Is the 7mm Rem Short Action Ultra Mag a good competition rifle?

[gilcarleton]

I have a Model 70 in a short action .308 and I want to get into shooting F Class Open. I originally considered converting to a 7 mm 08 but after finding more about the competition I began looking for something else. Someone referred me to a .284 but I think I might do better with a more modern caliber so I am considering a 7mm Rem Short Ultra Mag. Is this a popular round in the F Class? I am open to any input you can share with me regarding your thoughts on the round. I assume it is an accurate one. I use to have the standard 7 mm Rem Mag and I liked it but my knowledge of this round is only what I have read in re-loading manuals.

 

[MudRunner2005]

The .308 or 7mm-08 will do fine. They are both inherently accurate designs. I see no gains from the 7mm SAUM other than speed (shorter barrel life) and flatter trajectory. All calibers are only as accurate as the rifle is that's shooting them.

Plus, you will have to open the bolt face, and change out the mag box and follower in you rifle to run an SAUM caliber.

There is a reason the .308 Win has been around, and still being so widely used, since it was introduced in 1952. With modern powders, brass, primers, and bullets, the .308 Win can be just as accurate as anything else.

 

[Mateo]

Comparing the 7 Saum to a .308 win just doesn't work. 7mm bullets have s much better ballistic coefficient than the 30 cal. The saum case will push these higher BC bullets much faster than the .308 win and handle the wind so much nicer. That's what wins F-open comps, reading the wind. Any advantage with the wind should not be taken lightly. The 6.5 saum has taken a bunch of competitions by storm. (Not just F-class) it's a fast, hard hitting cartridge that does very well. I personally have a 7 saum on the way and look forward to shooting it.

 

[dkhunt14]

In F-OPEN you will see the 300 WSM, 7 SAUM, 284 Shehane, and 284 as being the most used and doing the winning. These are the 1000 yard choices. Now at 600 yards you will see 6.5x47 and 6 Dashers a lot. You'll probably not see a 308 in open. They just can't compete. Now in FTR you have to shoot either a 223 or a 308. A better place to ask is the 6BR site. A lot of F-class shooters hang out there. They will answer any question you ask. Go to 6BR.com or Accurate shooter. Matt

 

[elkaholic]

If you guys like the 7 SAUM, you might want to take a look at my new 7 SS. I am having a reamer made right now which will be throated perfectly for the 168 Berger but will handle the 180 just fine. COAL of the 168 to the lands will be 2.870". I am expecting max to be close to 3100'... .........Rich

 

[Dgd6mm]

In short yes it is. What dkhunt said about going to accurate shooter, that is where you will get good comp info.

 

[nosualc]

In F-OPEN you will see the 300 WSM, 7 SAUM, 284 Shehane, and 284 as being the most used and doing the winning. These are the 1000 yard choices. Now at 600 yards you will see 6.5x47 and 6 Dashers a lot. You'll probably not see a 308 in open. They just can't compete. Now in FTR you have to shoot either a 223 or a 308. A better place to ask is the 6BR site. A lot of F-class shooters hang out there. They will answer any question you ask. Go to 6BR.com or Accurate shooter. Matt

+1 on everything Matt wrote here.

-nosualc

 

[ohiohunter]

I had friends in the nationals team match and the winners were a group shooting 284's, and 280's.

Don't forget to take into consideration barrel life.

** As pointed out your bolt face is standard. So if you wish to keep the same bolt you're stuck w/ the 284shehane or 284. The shehane requires fire forming, but I have heard of guys winning matches while fire forming. I like the shehane but I don't care to fire form nor jump through the hoops for the reamer and dies. 284 is more common.

 

[roninflag]

i have not shot f-class for a coupke years. i shot/shoot 6.5-284. i see the scores of the matches and equip . lot of .284's now. lapua brass available for it. for 1000 yards i would use a 7 wsm.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

Finding 7 SAUM brass could be a pain in the @$$.

 

[tim_w]

7mm, something off the 284 or short mags cases. 6.5/284 norma necked up ( lapua brass) or shehane again with (lapua brass), 7mm RSAUM (norma) or 7mm/300WSM (Win is you do not mind culling and some extra prep ( flash holes) otherwise Norma even though its soft compared to most everything else, Fed is also an option).

I really have zero issues having to form cases, be it press and or fire/hydro forming. After all, unless you are using a case that requires you to push to the ragged max, with some regular annealing they should last a season or two. In fact, I enjoy the task but, I do know some do not have the time or really find it, at best, a necessary evil. But for me I have always enjoyed all aspects of reloading etc. Its almost like meditation. The outside world shuts down much like being behind the trigger but without the stress of a comp.

Personally, I would probably run some wild cat 6mm setup for F Class, if I decided to go back to competing (Again for me personally). Get those 105 bergers up to 3300-3400 accuracy node and they beat the 180 7mm@3K in drop by 4" and flight time by a tenth (7% faster to target), but are short 3" for 10mph full value wind all @ 1K. Its a small bit of a disadvantage for wind but recoil is a decent bit less even that of a 7-08. But all said and done that certainly puts it in the hunt as it beats the old king 6.5/284 140 hybrid@3K in both drop and wind. Plus I like to be different.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Check out Kenny Adams and his 7rsaum. National Champion.... Brass is almost hard to find for anything that is competitive in competition. The reason I say almost is the fact that you can find 6.5x284Lapua and neck up for the.284 and Shehane which of course would have to be f.f.

 

[tim_w]

I can find rsaum without mucb issue its the prices they want. Same goes for rum. $2 and up is ludicrous given I can find loaddd ammo in those cases for less.