Uncertain of 7mm options

[Doodad]

 Been researching myself silly with the different options on a lr build and it is getting to the point  of frustration. Have decided on 7mm bullets but uncertain which cambering to go with. Will mostly be used to shoot paper to improve marksmanship and still hunt out to 300-400 yards..

 I want to push 162/168s at approx 3000 fps and need to select a cambering. Looking at straight 284, 7mm rsaum and 7mm wsm and need help deciding which route to go. 7mm-08 gets me close but will be maxed out with little/no flexability at this level.

 I currently have a Stevens 200 sf short action 7mm-08 sporter so I will be limited by cartridge oal thus my dilemma. Using the internal box would be a big plus if possible. I will be re-barrelling so it is an open floor as to which camber to use.

 Since this is a brand new build, I'm starting from scratch. Ill have to buy/trade/beg for everything and only want to spend my limited resources once. Hopefully, with your help, Ill avoid some of that "If I could do it over again" syndrome. With a new build, Ill have to get all the reloading dies/brass so it will be a wash. I don't plan on using currently loaded ammunition so that is not a consideration.

Please help with your opinions or point me in the right direction.

Thanks
Dan

[sinman]

its hard to beat the 7mm wsm, or the 7mm-300wsm

[tammons]

300-400 yards is not that far.
 
I ko'd a 200+# boar hog, one shot with a 7mm-08 at 300 yards.
Thats was with a 162 gr Amax running about 2650.

At any rate a straight 284 will do it. The 1000 yard BR guys are shooting the 284
with 180 gr bergers at 2950-3000 over RL17.

If it were me I would build a 284, 8 twist, maybe a 26" barrel. Since you want to hunt with it, thats about the max barrel length I would go.

Run it in a long action so you can hang the bullets out and have it throated for the projectile you want to shoot.

The only reason I could see to go with a 7mm WM or a 7mm WSM is you can find ammo easier than a 284.
If for mostly hunting I would say go for a more common round, for target a 284 has better brass.

Brass is better in a 284 if you buy lapua etc.

[Doodad]

tammons
Your right, 300-400 really isn't that far. However, the paper punching will be 600-1000 thus the requirement for increased velocity.

Will be reloading my own so commercial availability of ammunition isnt a concern. brass is;

 Also, starting with a short action and concerned with the cartridge oal of the 284 with the longer bullets. Is this justified?? I could probably squeeze out 2.9+- oal if needed.

sinman
 Your right, the wsm's are hard to beat. Just wondering if I could get the same results with less powder in the rsaum.
Bty, You ll be my go-to guy for the barrel. Like your prices and commitment to the site. Want to help sponsors whenever possible.

[sinman]

lots of good 6.5x284 brass, lots of good 300wsm, 7mm wsm brass is only winchester but it is good for the money, 7mm rsaum only has remington brass which I would say is the worst.

[Doodad]

Sinman, this is what got me thinking about the saum's:

6mmBR.com
7mm Cartridge Guide
The 'Sevens' Deliver Superb Ballistics and Plenty of Power

 to Readers: If you are considering a 7mm WSM (or 7mm-300 WSM) you should seriously look at the 7mm Rem SAUM as well. Now that Norma 300 SAUM brass is available it's a whole new ballgame. And the 7mm SAUM really performs. 7mm WSM shooter Jeff Van Niel tells us:
"I will say this about the 7mm SAUM versus the straight 7mm WSM. I wish I had tried the SAUM before I committed to the 7mm WSM, it would have saved me a bunch of money on gunpowder so far. I shot with Steve Ikeda at last year's Nevada Palma match and his 7mm SAUM is an absolute hammer. He was shooting with much less (at least 2 or 2.5 MOA) elevation than my 7mm WSM, and doing it with considerably less powder."

[sinman]

here is an article on 7mm wsm

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek064.html

[Apache]

Hornady or Nosler (on occasion Norma) also makes brass for the SAUM, so you're not limited to Remmy brass (THANK GOD!)

Of the choices you have given, I would do the 7mm SAUM using the better brass. Straight 284 is a close 2nd choice, also due to quality brass being available.

If a long action is in the mix, I would look real close at the 280AI....

[Doodad]

Sorry to say that a long action is not in the mix at this time. Have to make it work with a short action.

[tammons]

The 284 case is .8" longer than a 7mm WSM case so IMO its not a deal breaker.

2.9 will fit in my SA rifles. 284 brass is 2.17 long so that leaves you almost 3/4" to hang the bullet out
if you want to mag feed it.

A better hunting bullet depending on what you are hunting is a 120, 140 tsx. 
or a 162 amax or or 162 interlock. I hunted with the 162 amax in my 7mm-08 loaded at 2.9" and had no problems.

For the 180 berger you would probably want to hang it out farther to get it shooting right for targets and you can single feed those.

Anything from the 284 up will work.

You may have seens these already

Here is a pretty good read on a 284 tactical hunter.

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek095.html

284 F-class

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek088.html

7mm cartridge guide.

http://www.6mmbr.com/7mm284.html

[Forester]

I have been through the exact same process recently, with the exception that I am building off of a long action so that I can feed the 180gr Bergers from the magazine.

I was going to build the straight up 7WSM, but brass has been hard to find and Winchester is your best option, it can be fireformed from 300WSM Norma brass if you don't mind the trouble.

I am having a reamer cut anyway so I decided to go with the 7-300WSM, you get a little bit longer neck, which is good with the heavy bullets and not much trade off in case capacity.  You could easily hit 3000fps with a 160-170gr bullet from this case, you can even hit 3000 with a 180gr bullet with a long barrel and good powder choice.  Plus I like having something a little different than most.

My build:
Savage Long action DBM, T&T by SSS, fluted bolt by SSS
Boyds Pepper laminate, JRS thumbhole stock, bedded by me
Brux barrel from Sinman, 27", fluted, #5 contour, 7-300WSM reamer cut by PT&G
NSS Recoil Lug
Farrel rings and bases most likely
Will probably coat the action and barrel black, not sure what coating yet
Scope TBD likely either IOR, Bushnell 6500, or Zeiss Conquest.

If my weights are close to right I should come in around 10.5lbs with the scope, which for me is a good middle of the road sort of weight for a rifle.

[Elkbane]

Doodad,
I'd look at a 280AI for the build. If you bought a long action, along with your current SA, you'd have a huge amount of flexibility to do just about anything you want to with respect to changes later on.  I have two 300WSM's and they are a little finicky to load for - unless you want to use Norma brass and neck it down to 7mm.....I have to anneal after every 2 firings to keep accuracy on par and live with Winchester brass (haven't ponied up for Norma yet).. The availability of decent quality Nosler 280ai brass has me thinking that I'll go that route on my next 7mm do-all hunting rifle build.  Just a thought.
Elkbane

[GaCop]

I went the 280AI route with a barrel from Sinarms (28", .850" at the muzzle).  I'm glad I did.  I'm still playing with loads between 150 and 175 grains in the Sierra Match King.  I'm also getting promising accuracy with the 162 grain A-Max.  The 280AI has plenty of steam out to 1000 yards to stay sonic and the Nosler brass is very good right out of the box.

[JCalhoun]

I have a Broughton 30" heavy barrel chambered in 7WSM on my F-Class rifle. 5 groove with 1-8 twist. It was machined for a standard 1.055" barrel shank.

I want to do something different next season. If anyone is interested in it I also have dies and brass for it. It has only been used for 1k F-Class, no field use. It has about 600 rounds through it.

Just PM me.