Which 7MM Magnum?

[redneckbmxer24]

Im finally doing a 7MM mag and I'm having trouble deciding on clambering. I'm pretty set on 7WSM because I got a great deal on a set of NIB Redding match dies, and also have a deal lined up for 500 pieces of new brass. If I went with another I'd have to sell all that stuff and possibly lose money but it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Im also considering 7SAUM and 7MM rem mag. Either of the three would be using a 162 Amax or 168 Berger to keep recoil down less than the 180's and would be a target rifle to a mile and a long range hunting rifle to 800 yards or so. The build is off of a Weatherby accumark with factory stock and I'll be rebarreling with a bartlein rem varmint contour 8.4 twist at 28". No muzzle break as its a hunting rifle.

So should I eat the loss of selling the 7WSM stuff or stay with the WSM. The 7SAUM obviously has better barrel life over the WSM and is a more efficient round getting almost the same velocity with about 10% less powder. The Rem mag burns a little more powder than both but you can find brass for it anywhere. Barrel life is probably a wash with the SAUM being a little better than both and the Rem mag being the runner up. Case life the Rem mag would probably be the worst because of belt separation.

What would you do and why?

 

[KPK]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

You got the stuff just go wsm. That's probably what I'd do.

I have 2 - 7mm SAUM's

 

[Gray]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

If it's going to be only used for hunting, go 7mm rem mag since you can pick up box ammo if in a bind.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

It will be used for targets to a mile or as far as it will get me and long range hunting. I have other rifles I can use for hunting if I need to. There probably won't ever be a hunting shot made inside 400 yards with this rifle and I don't trust factory ammo at 400+ yards. All ammo for this rifle will be handloads with 162 Amaxs or 168 Bergers.

 

[RTH1800]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

Look at the 7mm 300 Win mag and 7mm STW. They will move the 180's over 3100.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

I'm not looking for that much of a barrel burner and I don't want to have to form brass. The choices are 7WSM, 7SAUM, or 7Rem mag.

 

[Trevor300wsm]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

First off, forget barrel life. Barrels are just like tires on a car and nobody ever says "man I'd love to buy that Porsche, but I bet the tires are gonna wear out too fast, so I better go with a Fiat".

I have a 7wsm on a Surgeon 591. I shoot the 168's and I love it. It's a great caliber and excellent ballistics.

However, I wanted another 7mm, mainly for hunting, since my 7wsm is a bit on the heavy side for high country elk/deer hunting. I went back and forth between the 7 mag, 7LRM (Gunwerks), and the 7SAUM. I wanted to be able to shoot the 180's at or close to 3,000fps from a 26" barrel. I had first decided on the 7LRM based off a Ruger 375 case, but the brass for it is proprietary to Gunwerks and it's about $1.32 a piece. The proprietary brass and their lack of interest over the phone to even give me an address to ship my parts to turned me away from them.

So, I decided to go 7SAUM after reading nothing but excellent reviews on here as well as other forums about it. The issue of finding brass is a bitch. There is plenty of the high $$$$ Nosler brass a available right now, but it's insanely high if you plan to buy any larger amount of it upfront. I got lucky and stumbled across 150pcs of Nosler 300SAUM at Bass Pro on close out for $32 a box. I will just neck this brass down to 7mm and load and shoot. Since this is a hunting rifle, 150pcs should last a long time.

*****Looking back, since this is mainly a hunting rig, I should have just went straight 7mag. It's a tired and proven caliber. Brass is everywhere as well as tons of load data. It will push the 180's with ease. In hind sight, this would have been the most logical caliber to build.

Ask yourself how much your actually going to be "shooting to a mile" and how much long range hunting you'll actually be doing with the rifle. Unless you plan to shoot this rifle 1000+ rounds a year, I'd just stick with the good ole 7mag. Oh, and put a damn brake on it. This talk about "can't brake it cause it's a hunting rifle" is for the birds. If this is a long range hunting rig, being able to watch the impact on the animal and stay on target for a follow up shot is very important especially if you don't have a spotter hunting with you. Just brake it.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

If you got such a great deal on the 7WSM deals, you shouldn't have to "eat" anything on reselling them.

The 7WSM is awesome, and if you've just *got* to have a short action, it solves a problem.

If you're good with a long action, the 7RM is a no brainer.

