• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

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

For does that use the .298 reamer what are your procedure to neck down 7mm rsaum brass?

i am trying to figure it out.

like .295/.294 bushing then .264 expander and that's it?
 
Anytime you neck up or down the necks need to be turned, other wise your neck tension is all over the place and could cause pressure issues because the necks are tighter than the chamber in spots. This will require a "true up" turn (removing the high spots) to bring it back into concentricity.
 
Huckleberry75/Wyldeman

Do you neck turn after?

For fired brass what bushing do you use?

6mm mandrel? Not a 6.5?
 
Last edited:
bas402 Have you got any info on the 139gr Scenars?

Not George, but
I started using 139 Scenars and really like them. My rifle was chambered by GAP with the old reamer, the COAL that I am using is 2.930 with the 139's and they shoot great! So I would think for you guys using the new reamer will just need adjust back from there when using the 139 Scenars.
 
bas402 Have you got any info on the 139gr Scenars?

Not George, but
I started using 139 Scenars and really like them. My rifle was chambered by GAP with the old reamer, the COAL that I am using is 2.930 with the 139's and they shoot great! So I would think for you guys using the new reamer will just need adjust back from there when using the 139 Scenars.

Not yet, I got 139gr Scenars, 140JLK's, and 140gr Hybrids all to test once my stock shows up figure I will be testing in March. I'm glad to hear that about the Scenars, I have yet to have any of my 6.5's that don't shoot them, and they are so user friendly, I've only been able to get them to 2970 out of one of my 260's and i'm really leaning on my brass/ barrelso I'm really looking forward to pushing them 3150 or so at these hopefully low pressures. Everything is prepped except for trimming and I'll wait until I check my chamber for that. PM inbound to you.
 
Thanks to guys for their help. Traded shell holders from one RCBS 43 to another RCBS 43 and the primers seated deeper into the primer pocket. Go figure....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
someone should make a : ''care and feeding of GAP 6.5 SAUM no neck turn .298''

i would like to see detailed picture thread on the brass forming and tool used.
 
someone should make a : ''care and feeding of GAP 6.5 SAUM no neck turn .298''

i would like to see detailed picture thread on the brass forming and tool used.


It would be a short thread.



1. take 7mm SAUM brass and lube the neck with imperial size wax.
2. Run through 6.5x300 Saum redding Die.
3. Trim to 2.020
4 LOAD!
 
someone should make a : ''care and feeding of GAP 6.5 SAUM no neck turn .298''

i would like to see detailed picture thread on the brass forming and tool used.


It would be a short thread.



1. take 7mm SAUM brass and lube the neck with imperial size wax.
2. Run through 6.5x300 Saum redding Die.
3. Trim to 2.020
4 LOAD!
 
And for people that don't have this die set but have the 6.5mm 4s rsaum 36280 from cooper creek? we just use bushing(.294/.295)
 
Just for the fun i resized a 7mm saum brass today with a .290 bushing(the only one i have) then expanded the neck with my K&M expander(.264)

Here the result's:

Does the neck look normal after rezising? I will need to turn it, but no sign of buldge?

Also i've mesured the neck size(with bullet seated) and it is .299
The neck wall is .016 to .020

So if my chamber is cut for a .298 neck i need to trim my neck to .278 to .283 right? so it give me .015 to .020 of clearance?

in the present case i should remove .016/2 = .008 on the wall right?

I know that i haven't use the correct bushing so i suppose with larger o.d bushing will move less material and i will end with a thinner neck wall thickness?
I need some confirmation
 
After 30+ years with my old Lyman and Forster trimmers, I just received a new Wilson with the Sinclair micrometer adjustment. Took it for a test drive on some 6.5 SAUM (necked down from Remington 300 RSAUM) that needed trimming after three times loading. No collets. No pilots. Extremely clean and consistent cuts. A great update to my reloading bench. If you haven't already made this switch, do yourself a favor and get one of these before your next trim session (can I say that on Snipers Hide?!?!?).
 
Barrel is at the gunsmith's being chambered and my last needed reloading component has finally arrived (16lbs of H1000 ordered in October). It's finally time to start necking down and turning brass!! :cool:
 
Just researched the RCBS catalog and found that I need the #38 shell holder and not the #43 that I used for WSM. Might that be my problem with the hand primer not seating primers all the way down?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just researched the RCBS catalog and found that I need the #38 shell holder and not the #43 that I used for WSM. Might that be my problem with the hand primer not seating primers all the way down?

Interesting, for the most part all I have used are Redding shellholders and they list their #6 for the short mags (Rem and Win) and the same #6 for belted and ultra mags. I see RCBS has at least three (38, 43, 4) shellholders for the various magnums that Redding covers with just the #6.
 
