6.5 SAUM 4S - Stalled out?

[AKMAN]

After much deliberation, I've decided the 6.5 SAUM 4S is the best short action sheep hunting cartridge.
Reasons as follows:
1. Fits in a short action (lighter)
2. Shoots high BC 6.5 bullets (less wind drift)
3. Shoots aforementioned high BC bullets @ ≥3100 fps

The problem: after all the good reports, die availability, and word of Hornady making brass, it seems like the caliber isn't going anywhere. Formed brass is going for $145/50 and I'm starting to lose patience. My WSM 700 action is desperate to be turned into something.

Anybody here using 6.5 SAUM 4S? Is it dying before it even got off the ground?

 

[Steve O]

Google up the 6.5 Sherman Short Mag.

There is a standard 6.5 Sherman based off the 270/280 case modified.

I am tempted but am going 264 Win mag here shortly; I don't think I'm ready to dedicate the time to a wildcat. When Ibdo I have a 300 WSM that will become the 6.5 Sherman Short Mag

 

[Whisky]

I had a love fest for this and then slapped sense into my self. No more wildcat bullshit for me. Been there done that. Not worth it at all. Pick a readily available alternative and learn to shoot it just the same and in the end it don't really matter much.

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[Brado16]

I shoot one, my favorite caliber to shoot. Ballistics are amazing, minimal recoil and stupid accurate and brass life has been great. My prepped Remingtion Brass is on its 10 firing. I picked up some of the Hornady Brass once it was released but have not played with it yet. Shoots 130s at 3200 and 139 and 140s at an honest 3100 FPS.


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[Brado16]

Dies are usually available and if you are not afraid of reloading and some brass prep work, 300 and 7 SAUM brass is not too bad finding.


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[bates]

Call Ga Precision

George had a pile of brass made and is the reason hornady did it

I'm sure like the 6 creed it moves fast but it's popular enough

 

[Brado16]

Call Ga Precision

George had a pile of brass made and is the reason hornady did it

I'm sure like the 6 creed it moves fast but it's popular enough

^ what he said....

Got my brass, dies and rifle from George.


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[N2TRKYS]

Google up the 6.5 Sherman Short Mag.

There is a standard 6.5 Sherman based off the 270/280 case modified.

I am tempted but am going 264 Win mag here shortly; I don't think I'm ready to dedicate the time to a wildcat. When Ibdo I have a 300 WSM that will become the 6.5 Sherman Short Mag

Definitely, call Rich. He's a cool guy to talk to. His 7 SS produces better than the 7 SAUM even in short actions.

 

[mtnwrunner]

After much deliberation, I've decided the 6.5 SAUM 4S is the best short action sheep hunting cartridge.
Reasons as follows:
1. Fits in a short action (lighter)
2. Shoots high BC 6.5 bullets (less wind drift)
3. Shoots aforementioned high BC bullets @ ≥3100 fps

The problem: after all the good reports, die availability, and word of Hornady making brass, it seems like the caliber isn't going anywhere. Formed brass is going for $145/50 and I'm starting to lose patience. My WSM 700 action is desperate to be turned into something.

Anybody here using 6.5 SAUM 4S? Is it dying before it even got off the ground?

Outstanding cartridge. I currently use 300 brass that has been prepped for the 6.5 saum but I will go the hornady route when I need a new batch. Very easy to shoot, superbly accurate and a great caliber. I don't do much sheep hunting but I don't think you could beat it for a long range sheep rifle.

Randy

 

[dirtytough]

I really want to build one on a Ti action for the ultimate backpack rifle. Seems like it would be an awesome sheep cartridge.

Regards, Branden

 

[paleraider]

It is what I use. It will never be a widely available cartridge so it will always require reloading unless you want to buy it from Copper Creek, as much as I love those guys it isn't cheap.

It is an awesome caliber, if you are going down the wildcat caliber path I would highly recommend checking out the 6.5 Addiction. It has great barrel life and can push it harder than the 6.5 SAUM, also it is based off of Lapua 6.5 x 55 so it is much better brass. Down side is fireforming brass. I shoot a competition rifle in 6.5 Addiction and everytime I do I think about taking it out hunting over the 6.5 SAUM.

