Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Is The 7mm SAUM Still Viable For Hunting?

What say you all about the 7 SAUM? Is it dead in the water? Still a viable hunting round for both hand loaders and factory ammo users?

I think it is a fantastic all-around cartridge and I want one, but don’t want to bother with anything obsolete.

Is the .270 WSM the best alternative for a short Mag in this category?

What about .270 WSM vs 7mm WSM and 7 SAUM?

Brass is one thing, factory ammo is another.

You can reload for it. If factory ammo is available...I wouldn't want to pay for it.....

Certainly a good hunting round... But I don't think I'd invest money into a new set up for one. Resale value will be low, if that matters. The only people looking for them are the saum fans

-Jake

Hornady just started making 7WSM brass and Precision Hunter ammo. I'd look no further if you want a short action round.

But they also are making 280AI brass and ammo now. If low weight is your goal, a Kimber 280AI will be lighter than any WSM you can find, and gives you 7SAUM performance.

I have been thinking about a 7 WSM but I’m not sure any major manufacturers are making rifles for it anymore. I do know that most are chambering the .270 WSM and there can’t be a lick of difference between a good 150gr bullet fired from a .270 WSM and a good 160gr 7mm bullet fired from a 7 WSM. Even knowing that, I still prefer 7mm bullets.

I doubt I’d ever buy a Kimber rifle. I’ve toyed with seven different ones and six of those haven’t been able to group anything within 1.5 MOA. One 7-08 Montana managed just over 1.0 MOA. That just isn’t good enough for me even though I understand it is probably good enough for hunting. Lots of very good riflemen could do no better with these Kimbers, either.

I think my Huckleberry would be a CRF Winchester M70 Featherweight in either 7 WSM or .270 WSM.

If you can find brass

if you have 7mmsaum in rem 700 titanium. you are set.

Plenty of factory ammo available for those who search for it.

However, the quality may be lacking - from my searches for in-stock ammo I mostly find factory Remington with the 150 grain core loct bullet. At about $42/box.

People still use the 30-30 and 303 Brit....

The 270 wsm is no slouch and you should be able to find a rifle for it or get an all weather and re-stock it. Even though the SAUM and the 7 WSM have some theoretical advantages I would go 270 wsm or 280AI unless someone was giving away one of the others. In the field you will not see much difference between any of them.

If you wanted to make Ingwe happy(ier) just get a 270 Win. and be done with it.

I wouldn't mess with the 7SAUM if I had to rely on factory ammo.
7SAUM Norma brass is generally in supply. And were it not for the early 6.5 SAUM zealots, there'd likely still be a supply of Remington brass floating around.

If Hornady is producing 7WSM brass, I'd be inclined to go that route.

No flies on the 270wsm - relatively easy to find brass and presume it's the easiest of the 3 to find factory fodder to feed.

it probably wouldnt work ...

If you have one and like it, then use it. If not, then I'd look at just about anything else.


Okie John

Then you should have one. I feel the same.

If I did not already have a very fine custom 280 AI I would have a very fine custom 7 SAUM.

I doubt that I'll ever be without a 7 SAUM. I have two Remington Model Seven SS rifles in 7 SAUM. I love that cartridge and the rifle.

Mine isn't even a "very fine" custom and I won't part with mine.

Remy seems to do a decent job with 7mm...I guess it's hard even for them to screw up a 7mm. As a LR target round the Saum is a nice balance. So is a 284.

But if you're not stuck on a Remy rifle, and if you are going to shoot 140 gr ABs or something along those lines the 270 WSM is just as good a candidate.

I don't see the point for rounds where rifles, ammo and good quality brass is not readily available. The steel bangers and tactical guys can shoot whatever they want, but a 7mm Rem Mag is more rifle, readily available and delivers more downrange.

I've got a few very enthusiastic pards that are into LR hunting and they talked me into building some rifles for them.. and their caliber of choice...yep...270 WSM.

It's a real head scratcher to me, but for them they're about 10lbs lighter than their boomers, no brake and just as good on large game out to 1000 yards in their hands.

So why not...?

The only problem with the 270 is bullets and barrels...that is a major concern, but they use trick bullets and barrels, and of course they shoot well...but considering that all this nonsense started with me lending them a 270 WSM doner rifle...I'm sorry to say...none-the-less, it worked out well... just goes to show you.

For almost any normal uses I'd like a 7-08 just as well...whenever I use up all my 308 components first...if ever.

Of course it will "work". Is it "dead in the water"? If it isn't, its close.

I concur with the poster that said he wouldn't bother if he had to rely on factory ammo. Ammo choices will only get more scarce and more expensive.

Watched a certain bull moose this fall that considered a Seven in 7SAUM to be a real pain in the neck...

Very viable, plenty of brass these days with Norma in the game and its good brass as well. I have several loads worked up with various speeds and weights. My two favorites are 145 LRX touching 3k and 168 Berger Classics at 2850 both run in the .3s.. Always looking for someone to come out with an offering in a short action that will give me another 200 -400 fps but until that apple is skinned I will stay with the 7 saum.