6.5 WSM brass to 6.5 SAUM/GAP??

[codyadams]

My friend has a 270 WSM that he wants to build into a custom rifle, and he wants to do a hot rod 6.5, and is asking for help. I'm thinking 6.5 SAUM/GAP. He has 500 rounds of 270 WSM brass all once fired, So my question is can we make his 270 WSM brass into 6.5 SAUM? Has anyone done this before? It would be alot cheaper than buying 7mm or 300 SAUM brass and reworking it. any other help with this build would be appreciated

 

[elkaholic]

My friend has a 270 WSM that he wants to build into a custom rifle, and he wants to do a hot rod 6.5, and is asking for help. I'm thinking 6.5 SAUM/GAP. He has 500 rounds of 270 WSM brass all once fired, So my question is can we make his 270 WSM brass into 6.5 SAUM? Has anyone done this before? It would be alot cheaper than buying 7mm or 300 SAUM brass and reworking it. any other help with this build would be appreciated

Hi Cody.....As you know, I make 6.5ss brass from the saum. It is VERY difficult to push the shoulder back and re form WSM brass. I have tried it when we first designed the SS. You will very likely end up wrinkling, or collapsing the shoulder.....Rich

 

[orch]

Hey there,

I've made 6.5 saum brass from both 270wsm and 300wsm nosler brass.... It's definitely more work than a straight neck down of saum brass, u have to push a lot of brass to get that shoulder down then trim a lot off for length and turn a lot of brass off the neck because the neck will be mostly what used to be the thicker shoulder brass of the old wsm case you started with...
Out of 50 cases I never lost any in the forming process...
Fired fine and all, but did find case capacity compared to nosler saum brass was less so I had to decrease my charge weight in the wsm brass to make it match my saum brass... Shot equally as accurate with the wsm brass, but after 2 firings I quit using it because I didn't want to have to remember to use a different charge...

It's definetly more of a PITA but can be done...

If he is really set on a 6.5 hot rod and really wants to use all that wsm brass why not a 6.5wsm? Be a lot easier to make the brass...
Maybe won't have the barrel life of the 6.5 saum or 6.5 SS though

As far as the "it's cheaper" argument.... I have 9 firings on my first lot of 50 nosler saum brass and no sign of lose primers or anything that would indicate cases are close to needing tossed, and 4 firings on my second lot of 50... I'm betting elkaholic is getting lots of life outta his brass too... So say u spend $200 bucks on 100 new saum cases, they will probably last you close to the life of the barrel... And for the extra time it takes you to form the wsm to saum, I guess you have to determine what your time is worth...

Orch

 

[elkaholic]

Now that I have thought about your post, I can see where it would be possible to make SAUM out of WSM. I was trying to push WSM clear back to SS length and most of the damage occurred as a tried to move the heavy brass over a much longer area.......Rich

 

[codyadams]

After more research and these replies, I'm thinking we may just build a 6.5-300 WSM, and deal with the shorter barrel life, and I have heard they are finicky to load, but we are just wanting 3150-3200 with 140's, so that should be somewhat reduced. I like the SS, but I don't think my friend wants the extra work of the SS, even with the added benefit, and he doesn't shoot a ton so I think the 6.5-300 WSM will work fine for him

 

[orch]

After more research and these replies, I'm thinking we may just build a 6.5-300 WSM, and deal with the shorter barrel life, and I have heard they are finicky to load, but we are just wanting 3150-3200 with 140's, so that should be somewhat reduced. I like the SS, but I don't think my friend wants the extra work of the SS, even with the added benefit, and he doesn't shoot a ton so I think the 6.5-300 WSM will work fine for him

That's probably the route I would go if I were him... If he is gonna keep the pressure down and not ring the crap out of it I'm thinking the barrel will last a long enough for him to get plenty of enjoyment out of it.

Good luck

Orch

 

[elkaholic]

Cody....The 6.5 WSM will work just fine for him. I would disagree on one point though. The SS is only more work if he was making his own brass. With the brass I have available now, it is as simple as load and fire. you don't have to neck up or down, turn necks or anything......Rich

 

[codyadams]

Cody....The 6.5 WSM will work just fine for him. I would disagree on one point though. The SS is only more work if he was making his own brass. With the brass I have available now, it is as simple as load and fire. you don't have to neck up or down, turn necks or anything......Rich

I think the brass is the main point, because he doesn't want to have to buy brass considering he has 500 rounds of good Winchester brass...I know getting the brass and dies from you would be simple and work very well, and he would have a better cartridge, but he doesn't want all his brass he has collected to become useless or create alot of work to make it into something else. I personally like the SS round, and will probably have one down the road, but just don't think it's quite right for this guy.

 

[elkaholic]

I think the brass is the main point, because he doesn't want to have to buy brass considering he has 500 rounds of good Winchester brass...I know getting the brass and dies from you would be simple and work very well, and he would have a better cartridge, but he doesn't want all his brass he has collected to become useless or create alot of work to make it into something else. I personally like the SS round, and will probably have one down the road, but just don't think it's quite right for this guy.

Gotcha!