6.5 SAUM 4S what did I do?

[Scotts556]

So a buddy of mine has been hounding me to get into bolt guns. And I made the leap. This weekend I got to put a few rounds down range with a 6.5 SAUM 4S. Boy was it it sweet.

Managed to find a deal on a trued 700 in 6.5 SAUM 4S barrel action for 1k with a badger DBM. Planning on putting it in a bell and Carlson traget/comp stock with adjustable cheek piece for now.

Did I do this wrong? I know it's not gonna be cheep to start reloading for it but boy am I excited!!!

What's y'all's thoughts?

Scott

Edit: this isn't my first step into long range shooting. I've been a gas gun guy..

 

[Ledzep]

Not the easiest cartridge to start with, but not the worst. Brass availability is going to be your biggest problem. If you can get Hornady brass, it should work, although some people have issues with it not lasting very long. I think those issues are mostly related to carbon rings developing in the throat spiking pressure. Otherwise you're going to have to get 300SAUM or 7SAUM brass and neck it down (and likely need to neck turn them).

I might have gone a different route for the stock, but it should work okay. Magazines might be another source of "hard to find", but there are SAUM/WSM mags out there, and standard magazines can be bent to work.

 

[craigos]

Get the H brass - thats what i did and GAP seems to have plenty. Clean your gun no problems after 1000 rounds.

 

[Scotts556]

Not the easiest cartridge to start with, but not the worst. Brass availability is going to be your biggest problem. If you can get Hornady brass, it should work, although some people have issues with it not lasting very long. I think those issues are mostly related to carbon rings developing in the throat spiking pressure. Otherwise you're going to have to get 300SAUM or 7SAUM brass and neck it down (and likely need to neck turn them).

I might have gone a different route for the stock, but it should work okay. Magazines might be another source of "hard to find", but there are SAUM/WSM mags out there, and standard magazines can be bent to work.

I knows it not the best choice in stocks. But it's a start and gets me shooting. I've found wsm mags that said they work with SAUM.

 

[spife7980]

Depending on the time line you might want to wait for the krg bravo. Might be a bit more expensive than the b&c but it looks to be the next hot item and you could sell the badger dbm and make up some of that difference. That would also allow you the chance to get some reloading stuff going in the mean time until its release.

Once things for sure, you wont be out gunned based on caliber performance.

 

[Scotts556]

Depending on the time line you might want to wait for the krg bravo. Might be a bit more expensive than the b&c but it looks to be the next hot item and you could sell the badger dbm and make up some of that difference. That would also allow you the chance to get some reloading stuff going in the mean time until its release.

Once things for sure, you wont be out gunned based on caliber performance.

I've looked at the KRG bravo chassis and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I've spend some time with the B&C stock on a buddy's Tikka 260AI build and I loved the stock. Felt really good. In the long term I'd like to upgrade to a MPA chassis. Payday im gonna order dies and 100 peices of brass to get me going. I'll just need primers and powder and I'll be good to go. The rifles comes with 50 once fired pieces of brass.

And for sure no one at the local club will have something that out runs this. It's a screamer.

 

[BWB]

I've heard of guys burning these barrels out in as little as 700 rounds...that's part of "It's a screamer" you aren't going to like.

 

[Ledzep]

Depends on what you call "burned out" and what powder/charge you use. 2000-2500 seems to be the norm with moderate charges of h1000 with some velocity drp off towards the end. I can see h4350 toasting them quickly, though.

I'm a little over 500 on mine with no major throat/velocity/accuracy loss.

 

[Scotts556]

Depends on what you call "burned out" and what powder/charge you use. 2000-2500 seems to be the norm with moderate charges of h1000 with some velocity drp off towards the end. I can see h4350 toasting them quickly, though.

I'm a little over 500 on mine with no major throat/velocity/accuracy loss.

This what I'm hearing to. Keeping the 140s at about 3050-3080 fps is getting around 2500 rnds of life out of a barrel using h1000.

 

[Graywolf.260]

H1000 and low pressure is the way. I am sold on Norma brass, had bad experiences with Hornady. Get a bushing die and resize 7mm SAUM brass in two steps and trim easy peasy.

 

[steve123]

Yep, just keep the pressures lowish with slower powders, I use Retumbo instead of H1000.

The combination of velocity with high BC bullets - little wind drift, the low recoil, the energy at distance, the barrel life, all make for one outstanding cartridge!!! My friends 6.5x47 is sending 140's at 2740fps, my 6.5S with the same bullet is at 3175 fps. Hard to believe it's the same bullet would describe the difference at distance.

I'll 2cnd the Norma brass concept