Barrel life on a 7stw
- Thread starter john 800
- Start date
TheOtherZilla
Pull my finger
I dunno. I have a 7 Ultra Mag. Local gun smith always poo poos barrel life. I told him it only gets shot a few times a year. It is a hunting rifle. Some years it doesn't get shot at all.. They do make replacement barrels so it is not something I worry about.
Murray Brook
Silver $$ Contributor
Barrel Life Calculator - Pierre van der Walt
pierrevanderwalt.com
I got 900+ rounds thru my first 7STW before accuracy fell off. That was 15 years or so of hunting & load development in a Rem barrel.
My current barrel is a 3B Bartlein with 685 rounds. It's getting a lot better treatment than the first, so I expect 1K + accurate rounds running 180 hybrids @ 3,025 fps.
My current barrel is a 3B Bartlein with 685 rounds. It's getting a lot better treatment than the first, so I expect 1K + accurate rounds running 180 hybrids @ 3,025 fps.
Ought to be good for 500 deer or so.
Probably better than my 25-26 Nobler.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Grab a non belted case if you want to shoot it productively. 28nosler, 7 rem ultramag, etc. They are easier on brass, easier to get brass, etc. If its a hunting rifle belted cases and limited barrel life doesnt matter much
Ccrider
Gold $$ Contributor
I have a 257stw built back in 2007. It is a 7stw necked down to .257. New it was a .2 moa gun. 700 3900fps rounds later it is .4 moa gun, maybe better if I worked with the load. This is shooting 92-100gr. bullets with 70+ grs. of 7828. A hot load. 26 inch no. 4 contour fluted shilen select barrel. About as flat shooting as you can hope for- three inches high at 200, zero at 340, -12 at 500.
For hunting deer, it’s hard to beat. If you want a BR gun, try something else.
For hunting deer, it’s hard to beat. If you want a BR gun, try something else.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
I had my reamers ground for 120-150g nosler ballistic tips in the 7 STW with .030-zero freebore. Accuracy was bug hole with R#22 using the 120g and IMR 7828 for the 140g. As you can imagine, with such short freebore, accuracy lasts a LONG time. I have never got around to shooting the 150g.
My reamer was zero freebore, and we shot nothing but the 120g Nosler solid base lead tips at 3850 out of 26" hart 9T barrels with R#22....accuracy is still hard to believe, three shot groups in the 2's and very low 3's. Even fire forming Rem 8 Rem mag brass, three shot groups were in the 3's. Skip forward, the Barnes 120g TTSX and TSX are just as accurate, same load, seated the bullet deeper in the case.
The 140g Nosler C/T bullet were scooting along at 3600+, deer NEVER took at step.
If I hand known of the heat index of powders, I would have tried the H1000, N160 powders, with throats lasting longer than they have with the zero freebore.
So, you ask how long the barrels lasted, well, they are still running. Many in the family are using the 7 STW's, and with load development with the 120 & 140g Nos C/T bullet being so few rounds, we all just verify zero from year to year, hunt. 300-400 rounds ads up to a lot of years.
I keep good records on my brothers 7 STW with a 11 twist Pac Nor, 27" set up for 140g Nosler C/T bullet, and the bug hole load is at 3700 fps with IMR 7828, FED 215's, in a zero freebore chamber. At 235 rounds, he has .017 leade growth. His load development with the 140 C/T bullet was around 21 rounds total. He has killed 150 + deer with the rifle or more, I don't know that he has ever missed. Wild dogs (no collar) running deer are targets of opportunity, coyotes are a bonus. Brother put out a food plot from one stand at 500-550 yards....even the 120g ballistic tips at 3900 Muzzle velocity make them flop on the spot at those distances. We named the stand, "STW Stand".
I would guess that if you set the rifle up with a long throat for the 180g-195g bullets, that your barrel life would be less as big heavy bullets with slow burning powders, tend to cook throats.
Your shooting habits will dictate how long your barrel will last in a 7 STW and 28 Nosler. 1200 rounds on a zero freebore chamber is my good guess, and for guys that do not poke at steel, this is a lot of years of hunting. For a chamber with .220 freebore, then I would expect 600-800 rounds to give the very best service life with friendly bullet jump designed bullets being a bonus.
If a deer hunter was practicing shooting steel at ranges from 700-1600 yards, then it would be prudent to have two barrels chambered at a time. Figure out the dope(confidence) on the first barrel, then the second will last a long time.
