OzFclass

Hi All I am interested in your opinions on the case capacity value between the Saum and WSM cases. I have been running a 7 x 300 WSM using 180 Berger VLD's at just over 2900 fps and the load bugholes. The ES are slightly higher than a hotter load but still in the low teens. My barrel life is longer than the hotter loads but still haven't worn it out yet. The barrel, brass, dies, and reamer were from a friend and I have to either give them back or buy them when the barrel is worn out. I don't have much brass either and can't shoot a complete match with what I have. So I am in the situation of having to buy either WSM or SAUM stuff as I have nothing invested at this point. Since the accuracy has been so great at this velocity I don't see the value of running a hotter load. My issue is really do I stay with the WSM case and have the capacity for hotter loads or switch to the SAUM case. I don't know which way to go. Any thoughts?

I sometimes use a 7mm/300WSM as well, but I only shoot 1000yds twice a year and that is at a range with ballistic restrictions as you have at Connought in Canada. A 7mm/300WSM at full throttle will run at the 3050-3080 fps area, but this is outside the allowable limit at this range (It has also been at the pressure limit for most of my barrels, or over it with some).
As I am restricted to around 2950 fps, I have thought a 7mm SAUM would be slightly more efficient, using slightly less powder (hence better barrel life, less heating, less recoil), so would be a smarter choice. The argument against changing over is that I will need more dies, reamer and cases. The SAUM cases are apparently hard to get, while the WSM cases are very easy to get, but if you do get hold of a few hundred SAUM cases, this argument is void. These could be the reasons why the SAUM is much more popular.

In the meantime, I have a barrel which runs nicely at 2940 fps, with no pressure signs, manageable recoil and decent accuracy, so I am in no hurry to retool. I will likely try another 7mm/300WSM and if it runs well at the higher, 3050-3080 fps area, then I will save this barrel for the rare occasions when I am able to get to a range without these ballistics limits. Where you shoot, do you have these limits? If so, I would be looking at a SAUM if you have to buy all components anyway.

Hi and thanks for the reply.

The only restricted ranges we have in Canada are Winnipeg and Connaught. Everything else is unrestricted for the cartridges we use in F-Class. The CDN military uses the 7.62 Nato and 338 Lapua for certification of most of their ranges. Most civilian ranges use the 338 Lapua. Winnipeg and Ottawa are only certified for military use over 7.62 due to insurance reasons.

I am not interested in running the 7mm-300 WSM over the mid 2900 ranges because I see no advantage and a whole lot of disadvantages. In Raton last year most of the people who were running hotter loads either had issues or regretted bringing the rifles. Both the Brits and Americans running them told me that they should have run their 284's.

I prefer to run in the lower nodes for accuracy because I simply have had less issues to deal with in my 300 Saum and I want to avoid the problems that other people have had.

Since I am doing that I really don't know if the case makes any difference then. The common match load using H4831 gives over 70,000 psi from Quickloads calculations and the loads I use supposedly are running about 60,000.

This is why I was wondering. If the pressures are really lower than normal then there is space in the case then does the actual case mater?

Is a big capacity case at lower pressures work better than a restricted case (284) at way higher pressures?

Thanks again.

If you already have a 300saum and are able to regularly find enough brass just go with a 7saum. That way you can use the same brass in both.

I've got several 7saum barrels and it's a great cartridge but over here brass is hard to get. If I had to choose another caliber my next choice would be a 7mm-300wsm or straight 300wsm just because of brass availability.