Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 6.5 SAUM Hype

This cartridge and concept sound great.

From what I think I see, are you 6.5 SAUM shooters using short actions with box mags or any of you using a long action so the VLD's can be seated out?

I'm not really crazy about the extra weight of a box magazine for a hunting rifle.

GA Precision Extreme Hunter
6.5 SAUM

Templar Extreme Hunter short action
Bartlein 8.7 twist, fluted barrel @ 24�
Vias brake
Manners 100% Carbon Fiber SL stock
APA bottom metal
Jewell HVR trigger
Talley LW rings
NF 2.5-10x42 scope


Rifle as pictured, weighs right at 9 lbs.




Mag release is integrated into the trigger guard

Most everyone is running a short action with the DBM. The front plate of the mag is removed to be able to load out longer...

Little extra weight is of no concern for me to gain the incredible reliability of a center feed mag. Never had a single feeding issue ever on these type of mags.

I personally don't care for the ultra light hunting rigs. The little extra weight makes for a very solid platform that I am comfortable with and know I am capable of making the shot, weather it is prone or the seldom used by me, off hand shot.

Just my opinion, not every ones.

I'm about to order a couple of stocks, and have a question about the Manners SL.

Most guys I see using the stock also use a pad on the comb. Is the comb not high enough for a good cheek weld with appropriate optics? I'm picky about comb height and have never handled that particular stock.

No issues for me with the cartridge or the rifle. I don't know if it's lust or envy, but I want one!

Same thoughts here. If I can ever shoot out a 7mm Rem Mag without selling it, I'd love to have a 6.5 SAUM done up. That might be the cat's behind on a 700 Long Action with a blind magazine.

Tanner

I have a Manners SL and I really like it.
It is in my opinion not the best option for a lot of prone shooting.
The comb is a bit low for me which is normally easy to fix with a stock pack but the thickness of the stocks cheek piece combined with the stock pack then pushes the shooting eye a bit to much off center.

That being said I can live with because I really like the stock.

I think the Manner EH2 or EH3 would be better options if you are doing a lot of prone shooting with a less than 9"height forend support.
Just my $0.02.

I found a cheap way to try a couple DBM's and I can't believe how flawlessly they feed. There's something about them I don't like, but I like them anyway.


Travis

That's about the same case capacity as my 6.5-06 AI if I'm not mistaken. A really accurate load for me is 60.5 grains H-1000 behind a 140 Berger, which gets 3050 with a 24" barrel. Given the same case volume and the lower velocities I'm running at, I'd assume I'm running at lower pressures than the 6.5 SAUM pressures, or at least no higher. But I don't get nearly the case life that the SAUM guys are getting, my primer pockets are loose at around 4-5 firings, with 2 different kinds of brass.

Maybe part of the difference is due to the stoutness of the SAUM case??

Very Nice. Does that 9 lbs include the sling and bipod?

One source puts the 6.5-06AI at about 71.5 grains water, not sure about the .270/.280 versions probably almost the same as the SAUM. That and the 6.5SAUM usually have more barrel 26-30" so they are running lower pressures, not a whole lot lower though.

Brass is thicker for the SAUM but at high pressures that doesn't always add up to longer brass life. Brass has the same strength and fatigue factor regardless of how thick it is.

Hope some one doe's an article on this one with pressure info.
Even if all the hype doesn't pan out (I think most of it will) it is still a worthwhile cartridge.

An interesting experiment would be if someone could get hold of .284 basic brass and come up with a 6.5x.284 with .300" or longer neck for comparison. Some of the wildcat versions do this by setting the shoulder back and they claim slightly longer barrel life.

Gracias, Tejano.

I am in the process of gathering parts for a build. I was going to do a 6.5 Creedmoor but now I am very tempted to do 6.5 SAUM. I guess the only thing holding me back is the lack of ready to roll brass. I wish I knew when the brass will be offered and who's brass it will be.

Does anyone see a problem with running a Wyatt's mag box in a 700 BDL configuration -either for length or for feeding- as that is my plan.

Thx,

Bob

I think most are necking down Norma/Nosler 300 SAUM Brass.

I would imagine a Defiance XM action with the longer XM bottom metal would work great, and be a little lighter, I heard GAP had built a few on this platform and had good luck!

Remington 300 SAUM brass works well.

D,

I picked up an EH-3 recently for my 6 Creedmoor build. I'll bring it down next time. Along with a few other rifles to shoot!

Since this appears to have been directed at my post, I guess I'll give an answer.

Your primer pockets staying tight do not indicate what pressures you are running at in any chambering, and you already know that. They indicate far more about the build-quality of your rifle and your ability to reload nearly-perfect ammo.

I do not have any personal experience with said cartridge, though it looks intriguing; hence, why I have followed it here and on AR since its inception.

I will not make the April Icebreaker, and if I did, I would in no way "school" you or anyone else on how to run your great rifles. You-all would run circles around me.

In the end, I am simply curious what exact pressures are being run in the 6.5SAUM, since by any typical comparisons to pressure-tested data (say in the 260 or the 7SAUM), the velocities sure look like they would generate in excess of 60k psi, and more likely 65k. I see absolutely no problem with that, but also think that the cartridge is being spoken of in "low pressure" terms that don't actually apply. I enjoy learning about the physics of rifle chamberings, and look forward to reliable pressure-tested data on the 6.5SAUM.

I know one of the Hide members has tested the pressures. I will contact him and see what he used and what his results were...

More to come !

Who gives a shat about the exact pressure. If brass life is good and velocity is good rock on IMO.