What donor rifle?
What smith?
and constraint is working man's budget. Let's cap it at $1500
I'd love a GAP xtreme hunter, but money like that is still a distant hope.
Early thoughts : find a rem 700 in SAUM, have it accurized by someone, then have them add the barrel. Drop it in a mcmillan edge- or manners, have the rifle cerakoted, and hunt with it.
I'm trying to get it under 7 pounds for the naked rifle. Scope of course will add weight.
Buy calvins model 7 and be 300 bux ahead.
Do you have the brass for the saum, can be very difficult to get ahold of I would get my hands on plenty of brass first then do the build.
How do 6.5 SAUM ballistics compare to the 6.5-284?
How much brass do you accumulate before the build?
On my varmint rigs, I think 500+
On a big game rig is 200+ enough?
Opinions?
I would think 200 should be enough if you take care of it and don't put a ton of rounds down range.
I understand the Saum 6.5 is the sophmore with the great t!ts.
Can someone explain why a 6.5 280AI is not in the discussion with this?
Mag constraints are gone. Feeding a non issue. Brass is great and plentiful. Actions are everywhere. What are you giving up besides a bit of horsepower?
W
Woofer I agree especially if you buy nosler 280ai brass. Only choice is SA vs LA i guess. Although I do love my 6.5saum!
I have a 6.5 WSM. I used a Savage w/ Accutrigger for a donor, added a PacNor barrel, Burris Euro Diamond and went and killed antelope with it. I dislike the factory stock, but it works for now. I dislike just about every syn stock that I have ever touched and wood will make the rifle heavy. For now it remains in factory furniture. It is project number 1398 to get it in a better stock - so it will take awhile for me to get it done.
The barrel will need a throat before you beat up 200 pieces of brass.
Bart I have a 6.5WSM also, the donor was a 1976 Ruger 77 tang safety 7 mag and I love it. I built it not long after the WSM's started coming out and put alot of shots down range in the beginning on a Lilja barrel that didn't last long, new this going in that it was gonna be hard on barrels. I just put a X-Caliber barrel on it in June of last year and it shot good before but it shoots better than I can. It has a .296 neck and I throated it for the 140 bergers. I use a Redding 300wsm bushing die with a .291 bushing and 270WSM brass and trim the necks. Components are a little easier to get ahold of so it's another option.
I use 270 WSM brass and Lee 6.5-300 WSM dies.
My next barrel will be an X-caliber. Should have gotten one last month with the fluting special. Cryo doesn't do much for me, I'll wait until the monthly special is something I want.
Didn't know the Redding bushing dies could go that many steps.I need a set of 7-08 dies, might get a set of 243 to 308 bushing dies and then get the correct bushing.
I bought a Rem 700 in 7SAUM to make a 6.5 Saum. I shot the donor and could not proceed.
I had to change the decapping rod on my 300wsm die it was to big for a 6.5 and I use a carbide button. Other than that it's pretty painless just install the .291 bushing and neck down.
Lots of Norma 7saum and 300saum on the market currently so only a pass through the dies to nirvana if proper headstamps don't matter