 - if the two shots are touching (or dammn close) you know it is NOT a bad load, and might be a good one... and you can look at the primers and note when you are on the pressure scale of things.

So instead of shooting 50 rounds to test ten loads, you shoot twenty, with less barrel heating and throat erosion.

When done, you know what the max load is (according to whatever parameters you use), you you can pick a few promising loads to retest with 5 shots.
Then you pick the ones that are close and re-run them - you will cut load testing by a lot, and save as much barrel life as possible.


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I tried to order some Hornady 120 V-Max. Natchez was out of stock and has been on backorder for 6 months, according to the guy I spoke to. Since I have the Noslers already on hand, I decided to try them. but the V-Max is really what I wanted. I'll eventually get around to using them.

As to 2-shot groups, well, with the big mags I am now shooting 2-shots rather than my usual 3, so I'm only off by one round of what I normally do. Catshooter said it as well as I could, probably better. The barrel on the STW and also on my 257 Arnold Mag just heat up way too fast, and also take longer to cool off. There is a big dose of powder igniting in the STW. Besides that, I looked at what I normally get in the field pertaining to shooting opportunities. Usually two shots is about all I would fire in the first place, many times only one. There is always the chance of shooting more, but I normally don't. My reasoning is that if I don't have a need for 3 or even 5 shots repeatedly, then why do it. Naturally it would make me feel better to see 5 shots all group in a tiny cluster. But that is generally unrealistic, at least for my hunting. If I were shooting prairie dogs, then things would be different. And so, I'm quite satisfied with 2-shot groups in the STW. So far, my rifle and load is consistently shooting around 1/2" and under for two shots. I let the barrel cool for a few minutes, and then repeat the same. I pulled that one shot that went 1" and called it even before I looked to see where it hit. As well, I travel with several rifles for groundhgs, not just one, so I'll have lots of firepower at hand.

JB, that's one heck of a splatter. I'll bet the crows and coyotes had a real feast later.

As I mentioned earlier, I haven't shot the STW that much, even though I've had it for about 10 years. That one mule deer is all I have taken with it, and I haven't hunted much with it since. I hope to find out this summer just how good a groundhog gun it might be. I would also love an opportunity for some long-range deer, so maybe that will come about in the near future.

Catshooter, you need to just move on down to Virginia as you mentioned before and leave that rat-race world up there behind. Only, move to the right part of Virginia so you won't have any problem using your toys all you want.
 
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Quote:
Quote:
Are you working up loads based on 2 shot groups?



I won't speak for 6mm06, but with flamethrowers, I do.

I have a 264 Win Mag Sendero-II... and the first preliminary loads were worked up in 2 round "groups".

Here's why.

Rifles like the 264WM and the 7mmSTW eat barrels really fast - and they really heat up while bench testing - it is easy to eat up half of a barrel's life while doing bench testing.

If you fire two shot groups to start, here's what you get.

1 - if two shots are 1" apart, you know all you need to eliminate the load and that you don't need to shoot the rest... and you can look at the primers and note when you are on the pressure scale of things.

2 - if the two shots are touching (or dammn close) you know it is NOT a bad load, and might be a good one... and you can look at the primers and note when you are on the pressure scale of things.

So instead of shooting 50 rounds to test ten loads, you shoot twenty, with less barrel heating and throat erosion.

When done, you know what the max load is (according to whatever parameters you use), you you can pick a few promising loads to retest with 5 shots.
Then you pick the ones that are close and re-run them - you will cut load testing by a lot, and save as much barrel life as possible.


.



I do exactly the same thing for any of the big boomers, the 7mm STW, 300 Ultra-mag and my old 8mm Rem mag. Good post Catshooter.
 
I guess that makes sense, I only reload for 22 and 24 calibres so I have no experience with what you are saying. I just dont see how you can get any consistency with just 2 shots on paper. From what I can see in the pic above there are several 2 shot groups of the same load. Why not shoot 1 five shot group instead of 3 two shot groups?
Unless they are different C.O.L?
Am I making sense?
 
I have three custom 7 STW's, my brother has two. I took brand new Winchester brass, sent 5 cases to Pacific Precision and had a minimum spec, zero freebore reamer made, with a .2845 throat, 1 1/2* leade angle.

We have had 5 barrels chambered with this reamer, 4 New Remington Stainless Steel Sendero barrels and one 27" Pac Nor Super Match three groove barrels.

Doing away with all the freebore does miracles for this cartridge in terms of accuracy and velocity.

Remington brass is very soft, with the Winchester being in a class by itself in terms of "Toughness" being able to take the pressure. PMC 300 Weatherby brass formed to 7 STW
is the very best and worth a 1$ per rounnd if you can find it.

I in my 25 1/2" Re-chamberd stainless Sendero barrel, I am shooting the 120g Nosler Ballistic tip and the 120g Barnes Tripple shock at 3930 fps, with 3 shot groups in the high 2's and low 3's.

My brother and I have killed 30+ head of deer with the 140g Nosler Winchester Combined Technology bullet. We always get complete pass throughs with no surface splash no matter what the angle.

I am shooting the 140g C/T bullet at 3650 with a darn near max load (max load for my rifle, not what the book says is max) of IMR 7828 with a Fed 215 primer in the Win Case. My brother's 27" Pac Nor barrel is 100 fps faster, but he is using the PMC 300 Weatherby brass. He has never had to full length size his brass. I have to full length size the Win Brass on every firing. Remington brass is so soft that the primers will fall out of the case after one firing at 3600 fps in my rifle. I can't even reach the accuracy node with Remington brass.

My brother shot a 360 lb Whitetail in Kansas at 460 yards with the 140g C/T bullet, DRT. Every deer that I and my brother have shot have dropped in their tracks at the shot with the 140g C/T bullets.

I bought a box of 50 of the Barnes 120g Tripple shock bullets, and within 12 bullets, I was shooting 3/8" groups with less copper than the Ballistic Tip bullets.

The 7 ? STW is an amazing cartridge, to say the least.
 
Hi Jorg, good to hear from you again. I'll keep you posted about the groundhog results. I imagine you are giving the fox in Australia a hard time. Keep after it.

Ackleyman, thanks a lot for some interesting reading and assessment of the STW. I appreciate that. Seems you and your brother have quite a lot of experience with the cartridge. Those Ballistic Tips are screaming for sure. I like the sound of the Barnes Triple Shock and the accuracy you are getting. I've never been able to get very good accuracy from Barnes in other rifles. Haven't tried them in the STW.

As well, I am using Remington brass, but perhaps should not be. I haven't really worked up to max yet since I basically put this load together rather quickly for next weeks groundhog hunt.

Even though I've had this rifle for quite some time, I haven't done a lot with loading for it. I'm anxious to see what it might do.

Thanks again for the info.
 


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