I don't have the personal experience to back this up, but I don't see how you could expect better barrel life out of a 7SAUM, at equal (or nearly equal) velocity to the 7WSM. Sure, it burns less powder, but pressure will be higher, and pressure eats barrels.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

I have a 300SAUM currently and have plenty of brass as I don't load for it and still have hundreds of rounds of factory ammo. I just don't want to work brass any more than I have to.

If I don't need to shoot to a mile or take a long range shot on game then it will stay in the safe as I have plenty of other rifles to shoot that aren't barrel burners.

I will not put a brake on a hunting rifle and that's that. I'm used to shooting 300RUM in a 9 pound rifle without a break which makes any of the 7MM's look like a 223. My 7rem mag hunting rifle doesn't have any more recoil than a 308 does in the same weight rifle so I'm not concerned. This rifle is going to weigh about 12-13lbs after optics and will have a decelerator pad.

I'm really leaning towards the 7WSM for this build still but I may have do have a 7SAUM too just to have all three in different rifles.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you got such a great deal on the 7WSM deals, you shouldn't have to "eat" anything on reselling them.

The 7WSM is awesome, and if you've just *got* to have a short action, it solves a problem.

If you're good with a long action, the 7RM is a no brainer.

I don't have the personal experience to back this up, but I don't see how you could expect better barrel life out of a 7SAUM, at equal (or nearly equal) velocity to the 7WSM. Sure, it burns less powder, but pressure will be higher, and pressure eats barrels. </div></div>

7SAUM has a slightly longer neck and burns less powder which will help to some extent with barrel life but not a huge amount. As I said initially they are close enough to call a wash. The longer neck on the 7SAUM also means you can seat the bells further out of the case than you can a WSM.

I'm going LA so I have plenty of room to seat the bullets way out there.

 

[Backspace]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

Stick with the 7 WSM. You have everything you need for it. Any advantages you may or may not gain will wash out in the end with buying and selling your reloading gear, especially when the stuff you have will already meet every requirement you have set.

 

[jcann]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

I’ve owned and shot two of the three you mentioned (7RM & 7wsm) for over 30 years now and there’s not an ounce of difference between the two in my opinion. I would say the 7RM was easier (less time consuming) to reload due to the fact I didn’t have the brass prep (Nosler) I have with the Winchester brass for the 7wsm.

All that being said, go with the 7wsm. Why? First off you’re right in the fact you don’t have to deal with a belted mag. Second, you already have 500 pieces of 7wsm brass and the dies. Third, it’s easy to find an accurate load that will lay the wood down range on just about anything you want to hunt. Fourth, Your Weatherby If I’m not mistaken is a long action and you can have your barrel throated to seat your bullets long if that’s what you want to do. Fifth, depending on conditions it’s supersonic for more than a mile. Six, you can give Josh at Copper Creek your throat diameter and freebore and he can load you some great hunting/target rounds at a reasonable price to get started.

My 7wsm is shooting through a 26” Bartlein #7 5R barrel with a break and it’s my primary hunting rifle. Your right in the fact you don’t need a break. I wish I didn’t have one. My ears are still ringing from a fast set up and shot on an antelope this past October.

As far as barrel life, that’s the price you pay to play the game with a high pressure over bore 7mm.

 

[Jedi]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

Of the two wsm or saum, the saum is a better case

7wsm normally shot has 7-270 0r 7-300wsm which fixes short neck issue

So depending on if you like to tinker
get push die so you can make neck whatever you desire, modify dies and get reamer made
or
sell what you have and go 7saum

Just reread you post, as this is just a hunting rig
dont sweat all that crap run what ya have.

 

[RBros]

Re: Which 7MM Magnum?

If your going long action, run the 7RM. Built correctly, 180's at 3000-3030 in 26" barrels is easy to get with less hassle and pressure of the WSM's. Brass is plentiful and different manufacturers. WSM brass isn't the greatest in quality. Next step up would be our 7mm Rogue....180's at 3130, 162's at 3275.

 

[Kirsten Weiss]

Since the 7mm Long Range Magnum was specifically designed for Long Range Shots, I'd look into it. Here's an article that may help. http://www.gunwerks.com/Long-Range-University/Learning-Articles/gunwerks7LRM
It as a higher ballistic coefficient than the traditional 7mm, and less recoil, without sacrificing any quality. The article explains the ins and outs. Hope this helps!