257stw

[chet]

anybody heard anything about this cal?
supposedly 4000fps is a peice of cake?????

[sharp shooter]

have two friends that have custom built 257stw will shoot 100grn bullet at 4000fps

[turner1978]

It sounds like a good cartridge. I would like to see a 270stw. Not much diferent than the 7mm version but still it would be cool.

[tykempster]

It's also known as "Fergusen's Hot Tamale". If I could have a custom rifle (a bit of a stretch for a 14 year old), this would be the caliber I would want. The only problem with velocities this high is the bullet has to be very tough to not fragment. Of course, if you have the money for a custom rifle, expensive bullets shouldn't be a problem. This caliber shoots laser flat, more so than even a 7mm STW. It's energy levels are amazing, take a look at this site, it talks alot about it and it's super-flat trajectory:

http://www.2joutfitters.com/STWrifle.htm

[OhioOutdoorsman]

This is pure fantasy land for an Ohio boy. I can see it now......sitting on top of my 100 ft high tower heated box blind stand with my .257 STW with my 10-50x80 scope with my handloaded 100 grain accubondobearclaw A-frame partions simultaneously filling my big game tags in three states. It'd almost be hunting. I'll stick to the cheaper option of my .308 and stalking closer and leave this caliber for the snipers.

[qbalaska]

having to pay for a custom gun is an expense you could probably do without. In addition, if you do much shooting with a firecracker like this, the barrels burn out fairly quickly comparative to other standard calibers. If I were looking for something fast, I'd probably opt to but a 204 and depending on my hunting needs either a big all purpose gun (for me in Alaska that's my 325 WSM) or a 270 either standard or WSM. You could buy both, put good scopes on them and still not come close to touching the cost of a custom gun unless you baught both rifles from Kimber.
Good Hunting

[Bubba]

Hi guy's this is my first time to this form. I own a custom 257stw yes it's fast but not as fast as you thank I get 3880fps out of a 100gr barnes triple shock out of 26in barrel I killed a big buck this last year shot it at 350yrds I love this gun if your not a reloader it's not for you. Yes it's hard on barrels it's not a gun that you want to shoot a lot the gun smith said I could get about 500 rounds out of the barrel.
I had an old remington 700 that just would not shoot so I had it rebarel had the bolt face opend the complet job cast me $795.00 thats with shipping. When this barrel it shot out I'll just have it rebarreld again. Try one you wont be sorry.


BUBBA

[Mark]

Bubba, your gunsmith is a good man, perhaps a little optimistic about the barrel life. The STW family of cartridges, .300 RUM, 30-378 Weatherby, Dakotas, Lazeroni, etc. are all great examples of overbore capacity. What this means is, there isn't much chance of burning all the powder in the case without pressures going much over 55,000 PSI. The excess powder is funneled down the barrel, burning all the way.
If you would draw a scale picture of a cartridge case, and extend the angles of the shoulder so they converge, where the two lines meet would be called the turbulence point. This is where the gasses and unburned powder concentrate before running up the barrel. Even if this turbulence point is located within the cartridge neck, (as in the case of the .284 Winchester, 35 degree shoulder) with this overbore capacity, throat erosion will be excessive.
What throat erosion looks like is a puddle that has dried up in the summer. The steel shows heat cracks and looks like it wants to flake off. When the bullet goes over this area, some of the copper jacket is deposited. The subsequent rush of hot gasses and unburned powder then move most of this copper out of the throat and deposit it along the length of the barrel. This is copper fouling's finest hour.
More shots deposit more copper, and pretty soon excess pressure becomes apparent.
I only know of one example of this short barrel life, mainly because most people don't realize the value of keeping records until they wish they had. The only DOCUMENTED barrel was a factory .300 RUM, which cashed in it's chips in 280 rounds. I'm not ready to say anything in general because of only knowing one example, and the reluctance of people to keep good records.
You do have a high performance cartridge, and sound like you know what you're into. I can't imagine a better antelope cartridge.
Mark

[Bubba]

Mark thanks for the info I thank I'v past the 250 round mark and there is no sign of cooper fouling and I still get half inch groups. I'm not like a lot of shooters when they go to the range I don't shoot round after round untel my barrel is so hot you can't touch it. I wate 10 mnts between rounds this gives the barrel time to cool down. But I know that this barrels day's are numberd and that wating between rounds
helps slow it down some. The barrel I use is a montana rifleman barrel in stanless it's hand lapped and to have them rebarrel it is around 350.00 and thats not bad. Thanks again. BUBBA

[Wes]

Anyone have any loading data for the 257stw

[el matador]

1/4 cup of IMR 4350 should be a good load :)

[Bubba]

That's funny you know some people like this guy need's some help with some load data and all you can come up with is that. If you don't know please don't reply let us who do have a clue give some helpful advice. THANK YOU

BUBBA