ORIGINAL: Mikey S.

Yesterday was my first chance to hunt with my new Sendero SF in 7mmSTW, and although I didn't get to put the gun through the test I was really hoping for, the results I got were rather interesting.........at least I thought it was worth writing for you guys to read.
The load I'm using is 86.5 gr. of H-1000 powder, CCI magnum primers, Rem case, 140 gr. Nosler Accubond with a OAL of 3.675 in. Out of my 26" barrel, they average 3425 fps. It holds under an inch at 100 yds, and 1.25 inches at 300.......if my head is screwed on right.
I toted this gun yesterday, for the simple reason that I just wanted to get a deer with it. I knew I would be hunting in the woods, and the shots would be 100 yds at the furthest, but I took the 11lb beast anyways. I bought the gun primarily for powerline/field shooting at my favorite spots, with shots ranging from 200-500 yds.
I ended up taking a buck yesterday at first light, at the stressful range of 22 yards. He was quartering towards me, not sharply, but perfectly to angle the bullet through the shoulder, into the chest cavity. I touched off, and he ran into the brush, dragging his leg, down a steep hill. I found him, 65 yards from POI. No real blood to speak of, just a few drops, but I could easily see his drag marks in the leaves. Upon field dressing the animal, I was impressed. There was no exit hole, but the inside damage was........for lack of a better word.......awesome. I sort of expected at that range, for the bullet to grenade itself.....but I'm used to Ballistic tips in my .280. Instead, it jackhammered a hole the size of my fist through the heart/lungs, sawed the liver completely in 2, pushed through the stomach/intestine and lodged in the hide just in front of the opposite hind leg. The liver came out in 2 pieces.....oh I said that already. The entrance hole was only the size of a quarter by the way. Upon caping the deer, the damage was horrific. There was actual stomach/liver matter in the entrance hole at the shoulder......almost like the insides backfired out the entrance hole at impact. I only lost one shoulder, but it's not to often you shoot deer with a gun and NOT lose any meat...I'llstick to my .280 in the woods from now on anyway. If anyone takes interest in the post, I'm going to weigh the bullet I dug out of the cape tonite, and I'll post a pic of it if you'd like. Like I said, I thought the bullet would explode at that close of a shot, especially at that velocity, but it appears to have mushroomed perfectly. I was happy with the results of the bullet.

Sorry for being long...

Mikey.