Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Thoughts on a fast medium size game caliber

I'd do a .264 win mag. 140 gr. A-max or 140 gr. VLD bullets are exellent in the wind.

My vote is for the 7MM STW.
I've shot all my game with it loaded with the 160 gr Siearra and the AccuBond at 3250 fps. Very accurate.
My rifle will shoot these into 1.6" groups at 300 yards, and 3" groups at 400 yards.
11 out of 17 animals harvested with this rifle have been deer. Kills whitetails and mulies up close, like lightning, and the ones farther out are still quick, clean kills. Haven't had to track one yet.
If you are looking for a very flat shooting cartridge, the 270 Wby with 100-110 gr bullets will put you into the 3500-3700 fps range. And the 140 gr will still put you into the 3200 fps range.

Your use of a radio with some one calling directions are tough if you are alone. I learned inhigh school how to use a compass and using back azmuth.
First you take a bearing where you saw the deer when you shot. Write it down. This takes a military style compass with a flip up crosshair and it has a small magnifying glass where you can see the compass dial.
Then tie a white rag or red or orange cap or bandana on a limb where it will be visible from where the animal was standing at the shot. You want to find the blood.
Take off toward the animal. You may cross a gulley or a creek,even a canyon. But all you have to do to stay on track is add or subtract 180 degrees on your compass as you look back at your marker. You may pass the animal or be short but as long as you keep your track at 180 degrees difference. You will be dead on. It is just a matter or going farther or coming back until you will see the blood. At that range it probably went a little ways. You may have seen which way. The important thing is to find where it was hit. Then it is just a matter of tracking I have two mulies on the wall that I found this way. All at extreme range with a 264 Win. Mag 140 Hornady Handloads 61 gr 4831. Using a homemade bipod.

hello

hello

If you have a 7mm, i would use that action to make a 257 wby.

That's what I did with my M-70 in 7Rem. Should be ready in a couple weeks.

For several years now I have been using a 7mm Ultra Mag in a Sendero with very good results. My bullet of choice has been tha 160gr Accubond and using that combination I have made my longest kills on Mule Deer.

A .270 Allen Magnum would do all you want and more. I shoot the 169 wildcat bullets at a bit over 3200, but with a BC of about .72 those little missles are hard to beat. It is basicly a 7RUM necked down and improved. I wouldnt expect more than 600 rounds of barrel life, but have heard of some still shooting after 1000 rounds.

Mine's a Rem 700 in a 28" fluted #5 Lilja in 7STW.
150 Sciroccos at 3425 fps.
Barrel life is not a concern, now that I have my load.

Got a 28 inch tube, 7x300 wtby, I bet it'll be a twin to your 7stw.

care to post load data of yours?

I would agree with the Allen Mags/Wildcat bullets combination. Can't imagine much flatter/faster with great BC combinations.

7 STW load, usual warnings apply.
87 grains Retumbo.
150 Sciroccos, moly plated, of course.
Loaded to magazine length, 3.600"
8, one shot kills, and counting.
These are the 1st generation Swifts, which act more like a
Ballistic Tip than a "bonded" bullet.
I keep complaining about the bullet, they keep killing.
I'll be testing 140 Accubonds shortly.

Well, it's not very exotic, but a plain Jane 7mm Rem Mag puking 140 grain Nosler Partitions has taken lots of long range, medium game. If you go bigger than large Mulies, I would use something heavier.

Wayne

jw,
The STW may be too long for a standard length M70 action!

You may need a M70 in the longer magnum actions originally chambered for the H&H calibers to use a STW. If you have your heart set on STW you may want to go with a Remmy action. Or if you like your M70 there are some good standard length mag chamberings.

A 7mm Weatherby or 257 Weatherby would fit nicely.

I've shot lots of game in Northern British Columbia. Moose in the 1500 lb class and they were taken with a barnes x in my 264 wm and now converted to a 6.5WSM. 130gr barnes TSX at 3357fps.Shoots as flat as a stretched string! I wouldn't be afraid to take it after any game in North America!