Shrek's 6.5 saum build

[luke moffat]

Magnetospeed is ordered.... this is getting expensive!

HAHA indeed....that $50 difference in 500 bullets for the 7 WSM is looking mighty cheap at this point. But not nearly as fun I suppose.

 

[Shrek]

Luke , I would hardly blink a two dollars a piece bullets if that's what I needed. If i was heading to Africa to hunt cape buffalo in a swamp then I'd have a shoulder canon shooting hand turned brass solids and be content knowing they would do the job no matter what. Island bears would be dosed with large partitions. I can't think of anything I need a Barnes for that I can't do better for less money. I'm a big fan of high bc rapid expansion bullets for everything else.

The shame is that the 7mm wsm is a really great rifle that's going to get left behind for just about everything now. I don't know what I'm going to do with it. I'll probably build a load for it and then sell it to build a big rifle. I'm thinking a 300 Dakota with 230 otm's or a 338 norma.

 

[luke moffat]

Nah I was suggesting accubonds when the price difference came up....I was more or less just saying this in jest. Can't wait to see the build.

 

[KMD]

Justin , it's not for my 6.5 saum anymore. The reamer and bullet combo is pretty good with the 160 matrix and now I just saw Marshall is making a 150 gr bullet too. I can't go any longer in my 6.5 saum or the 140 bergers will be out of the case before I can get to the lands. I think the 150 gr may be an even better combo ! I can't wait ! The extended box would be for my 7mm wsm. If I can make it I'll have the throat cut longer and that would really improve what I can use with it bullet wise.

I look at that long throat as being more of a limitation, than an improvement.
By going with that long throat, you've basically priced yourself out of the market for using any of the more common .264 caliber bullet weights. Not without a huge jump to the lands, anyway.
No biggie, if you are married to those heavy Matrix bullets. I've had rifles chambered to run specific bullet before, but I was definitely married to that particular bullet...

 

[Shrek]

I know you were just giving me a poke but I didn't want to leave the impression that I believe in skimping on bullets because I don't. I think Barnes makes a great California no lead zone bullet but everywhere else it's a marketing gimmick to me. Because of the lighter weight of the copper their sectional density sucks and that drives down their BC. On top of that their minimum opening velocity is higher. They are also longer for the given weight because of the lighter copper so they often cause issues with coal in the magazine with the heavier for caliber bullets. But they are tough and meet California standards though.

 

[Shrek]

KMD , I was doing my math wrong last night and I spotted my error in the middle of the night. I should be at around .16-.19 bearing surface in the neck with all the 140ish bullets which I think will be fine. Marshall is sending me some 150 gr bullets he is coming out with that have a .655 to .660 bc according to the Internet testers. It will be about ideal I think. I'll have to test the 160's vs 150's and see what works out the best for energy delivered vs pressure and brass life. I'm guessing you have seen that berger is making loaded ammo now so who knows if or when they will make the long promised heavy hybrids for 6mm through 7mm. Hoping for a 6.5 elite hunter to run also.

 

[Shrek]

I didn't see an answer so I'll try again. Will using a 7mm saum body only die cause me any heatburn ? I'm pretty sure it will work just fine but someone who has done it would ease my mind . I'm not going to create a bulge at the base of the neck pinched up by the neck bushing and the body die work not ever coming together ?

 

[Shrek]

I hope they work because dies are coming along with wilson trimmer holder and ss tumbler. I'm now officially out of blood !

 

[Shrek]

Another question , which bushings ? Think I need .295 , .292 , .290 and an intermediary size for going dowm from the 7mm saum brass. Do I need the .293 and .294 also ? Which intermediary size ?

 

[KMD]

Using a body die shouldn't cause heartburn. Just make sure that you body size first, then neck size.
I use a Redding Type S FL bushing die. It is set to barely bump shoulder back, de-prime case, and bushing size the neck, all in one step.

From turning necks @ .284 caliber, I step down from .310, to .295.
Final bushing size I use is a .291 Ti bushing. That is good fit for my neck turned brass & GAP's .2962" reamer dimensions...

