Stevens 200 - 7mm TCU- RCBS-145-SIL

[357maximum]

Had a neighbor ask me a question I really did not know how to specifically answer so I am handing it off to someone with experience on this caliber.




If you were going to buy a brand new stevens200 in 223, rebarrel it into a 7mmTCU with as light a barrel as possible from say shilen or such..

what twist and what barrel length would you choose?

this will be shot with the RCBS 145 Sil almost exclusively for breaking clay targets on the berm and possibly used for a walking around rifle for whitetail by a 73 yr old man that weighs 140lbs soaking wet. ( I will anneal the noses of the boolit if he does decide to finally pop a deer...not real likely)

If it comes to fruition my job will be to set it up for him and fill the gap in the forearm from the skinnier barrel...he wants it light.

I suggested a downnloaded stock 7mm-08 but he just got done reading my latest stack of magazines and got all excited about the TCU and I ain't about to try to disuade a man of that age of what he feels he "needs".

ANY INSIGHTS HERE?

[crabo]

How about setting him up with a Contender carbine?

[357maximum]

How about setting him up with a Contender carbine?


If you were going to buy a brand new stevens200 in 223, rebarrel it into a 7mmTCU with as light a barrel as possible from say shilen or such..


My bad through omission...he wants a bolt action repeater...his son has a 200 in 308 and the fella likes it alot.

[runfiverun]

1-10 is pretty standard in the 7mm.
if i wanted to go over 1850 or so i would look at a slower twist bbl.
the article you mention has me thinking of the tcu again too.
the rcbs 145 is the same length as the rcbs 165 30 cal, and they performed very similar
on target at the same velocities in the same twist rate.

[Rockydog]

Is there a particular reason he wants the 7TCU? TCUs can be a bear to load for. At least my 6 TCU in the Contender platform is. Headspace issues, very fussy about shoulder set back, Straight walled cases tend to be stickier in dies. Unless he's dead set on it I'd go with the 6.8 SPC. Factory Ammo available. Equivalent case length. Etc. Just my 2 cents worth. If I was going the WC route again I'd go 6X45 or 6x47 to get away from the straight wall and shoulder forming issues. RD

[jimb16]

I've been reloading the 7TCU for years and never had any problems. Its a good round for reloading and a great cb caliber.

[dnepr]

LMAO just finished re-reading that article in Handloader before I came online, sounds like a fun project ,