Because the Reamer change seems to have a lot of guy’s concerned I thought I would measure different bullets to the lands in both chambers for everyone so everyone can understand the need for the change.
Measurements are COAL to the lands
Case: Rem 6.5 SAUM 4S

Old Reamer Most rifles built had this chamber through July of 2013

140 Berger Hybrid 2.960
140 JLK 2.965
130 JLK 2.965
130 Berger VLD 2.910
140 AMAX 2.880

New Reamer after July or 2013

140 Berger Hybrid 2.920
140 JLK 2.925
130 JLK 2.925
130 Berger VLD 2.860
140 AMAX 2.830

Basically a .040 - .050 depending on type of bullet

New Reamer.
It's perfect for the Berger Hybrids now. , 2.920 to touch.

130 Berger VLD's will touch at 2.880


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

George,

I have the .298 NK .081FB
i just measured my chamber..tried to and with my hornady OAL tool it give me a 2.912 touching the land(i think..) with berger 140 hybrid

Where did you make your measurement? at the tip(because the tips is not even..)?

would appreciate information
 
So I finally have everything. Jesus, what a PITA. I built the rifle awhile back and set it aside. I did get to shoot it some but was without reloading dies.

Have dies, loading now... Lets see if I'm reminded why I even build this damn thing in the first place!
 
Lets see if I'm reminded why I even build this damn thing in the first place!

I have the same feeling, have all the supplies, brass prepped, had all my parts for a while now except no stock, wait... Just heard from Manners today that my T4A shipped maybe by the end of the month I'll be shooting!!
 
I have the same feeling, have all the supplies, brass prepped, had all my parts for a while now except no stock, wait... Just heard from Manners today that my T4A shipped maybe by the end of the month I'll be shooting!!

Keep us updated! I'm going to try and get out Friday evening and also do plenty of shooting this weekend. I still have to dial in the COAL on my load.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Interesting, for the most part all I have used are Redding shellholders and they list their #6 for the short mags (Rem and Win) and the same #6 for belted and ultra mags. I see RCBS has at least three (38, 43, 4) shellholders for the various magnums that Redding covers with just the #6.
That's cause when it comes to shell holders RCBS is really messed up! They caused me problems with my 338LM Lapua brass #42 no #14 no #43, screw it got a Redding 35 never look back. I use my #6 on my 300WM,7WSM, and 6.5 SAUM no issues.
 
I've got a couple 38's on the way. Shell holders, that is...

If those don't help, I'm buying redding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Update. Used a 38 in my RCBS hand priming tool, primers seated correct depth. All is good...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Care And Feeding Of A GAP 6.5 SAUM.....

Figured it out, got some loaded with 130 VLD and some with 136 Scenar.
Hope to get my scope and go shooting soon...
 
Last edited:
This is killing me. I have two builds I'm waiting on. Waiting on a PTG bolt for one and a barrel for the other one. Meanwhile I prepped some brass. Norma 7mm SAUM brass, necked down with a .295 bushing in a Redding 7mm SAUM die, expanded on a K&M mandrel, turned to .015" on the K&M turner, sized with a .290 busing, and trimmed to 2.018". Waiting for the smith to chamber my Wilson seater die blank and I'll be throwing powder and seating bullets. Very impressed with the weight consistency of the Norma brass, I just hope it lasts as long as others are seeing with Remington.

 
Started the relaoding.

I will say something to the OP... jsut how you do.

1- run out with this die kit is shit...
2- If i neck down with the .295 and follow the rest of the procedure you suggest , run out is still horrible.
3- Due to the die design a portion of the neck is not resized(.250) and they'r is a good bulge forming at shoulder junction. This bulge is causing a feeling of resistance when feeding in the chamber.
4- You still need to fireform.
5- Can you explain a more detail procedure for the case forming section?
 
Whidden Gunworks has correct Dies and competition seater now!!
y2ubyner.jpg
asu6esa5.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Where's pictures of the rifle?




The first range session did not yield the accuracy I was hoping for. However, I'm fairly confident it was an error on my part when necking down the brass (or I got a crappy lot# of Amax's). I'm starting with virgin Nosler .300 SAUM brass and the shoulder on average is 0.004in shorter than of a fired case. For some dumbass reason when I was necking down I was also bumping the shoulder back an addition 0.004in so when fired the shoulder was growing 0.010-0.008in. Velocity was on average 3085fps @70F from a 27" 1 in 8.5 barrel, 140gr Amax over 60.5gr H1000. I've got 75 more brass to prep and fire form/ test this weekend.
 
Okay, Dustin there at GAP has been very patient with me! But we finally (well I) finally made the decision on a barrel contour so we should be good to go.

Nothing left to do but prep some brass. I had a 7saum, so I have some redding dies. I was using the bushing neck sizer, and also a body die that I'd have to use about every other firing.

So now that whidden is making dies, I'm wondering if I shouldn't just order their full length bushing die? I emailed whidden regarding this, and the fella said the 6.5 has a smaller head to shoulder dimension than the 7. And I'd have to take this in account when sizing virgin 7 saum brass.

Am I just reading this wrong? If this dimension is smaller than the 7, than how are guys sizing with just the 7saum?

I'd like to get the one die, running through the neck and body is twice the time and not twice the fun.

So simply looking for, "yup, they work great with factory 300 or 7 brass" or "no, you need to use the 7saum dies first"

Or anything in between!

Thanks
 
Last edited: