Custom Rifle Help: 7mm Cartridge Decision and BDL choice

[IdahoHunter208]

Awesome thanks for everyone's responses. I actually was mistaken and the barrel is a 1:8 twist so it will be good for the 195s.

I will definitely be doing the Hawkins BDL. I think I've narrowed the cartridge choice down to 7 SAUM or 7 rem mag or 28 Nosler. First I need to figure out how often I am planning on shooting this rifle. Since it's my first custom rifle I'd like to shoot it quite a bit so that leads me more towards the SAUM for more barrel life.

What are your thoughts?

 

[FEENIX]

Awesome thanks for everyone's responses. I actually was mistaken and the barrel is a 1:8 twist so it will be good for the 195s.

I will definitely be doing the Hawkins BDL. I think I've narrowed the cartridge choice down to 7 SAUM or 7 rem mag or 28 Nosler. First I need to figure out how often I am planning on shooting this rifle. Since it's my first custom rifle I'd like to shoot it quite a bit so that leads me more towards the SAUM for more barrel life.

What are your thoughts?

From your choices, the 7MM Rem Mag.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Awesome thanks for everyone's responses. I actually was mistaken and the barrel is a 1:8 twist so it will be good for the 195s.

I will definitely be doing the Hawkins BDL. I think I've narrowed the cartridge choice down to 7 SAUM or 7 rem mag or 28 Nosler. First I need to figure out how often I am planning on shooting this rifle. Since it's my first custom rifle I'd like to shoot it quite a bit so that leads me more towards the SAUM for more barrel life.

What are your thoughts?

I personally would run the 7mm rem mag just for the sake of brass choices. ADG I know makes 7mm SAUM brass but their brass is never in stock that I can see. 28 nosler is a BEAST and an great round. However, you said youd like to shoot this rifle alot so I'd forgo the 28 Nosler. To me, 7mm rem mag is the most practical choice here. You will get a few fps over the saum. Barrel life wont be terrible. Certainly better than the 28 nosler. I would run a 180 eld-m or a 195 berger in a 7mm RM and dont look back. The 7mm RM isnt the new cool kid on the block, but it still gets the job done.

 

[Deleted member 25294]

Awesome thanks for everyone's responses. I actually was mistaken and the barrel is a 1:8 twist so it will be good for the 195s.

I will definitely be doing the Hawkins BDL. I think I've narrowed the cartridge choice down to 7 SAUM or 7 rem mag or 28 Nosler. First I need to figure out how often I am planning on shooting this rifle. Since it's my first custom rifle I'd like to shoot it quite a bit so that leads me more towards the SAUM for more barrel life.

What are your thoughts?

I'd go SAUM
much more efficient than the 7 RM and you won't have to deal with any potential brass sizing issues associated with belted cases ( i.e case swell above the belt, yes it's a real thing I've experienced it personally)
ADG brass is awesome, and readily available I get notices that it's in stock all the time.
The SAUM is super easy to tune, there's a reason guys are running it for ELR matches.
Using the right powder you'll get a 195 up around 2900 fps in a 26" barrel

 

[Jud96]

I personally would run the 7mm rem mag just for the sake of brass choices. ADG I know makes 7mm SAUM brass but their brass is never in stock that I can see. 28 nosler is a BEAST and an great round. However, you said youd like to shoot this rifle alot so I'd forgo the 28 Nosler. To me, 7mm rem mag is the most practical choice here. You will get a few fps over the saum. Barrel life wont be terrible. Certainly better than the 28 nosler. I would run a 180 eld-m or a 195 berger in a 7mm RM and dont look back. The 7mm RM isnt the new cool kid on the block, but it still gets the job done.

