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Care And Feeding Of A GAP 6.5 SAUM.....

Anybody know where I could find the .291 and .295 nitride bushings shown at the beginning of this thread? Would also like to find a Redding part #55746 (6.5 VLD) seater plug for my comp dies.

Bruno's shows bushings in stock as of 08/28, Sinclair is backordered again. What seating die do you have? If you have a Redding competition 7RSUAM seat die are you aware the 55746 seat plug will not work? The VLD seat plug for a 7mm RSUAM comp seat die is #55748. Sinclair stocks the seating plugs.
 
Tag for future reference, great info, I was considering the idea of a 6.5 wsm but the SAUM seems to be the ticket!
Thanks for the great write up!
 
Is it the same procedure and equipment if you only have access to 300 SAUM brass?
 
Man, I need a new damn hobby. Just ordered 400 pieces of norma 300 SAUM brass and all of the equipment needed to form 6.5 saum and it was 1050 :(
 
I have some 300saum brass coming. Have any of you sized it strait down in a 7saum FL die? Turn out OK?

That is what everyone is using. A 7saum die, and then remove the expander ball and swap bushings as necessary. Typically we are necking down with a .295, so by pulling the expander and starting with your 7mm appropriate bushing, you will just be stepping it down. No biggie. Let'er rip tater chip.
 
Thanks but I mean a non bushing FL die going from 30 cal to .284. I've got some 6.5SAUM bushing dies coming in the next month or so but have found a 7 saum FL non bushing die for cheap to start forming brass.
 
I can't see any problems with using a FL die for the first step, Steve. Remove the expander anyway, no need to set neck tension if you're just gonna step it down again.
I'm going from 300 ---> 6.5, but stopping @ 7mm to do the necessary neck turning, since I have the expander mandrel and K&M trimmer set up for .284" already. Won't have to buy a .264 mandrel/pilot now. Final size down to 6.5 with bushing die on clean necks should be easy...
 
I can't see any problems with using a FL die for the first step, Steve. Remove the expander anyway, no need to set neck tension if you're just gonna step it down again.
I'm going from 300 ---> 6.5, but stopping @ 7mm to do the necessary neck turning, since I have the expander mandrel and K&M trimmer set up for .284" already. Won't have to buy a .264 mandrel/pilot now. Final size down to 6.5 with bushing die on clean necks should be easy...

Thanks.

I have the 7mm expanderon and a 7mm carbide mandrel for the K&M and want to turn the necks while the brass is sized down to 7mm too. I'm just not sure how far down the neck to turn. Can you let me know how far down you're turning please.
 
Can you let me know how far down you're turning please.

Not knockemdown but here's how far I turn into the neck. You can see where the bright ring stops on the shoulder. I turn all case necks pretty much like what you see here.

To add, I am sizing this cartridge all the way to the neck/shoulder junction then turning into the neck as shown.
 

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I've been turning the entire neck as well. I thought that I would share a little bit of what I have learned about relaoding for this rifle. I started out with some used brass because you all know that situation. I had terrible luck with it. My preasure was all over the map, I even popped holes in 3 primers and broke a sear in a Jewel trigger. I couldn't get the thing to group very good. I did finally get my hands on some virgin brass and instantly my problems were over. Right now I'm loading Remington 7mm rsaum brass, Federal 210M primers, 63.5 grains of H1000, with the BTO of 2.169. I am still playing around with seating depth, but this load shots 1.5", 3 shot groups at 400 meters.
 
Good pic Aeon, thanks!
BTW, I found some fired Norma brass to mess with before gettin' after it with virgin stuff that's stashed away. Reckon I'll turn the whole neck also, as pic'ed.
Steve, this K&Mneck turner has a pretty decent radius at the leading edge of the cutter, so not particularly worried about going too deep into the shoulder with it. I will snap some pics & follow up...
 
Could someone give me a thumbs up or down. I've never turned brass before so this is my first attempt.

300 SAUM brass. Sized down in three stages. Turned to correct specs, but am wondering if I went too far into the shoulder.




Figured I better ask before I screw up too many pieces - stuff is not cheap…

Thanks in advance.
 
Could someone give me a thumbs up or down. I've never turned brass before so this is my first attempt.

300 SAUM brass. Sized down in three stages. Turned to correct specs, but am wondering if I went too far into the shoulder.



Figured I better ask before I screw up too many pieces - stuff is not cheap…

Thanks in advance.

What was your complete process?

And we still haven't had a definitive answer about neck turning the last bit of the neck that the bushing die doesn't size, I think an email to Copper Creek is in order.
 
What was your complete process?

And we still haven't had a definitive answer about neck turning the last bit of the neck that the bushing die doesn't size, I think an email to Copper Creek is in order.

