6.5 saum vs 6.5 wsm vs others

[brushape]

I'm looking into building a 6.5 of some sort and wanting something faster/flatter than the standard 260//creedmoore and see everyone building the 6.5 saum mags and very few wsm rifles. Is there any reason for this? I can't get 270 wsm brass for nearly free all day long while saum brass is hard to come by and expensive. I am wanting to keep this short action so 6.5-06 is out. This would be strictly for hunting so barrel life isn't a huge deal

 

[Liljozie495]

I have a barrel for 6.5 at home, I was going to make either a creedmore or a 6.5x284 but being I haven't got a action yet or done the machine work to my barrel yet. I see the new 26 nosler caliber, it's not short action but it's sounding like a awesome caliber ballistically etc. Google search it? Good luck on your build

 

[Shrek]

If you have followed my build thread you know I've been working through this and although I haven't yet tuned it all the way to where I want the saum is the way to go in a short action. The wsm has the same problem it always has with longer bullets in a short action which is the bullet gets stuffed down into the case and displaces powder and the base of the bullet gets buffeted and reduces ultimate accuracy. To get the use of the case capacity of the wsm with the best bullets you need a long action. The saum is truly designed for a short action and is very efficient and will get about all the real performance you can get out of a wsm in a short action with less powder and better accuracy potential. Most of my issues have been related to wanting to shoot some extreme bullets and using the wrong powders for those bullets. Eventually the brass situation is going to get better and easier because GAP Precision is having head stamp factory brass made like they have for the 6mm Creedmoor. I received and email this past week with an estimated date of mid summer to early fall for a production date. In the meantime there is some Norma 7mm saum brass around now along with obscenely expensive Nosler 7mm saum brass.

 

[Shrek]

I have a barrel for 6.5 at home, I was going to make either a creedmore or a 6.5x284 but being I haven't got a action yet or done the machine work to my barrel yet. I see the new 26 nosler caliber, it's not short action but it's sounding like a awesome caliber ballistically etc. Google search it? Good luck on your build

The 26 Nosler is an interesting cartridge. I'm pretty sure it's a barrel eating monster in 6.5 but I'm getting firm in my mind that it will be the base for my next 7mm rifle. I think it may be the perfect big 7mm that will feed from a standard long action magazine. I'm pretty sure it would send 180gr vld's well over 3000 fps with little pressure and make the cases and barrels last. The 26 itself would be great with the 150 and 160 grain 6.5's but only matrix is making those and sending the smaller bullets at extreme velocity will absolutely create terrible barrel wear. I have read a few threads where guys have burned the barrels up in as little as 600 rounds. The biggest drawback to making a 26 nosler or a wildcat off it is the brass expense at @ $2.60 a piece.

 

[Shrek]

Bushape , do you have the action already ?

 

[brushape]

I have nothing so far, was probably going to buy a accutrigger 300wsm savage and throw an apache gunworks barrel on and micmillian stock and call it a day

 

[brushape]

What you say makes perfect sense, 26 nosler is out of the question. I have hunted with long actions my whole life I purely want this to keep this a short action

 

[ST52v]

The work being done on the 6.5 SS is very interesting as well. I have a Rem. Short action in 6mm and would love to build something in the 6.5 .

 

[Shrek]

My only hesitation with the 6.5 ss is the extra forming steps. There's enough work in the 6.5 saum for me but the Sherman Short is a very well thought out cartridge and really does get completely into a standard short magazine with incredible performance. I'm not sure what the Savage short action magazine length is but a Remington is around 2.82 " ish and with my wyatts extended magazine box I can get to 2.935 ish . They say you can get 2.95" but the tips drag at that length in mine. *I think the 6.5 4s chamber hits the lands with 140 bergers at 2.82" col. I had my reamer made with a longer throat for a 2.95" col to lands so I could use it on my Remington if I wanted. I need to lengthen the throat on my Winchester barrel to use the 3.045" magazine I have in it. Any way you go it will be a lot of fun specing out your semi custom build and making it work...or make you want to pull your hair out and throw everything in the garbage ! Then pull it out of the garbage ... then throw it back in...hahaha !

 

[tstowater]

I love reading these 6.5 threads. I'm going with one soon to fill the hole between 17s and 300s. Don't need one, but is an intriguing bullet with lots of potential. I've debated the short v. long action and leaning towards long action using a 6.5 06, a 26 Nosler or a 264 Win mag. For hunting applications, these are my preferred options. The short actions have lots of appeal, but don't seem to have the top end that some of the long actions do IMHO.

Frankly, we are doing a pretty good job of splitting hairs that have already been split. Just figure out what your priorities are and run with something. Read Shrek's 6.5 thread if you really want to go out on a limb to understand the issues that you may face.

Short of building something, the Nosler 48 in the 26 Nosler certainly makes life easier. In the short actions, there are lots of options on the market. Good luck and have fun with whatever you do.

 

[ST52v]

I agree fellas. I will probably end up with a 260 or 260 ai. I have a 7mag so some of those I already have so to speak. In fact the whit tail load I'm using now is Nosler brass strait from the bag, cci mag primer, 77.0 grains of H1000, and 120 Barnes , crunched down to the middle of the top groove. this is out of my rifle with no scope adjustments from my 168 Bergers. Top hole is cold bore and the others are shot 2&3 at 100 yds. this is the same load out of my father in laws tikka at 100. Top hole is mine and the bottom one is his. It was cold so he called it good after his first shot. Is there a point in barrel length in a 260 that is not gaining you anything? Is was thinking 26".

 

[Sam Millard]

I agree fellas. I will probably end up with a 260 or 260 ai. I have a 7mag so some of those I already have so to speak. In fact the whit tail load I'm using now is Nosler brass strait from the bag, cci mag primer, 77.0 grains of H1000, and 120 Barnes , crunched down to the middle of the top groove.View attachment 21462 this is out of my rifle with no scope adjustments from my 168 Bergers. Top hole is cold bore and the others are shot 2&3 at 100 yds. View attachment 21463 this is the same load out of my father in laws tikka at 100. Top hole is mine and the bottom one is his. It was cold so he called it good after his first shot. Is there a point in barrel length in a 260 that is not gaining you anything? Is was thinking 26".

26" is just about right. The difference between 24" and 26" for me was 25 fps with the same load.

 

[eLightfoot]

who are you gona have do your smith work? I have a tikka 270wsm and all the parts to go 6.5saum, just waiting to pull the trigger on the project. I've been hesitant with the build, holding out for more positive confirmation from George on headstamp brass. Where do you do your shooting? I ask because I live in Petaluma and there isn't much for LR shooting here. Two rock range sucks and driving all the way up to cow mountain is about the only other option.

 

[brushape]

Got my model 16 savage 300 wsm and snatched up some h1000 I found in stock. Looks like I'll be going with the 6.5saum from my reading it just seems like my best all around bet for what I want. Any last comments or advice before I pull the trigger on all the goods?

 

[Shrek]

Yeah , don't listen to the guy who posted the parts list on snipershide. I think it was the seater that didn't work but it cost me plenty to work around. Just call Whiddon Gun Works and get the complete die set . Way easier and some really nice dies. The marks on the micrometer seating die are very close to true which is nice for a change.

 

[IChaseCoues]

I've built a couple rifles chambered in 264 Raptor and had really good luck with them. It's a cartridge I designed with Pacific Tool that is essentially a 264 SAUM improved. Sending a 140 Berger at 3200+ fps the ballistics are impressive. Brass is formed in one pass then fire formed so there's a little bit of work to get the brass right but it's just loading and firing once. Definitely do a Saum over a WSM in 264. The length of the case really works well.