I agree. The 7mm SAUM is a cartridge I've always wanted to build a rifle for and one of my favorites. But it doesn't out do the 7mm Rem Mag for a hunting rifle. On paper, the 7mm SAUM is right behind the 7mmRM, but there's no where near the data, components, and information on the SAUM as the 7mm Rem Mag. If this is your first custom, and a rifle you plan to shoot a lot, then the 7mmRM is probably the easiest and most practical route to go. The SAUM is still a great round to consider, it will do everything you want, it might just be harder to get brass for at times.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Ah yes the terrible belt. Better steer clear of any belted cartridge!

In all seriousness, as long as you dont size the living crap out of it and only bump the shoulder .001-.002 you'll be perfectly fine. I've been loading 7mm rem mag for a few years now and have never had any issues using this method of sizing. The belt is unnecessary, but it doesnt really hurt anything either as long as you size properly. There are many people on this forum that size and shoot belted cases without any issues.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I agree. The 7mm SAUM is a cartridge I've always wanted to build a rifle for and one of my favorites. But it doesn't out do the 7mm Rem Mag for a hunting rifle. On paper, the 7mm SAUM is right behind the 7mmRM, but there's no where near the data, components, and information on the SAUM as the 7mm Rem Mag. If this is your first custom, and a rifle you plan to shoot a lot, then the 7mmRM is probably the easiest and most practical route to go. The SAUM is still a great round to consider, it will do everything you want, it might just be harder to get brass for at times.

I would like a 7mm SAUM for myself some day. I just feel for his application a more practical approach will be best.

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

If you had narrowed it down to the 3 you mentioned--I'd go with the 7mm rem mag...plenty of brass-good brass, plenty of capacity, and run the 165 game changers fast,180s,or the 175 EOL berger s and the 1-9 will love them.

I'm not a wildcat guy any more--I spent way to much time making cases...but again if your not set the 7mm Blaser is a hell of a design---but so is the 7mm mag--been good for awhile now

Looking forward to seeing the set up...

 

[Frog4aday]

Another vote for the 7mm Rem Mag.

 

[lancetkenyon]

While I love the 28 Nosler for a purely hunting round, the barrel life deters me from building one. I have shot 17 or 18 different 28 Noslers though.

For me, 7SAUM or 7RM in a LA mag face. Don't get hooked on the 195 unless you are running a big case. For hunting to 1000, the 175-180s are plenty. You should be able to get them up around 2950-3000+.
I own a 7RM. Some of my cases have 10 loadings on them. I have loaded for several others, 6-7 loadings. Never yet had a single issue with FL sizing them with the die set correctly. Same with .300WM.

 

[MudRunner2005]

26" 1:8 twist barrel... Either 7mmRM or .28 Nosler, you can't go wrong either way.

 

[RH300UM]

7 saum vote form me
180's @ 3030fps. ADG brass, RL26,Fed215gm
26 inch barrel
Buy enough brass to last the barrel
It's a lightweight hammer

 

[vancewalker007]

Not sure if the 9 twist is going to work with the 195

Yeah, a 1:8 will work in a wider range of altitudes but at higher altitudes and the velocities of most 7 mag class cartridges a 1:9 will also work. I have 2 7LRMs, one 1:9 and one 1:8 and they both shoot the 195 EOL very accurately, that's pushing it 2930ish fps at 3000+ ft alt. I've shot out to past 1000 with very good results.

 

[Lahunter76]

I shot a 7mmRM in a m70 SS Boss and Loved it....till I got my first LH gun in a 300wsm and my dad said TY!! And he's been killing deer with it ever since and loves it!!
7mmRM with a 160-168 would be sexy but I would want something with more pow down range, which is where I would want a 7STW I don't know why I have such a love affair with that round but I like it a lot! But the 28nos or 7rum would be a stud and be able to push what you want at the distance you want with the killing power. But shoot ability I would use a 7SAUM would be a round I may would lean to with the 150-168gr round in a light rifle but I personally would rather a 30 mag of some sort with a 200-230gr if I was going to want to shoot elk at 1k. Just an ignorant opinion.