First time creating a thread. I am thinking of a new build and am leaning toward doing a 6.5 wsm. I have been reading about the 6.5 saum though and don't want to look back and say should have could have. At this point I have not dealt with the 6.5 caliber at all. Now I am interested in trying a couple out. Meaning I have a 6.5-06 AI in the works and looking for the parts to start a wsm/saum. I do most of my own work on my rifles but when there is any kind of machining to do I send or take it somewhere. So I like to start with Savage actions because they are user friendly and I have parts and pieces laying around. I already have a 270 wsm and love it so I have brass. I was thinking of picking up a used 300 wsm and re-barreling it that way it would be a large shank and wouldn't have to mess with the magazine or bolt. This rifle and all of my rifles are intended for hunting with the intent of taking game at a distance that I am comfortable with. In other words practice a lot and if the ballistics say 1500 lbs of energy at 800 yards and the rifle is capable of a 4-6 inch group an elk that is broad side shouldn't be a problem. Note I still haven't felt comfortable with a shot like that but have rifles capable of it. I think from what I have read both cartridges are capable of this. The pro's of the 6.5 wsm; 270 wsm are brass is easy to come by and necking down is one step and I think I shouldn't have to turn the necks. The 6.5 saum requires a 2 step process to neck down from a 7mm saum and will probably need to be neck turned. Also I am not sure but feel a 700 action would be a better choice of actions with the saum and i wouldn't be able to order a barrel and install it without a gunsmith or at least a finishing reamer. The other thing I was considering is actions ( long Vs short). Shooting the 143 grain eldx would I have an issue of magazine length vs ogive. Any help with this would be great. I really appreciate all that I have learned from this forum over the years.
6.5 saum or 6.5 wsm
- Thread starter bghartle
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Welcome Brian
I personally would build the 6.5 SAUM for several reasons I will expand on. There are several suppliers of 6.5 SAUM brass the best of the lot is ADG. The SAUM will be a little shorter COAL and so fit in a Savage just fine. I have built one on a Savage large shank action. I ordered a barrel from Northland Shooters Supply along with a precision Nut and recoil lug and it is a tack driver. Just did a load work up with the Berger 156 EOL and I am very satisfied. The WSM will be a little longer and is a but too long for short actions. We are running the SAUM at right around 2.900 COAL which fits in a Savage WSM short action mag.
I personally would build the 6.5 SAUM for several reasons I will expand on. There are several suppliers of 6.5 SAUM brass the best of the lot is ADG. The SAUM will be a little shorter COAL and so fit in a Savage just fine. I have built one on a Savage large shank action. I ordered a barrel from Northland Shooters Supply along with a precision Nut and recoil lug and it is a tack driver. Just did a load work up with the Berger 156 EOL and I am very satisfied. The WSM will be a little longer and is a but too long for short actions. We are running the SAUM at right around 2.900 COAL which fits in a Savage WSM short action mag.
Thank you this is why I asked the question. Originally I couldn't find a thread but after I started it i dug around and found 2 others. I am now seriously thinking going the saum direction because of being a tad shorter. I have a 300 rum AWR that is a single shot because of magazine length issue and don't want to make that mistake again. I will look at ADG this might be the answer for my question.
Plinker147
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2015
- Messages
- 1,177
I would go SAUM. Since you already have a 270WSM have two guns using the same stamped brass is a pain. I have multiple 25-06, 6.5-06 and 6.5-270 and trying to keep brass straight between them is a pain in the!! Saum you can get stamped brass, feed a little better and should a get better barrel life. Only reason to do WSM if your chasing top speed.
SwampDog13
Well-Known Member
You should have no issue getting to the lands with the 140-147 eld bullets and still fit in the mag with a saum. My chamber has .120" freebore and the only bullet I've had issue with fitting the magazine is the Berger 156, they don't mind the jump though.
Another Casual
Well-Known Member
Since you already have the 270 WSM, is probably not get either, to be honest. Main advantage the 6.5 has over the 270 is bullet selection and power recoil, but I think a lot of that only matters on paper. If starting with nothing I'd favor the 6.5 over the 270, but you already have the 270. Why mess with what works? If it's a fast twist 270 I'd instead invest is some of the newer higher performance heavy 270 Cal bullets. You'll probably end up with about the same rifle as building a new one. Food for thought.
I am pretty well convinced on the 6.5 saum after finding out that there is correct head stamped brass available at a reasonable cost. I have a donor rifle in my sights that I think I can get at a reasonable price. The last thing that concerns me is what dies to go with. I want to have a FL, neck, and bullet seating. I don't need a micrometer set. I prefer Redding and don't have a problem with RCBS. Is there any reasonably priced sets or do I need to piece a set together with a bushing neck die. I am down to the stock and trigger on my 6.5-06 AI project and would like to have this rifle up and running to do load development at the same time. More dreams then money.
Alwinearcher
Well-Known Member
Yes, they are...
Welcome to LRH. Great to have you on board.
Update to this thread. Found a donor rifle at a pawn shop. Picked up a 300 wsm and brought it home. Ended up getting hurt and having a couple of surgeries. With the time off got to looking at the data on the 300 wsm round and decided to try to work up a load. Didn't want to waste some of my normal powders and started with magpro. shot this and early in from min to max at .5 intervals started giving a stiff bolt. Went back and tried some IMR 4350 and had a stiff bolt at minimum load. Then went to town and got some federal fusion 165 grain factory rounds and nearly stuck the bolt for good. Got it open and inspected case and found flatten primer. Question is is this round worth spending time on or should I move on and get it re barreled which the rifle was intended for to begin with?
If you found it in a pawn shop for cheap that should be your first clue. I have a 300 WSM and love it and it was very easy to work up a load for. Great cartridge in my opinion. Given the above evidence I would move on with your original plan.
might have a carbon ring or some other issue
Do you have a borescope? If not I would get one of them cheap ones that will tell you a lot. I would get some good cleaners get that barrel clean. You will proably need some jb bore paste use an undersized brush wrapped with a patch with jb on it, work it back and worth using a bore guide. Clean it out good maybe do it again too. I use bore tech cleaners if you stay on top of them it works good. I would bet it's proably just dirty. What kind of rifle is it? If it won't shoot then rebarrel like your original plan, but I would try cleaning it and recommend a bore scope so you can see what's going on I there.
