7mm WSM or NOT?

DirtDiver_031

DirtDiver_031

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Hi Everyone,

background:

Dream - I want a 338 - what wind? Look at the awesome distance i can shoot stuff at.
Reality - Who can afford to feed a 338 and where the hell can you shoot one around Ottawa.

identified shortcoming:

Cost vs performance and trying to find the sweet spot.

deductions:

338 = awesome, but there is a huge $$$ attached for awesome
300 WM = performance awesome, but still $$$, but more manageable - those would be days I earned the chance to shoot it.
6.5 X 284 = performance awesome, but now shifted cost from ammo to barrel replacements.
6mm BR = best bang for buck (savage F-Class right out of the box), but need to more wind calling
5.56mm - lol / no thanks - have an AR already - i do plan to push the envelop with it as well / but it is not a bolt gun - this is a bolt gun build and have no interest in building a bolt 5.56mm(223)
So that brings me to 7mm WSM and i don't know enough about it.

What i have narrowed it down to for the build.

Scope - NF 12-42X56mm NXS
Stock - McMillan A5 / Harris bi-pod
Action - hoping to get it in a Savage. I am not interested in Remington action - would have stayed with my Rem 700 308 then.
Barrel - Krieger/ Shilen / Hart / McGowen / any of the top manufactures dependent on availability of what is in stock, and price etc.... Barrel length 28-30 inches with a twist rate to push heavy high BC bullets.
NOW the Caliber???

challenge:

To build a rifle that:

- can plink at long range and impress myself with
- enter F-Class Open / ORA Precision competitions
- I would rather call 50 inches of wind vs 80 inches.
- cost effective / ie i don't break the bank when i got to range for a day.

Open to recommendations.

thanks in advance.

Sean
 
7wsm/saum/ would be me choices. Not sure why you would choose the Savage over the Remington. The action could be marginally cheaper, but the savings is going to be a minimal percentage of the cost once stock, barrel, and glass, not to mention smithing are figured in. I'd be tempted to try a Pierce if starting from scratch.
 
7mm is a good way to go. You have the 162gr A-Max, 180gr Berger VLD, or the Canadian Matrix VLD in 190gr (claimed BC of over 0.800!).

The 7mm WSM is a good platform, but so is the RSAUM. It depends on whether you're more concerned with squeezing out every last bit of velocity, or barrel life, recoil, and powder efficiency. The nice thing about the WSM platform is that you can use the plentiful .300WSM brass to form 7WSM, and as stated, if you go RSAUM you have to use RP, Nosler, or Norma.
 
Thanks everyone for jumping on this so quickly.

I would appear that i am now on the tip of the iceberg / realizing that there is so much more i now don't know :)

some background info on me.
Just so ya'll know my perspective. I have a mil background and can shoot 5.56mm like snot. I also shoot 7.62 very well. I figure since will have to reload. I might as reload something more awesome that i will itch to shoot all the time type thing. So I am looking to branch out from my comfort zone into better performing calibers.

As for up front cost for the budget / not too fussed as long as I don't have to take out a mortgage for it. Thanks for the link to the better high end precision actions. I was only working from what i know. I will be reading with a keen interest.

7wsm vs 7 rsaum - again more reading with a keen interest.

Anyone know how well the Canadian matrix VLD 190grs preform? from above BC .80 is amazing!

I am now set on perm rx.

Thanks again for all the info.
 
i have no first hand experience with the matrix but can all but garrauntee the advertised bc is not correct. make no mistake, i believe it is a good bullet but we still have to be realistic, it weighs more than the berger 180 and is shorter=less bc. to the op... how much shooting do you plan on doing? if it is 1000 rounds/year i would stay away from the wsm due to short barrel life. a 284 win will get you 90% of the result at a fraction of the cost. i and my partner have shot our 284's out to 1 mile with quite good success, with the added benefit of long barrel life. my 280ai pretty much smokes a barrel after 1500 rounds, where as the 284 should go double that. food for thought
 
DirtDiver_031 said:
Thanks everyone for jumping on this so quickly.

I would appear that i am now on the tip of the iceberg / realizing that there is so much more i now don't know :)

some background info on me.
Just so ya'll know my perspective. I have a mil background and can shoot 5.56mm like snot. I also shoot 7.62 very well. I figure since will have to reload. I might as reload something more awesome that i will itch to shoot all the time type thing. So I am looking to branch out from my comfort zone into better performing calibers.

As for up front cost for the budget / not too fussed as long as I don't have to take out a mortgage for it. Thanks for the link to the better high end precision actions. I was only working from what i know. I will be reading with a keen interest.

