When it comes to hunting or long-range shooting, selecting the right caliber is crucial. It can make a difference between a successful hunt and a frustrating experience. The 7mm Shooting Times Westerner (STW) and the 7mm Remington Magnum are two popular cartridges among hunters and shooters. In this article, we will compare the two and help you decide which one is best suited for your needs.
Here is the short answer:
The 7mm STW is faster, has a flatter trajectory, and can hit targets at longer ranges. The 7mm Rem Mag, on the other hand, is more versatile, more widely available, and has a longer track record of success.
Now that we have looked at the short answer we can look closer at each cartridge, their ballistics, and see how each caliber compares in-depth.
In-depth look at the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner
The 7mm STW was designed in 1979 and then was produced in 1989. This round is based on the 8mm Remington Magnum case necked down to accept .284-inch bullets. This cartridge rose to fame due to the fact that it can launch a relatively heavy bullet really fast. However, as time went on, the 7mm STW lost popularity in large part due to many other cartridges outperforming it or performing on par with it with a longer barrel life.
This round, when it was more popular, was used for big game hunting for game such as elk, moose, or bear, or long-range shooting. Its flat trajectory and high energy at long range lent this round well to hitting targets well beyond 1000 yards or taking game as large as moose out to 500 yards.
One disadvantage of the 7mm STW is that it has a relatively short barrel life due to its high pressure and velocity. Additionally, the cartridge is not as widely available as some other popular calibers, which can make finding ammunition and reloading components more challenging. This is all not to mention that this round can generate a significant amount of recoil and can be difficult for some shooters to handle.
Here is a ballistics chart of 7mm STW with a 160-grain jacketed soft point bullet:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 3100 | 3414 |
| 50 | -0.3 | 0.1 | 3005 | 3208 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.5 | 2913 | 3014 |
| 150 | -0.8 | 1.2 | 2822 | 2829 |
| 200 | -2.6 | 2.2 | 2733 | 2653 |
| 250 | -5.6 | 3.5 | 2646 | 2487 |
| 300 | -9.9 | 5.2 | 2561 | 2329 |
| 350 | -15.5 | 7.1 | 2477 | 2179 |
| 400 | -22.4 | 9.4 | 2394 | 2036 |
| 450 | -30.9 | 12.1 | 2314 | 1902 |
| 500 | -41.1 | 15.2 | 2235 | 1774 |
In-depth look at the 7mm Remington Magnum
The 7mm Rem Mag was introduced in 1962 and is one of the most popular hunting cartridges in the world. It is based on the 375 H&H Magnum case, necked down to accept .284-inch (7mm) bullets. The cartridge has a long and successful history in the hunting community, with excellent long-range accuracy, flat trajectory, and good terminal performance on game.
The 7mm Rem Mag is versatile and can handle a wide range of bullet weights from 110 to 180 grains. This wide range of bullet weights allows this round to be used for everything from hunting deer to moose, or long-range shooting at ranges past 1000 yards. Additionally, this round is extremely popular, and therefore rifles, rifle parts, and ammunition are easy to find in stores.
One disadvantage of the 7mm Rem Mag is that it can generate significant recoil, which may be a concern for some shooters, particularly when shooting lightweight rifles. However, most shooters should be able to handle the recoil of this cartridge given a fair amount of experience.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 7mm Remington Magnum with a 175-grain soft point:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2860 | 3178 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 2752 | 2942 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.8 | 2646 | 2720 |
| 150 | -1.1 | 1.7 | 2542 | 2512 |
| 200 | -3.5 | 3 | 2441 | 2316 |
| 250 | -7.3 | 4.8 | 2343 | 2132 |
| 300 | -12.8 | 7.2 | 2246 | 1961 |
| 350 | -20 | 10 | 2152 | 1800 |
| 400 | -29 | 13.3 | 2060 | 1649 |
| 450 | -40.1 | 17.1 | 1970 | 1508 |
| 500 | -53.2 | 21.4 | 1882 | 1377 |
In-depth comparison
The 7mm STW and the 7mm Rem Mag are both excellent cartridges, but they differ in several key areas.
Ballistics: The 7MM STW is going to outperform the 7mm Rem Mag in all ways when it comes to ballistics. The 7mm STW has more energy, less drop, less wind drift, and higher velocity. This is going to lend the 7mm STW better for hunting big game or long range shooting from a ballistics standpoint.
Versatility: Because the 7mm Rem Mag has a wider range of bullet weights it can shoot, it is going to lend itself better to a wider array of tasks. Even though the 7mm Rem Mag might not have as much energy as the 7mm STW, it can shoot heavier bullets which would give similar ballistic performance as well as shoot lighter bullets for smaller game animals or long range shooting.
Recoil: The 7mm STW generates more recoil than the 7mm Rem Mag due to its higher velocities, which can make it less pleasant to shoot, particularly for inexperienced or recoil-sensitive shooters.
Barrel life: One thing that you must consider when comparing these two cartridges is that the barrel life of the 7mm STW is much shorter than the 7mm Rem Mag. While this might not be an issue for a hunter who only shoots 20-30 rounds a year through his rifle, for a target shooter this could be an issue.
Availability and cost: When it comes to ammunition availability, the 7mm Rem Mag has a significant advantage over the 7mm STW. The 7mm Rem Mag is widely available, and ammunition and reloading components can be found at most gun stores. In contrast, the 7mm STW is not as widely available, and finding ammunition and reloading components may be more challenging.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner and the 7mm Remington Magnum are both popular cartridges in the shooting world, and each has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. While the 7mm STW may have a slight edge in terms of velocity, energy, and trajectory, the 7mm Rem Mag offers a wider range of bullet weights and more readily available ammunition.