 

[brushape]

Love my 6.5 Saum and for the second year in a row it will be my #1 rifle I have 5 tags to fill in my wallet so far for the year


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[Shrek]

I love my 6.5 saum. I keep thinking about my next project but my 6.5 saum has me stalled because it is everything I need. I own my reamer that is optimized for the Wyatts magazine box and 150 matrix bullets. I may build another but on the Razor Ti action and a CF wrapped barrel. Plenty of saum brass to make it from and some Hornady made factory brass but it will never be something you buy at the local Walmart. It is a super easy to make brass with no fireforming or shoulder setback. A simple neck down and turn and you're ready to go.
The only other cartridge that grabs my attention right now is a 270 wsm pushing a 170gr Berger but it needs a longer that 700 SA to get it out of the case. I may make another 6.5 saum on the razor and then make my current 6.5 saum based on a Winchester a 270 wsm throated for 170's.

 

[Cahunter805]

It's definitely a great caliber and very fun to shoot! Dies are easily available and brass is if you look around a bit. Accuracy is awesome as well. Get some H1000!

 

[AKMAN]

Thanks guys; that's what I needed to hear. I wasn't sure how difficult the brass was to make out of 7 SAUM, but it sounds simple. Not into neck turning, but it wouldn't be an every weekend rifle anyway.

Shrek - Who made your reamer? I dont expect to go over 140 grainers often, but intend to use a Wyatts box. Can a smith just throat it long and accomplish the same thing? Sidenote: something launching the 170 EOL is inevitable for me; I already have 1000 of them in the cupboard. I've got a donor M70 PF sitting in the corner that's itching to be a 270 AI... Berger data says 2800-2900 out of a 26" 270 Win.

 

[Shrek]

A smith can extend the throat but having the reamer do it is less chance for error. I bought the reamer from PTG. I told Dave Kiff what I wanted and he nailed it.
Dotman is working with the 170's in a 270 win. His barrel twist wouldn't stabalize them but I think he was a little over 2900fps with the straight 270 win. He's going to build a rifle to shoot them soon. He just received an eight twist proof carbon wrapped barrel in .277 to use.

 

[AKMAN]

Jealous! I asked Proof a while back about an 8 twist .277; 9 months seemed awful long for a chance at shooting the 165 Matrix. More offerings in the market (Berger...) make it all the more attractive.
That was actually one of the reasons I was looking at the 6.5 SAUM: off the shelf barrel availability.
Lots of projects for the winter!

 

[wind gypsy]

The brass is a PITA, it's true. I'm in the middle of processing 100pcs of norma right now. I had 200 pcs of the original hornady 6.5 GAP 4s run and sold 100 after shooting it a while. It has inconsistent weights, neck thickness, and primers pockets were toast early even when loaded milder than i'm loading r-p brass. The next batch of hopefully improved brass should be available from GAP any time now.

To your point, it's hard to find a better performing option in a short action. I don't think you lose much going 7 saum instead, not as flat, little more recoil. The new 162 eld has a .65x g1 bc. I'd go that route before 270WSM. The 170s would have more recoil and then you're building a custom rifle built just on 170s (which some have had accuracy struggles with) or matrix heavies. The 7 SAUM can use standard 9 twist barrels that will be good for the wide range of 7mm offerings.

 

[AKMAN]

7 SAUM was on the radar for that action too.
Having a few 175 Aframes/partition/woodleighs would make me a little more comfortable down on the gravel bars with the brown/*grizzly bears than a 140 grain Berger.

Not that a 160 grain 6.5 Woodleigh wouldn't penetrate...


*edit

 

[brushape]

Another one bites the dust to the 6.5 4s, 335 yards with this gun is literally like shooting my 30-06 at 150 and the lack of recoil means I get to watch them fall in the scope

This one was taken with a 130 jlk vld which has a .620 bc. I've now taken game with this gun with 140 amax 120 ttsx 130 Berger and 130 jlk


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