6.5 SAUM w/ 20” barrel

Looking into building an light deer/goat/sheep rifle for some upcoming hunts, possibly in AK. I would like to hear some real world experience shooting a short (20-22") barrel 6.5 SAUM.

My goals are a light (sub 6.5lb total) and compact rifle capable of taking deer size game to the 800 yard range while pushing a 140 class bullet @ or around 3,000 FPS.

I know how much people love the 6.5 CM, 6.5x47 and "the like" in a short barrel but I want something with a little more power and speed. Plus I'm already geared up for 6.5 SAUM as I used to have one but sold it, as it was too heavy.

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

I don't have Saum data per say but I do have SS and SST data which has a saum parent. Either one will easily reach your 3000' goal.
The SS has a 40 degree shoulder and would run a 140 at over 3100' with a 22" barrel and the sst at 3050' with a 30 degree shoulder. The SS has a coal of around 2.950" with a 140 Berger and the sst under 2.9". Loaded ammo will be available soon from Copper Creek and American Reserve Munitions.
I have reamer, dies and head stamped brass for either.
You can find all the info on my website at shermanwildcatcartridges.com
Good luck with your build!........rich

Go to the Handgun thread and ask this question. A number of really experienced short barrel 14 to 20" barrel shooters of game over there. Great first hand experience of on game performance.

Not Fun Fact: Short barrels and magnum chambers mean huge muzzle blast with lots of flash and not much speed for all the drama that follows pressing the loud switch.

Not An Answer to Your Specific Question: A smaller case with faster burning powder would benefit your cause here. In fact, if I were to do this sort of thing I'd probably try to find a remington model 7 and slap a 20" 6.5something barrel on it where that 6.5something is based on a .473" case head. Yeah, you're all set up for 6.5SAUM but blowing a bunch of unburned powder out of the muzzle because you already have the kit for that chambering is IMHO a questionable basis for the plan. At least this way you keep the 140gn bullet weight. You'd be surprised what's left over at 800yrds from a 6.5CM or 6.5x47.

Realizing that you asked for what you asked for, here's what I think you'll find to be a more helpful answer: What you could get away with is dropping the bullet weight to something like a 100gn (nosler partition or other very tough bullet would be a virtual requirement) which would let you run a faster burning powder for less inefficient burning from the shorter tube. Velocities will still be pretty darned high even with a 20" pipe (think >3200fps). You'll get the distance and the power remaining is plenty for deer size game even at that kind of range. It won't light up the universe with muzzle flash, won't be nearly so dang brutal to shoot, recoil less, etc... and all you have to do is change to a lighter bullet and faster powder.

I guess I want to add some actual shooting/reloading experience for this idea.

I've been using the 6.5 RSAUM (6.5 GAP 4S) since its creation. So call it 10 years approximately. We shot it in Tac and Long Range competitions as well as hunting deer, elk and antelope. We used it in longer barrels (30"+) and shorter barrels (19" up to 22"). Trying to anticipate any of the negativity surrounding this cartridge, we often waited until dusk (not hunting) to see what type of muzzle flash we were going to experience with these shorter barrels. Balancing the powder burn rate with the bullet weight, we were able to achieve minimum flash while maintaining higher velocities yielding viable remaining energy at the target. All powders will provide some amount of muzzle flash but this was easily usable in failing light.

20" barrel, 6.5 SAUM, Norma 130 gr. Golden Target over Re-25 and later Re-26 powder. Energy remaining at 800 yards is calculated at 1,050 ft/lbs. approximately.

Switch this to the Berger 140 gr. Elite Hunter and although the velocity is lower, the remaining energy at 800 yards is nearly the same by just a few feet.

Dropping down to the lighter bullet and smaller capacity cartridge may net higher velocities but suffers on energy at the 800 yard mark, yielding 350 ft/lbs. approximately.

Currently I have a couple of 6.5 PRC rifles built, one 20" for a suppressor and the other is 28" for longer range contests. Based on the same concept, the 20" barrel and the 130 grain Norma performs within nearly the same parameters as the 6.5 SAUM.

Enjoy your project!