7 Saum or 300 Saum brass necked down

[Elwood]

Is there any advantage to using necked down 300 Saum brass over 7mm Saum brass for a 7 mm Rsaum F class rifle?
I already have one hundred 300 Saum cases, do I sell these and buy 200 7mm Saum cases or just buy another 100 300 Saum cases?

Either way I will be neck turning as the reamer is a .313 neck. Also what is the recommended freebore for 180gr Hybrids and/or 180 VLD's?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Joe R]

Is there any advantage to using necked down 300 Saum brass over 7mm Saum brass for a 7 mm Rsaum F class rifle?
I already have one hundred 300 Saum cases, do I sell these and buy 200 7mm Saum cases or just buy another 100 300 Saum cases?

Either way I will be neck turning as the reamer is a .313 neck. Also what is the recommended freebore for 180gr Hybrids and/or 180 VLD's?

Thank you in advance.

I am using the Norma 300SAUM brass and I'm just starting on the third firing. Necking them down is a breeze.

I also turn necks. I started turning them down to .014, however, I have had to turn necks after each firing because of the brass flowing forward and the necks getting thicker at the neck shoulder junction and ending up with loaded rounds that have .316 or .317 diameter and my reamer has a .318 neck. So now instead of turning them to .014 I'm going down to .0125. I'm hoping that this will get me a few firings before I have to turn them again.

I don't know if the brass flow problem is unique to Norma 300 brass, which is known to be softer, or the fact that I was pushing the Berger 195 grain EOLs at 2,980 resulting in a pretty warm load. I have had many bullets explode on me during matches. Now, I'm reluctantly, slowing things down because the rifle/bullet hammered at that velocity. Alas, in F-Class having a few "misses" guarantees me a near bottom placement.

I hope this helps,

Joe

 

[ShootDots]

Is there any advantage to using necked down 300 Saum brass over 7mm Saum brass for a 7 mm Rsaum F class rifle?
I already have one hundred 300 Saum cases, do I sell these and buy 200 7mm Saum cases or just buy another 100 300 Saum cases?

Either way I will be neck turning as the reamer is a .313 neck. Also what is the recommended freebore for 180gr Hybrids and/or 180 VLD's?

Thank you in advance.

I have BOTH .300 SAUM brass that I have necked down to 7mm, along with "regular" 7 SAUM brass. Now these are the only pieces I have had as this is my first SAUM. However, there is NO DOUBT that the primer pockets are VERY STOUT on the .300 SAUM compared to the 7 SAUM. It may be a characteristic applicable to ONLY those lots of brass. On the other hand, it may be a trait that transcends all lots of the brass. I don't know. So, due to that fact, I am prepping new .300 SAUM to 7 SAUM for matches. I am running 2875 with the 195's with RL-23.

 

[johnnyi]

I'm using 7 SAUM Brass. I turn my necks down to .013. only 2 firings. I checked last night to see if anything has changed and I'm still seeing .013 on my Mic... Even checking up near the neck shoulder junction.

 

[Elwood]

I have BOTH .300 SAUM brass that I have necked down to 7mm, along with "regular" 7 SAUM brass. Now these are the only pieces I have had as this is my first SAUM. However, there is NO DOUBT that the primer pockets are VERY STOUT on the .300 SAUM compared to the 7 SAUM. It may be a characteristic applicable to ONLY those lots of brass. On the other hand, it may be a trait that transcends all lots of the brass. I don't know. So, due to that fact, I am prepping new .300 SAUM to 7 SAUM for matches. I am running 2875 with the 195's with RL-23.

Benjamin, you're the second person to say about the 300 Saum primer pockets, interesting.

 

[johnnyi]

Benjamin, you're the second person to say about the 300 Saum primer pockets, interesting.

Yeah he could have discovered that before I paid premium for 7 SAUM brass Maybe the 2 extra numbers on the head stamp makes the pockets slightly tighter? Yeah I know i'm reaching, but maybe not?

get him to detail his neck turning/neck down process.. He has the routine down very nicely...!

 

[Steveb]

Interesting that you are using the 300 SAUM and with 195's. I have been using mine with Matrix 210's firstly lately their 200's and have been thinking of going down to the Matrix 193's. All in a 1 in 10 twist. The results have been getting better and better as I go down in weight. This isn't the normal thought.

Sorry to hijack the thread but not many people shoot a 300 SAUM so I was interested what twist rate you are using.

 

[johnnyi]

Interesting that you are using the 300 SAUM and with 195's. I have been using mine with Matrix 210's firstly lately their 200's and have been thinking of going down to the Matrix 193's. All in a 1 in 10 twist. The results have been getting better and better as I go down in weight. This isn't the normal thought.

Sorry to hijack the thread but not many people shoot a 300 SAUM so I was interested what twist rate you are using.

Hi Steve. I think all of the posters are talking about using 300 SAUM Brass Necked DOWN to 7mm. None of these guys posting are running the .30 cal SAUM flavor. Well not yet...

 

[Steveb]

Yes, you are right, I was thinking about a 300 SAUM and 30 caliber. Sorry for the confusion. I haven't had my pot of coffee this morning to settle the brain out so it can think!!!

 

[rebel107]

I have BOTH .300 SAUM brass that I have necked down to 7mm, along with "regular" 7 SAUM brass. Now these are the only pieces I have had as this is my first SAUM. However, there is NO DOUBT that the primer pockets are VERY STOUT on the .300 SAUM compared to the 7 SAUM. It may be a characteristic applicable to ONLY those lots of brass. On the other hand, it may be a trait that transcends all lots of the brass. I don't know. So, due to that fact, I am prepping new .300 SAUM to 7 SAUM for matches. I am running 2875 with the 195's with RL-23.