7wsm vs 7 rsaum - again more reading with a keen interest.

Anyone know how well the Canadian matrix VLD 190grs preform? from above BC .80 is amazing!

I am now set on perm rx.

Thanks again for all the info.
Click to expand...



http://www.6mmbr.com/7mm284.html#7SAUM
 
Sean,
I would take a different approach and recommend...
a good 308W or 223 heavy, shoot it a lot and learn to read the wind and mirage.
You'll get longer barrel life, ease and price of quality components and you can still shoot ORA / DCRA in FTR.
I wouldn't suggest the 6.5 or 7mm till you've had a season or two with a 308/223 and get more confident in calling your shots in conditions.
JMHO
Gord
 
http://www.6mmbr.com/7mm284.html


7mm WSM varients have been proven winners in both National and International F-class matches, the 7mm SAUM (now produced by Norma) does not enjoy the same reputation but there is no theoretical reason why it should not be an equal perfomer.

As far as Matrix 7mm bullets, I have used the 190gn bullets exclusively for the last year and picked up a handful of wins in F-class matches from 900 to 1000 yards, these are excellent bullets and I would not hesitate to use them.

I did the following work last year

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=460793&highlight=matrix

I found by pointing the bullets I was able to get 0.8 inches at 300M using similar loads and Mvel. As a result I point them for competion.

The following is data posted by Brian Litz, and soon to be published in his book

"Matrix 7mm 190 grain VLD:
G1 BC: 0.673 (average from 3000 to 1500 fps)
G7 BC: 0.344 (good for all supersonic speeds)

Good bullets, but the stand-outs in the 7mm heavies were the 189 Cauterucio's at .703/.360."

Source:
http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...-b-c-807-who-has-tried-them-68189/index2.html
 
the Matrix bullets are a "Static" BC.. Brian Litz did some testing on them and they came in lower.. Still very good but not .807 good..

Yea see Robert's post above..
 
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With the cash you're talking about laying down, I'd forget the Savage action and save my shekels for a quality action such as a Stiller, to go along with that Kreiger bbl and McMillan stock.

Neither the 7mmWSM or the 7mmRSAUM would be my first choice as a 1000+ yard rifle. If I had to pick one or the other, and considering the fact that you noted cost as a factor, I'd opt for the WSM.

The RSAUM lines, no matter their strengths/advantages or weaknesses/disadvantages, are essentially dead and like so many other calibers, Remington is jumping ship on them. Factory ammo is going to become increasingly difficult to find, and unless you plan on buying up all the brass you'll need for the next 30 years, go with the WSM. (Assuming that you reload).

It seems like it has better 'legs' right now and you can form the cases from .300 WSM cases. The latter being a round that seems like it is here to stay.

Of course, if you got into reloading, (if you haven't already done so) you'd also find that feeding a .338 Lapua Magnum (I'm assuming this is the caliber you were referring to in your OP) would become a lot more manageable cost-wise compared to buying factory ammo. Going the latter route is a sure-fired path to the poor-house. :)

Good luck with the build, whatever you decide. At the end of the day, the only guy you have to please is yourself! :)
 
If you think a 6.5-284 barrel life is bad, you definitely don't want a WSM or RSAUM in 7mm. Barrel life is worse than a 6.5 Norma.

If you really want a 7mm, I would simply go with a 284 Winchester....

Excellent brass available,
Easily pushes 180-190 grain bullets over 2800
good barrel life

By the time you work up a load for a short 7mm Magnum, you'll have to change seating depth and you'll likely be chasing the lands for all of its sub 1000 round barrel life.

The 280 and 280 AI are also good choices.
 
If all you are going to do is smack steel or punch paper, I would give serious consideration to something like a 260 or a 6br. Really everything up to the 30cal tops out roughly in the 0.58-0.65 velocity averaged G1BC. So why pay more to get a minimal change in wind drift? Sure a 338 bucks the wind better, you get a 0.74 (300 MK) to 0.818 (hybrid) G1 BC. But the bullets alone are $1 a shot, then add powder etc.. Although it really does ring the steel..
If the $$$ of a 338 are to high then there are a pile of chamberings that are similar in performance. I would seriously consider something like a 6br, very easy to load for and cheap to shoot. You can get pretty close to a 0.6BC and stay cheap on components. A 260 will get you up to the 0.65BC and stay easy on the wallet. Really being able to get more practice in is more important than the difference between many chamberings.

For a dual purpose rifle, one you might hunt with a bit as well, the 7wsm or rsaum makes good sense.
 
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