Stuck between 7 SAUM and 7 Rem Mag

[montana_native]

I am torn between the two. The build will be on a long action and both reamers have relatively long throats for the 180 grain size bullets. Is there an appreciable difference in barrel life between the two? I am thinking that velocity will be similar. Is one inherently more accurate than the other? This rifle will just be for shooting steel at 1000-1500 yards.

Thanks for any input.

 

[tonyb]

Good question, I am also interested....

Tony.

 

[gilmillan1]

I got both. All i want to say is that saum brass ia super expensive

 

[Preacher]

That pesky belt on the 7MM RM is one of the main reason I like the 7mm SAUM, that and the short powder column that makes it pretty darn accurate...
Mine are all on short actions, but the long action would be plus for the longer bullets....

 

[Kyle Schultz]

Not to change the subject but I really like the 7-300WSM as an alternative to the 7 SAUM. Norma brass readily available. Less powder capacity than 7WSM and long neck for lots of flexibility in seating bullets, Can get to same spot by necking up 270WSM brass.

 

[hogpatrol]

7SAUM, The belted cartridges are so old tech. ;D

 

[MrMajestic]

Lose the belt. I even buy my pants small so I don't need one! ;D

 

[dkhunt14]

I agree, lose the belt. You will lose a little velocity but gain ability to resize, better case life and probably a gun easier to tune. Matt

 

[mattri]

Just out of curiosity any reason the 7mm WSM isn't being considered?

 

[Preacher]

The 7 WSM is just to much case to deal with....
The 7 SAUM is about as close to perfect as you could get....

 

[nastynatesfish]

I've got 7mag brass with 15-20 loads on it. I've ran brass since 2008 and in 3 seperate barrels. My current barrel has almost 3k rounds on it and still shoots great. If your going to get hung up on the belted mag for some reason I can't help you. Maybe you should look at a 284ai. The belt is only there for the first shot. Then you size and run like normal. I'd stay away from Remington brass. I've used nothing but Winchester with great luck

 

[Alex Wheeler]

7-300 wsm and 7 rem mag are about equal capacity. The rem mag is actually a couple grains larger. I'd so 7-300 wsm. Even then its still only a 1000 yard cartridge for hunting. IMO

 

[nastynatesfish]

7mag is cheaper to load for. Cheaper to buy dies for and ok for brass price. If you want a wildcat I'm going 7-300 win mag to run a 180 in. I have no use for 195s. I don't look to hunt at a 1000 either. To me the long range hunting thing is a gimmick. If you cannt get closer than that you should go back to core elements and practice that. 1000 yard elk,deer, woodchuck whatever is nice to sell rifles to those that "have to have it"!!! Not me. Do as your heart desires sir...I'll stick with my tired,old unable 7rem mag.

 

[hogpatrol]

7mag is cheaper to load for. Cheaper to buy dies for and ok for brass price. If you want a wildcat I'm going 7-300 win mag to run a 180 in. I have no use for 195s. I don't look to hunt at a 1000 either. To me the long range hunting thing is a gimmick. If you cannt get closer than that you should go back to core elements and practice that. 1000 yard elk,deer, woodchuck whatever is nice to sell rifles to those that "have to have it"!!! Not me. Do as your heart desires sir...I'll stick with my tired,old unable 7rem mag.

HA HA, Nate you're right, tired old 7mm mag. ;D

 

[mshelton]

With the 7 Rem Mag you can get RWS brass, some of the best brass in the world that will outlast 3-4 barrels.

With the 7 SAUM you get to play soft head roulette in Norma or Nosler.

 

[slm9s]

280!

J/K. I have a 7WSM and my 7RM should be done any week now. If you're planning on shooting the rifle a bunch, the availability/cost of saum brass (and possibly rifle resale value) needs to be taken into account.

If you take it hunting and forget your ammo, good luck finding 7saum factory ammo in nowheresville. 7RM is everywhere.

 

[montana_native]

Guys. Thanks for all of the input. I'm not afraid of the belt. I've been a 300 Win Mag shooter for years. I've spent a while looking into the brass situation and I think that might have steered me toward the 7 Rem Mag.

 

[gilmillan1]

Like i said before, i went through the saum caliber and i got a bitter taste in my mouth because of the brass situation. Its like 2 dollars a case and i am being conservative on the price.