0.264 bullet dia.
+.015
+.015 turned necks
_____

= .294 loaded rd nk. dia. (.002" smaller than chamber neck dimension)


-.291 bushing
_____
= .002-3" neck tension, depending on brass spring-back



.

 

[Shrek]

I'm shopping for a neck turner and wondering if any of you have experience with the 21st century , K&M , Forster tools ? Also looking for the best runout/neck thickness guages ? Sinclair , 21st Century , K&M , Redding , ect. Any recommendations ? Any to avoid ?

 

[sab]

I love my Don Nielson "Pumpkin Neck Turner" and Sinclair concentricity gage, and can't recommend them enough!

Regards,
Scott

 

[HellsCanyon]

I'm shopping for a neck turner and wondering if any of you have experience with the 21st century , K&M , Forster tools ? Also looking for the best runout/neck thickness guages ? Sinclair , 21st Century , K&M , Redding , ect. Any recommendations ? Any to avoid ?

I already had the Forster case trimmer and bought the outside neck turning kit. Does a really nice job.

Mike

 

[Shrek]

Well , the Sinclair guage was on sale so it's on its way. Neck turner will have to wait.

 

[KMD]

Have a few K&M turners that do the job. I leave each one set up for specific caliber & cut, so there's no need to change pilots & adjust the cutter for different turning chores.
Also, have used the Sinclair turner, it is easier to set precisely, and hold onto, as compared to the K&M. Nice piece!

K&M ExpandIron for opening up neck IDs, and Redding case neck concentricity gauge for measurements...

 

[Shrek]

Any stock finishing gurus ? I'm working on the used McMillan Edge and the ejection port cutout is a little short and there are a couple of paint blemishes also . After I router the cutout and sand the blems what's a good way to match or re texture the stock before I paint it with Duracoat ?

 

[Shrek]

Well , this will not be finished in time to take it hunting this year it seems. I stole the stock from this project and I'm going to order a Game Scout for it.

 

[Shrek]

Benchmark Barrels delivered my barrel today. Invoice is 8/8/14 and it arrived today 9/8/14 . Beautifully finished. With the slowness of my 7 wsm I'm hoping to be able to put this back on the front burner. At this point I'm planning on re bedding the 7wsm so I might just take the stock back from it if everything else were to fall into place. A 6.5 saum would be too cool to take this year.

 

[rayporter]

did you ever get your gauge in?

i got a pumking neck measuring gauge last week -just to measure the neck thickness. been struggling with groups in competition and need the necks to be just so.

i use 4 neck turners. a marquart, a kand n and a stiller and another stiller. sitllers are copies of the pumpkin. pumpkins work different than most of the other neck turners.

i sent a new bat s to billy along with and edge and a bartlein 13.5 twist. so now i am waiting just like you. the rifle is for next spring and i know it will be a while till i can get it. quit likely i will pick it up at sarasota if they have a shoot there in February. if not i will get it at the shamrock shoot in march in atlanta.

at least the ol wore out 06 is ready for colorado. it is starting to worry me. but i got a 3 shot group to hit a 2 in circle at 200y. i dont have einough hunts left in me to justify rebarrling it. even though i want to.

keep me informed on progress. i dont have the nerve you do to post a lot- but i like your style. laff. if you ever go by memphis holler. ray

 

[Shrek]

Ray , I got a Sinclair Guage to check runout but I haven't bought a neck turning tool yet. I'm going to research more on what I want. K&M is the leading contender as of now.
I got to actually measuring the Benchmark barrel tonight and it's wrong . I should have followed up and gotten a written work order after talking with them on the phone. Actually I did send an email requesting it but didn't get a reply and didn't follow up again. I can live with it but it's aggravating. Going to end up with a 25.5" barrel instead of 26" but it will be ok...putting together a rifle just the way you want takes a lot of checking and double checking. Ground out the bedding tonight and will re bed the action this weekend if not sooner if i don't change my mind. I've got a good bed in the B&C stock I had originally intended to use on the 7mm wsm and I'm debating if I want to back up and leave it there. I could put the 6.5 saum together if I did. Too many wants and not enough gots at the moment. I've got a lotto ticket so that could change in an instant ! Haha!