7 SAUM barrel length. Hunting use

[lennyo3034]

I am looking to build a 7 SAUM for hunting use. Target species is deer and black bear, and this rifle will be humped a good ways in sometimes thick brush. I will be using a short action receiver.

I'm wondering how short of a barrel I can go with and still make the caliber worthwhile? I'd like a 22" barrel and if I have to go to 24", I may look at a 7mm-08 instead.

Any thoughts?

 

[Bart B.]

What's the minimum muzzle velocity you'll accept for your bullet weights used?

Then an appropriate barrel length can be estimated.

 

[NickB1075]

7mm-08, is plenty of gun for deer and black bear. That being said you will loose some performance in the shorter barrel but life is short and barrels are cheap so build what you want. My next build will be a 7saum just cause i want one.

Nick

 

[lennyo3034]

I'd like to push the 162 eld-x at 2800. Faster is better though.

I have no concerns about deer, but this past bear season (and my first) has given me new found respect for how tough they are. I'd like as much help as I can get with as far as blood trails go.

 

[FeMan]

I don't think the 7-08 will get you much above 2650 or so. I would go with the SAUM.

I hear you about bears. I have dropped them like a sack of potatoes. Easy kills with no issues. And then, I had a buddy break ones back (he hit it too high and too far back). The long chase through the alder thicket ended in a gun fight at 15 feet with one pissed off bear that decided it was time to fight. After 5 shots at the head (all hits) with a 44 mag it finally dropped about 5 feet away. I do not want that experience again!!

 

[lennyo3034]

I have a picture of the one a buddy and I got this past year. He dropped it with one shot, but it had already been shot twice by another hunter we knew a week before.

Thing had a softball size hole in its chest as well as a collapsed shoulder, but was still running around a week later.

Not sure what the rules for uploading graphic pictures are, but it shows the hole, and that it clearly is not new.

 

[okie]

straight .284??

 

[lennyo3034]

straight .284??

I'm liking what I see in it, will that work reliably in a short action?

 

[okie]

I'm liking what I see in it, will that work reliably in a short action?

I doubt it with the long pills--I cant say truthfully. You can seat them deep and it will work, not sure how much powder column taken up when you do that?? I use a SA on the 6.5x284 and get better velocities with the 140s seated deep than the .260 case...
plenty people on here know--for hunting the donut isnt a problem, and you probably wont be trying to get umpteen loads out of a case--i like to think of the .284 as the "first short magnum"--it kinda is if you read up on the history

 

[FeMan]

I'm liking what I see in it, will that work reliably in a short action?

Should work with 162s in a short action. I can seat a 162 just ahead of the donut area and measure OAL if you want. Let me know if you want the info.

 

[NickB1075]

The 284 will work fine in a short action if not loading the long, high bc bullets out far. The reamer needs to be speced properly for use in the short action. I have a 284 on a long action but I hunt with a 150gr Barnes and the performance is excellent. My reamer is long for the 180class bullet and it still performes great. Barnes bullets actually call for a 50 thou jump to start with.

Nick

 

[lennyo3034]

Should work with 162s in a short action. I can seat a 162 just ahead of the donut area and measure OAL if you want. Let me know if you want the info.

If that's not too much trouble. I'm hoping to use the 162 ELDx. Any suggestions on freebore?

 

[thomasholbrook43]

If that's not too much trouble. I'm hoping to use the 162 ELDx. Any suggestions on freebore?

SAUM 168 BERGER VLD AND NEVER LOOK BACK. GO 26" TUBE RELOADER 23 WILL GET YOU 2950 EASY

 

[Sniper338]

The more I build hunting guns the more I like a short barrel. 24 inches is ok... but 18-20 would be better. Just makes packing and manuverability easier. And keeping it on the lighter side...

My hunting rifles are trued rem 700 actions, rem varmint contours, and laminate stocks. but Im planning something similar and going even shorter on barrel. Hunting wise shorts arent ever over 200 yards for me. It aint hunting shooting a deer at 800 yards, thats spot and shooting.. but then again I like em close in bow range too... more exciting when you can be in predator mode..

 

[nakneker]

I really enjoy the 7saum. I sold my 280AI and built another Saum just to have an extra.

Both have 24inch barrels, I shoot the 180 Berger hunting VLD and they are both very accurate. I’m shooting 4831 sc, I’m shooting 61 grains, 215m and getting just under 2800 with both rifles. One is built on a trued Remington with a HS, the other on razor TI with McMillian. Very accurate, easy to tune and easy to shoot.

I’d wager you would be very pleased. I have no idea the FPS lost with a short barrel, probably something around 30-40 FPS per inch. My 61 grains is a couple grains off max on both rifles. They were both cut with the same reamer, both wear 2b Bartliens.

 

[lennyo3034]

Realistically my shots will be under 300. I had the opportunity to take some shots at 800 last year but passed because I had a Tikka T3x lite that was not particularly accurate and I had no data for it.

I'm not basing this build around an 800 yard shot.

 

[FeMan]

If that's not too much trouble. I'm hoping to use the 162 ELDx. Any suggestions on freebore?

Base to ogive with the 162 ELDX base at the neck-shoulder junction is 2.516 and COAL is 3.200. I would add 20 to 50 thousandths to that for whatever jump you wanted. My guess on freebore would be around 0.200. If ordering a reamer though I suggest sending a dummy round and let them measure based on that.

 

[lennyo3034]

Base to ogive with the 162 ELDX base at the neck-shoulder junction is 2.516 and COAL is 3.200. I would add 20 to 50 thousandths to that for whatever jump you wanted. My guess on freebore would be around 0.200. If ordering a reamer though I suggest sending a dummy round and let them measure based on that.

Thank you very much!

 

[muleystalker]

If it were me with the use and distance you are stating I would go the 7SAUM 24" barrel and set it up to shoot the Berger 180's or another good 180. Higher BC, still good speed and more terminal energy than the 162's. And the 7 SAUM really shoots the 180's good.You could get away with a 22" barrel but I like barrel length, you can always shorten a barrel easy, you can never add to it.

 

[wolfman]

I have a Rem 700 BDL stainless, with the factory tube cut back to 22", bedded into a mcmillan compact. It's easily my favourite hunting rifle. I'm in the east, where shots tend to be between 0-300yds, and have been shooting 120 TSX at 3350.