 

[rpierce]

I don't know why everybody stresses over being able to find factory ammo while on a hunt. Have any of you actually forgot your ammo at home? I haven't for a hunt or any of the matches I have gone to. I have a checklist for hunting and matches. I think you guys are worrying too much about something that never happens, lol. For myself Ive had the saum and wasn't a huge fan of it due to the finickyness of it. For blasting steel and critters past 1000 I would seriously look into the 195 berger as it is a complete game changer. I have built quite a few 28 noslers in the last month and they are pushing the 195 at 3100+ fps. Accuracy has been phenomenal as every one will hold .3 moa vertical or better at 1025 yds off a bipod. That's the distance I tested them at. Plug that into jbm and in order for a 300 gr berger to match it for wind drift and drop the 300gr has to move 3050 or faster, no easy task. They have had extremely wide nodes as well. A full gr spread in powder is a 1/4 moa group at 400 yds off the bipod for the ladder test. I was on an elk hunt last week and I had filled my tag on my first ever bull. A buddy and I spotted a bull at 1150 yds so I set my gun up for him and dialed the drop, 20.2 moa, and the first round went into the boiler room. Now for all you guys saying that's way too far what about wind factors and all that yada yada. At that altitude at 1000 yds there is only 26" of wind drift in a 10 mph wind. So that gives me a + or - 4mph window of wind to be in to hit the vitals on an elk. That's half the wind drift of my 284 Winchester w 180 hybrids back home at the fclass range. Now since there was about 8" of spin drift to the right and 2mph of wind right to left I left the wind at 0 knowing with 100% certainty that bull was going to get drilled in the boiler room. There is no way we could have gotten closer to it as there was dead timber and a steep hill that would have taken 4 hours to hike up to get closer. After it was killed it took 2.5 hours to get to with horses. Total of 7 hours to get there, quarter it, drag it up the hill to horses, and get back to camp. It was the best hunt Ive ever been on. Great scenery. We filled all our tags, 3 bulls and a cow. Two 5x5s and my 6x5. No easy task on public land in CO. We caught trout in the stream and had them for dinner. And everybody made it home safe.

Ryan Pierce
Piercision Rifles

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I don't know why everybody stresses over being able to find factory ammo while on a hunt. Have any of you actually forgot your ammo at home? I haven't for a hunt or any of the matches I have gone to. I have a checklist for hunting and matches. I think you guys are worrying too much about something that never happens, lol. For myself Ive had the saum and wasn't a huge fan of it due to the finickyness of it. For blasting steel and critters past 1000 I would seriously look into the 195 berger as it is a complete game changer. I have built quite a few 28 noslers in the last month and they are pushing the 195 at 3100+ fps. Accuracy has been phenomenal as every one will hold .3 moa vertical or better at 1025 yds off a bipod. That's the distance I tested them at. Plug that into jbm and in order for a 300 gr berger to match it for wind drift and drop the 300gr has to move 3050 or faster, no easy task. They have had extremely wide nodes as well. A full gr spread in powder is a 1/4 moa group at 400 yds off the bipod for the ladder test. I was on an elk hunt last week and I had filled my tag on my first ever bull. A buddy and I spotted a bull at 1150 yds so I set my gun up for him and dialed the drop, 20.2 moa, and the first round went into the boiler room. Now for all you guys saying that's way too far what about wind factors and all that yada yada. At that altitude at 1000 yds there is only 26" of wind drift in a 10 mph wind. So that gives me a + or - 4mph window of wind to be in to hit the vitals on an elk. That's half the wind drift of my 284 Winchester w 180 hybrids back home at the fclass range. Now since there was about 8" of spin drift to the right and 2mph of wind right to left I left the wind at 0 knowing with 100% certainty that bull was going to get drilled in the boiler room. There is no way we could have gotten closer to it as there was dead timber and a steep hill that would have taken 4 hours to hike up to get closer. After it was killed it took 2.5 hours to get to with horses. Total of 7 hours to get there, quarter it, drag it up the hill to horses, and get back to camp. It was the best hunt Ive ever been on. Great scenery. We filled all our tags, 3 bulls and a cow. Two 5x5s and my 6x5. No easy task on public land in CO. We caught trout in the stream and had them for dinner. And everybody made it home safe.

Ryan Pierce
Piercision Rifles

Nice shot, how did the bullet perform? I have been asked a couple times for the 28 nosler. Can you seat the bullet out and still fit it in a wyatts box? What powder do you like? Thanks.
Alex