Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

[jonaddis84]

I picked up a project action yesterday...well its actually a mint 700 SPS in 7mm Rem Mag...for $200 and now I need to decide on what cartridge I want to go with.

Id like to do either a 6.5 or 7mm, it will be used to bridge the gap between my 308 and 338lm, probably end up being used for antelope as well.

Id prefer to stick with the .532 bolt face, but I could go down if I need to.

The 7wsm isnt the right size face is it?

Thanks for the input

 

[kennyg]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

7 SAUM would be my choice!

and yes, the .532 bolt will work with the WSM as well.

 

[shoot4fun]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

If you have a .473 BF the go 284 Win.

 

[KPK]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kgw43</div><div class="ubbcode-body">7 SAUM would be my choice!

and yes, the .532 bolt will work with the WSM as well. </div></div>

Agreed. I went with a SAUM!

 

[uncledog57]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

Shot 6.5 CM for the first time yesterday. I have to say it was really fun to shoot! The recoil was so light and it was so accurate!
I was shooting with the rep for Savage and he said that he slayed antelope this year with the 6.5. So I thought I would pass that morsel on to you as it is part of your consideration?
Good luck what ever you decide!

 

[jonaddis84]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

Reading up on the SAUM im liking it. What are you guys doing for brass?

 

[FCS]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

F-class guys I've talked to recently are necking down Norma 300 SAUM to make 7 SAUM brass. RP gives it up pretty quick from what I'm told.

 

[jonaddis84]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

Yeah, sounds like RP needs a lot of sorting, and annealing at 4-5 firings. I guess depending on how much cheaper RP is than Norma its still an option.

 

[FCS]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

RP brass wasn't making it that long from my understanding. More along lines of 2-3 firings and brass was pretty well done. Could always back it down a bit but same velocity/load is going 5-7 loads or more in Norma brass.

I'd go Norma and not look back unless taking rifle to matches where you'll lose a lot of the brass.

 

[aqualung]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

6.5/284 Norma ??

Good BC with 6.5mm bullets, flat trajectory, accurate.

Just a thought.

<span style="color: #3366FF">edited to say</span>
My mate Dodger (currently leading the UK F-class championship) loves the 6.5/284, but is shooting a 7mm Saum derivative this season, due to the wind bucking abilities of higher BC 7mm bullets. Talking to him, he talked down most of the stuff I suggested, because the 6.5/285 is just so much more accurate...

N

 

[Jhnmdahl]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kgw43</div><div class="ubbcode-body">7 SAUM would be my choice!
</div></div>

This will be hard to beat. A .284 or 6.5-284 is a .473 bolt face, and won't work...

 

[excaliber]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

I just barreled up an Rem 700 action that was a factory 7mm Rem Mag and changed it to a 300WSM. I had to machine the bolt nose a few thousandths bigger because the WSM`s are rebated. The body was hitting the nose. Same goes for the SAUM.

 

[fdkay]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

What's wrong with the 7mmRM?
When headspaced off the shoulder it is accurate, fast, flat shooting.
Course, it eats barrels like any overbore cartridge.

 

[patriotoutlaw]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

7mm STW

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

You can make it any short mag caliber you want, they'll all work. You will have to slightly open the feed lips though, about .0075" to .010" per side.

I'd skip everything except the 7SAUM, use 300SAUM Norma or Nosler brass and rock on. .318" neck & .188" Free Bore is the ticket for 168/180's. 62.0 grains of RL25 and a CCIBR2 will net roughly 2,850 to 2,950 fps depending on barrel length, twist, chamber & bore groove deminsions.

I run a 7-300 (very close to a 7SAUM) with 180's, a .315" Nk and .188" FB. 66.0 RL25 gets me 2,920 fps with ease. The WW brass isnt the best but it'll do. Havent tried the Norma 300WSM brass yet. Good luck

 

[VKC]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

I would just stick with the 7mm rem mag, great ballistics and ample available hunting loads. Although, I like the 6.5s (6.5CM, 260rem, 6.5x284) a lot, they require a smaller 0.470" bolt face.

If you must switch to have something different, then you can go with 7mmWSM or 7mm SAUM. But they aren't different enough from 7mm Rem Mag to switch IMHO.

If you want something in "6.5s" which is really 6.6mm or .264", and to keep your current bolt, then the 264 win mag is a real rocket and outperforms even the 6.5x284 with more case capacity.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

To answer the original question: 7mm BCs are king. The answer comes down to recoil. The ONLY reason not to choose 7mm is recoil.

Why not keep 7RM? Great caliber with all kinds of capacity? You've got a long action, so I'd go ahead and make use of a LA cartridge.

Do not overlook 280 express/7mm-06. I hear 06 brass is pretty easy to come by...

 

[jonaddis84]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

What kind of barrel length is optimal for the SAUM? And what is the shortest I could get away with and still have decent performance. I dont really need this gun to be a mile gun, as thats what the LM is for, but 1400 or so easy would be nice.

I guess I need to mess around in JBM with the 7mm a little bit. Id love to just shoot Amaxes since they are so cheap compared to the VLD's, but it seems I need to be able to stay supersonic with them to perform well.

 

[mwroseberry]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jonaddis84</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What kind of barrel length is optimal for the SAUM? And what is the shortest I could get away with and still have decent performance. I dont really need this gun to be a mile gun, as thats what the LM is for, but 1400 or so easy would be nice.

I guess I need to mess around in JBM with the 7mm a little bit. Id love to just shoot Amaxes since they are so cheap compared to the VLD's, but it seems I need to be able to stay supersonic with them to perform well. </div></div>

Just run the 162BTHP from hornady and your golden. I have no problems with them when they go transonic like I did with the Amax. Mine leave the muzzle at 2780 and don't drop below 1000fps until just pas one mile which would be a cake walk for the calibers your looking at. You can't go wrong with a 7mm bullet.

Good luck,
Merritt

 

[Chad Ryan]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

Its gonna be hard to beat the 6.5mm ballistic coeifficent, they have the best in the buiss

 

[Cork Shoes]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jonaddis84</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I picked up a project action yesterday...well its actually a mint 700 SPS in 7mm Rem Mag...for $200 and now I need to decide on what cartridge I want to go with.

Id like to do either a 6.5 or 7mm, it will be used to bridge the gap between my 308 and 338lm, probably end up being used for antelope as well.

Id prefer to stick with the .532 bolt face, but I could go down if I need to.

The 7wsm isnt the right size face is it?

Thanks for the input </div></div>


Forced to suffer a .532" L/A donor...it's 7mm Remmie all the way. Much COAL latitude,no tweaks and quality brass abounds,replete with killer BC's at meaningful launch speeds,coupled with cheap projectile pricing.

Long story short,twist 9" and throat to a 162A-Max.

 

[shooter65]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

6.5x47 and learn to read the wind.

 

[Blackhawk95]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

if its a mag bolt face .532" the 7 SAUM would be my choice. as soon as i get a barrel the SAUM is what im doing next..

 

[coug]

Re: Help me choose a 6.5 or 7mm

I would recommend the. 264 win mag. It will be a great between round and it doesn't sound like you are going to be shootin matches with it. So if that's the case barrel life won't be a problem. You still get a great BC and a lot less recoil than the 7 mag. If you choose a high BC bullet that is. You can push a 140 grain VLD 3250 fps. Just a thaught.