6.5 SAUM

[GLC]

Hi All,

I have a 6.5 SAUM/7SAUM switch barrel on a BAT 8.5 and twin 30" Bartlein barrels.
I was wondering if anybody has a 6.5 Saum and what a good starting load is.
My old version of QL doesn't help, not sure if the new one has this calibre either.
I have an 8.5 twist barrel set up for 140-155 gr bullets.

I am considering starting around 63-64gr of Retumbo and possibly 60-61 gr of N165, not looking for screaming velocities around the 3250 mark would be good.

With regards

Gary
(UK)

 

[TonyR]

Check your PM

 

[MLC]

I had good luck with H1000 in a case with the same capacity.

 

[warrbuk]

Depending on how you seat the bullets you may see pressure signs at 64 grains of Retumbo. Just at the rifleing I had an faint ejector mark at 64 grains with a 140 Berger.

H-1000 was a little more accurate for me. I have a 26.5" barrel on a hunting rifle. With the bullets jammed its a ragged hole with the 62.5 of H-1000 at 3150 FPS. I have yet to find the combo with bullets that are not jammed in the rifling that shoots like the jammed groups.

Reduce your loads and work up. Let me know howthe VV-165 works out. I will try 7828SSC the next time out to the range.

Good Luck

Mark

 

[GLC]

Thankyou Guys
info much appreciated, I will report back with results later in the week

rgds
Gary

 

[GLC]

Guys,

N165 max load was 62 grains, slight ejector marks on the case, dropped it to 60.5 for 3200 fps with a 140 berger/cauterico retumbo was too slow in my barrel around 3050 for 62 grains, was getting slight compression with this.

the group and spreads were pretty good so gives me a good starting point.

Going to try a slighty faster powder for the 155 cauterico as this seats lower in the case and i need a bit more room.

regards

Gary

 

[edlongrange]

OK, I'm stumped, what is a "cauterico"? I searched on that spelling and only came up with your post. Is that a design, a manufacturer, or? Please provide spec and source. Hopefully the 155 is a really long VLD that would work well at 1000 yards in a 6.5 SAUM-based wildcat. Thanks.

 

[GLC]

Edlongrange,

Bob Cauterico (San Fran) makes custom target bullets however i am not sure if he still makes them on a regular basis as he is well into his 80's now and may have other things to fill his days, Bob is a great guy and a true gentleman.

the 155 vld is a really long bullet of VLD design, i do not have an actual BC but is proported to be more than a 7mm 180 Berger but i cannot confirm that until I test it at long range.
My idea was to do exactly as you mention, shoot a 6.5 bullet at long range to compete with the 7's, at this current time i cannot confirm if they will work as i am still working on the load.

I will take some pics of some 155's and post them.
p.s Bob makes 6.5 vld 141g and also some 10 ogive 141 grain 6.5 for barrels that do not like vld bullets.

 

[edlongrange]

I found contact info for BC Bullets (Bob Cauterucio), spoke with him on the phone, he sent me some samples of his three 6.5mm VLDs, and I just ordered a box of each. Since my rifle is WIP until some time in June, I don't expect to try them out before mid-to-late Summer.

Please describe your 6.5 SAUM cartridge in more detail. Is it "simply" a necked down 7mm SAUM or something more "elaborate". I am having a chamber reamer designed for a more "Ackley Improved" version - hope to have the draft drawing next week. The AI design to hopefully retain more neck length, not gain capacity - 40 degrees inward from the body-to-shoulder junction and a slight lateral blow out, not up. I have a couple hundred Nosler Custom 300 SAUM to use for this project. I have tried to confirm that Norma 300 SAUM brass has been discontinued but can get no response from Norma. [They no longer have any SAUM listed in their print or online catalogs, so I'm assuming SAUM is gone for them - leaving Remington and Nosler. That noted, both Graf's and Sinclair continue to list this item, no stock and no backorders.]

 

[GLC]

My Chambering is simply based the standard .30Saum necked down to 6.5mm nothing fancy, it is based on Norma Brass though.
I figured that it would have enough horsepower to push the 140's (and hopefully 155's) in excess of any 6.5x284 without overcooking, i can still get Norma SAUM brass without any problems and deal with the UK Norma agent, they have not mentioned it being discontinued!(i hope not)
Good luck with the project, i have had good results previously with the cauterico 141vld, not so much with the 7mm 176 vld, they are overbore which seems to cause a problem.

regards
Gary

p.s will PM you with the results once i get it sorted.

 

[MLC]

Any results with the 155 at long range?

 

[GLC]

The Jury is still out on the 155's, I have been too busy with work and shooting F Class National comps, (we have a two day comp once a month through April - November)

Two friends of mine are trying them in 6.5WSM they too have had mixed results, they seem to work under 3200 (which is good news for the Saum) any higher and things go ragged, best restults were around 3100, which i would be happy with considering the BC.

The 140's work a treat (of course they would!) and i already have a load with R25 and R22.

As soon as I get the chance to go further i will post the results.