Interesting... I have found the same thing that 7saum brass appears to be softer than 300saum, I'm throwing out 7saum brass after 3 firings with low charge loads so go figure. Primer pockets are loose as.

 

[Clavius-Walker]

From what I have seen with others and the SAUM, forget playing brass roulette with Nosler, just get a pile of Remington and go to sorting, they have all said it's a lot of work up front but less in the long run and a lot less frustration.

 

[Elwood]

From what I have seen with others and the SAUM, forget playing brass roulette with Nosler, just get a pile of Remington and go to sorting, they have all said it's a lot of work up front but less in the long run and a lot less frustration.

I plan on using Norma.

 

[johnnyi]

sure wish LAPUA would get on board with this cartridge! just make 1 simple sku. 7 SAUM. Neck down for the 6.5 users and neck up for the 300 folks.

 

[Clavius-Walker]

I plan on using Norma.

Norma is Nosler

 

[Elwood]

Norma is Nosler

You are of course right, but I'm going to be pendantic and say that Nosler is Norma

 

[nhm16]

I am using the Norma 300SAUM brass and I'm just starting on the third firing. Necking them down is a breeze.

I also turn necks. I started turning them down to .014, however, I have had to turn necks after each firing because of the brass flowing forward and the necks getting thicker at the neck shoulder junction and ending up with loaded rounds that have .316 or .317 diameter and my reamer has a .318 neck. So now instead of turning them to .014 I'm going down to .0125. I'm hoping that this will get me a few firings before I have to turn them again.

I don't know if the brass flow problem is unique to Norma 300 brass, which is known to be softer, or the fact that I was pushing the Berger 195 grain EOLs at 2,980 resulting in a pretty warm load. I have had many bullets explode on me during matches. Now, I'm reluctantly, slowing things down because the rifle/bullet hammered at that velocity. Alas, in F-Class having a few "misses" guarantees me a near bottom placement.

I hope this helps,

Joe

Joe, maybe you're oversizing your brass? I had the same issue once and that was the root cause. I got a Whidden die that pushes the shoulder back 0.001" compared to the go-gauge and otherwise only very lightly sizes the base, but forgot to take into account that when you tighten down a barrel nut on a Savage, headspace increases by 0.001-002" as the metal stretches. That was enough for the brass to flow and the necks to thicken so that I couldn't chamber a loaded round.

 

[BradY]

Are you guys turning at 300saum then necking down or necking to 7mm first then turning? I'm about to start and obviously want to do it right to avoid the dreaded donut.

 

[Joe R]

Joe, maybe you're oversizing your brass? I had the same issue once and that was the root cause. I got a Whidden die that pushes the shoulder back 0.001" compared to the go-gauge and otherwise only very lightly sizes the base, but forgot to take into account that when you tighten down a barrel nut on a Savage, headspace increases by 0.001-002" as the metal stretches. That was enough for the brass to flow and the necks to thicken so that I couldn't chamber a loaded round.

nhm16,
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "Oversizing my brass". Do you mean that I'm not pushing the shoulder back enough so that the head space is longer than it should be? Or do you mean I'm pushing the shoulder back too much?

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Joe R]

Are you guys turning at 300saum then necking down or necking to 7mm first then turning? I'm about to start and obviously want to do it right to avoid the dreaded donut.

I just necked it down first and then turned the necks. I don't know if that is the "best/right" way of doing it. But, how would you know how much the neck is going to thicken before you do it?

Joe

 

[ShootDots]

I just necked it down first and then turned the necks. I don't know if that is the "best/right" way of doing it. But, how would you know how much the neck is going to thicken before you do it?

Joe

There is always more than one way to skin a cat. Here is what I do to make my .300 SAUM brass into 7 SAUM brass. It works for me and it makes perfect brass.
1.) I expand the necks while they are still 30 cal. Spin them about 1/3rd in the shell holder and run them back up in the mandrel. Do this about 4 times (it only take 2 seconds to turn them in the shell holder and re-run them back up the mandrel). You will feel them get easier to run up into the mandrel>>>after this is done, all the imperfections have been pushed from the inside to the outside of the cases neck wall.
2.) I turn the necks down to 11 thousandths neck wall thickness>>in one nice smooth pass.
3.) I run them into a 7 SAUM BODY DIE to bring the necks down to what amounts to a fired 7 SAUM case.
4.) I use a F/L bushing die and use a .310 bushing and F/L size them at this point.
5.) Run them back thru your 7 mm Expander mandrel.. Use the "spin / turn" method again.
6.) I RE-turn the necks (a "skim cut") to make them 12 thousandths is all that is necessary. This is the point where you will turn off the little "exterior doughnut"..
6.) Anneal the brass.
7.) Tumble / clean >> however you clean them
8.) Run them back thru the 7mm expander mandrel. This will straighten out any neck movement.
9.) Brush out the necks with a well used "carboned-up" brush..
10.) Prime and load>>>BUT USE IMPERIAL DRY NECK LUBE on the inside of the necks prior to seating bullets.
This brass will be, if done like this, ready for a competitive match.. AND I turn all my necks to 12 thousandths neck walls.. BUT if you do not have a tight chamber>>>you can adjust the depth of your cut to allow for AT LEAST 4 thousandths chamber neck clearance.