HELP! Custom rifle build, what cartridge???

cooperjd

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Nov 11, 2020
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Mount Pleasant, SC
I'm turning 40 this year, and I want a custom rifle built. I already have the builder picked.

To get this I will have to sell 2 rifles, and take my wife's gift to me to get the custom.

I will sell a Kimber Hunter .280ai that I recently picked up (5lbs, 4oz).

I will sell a Weatherby Mark V Ultra Lightweight .300wby that i recently picked up as well (6lbs, 14oz).

I want a somewhat light rifle built, 6ish lbs. I will likely put a NF SHV 3-10 on it, maybe a 4-16 huskemaw.

This will be an all around hunting rifle, but really I need a mountain rifle. I bought the Kimber recently because I am tired of lugging around my 9-1/2 pound 7mmRM in the mountains. Hence the 6ish pound wish.

I have a 7mmRM, and a 338RUM, both remington 700s, both shooters....both pretty heavy. For the smaller critters i have a 6.5creed tikka.

This will be my deer/elk mountain rifle. 7mm or .30 cal.

Initially I am thinking something that starts with a 3. Something light will replace the kimber, and a .30mag of some sort to replace the weatherby.

But which??? 300win, 300wby, 300 prc, 30nosler, wsm, saum, etc. etc...

I handload so once i get components (one day maybe they'll be available again) I'll be set, no need for a lot of factory ammo.

I know a short action will be lighter, but I'm not building this to count ounces, I just want a generally lightweight gun, I do not have a specific ounce number in mind. I've also considered another 7RM since I already have components, but with a faster barrel so I can shoot the 178gr absolute hammers or other longer, heavier bullets that my current 9.25" barrel can't. My current 7RM is a **** dbm from the factory so further customizing it is really a pain.

With the cost of customs I really will only have 1. Anyone else been through this struggle? Part of me says keep what I have and get another factory rifle like a tikka 300win and have a new faster barrel put on it for a lot less money than a full custom. The other part says' i've been dreaming about a really nice rifle for a long time and i should just do it....
any ideas? I'm struggling here :)
 
Don't discount the 7 saum. It's deadly on numerous size game and handles a variety of different weight projectiles you can load to your suited game. But if your holding fast on a 30 cal a 300 prc or a long throated (For Heavy for Caliber Projectiles) 300 win mag will handle anything you throw at it as well.
 
the 7saum does seem quite interesting. i'm not sure it has enough case capacity to sling the 178gr absolute hammers, but the 7saum and 300saum seem like really interesting cartridges. I just need enough cash to get them all!
 
I'll second the 7 saum. It's every bit as good as advertised. I built a 300 PRC last Fall with a Proof CF prefit to a BigHorn SR3 and a AG Composites CF Visigoth stock. I will hunt elk with it this Fall, but at the range, it is crazy accurate way out there :)
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Consider the 7saum, but only if you build it on a long action, and have it chambered with extra freebore. The person chambering will pick the reamer for the bullet you want to shoot. I believe mine has a freebore of .23". I'm getting 2980 FPS with a 26" barrel, 175eldx, and 58.5 gr of h4831sc. This is a light load honestly. Not a single sign of pressure, and I have 12 reloads on some of my Norma brass. Extremely accurate. Best group to date was a 10 shot group, that measured 9 1/2" at 1501 yards. It's a very efficient cartridge that will kill everything you want out to 1000+. Here's a pic of my saum next to a 7 mag, both loaded with the 175eldx. The extra freebore lets you load them long, to fit extra boom boom powder. Here's a whitetail I took at 809 yards this year with it. Bullet exited the other side.
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I'll second the 7 saum. It's every bit as good as advertised. I built a 300 PRC last Fall with a Proof CF prefit to a BigHorn SR3 and a AG Composites CF Visigoth stock. I will hunt elk with it this Fall, but at the long range, it is crazy accurate. View attachment 243702
I love my 300 pics too!
 

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Sell or purchase reamers. Hornady custom bushing dies. Feeding no issues especially with a DBM (aics) style like Accurate mag.
Longer neckbthan saum at . 331" and 40 degree shoulder equal better barrel life too. Guys are getting 2500+
 
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