My reamer was zero freebore, and we shot nothing but the 120g Nosler solid base lead tips at 3850 out of 26" hart 9T barrels with R#22....accuracy is still hard to believe, three shot groups in the 2's and very low 3's. Even fire forming Rem 8 Rem mag brass, three shot groups were in the 3's. Skip forward, the Barnes 120g TTSX and TSX are just as accurate, same load, seated the bullet deeper in the case.
The 140g Nosler C/T bullet were scooting along at 3600+, deer NEVER took at step.
If I hand known of the heat index of powders, I would have tried the H1000, N160 powders, with throats lasting longer than they have with the zero freebore.
So, you ask how long the barrels lasted, well, they are still running. Many in the family are using the 7 STW's, and with load development with the 120 & 140g Nos C/T bullet being so few rounds, we all just verify zero from year to year, hunt. 300-400 rounds ads up to a lot of years.
I keep good records on my brothers 7 STW with a 11 twist Pac Nor, 27" set up for 140g Nosler C/T bullet, and the bug hole load is at 3700 fps with IMR 7828, FED 215's, in a zero freebore chamber. At 235 rounds, he has .017 leade growth. His load development with the 140 C/T bullet was around 21 rounds total. He has killed 150 + deer with the rifle or more, I don't know that he has ever missed. Wild dogs (no collar) running deer are targets of opportunity, coyotes are a bonus. Brother put out a food plot from one stand at 500-550 yards....even the 120g ballistic tips at 3900 Muzzle velocity make them flop on the spot at those distances. We named the stand, "STW Stand".
I would guess that if you set the rifle up with a long throat for the 180g-195g bullets, that your barrel life would be less as big heavy bullets with slow burning powders, tend to cook throats.
Your shooting habits will dictate how long your barrel will last in a 7 STW and 28 Nosler. 1200 rounds on a zero freebore chamber is my good guess, and for guys that do not poke at steel, this is a lot of years of hunting. For a chamber with .220 freebore, then I would expect 600-800 rounds to give the very best service life with friendly bullet jump designed bullets being a bonus.
If a deer hunter was practicing shooting steel at ranges from 700-1600 yards, then it would be prudent to have two barrels chambered at a time. Figure out the dope(confidence) on the first barrel, then the second will last a long time.
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Barrel life should almost be a meaningless stat in a big game rifle. Worst case, 200 rounds to find a load and then 20 rounds a year.
The issue is when we want to use our hunting rifle for plinking or informal target shooting. That is not the best way. If the budget dictates only one rifle and we want to shoot a lot plus hunt big game, we should get a 308 or 30-06. They will last a long time.
If possible, it is best to get a target rifle and a hunting rifle in appropriate chamberings. What we learn with the target rifle will transfer to the hunting rifle. There is then no real need for a lot of target practice with the hunting rifle. Just verify drops and go hunt.
The issue is when we want to use our hunting rifle for plinking or informal target shooting. That is not the best way. If the budget dictates only one rifle and we want to shoot a lot plus hunt big game, we should get a 308 or 30-06. They will last a long time.
If possible, it is best to get a target rifle and a hunting rifle in appropriate chamberings. What we learn with the target rifle will transfer to the hunting rifle. There is then no real need for a lot of target practice with the hunting rifle. Just verify drops and go hunt.
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FNSafari
Gold $$ Contributor
Bottom line is if you want performance in terms of velocity and bullet energy there is a price to pay. It’s like my Benchrest rifle. I’ve had 10 barrels on it over the years. Firing upward of 2000 rounds a year even with a 30 BR or 30x47 takes it toll. Barrels are a shooting consumable like load components. There is no getting around it.
Murray Brook
Silver $$ Contributor
I believe this pretty well sums it up.
I've got around 1k on my 270stw still shooting little groups
BrendanTB
Silver $$ Contributor
I have a tight shooting long range hunting 7 STW for sale if you're interested. comes with dies, 45 brand new nosler brass and more.
Ive got a .257 weatherby I got when I was a kid. Im 68 now and it still shoots under an in. Hunting rifles arent going to shoot out. Unless you get wild. I dont like the noise and recoil enough to shoot one out anyway. Doug
Fun per Shot will make up for limited barrel life. Have fun with it and show that barrel who’s the boss.
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