Hi IanB,

Sized the 300 SAUM brass down from .338ish to .325 to .310 to .295. (not sure those are the perfect bushings to use, but they were the ones I could find that I thought would do it.) Ran the brass through 3/8" Expander Die Body and mandrel. Moly coated the necks then turned them down to .015 with a 21st Century lathe with the 30˚ cutter. I did set it to the point that I cut the whole neck and slightly into the shoulder. Took crappy cell pic and hoped someone would say it was good :)

I saw a pic of one of Pat's rounds that showed he turned the full neck and into the shoulder. He seems to be having good success with I think 16 loadings thus far per brass piece. So hopefully I did this right. Won't know until my gun shows up, but I'm still many months out. But was eager to figure this out ahead of time.

BTW they do indeed finish short of the suggested OAL, but will probably slightly cut to uniform them.
 
Thinking about it logically, you would have to turn the whole of the neck otherwise you would be creating a false shoulder and it wouldn't chamber.
 
Is it the same process and components when turning 300 SAUM in 6.5 SAUM brass? Great thread and Thanks in advance.


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If you're asking the difference between converting 300 SAUM vs 7mm SAUM into 6.5 SAUM - then the main difference is having to size the 300 down in three stages or so. 10 to 15 thousands at a time. And the end results leave the brass a little short in OAL. So you may not have to cut it to length for the first couple of firings.

Hope that helps.
 
Is there a consensus on the bushings to size down the 300 saum brass? I have a .295 and a .304...where should I step up from there for the 300 case? Would I need a 3.15 +/- and a .325 +/-?
 
Is there a consensus on the bushings to size down the 300 saum brass? I have a .295 and a .304...where should I step up from there for the 300 case? Would I need a 3.15 +/- and a .325 +/-?

KInda depends on the brass. Measure your OD and then step it down .010 to .015 at a time until you get to .295
 
All Remington brass at .345 fired

This would indicate four steps down at roughly .330, .315, .304 & .295. Just wanting to verify that this is acceptable and similar to proven processes.
 
Is there a consensus on the bushings to size down the 300 saum brass? I have a .295 and a .304...where should I step up from there for the 300 case? Would I need a 3.15 +/- and a .325 +/-?
On NEW Remington brass, I went .325 to .315 to .295 and then turned necks to .015.
 

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I had a 7 saum built on a Bighorn action last year. It is such a tack I am considering a 6.5 saum.
I ordered 500 pieces of remmy brass from powder valley two years ago--- I mean backordered!
I ended up getting 400 pieces of nosler (ouch) to feed the beast now. A buddy of mine got his gap
6.5 a few months ago and it is nice. I want to keep a eye on his to see if he gets the life its supposed
To. Guess what shows up out of thin air? My Remington 7saum brass!. I'm getting the bug bad now that
I have two different 7saum headstamped brass. Really liked shooting my buddies.
6.5
 
Is a more viable option for a seater to use a Wilson seater die blank and ream it out with the chamber reamer? I've never used a seater with an oversized stem like using the 7mm for the 6.5mm. Wouldn't it produce more runout? Obviously from the initial post runout is exceptional, but are you doing anything different in seating with the 7mmSAUM die?


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I bought a Wilson seater blank and reamed it with my chambering reamer and it works very well. On my once fired brass I'm getting about .001" run-out. I turned the necks before I sized down the Norma 300 SAUM brass in my Forster 7mm SAUM FL die. I made a couple of bushings out of 1/2" drill rod and used a Wilson 7mm SAUM neck sizer to bring the neck down it's final size. For full length sizing I'm going to pick up a Redding 7mm SAUM bushing die and use the appropriate size bushing and expander.
 
I expanderoned the necks and started to turn the necks today while the 300 SAUM Norma cases are still 30 cal. I was going to deburr and ream the flash holes but they are perfect as is. I used a lighted magnifier to inspect them, very pleased with the brass quality so far.
 
George, Pat & Sendero_Man

I am a couple of months away from my Extreme Hunter and am wondering if you guys are doing any prep on the beasts and bullets other than what is being discussed.
I have my components and know about the neck sizing, bullet pointing, etc, but my questions are:

Are you measuring and weighing the Berger hunting vld's
Are you sorting brass by weight or capacity?
Are you prepping the primer pockets or deburring / beveling the flash holes?

Thanks
Tim
 
I like to trim before turning necks so they are all turned to a uniform point. Can the norma .300 brass be trimmed back without getting too short?


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I like to trim before turning necks so they are all turned to a uniform point. Can the norma .300 brass be trimmed back without getting too short?


