7 mm SHERMAN SHORTMAG vs 7 SAUM

[RH300UM]

Re: Lightweight rifles

Good points Paul. My main goal would be a carry rifle that would be used primarily where I think it is going to be close up and personal but would have the ABILITY to shoot longer range if the situation arose. That is why I think a short action 6.5 SS with a 22" barrel at over 3000' with the 150's would be a good choice. There are lightweight scopes available now that have 5-6x magnification so maybe a 3x18 or even 4x24 would work to allow good field of view close up but enough power for longer ranges. I might not use a turret scope either, but a good BDC style.......Rich

Hey... I just happen to have one of those! Although I am using the 140 hybrids.
As Rich knows it is a Very accurate lightweight rifle.
It was a very easy rifle to pack with in the Alaskan Brooks Range.

 

[elkaholic]

I had a chance to take a "meat deer" while I was in North Id. at fairly long distance with the 7SS and wanted to see how it performs on game with the 180 Berger VLD. The mv was 2960' and I had run a .040" drill bit in the tip to make sure the hole was clean. I usually do this as it keeps them all uniform and reduces the possibility of no expansion without really changing the jacket thickness. The deer was quartering a little toward me at 854 yards. We were riding my 4 wheeler above a large field when we spotted the deer so I placed my pack across the back of the quad. I dialed up 17 1/4 moa and put the crosshairs right where the neck and the point of the shoulder meet. I thought that there was a very slight breeze that would move the bullet into the shoulder just a little. Apparently the wind went neutral because the bullet entered almost precisely where I aimed and exited the off shoulder (as you can see) Looks like the Berger worked! This Rifle is an absolute hammer! I have held .3 moa out to 1100 yards in good conditions. Seems "Bign Green" knows how to build a custom Savage!....Rich

 

[RH300UM]

I had a chance to take a "meat deer" while I was in North Id. at fairly long distance with the 7SS and wanted to see how it performs on game with the 180 Berger VLD. The mv was 2960' and I had run a .040" drill bit in the tip to make sure the hole was clean. I usually do this as it keeps them all uniform and reduces the possibility of no expansion without really changing the jacket thickness. The deer was quartering a little toward me at 854 yards. We were riding my 4 wheeler above a large field when we spotted the deer so I placed my pack across the back of the quad. I dialed up 17 1/4 moa and put the crosshairs right where the neck and the point of the shoulder meet. I thought that there was a very slight breeze that would move the bullet into the shoulder just a little. Apparently the wind went neutral because the bullet entered almost precisely where I aimed and exited the off shoulder (as you can see) Looks like the Berger worked! This Rifle is an absolute hammer! I have held .3 moa out to 1100 yards in good conditions. Seems "Bign Green" knows how to build a custom Savage!....Rich View attachment 54133

Nice shot Rich!!!
This velocity range of 3000-3100 fps is where the Bergers perform and probably designed to work the best.

 

[RH300UM]

I had a chance to take a "meat deer" while I was in North Id. at fairly long distance with the 7SS and wanted to see how it performs on game with the 180 Berger VLD. The mv was 2960' and I had run a .040" drill bit in the tip to make sure the hole was clean. I usually do this as it keeps them all uniform and reduces the possibility of no expansion without really changing the jacket thickness. The deer was quartering a little toward me at 854 yards. We were riding my 4 wheeler above a large field when we spotted the deer so I placed my pack across the back of the quad. I dialed up 17 1/4 moa and put the crosshairs right where the neck and the point of the shoulder meet. I thought that there was a very slight breeze that would move the bullet into the shoulder just a little. Apparently the wind went neutral because the bullet entered almost precisely where I aimed and exited the off shoulder (as you can see) Looks like the Berger worked! This Rifle is an absolute hammer! I have held .3 moa out to 1100 yards in good conditions. Seems "Bign Green" knows how to build a custom Savage!....Rich View attachment 54133

+1 on the 40 thou bit opening the tip!!
I will start a high jack with this but I truely believe Bergers have a problem with the open tip closing at much over 3050fps.

 

[Pdvdh]

The mv was 2960' and I had run a .040" drill bit in the tip to make sure the hole was clean. I usually do this as it keeps them all uniform and reduces the possibility of no expansion without really changing the jacket thickness. ...Rich

Good thing you didn't use a 0.050" drill. You might have lost 1/2 of your "meat" deer.

 

[elkaholic]

Good thing you didn't use a 0.050" drill. You might have lost 1/2 of your "meat" deer.

Ya, the off shoulder was pretty much dog food.......Rich

 

[elkaholic]

Let me clarify why I run a .040" bit in the tips. It is not to make the bullets more explosive necessarily. Some of the bullets will have very little, if any, material removed. The Berger jackets are roughly .014" in thickness at the nose. The meplat is approx. .065-.070" in diameter depending on the particular bullet. When forming the nose, material is crushed together, SOMETIMES closing the hollow point. My idea is to make the bullets CONSISTENT in performance and not to necessarily CHANGE the performance. You can definitely CHANGE the performance if you run anything larger than .040". I hope this makes sense as to what my intention is.......Rich

 

[MudRunner2005]

Ya, the off shoulder was pretty much dog food.......Rich

Which is exactly why I take lung-shots for non-trophy deer...If it's getting shot for food, I don't want to waste any of it.

 

[elkaholic]

Which is exactly why I take lung-shots for non-trophy deer...If it's getting shot for food, I don't want to waste any of it.

Ya, I guess I need to practice a little harder!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Ya, I guess I need to practice a little harder!

Sounds like you need to brush-up on your "Texas Heart-shots". I saw the "MOA" thread.

 

[wilkup]

Looks like I'll be joining the club for Sherman's short rounds, having previously owned the 6.5 that would fire groups in the .1s and seeing the results Rich is getting with this new round!

I can't wait to get this new wildcat slinging lead downrange =)

I'll be using a fluted Bartlein #3 of 23'' mated up to a Fierce Firearms action and bedded in a Pendleton Composite High Cheek Sporter stock. Looking forward to a light, handy, and fun new boom stick!

Thanks for the heads up on this wonder round, Rich!

 

[elkaholic]

Looks like I'll be joining the club for Sherman's short rounds, having previously owned the 6.5 and getting epic groups and seeing the results Rich is getting with this new round!

I can't wait to get this new wildcat slinging lead downrange =)

I'll be using a Bartlein #3 of 23'' mated up to a Fierce Firearms action. Looking forward to a fun bang toy!

Thanks for the heads up on this wonder round, Rich!

I think you will be very happy with it and this Norma brass is working out REALLY well!.......Rich

 

[muleystalker]

Has anyone ran the 195 Hybrid i the 7 SS yet? just curious what kind of velocity you could get, or if your reaching the point of diminishing returns.

 

[elkaholic]

Has anyone ran the 195 Hybrid i the 7 SS yet? just curious what kind of velocity you could get, or if your reaching the point of diminishing returns.

No they have not. I am guessing 2900' tops.......Rich