Thread: 6.5SAUM or 6.5WSM

Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

No problem using Norma 300 Saum

Even better if you have a stack of RP 7 Saum brass

Now you're just bloody teasing me

Ive been doing a bit of research on them myself. The guys running the GAP saums run low pressure loads in a long barrel to up the throat life, with the theory being that high pressure kills throats. Reckons 2000+ and still winning LR matches. So they say anyway.
Think they were loading h-1000 and running around 3000fps. Probably in long 28"+ target barrels though.

Heres my 6.5mm SAUM. This is without a doubt the nicest rifle I've owned and thrilled with how its turned out.

Built on a trued and blueprinted Remington 700 short action, McMillan McWoody (mimics walnut) synthetic stock. Has a Criterion 24 inch fluted 1:8 twist. All metal work cerakoted black. Has a few other nice touches like the spiral fluted PTG bolt with M16 extractor, Defensive Edge custom bolt release and PTG Oberndorf bottom metal. Also has a Wyatts extended mag box.

The rifle weighs just over 6.5 lbs total. It is a pleasure to shoot as well, does not need a muzzle brake as recoil is about the same or less than a .270. Nicest thing is that there is absolutely no muzzle jump. Shooting it off my Caldwell rest, the rifle recoils back in a straight line. Its grouping consistently at an inch (at moment), but I have had 2 groups that have shot well under 0.5 MOA.

Playing around with powders at moment, H1000 is one that I have been trialing. Getting 143gr Hornady ELD-X projectiles doing 3007fps with 61.5grs H1000. According to Quickload, thats around 53K PSI. I downloaded Quickload calc's for the 6.5mm SAUM using H1000 (this is off 24 Hour Campfire in the USA). I also have a pound of Superperformance and I have a pound or IMR 7828 SSC, which is supposed to give very good speed.



Cartridge : 6.5 mm RSAUM
Bullet : .264, 140, Hornady A-MAX 26332
Useable Case Capaci: 66.781 grain H2O = 4.336 cm�
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.000 inch = 76.20 mm
Barrel Length : 26.0 inch = 660.4 mm
Powder : Hodgdon H1000

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-20.0 80 48.80 2345 1709 27152 9495 89.4 1.798
-18.0 82 50.02 2406 1800 28976 9829 90.9 1.751
-16.0 84 51.24 2469 1894 30929 10151 92.3 1.705
-14.0 86 52.46 2531 1991 33020 10459 93.6 1.661
-12.0 88 53.68 2594 2091 35259 10752 94.8 1.617
-10.0 90 54.90 2657 2194 37661 11028 95.9 1.573
-08.0 92 56.12 2720 2300 40235 11284 96.8 1.523
-06.0 94 57.34 2783 2408 43006 11520 97.7 1.476
-04.0 96 58.56 2846 2518 45969 11733 98.4 1.430
-02.0 98 59.78 2909 2630 49183 11922 99.0 1.385
+00.0 100 61.00 2971 2745 52633 12085 99.4 1.342
+02.0 102 62.22 3034 2861 56353 12222 99.8 1.301 ! Near Maximum !
+04.0 104 63.44 3096 2979 60366 12330 100.0 1.261 ! Near Maximum !
+06.0 106 64.66 3157 3099 64715 12409 100.0 1.222 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 108 65.88 3219 3220 69423 12475 100.0 1.185 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 110 67.10 3279 3343 74531 12535 100.0 1.149 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

So, I've been using Norma 300 SAUM brass. My routine is to neck down first in a Hornady 7mm SAUM FL die. The next step, I run the cases through my Redding 7mm SAUM 'S' Type neck die, first with a 0.298 bushing, then I run those cases through again using a 0.292 bushing. Necking down in 3 steps keeps the runout on the necks to .001 - .002 consistently I have discovered (this was a tip I picked up off the 6mm BR site.

For seating, I use a Forster 7mm Ultra Micrometer seater die, with the 7mm seater stem replaced with a 6.5mm. Once again, I find that bullet runout keeps to .001 - .002.

When I measured the H20 capacity of brand new unprimed Norma 300 SAUM to the mouth of the case, I got a capacity of 68.4 grs. When I checked the H20 capacity once again of fired brass from my chamber, I got 72.8 grains. Some RP 7mm SAUM brass that i fire formed in my chamber and measured was 74.6grs. The diameter of my Norma cases at the shoulder measure 0.538 after fireforming, brand new Norma measures 0.530 taken at the same point.