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Since they haven't been full length sized or necked down yet the lengths are still reasonably uniform. 2.007" average length with .004" variance right now. I stopped just short of the shoulder and left the necks at 14.5 thou in case I want to turn any donuts off later on. I'm guessing the necks will end up as part of the shoulder and the cases will be longer after all the forming is done. Looks like George trims at 2.020" and Pat at 2.025" so I'm going to wait to see how long they get before I trim.
 
I had a 7 saum built on a Bighorn action last year. It is such a tack I am considering a 6.5 saum.
I ordered 500 pieces of remmy brass from powder valley two years ago--- I mean backordered!
I ended up getting 400 pieces of nosler (ouch) to feed the beast now. A buddy of mine got his gap
6.5 a few months ago and it is nice. I want to keep a eye on his to see if he gets the life its supposed
To. Guess what shows up out of thin air? My Remington 7saum brass!. I'm getting the bug bad now that
I have two different 7saum headstamped brass. Really liked shooting my buddies.
6.5

I'll buy some of your 7Saum brass that way you will only have to keep up with (1) head stamp just shot me a PM and I'll meet you to pick it up.
 
Hi IanB,

Sized the 300 SAUM brass down from .338ish to .325 to .310 to .295. (not sure those are the perfect bushings to use, but they were the ones I could find that I thought would do it.) Ran the brass through 3/8" Expander Die Body and mandrel. Moly coated the necks then turned them down to .015 with a 21st Century lathe with the 30˚ cutter. I did set it to the point that I cut the whole neck and slightly into the shoulder. Took crappy cell pic and hoped someone would say it was good :)

I saw a pic of one of Pat's rounds that showed he turned the full neck and into the shoulder. He seems to be having good success with I think 16 loadings thus far per brass piece. So hopefully I did this right. Won't know until my gun shows up, but I'm still many months out. But was eager to figure this out ahead of time.

BTW they do indeed finish short of the suggested OAL, but will probably slightly cut to uniform them.

Fongman has it right...you want to turn into the neck/shoulder junction until the cutter angle starts to pick up the shoulder. Usually about 1/32" is about right to blend the transition and remove the edge that can become a "donut" on the inside of the case. No need to go further than a 1/32" clean up...the pics look pretty good. I use a Sinclair neck turner and they offer either a 30˚ or 40˚ cutter depending on the shoulder angle of the case.
 
Got some Norma brass coming and a K&M neck turner. I have a Sinclair and a K&M already but prefer the K&M. I like to set it and forget it so I'll have a dedicated one for the 6.5. I like the carbide mandrel with the cutter to remove the donut if it forms. Never had a donut form on my .300wsm but my 6br and PPC always did.

Gonna try necking down with a .331,.315, then .295. Hope it works well at over $1.50/case


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Got a question for those who have processed and loaded rounds using this proceedure? What does your neck measure before and after you seat your bullet? My math calculates .015"X2 + .264" is .294" and given the brass contracts say .001" after turning and when you seat you come up with .295" (.002" neck tension) and the chamber is .296" seems very tight like that would be BR spec's on chamber clearances, but... I could be way off base thus the reason for my question
 
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Got a question for those who have processed and loaded rounds using this proceedure? What does your neck measure before and after you seat your bullet? My math calculates .015"X2 + .264" is .294" and given the brass contracts say .001" after turning and when you seat you come up with .295" (.002" neck tension) and the chamber is .296" seems very tight like that would be BR spec's on chamber clearances, but... I could be way off base thus the reason for my question

Not sure where the "brass contracts" comes in to play. After you turn to .015 you have .015X2+.264=.294 loaded round. There isn't .001" growth. Neck tension also doesn't effect the dimension of the loaded round, just the grip on the bullet. The reamer I ordered is .2962 or something like that, so there will be .0022 clearance, which I've never run into a problem running.
 
Not sure where the "brass contracts" comes in to play. After you turn to .015 you have .015X2+.264=.294 loaded round. There isn't .001" growth. Neck tension also doesn't effect the dimension of the loaded round, just the grip on the bullet. The reamer I ordered is .2962 or something like that, so there will be .0022 clearance, which I've never run into a problem running.
So your loaded rounds measure .294"? What does your cases measure after turning before loading? Just trying to get this all straight that's all.
 
If you turn to .015 (I've found to be precise I turn necks twice at the same setting. Second time cleans up a little and gives more consistency) then you would just take the .015x2=.030 + .264 (if your bullet is truly .264) = .294. Of course all is dependent on how accurately you turn your neck thickness measurement.

Diameter of the neck after sizing does not matter except for neck tension. Regardless of how much neck tension you have, the loaded round will measure the same. There will just be a tighter or looser press fit on the bullet.