Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Eastern Moose- 7 saum

After 25 years, I finally drew a moose tag here in NB, Canada. Shooting a 22" 7 Saum. I have 160 AB, 160 FailSafe, 162 ELD-X, and AMax, as well as 175 ELD-X here on the shelf, and RL-22, RL-26, H4831 SC, H4350. Shots are likely to be close, with the odd chance out to 300m or so. I kinda think 160 AB and 4350 is probably the easy button, but I'd love to hear what works for you.

Congrats on the tag! If it were me, I'd be happy as a lark if the 160 AB, 160 Failsafe or 175 ELD X shot well in my rifle.

Hot damn! Congrats!
The 160 AB and 4350 is the recipe in my 7SAUM.

How fast are yours going? About all I've shot out of this rifle so far is 120 tsx at 3350.

I'll give a look this eve but if memory serves, just a notch below 2900 (24" barrel).

appreciate it. I'll load up a ladder to see where presure/volocity top out, and go from there.

Hey Matt .... Congrats on that coveted NB moose license.

I think your choice of the 160gr AB is the best of what you have on hand. If the Failsafes shot better, I'd use them.

Hi Paul-I lucked into a group of guys established in Zone 3. It's going to be a blast. I really don't think I can go wrong with either the AB or FailSafe.

I shot my once in a lifetime Idaho Moose with my 7 SAUM. My rifle is set up with AI magazines so I walked around with 120 TSX in the rifle and a magazine loaded with 162 AMAX. My thought was if I had a close shot the 120 would be the ticket and if I had a far shot I had time to swap over to the 162s. I ended up shooting my bull at 30 paces with a 120 TSX. One through the boiler room was all it took.



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I have actually considered going that route. It's likely to play out like yours did though- all this agonizing about choosing the perfect bullet, only to have it happen at 50 yards with one and done.

Shoot, I'd be fine with that load myself. Chances are it'll out penetrate the 160 AB anyhow.

you are probably right, but how can any self respecting rifle looney miss the chance to work up a new, perfect load, for a hunt he's been waiting 25 years for?!?!

I totally understand that! I would be guilty of that myself!

You could decide you need a new rifle, get all lathered up about lack of components, put a WTB in the classifieds, bumping it daily, then finally getting components only to find you couldn't get it to shoot in time for your trip.

My dad has used his to kill elk and a grizzly bear with 160 Partitions. I loaded him a bunch over H4350 to about 2875fps IIRC. Haven’t caught one yet. I see no reason the Failsafe or AB wouldn’t work just as well.

I’d use either the AB or Failsafes. Whichever shot better.

lol- don't tempt me. I've long thought that a .338 saum/or maybe Sherman short made alot of sense...

I've only shot one moose with my 7mm SAUM, but I used a 162 A-Max. High shoulder, complete pass through and one very dead moose. The shot was approximately 150 yards. From the options you listed, I don't think you're going to be able to measure the difference from their performance in the field, so I'd pick whichever one you want and be confident that your selection is perfectly suitable.

H4831 SC has given me great accuracy in the 160 gr. bullet class.

H4350 has been the go-to powder for my 300 WSM & 165 AB’s. I don’t see how the 7 RSAUM would be much different.