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Common uses: Hunting, Big Game, Long Range
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 160gr Federal Vital-Shok Trophy Bonded Tip |
| Muzzle velocity | 3100 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 3415 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.52 |
| Case length | 72 mm |
| Overall length | 95 mm |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3100 | 3414 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2910 | 3008 | 0 |
| 200 | 2728 | 2643 | -2.6 |
| 300 | 2553 | 2315 | -9.9 |
| 400 | 2385 | 2020 | -22.6 |
| 500 | 2224 | 1756 | -41.3 |
At 1,000 yards, 7mm STW (160gr at 3100 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 25.4 MOA / 7.4 MIL, retaining 1518 fps (supersonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 2553 | Supersonic | -9.9 | 3.2 | 0.92 |
| 400 | 2385 | Supersonic | -22.6 | 5.4 | 1.57 |
| 500 | 2224 | Supersonic | -41.3 | 7.9 | 2.29 |
| 600 | 2068 | Supersonic | -67.1 | 10.7 | 3.11 |
| 700 | 1919 | Supersonic | -101.0 | 13.8 | 4.01 |
| 800 | 1777 | Supersonic | -144.4 | 17.2 | 5.02 |
| 900 | 1643 | Supersonic | -199.0 | 21.1 | 6.14 |
| 1000 | 1518 | Supersonic | -266.4 | 25.4 | 7.40 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The 7mm STW earned a reputation as one of the flattest-shooting of the fast sevens, prized by open-country hunters chasing elk, mule deer, and other large game across long distances. Its oversized powder capacity delivers high velocity and a notably flat trajectory with heavy, high-BC bullets, giving it an edge in reach over the more common 7mm Remington Magnum. That performance comes at a cost: stout recoil, a healthy appetite for powder, and accelerated throat and barrel wear that shorten accurate barrel life. It also demands a full-length magnum action and long barrels to realize its velocity, and factory ammunition and rifle availability have thinned considerably since newer beltless magnums arrived. Today it survives largely as a handloader's cartridge, valued by those who appreciate its ballistics and are willing to feed and maintain it.
The 7mm Shooting Times Westerner was conceived in 1979 by gun writer Layne Simpson, a field editor for Shooting Times, who necked down the 8mm Remington Magnum case to accept .284-inch bullets in pursuit of a flat-shooting long-range hunting round. His goal was to push 160-grain bullets past 3,200 fps from a belted magnum that would still feed through a full-length magnum action. A-Square first offered it commercially in 1994, SAAMI standardized the cartridge in 1996, and Remington adopted it in 1997, chambering it in the Model 700.
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