Too much gun?

[Hugga Nugga]

Yea it kind evolved as the talk involved game!

That 7mm08 is real nice option as well. Nice bullet selection, lower recoil...short action-good all around rifle.

[ar15barrels]

why NOT go with the bigger case?

They often don't shoot as well loaded way down to the performance level of a smaller cartridge.
That might not matter for what you are doing though.

[LynnJr]

If you want it get it. I prefer to spend my money my way and the 7 SAUM has the most hits at our 2054 yard matches with 7 out of 10.
Steve Ikeda (Bolo) on the various message boards always does very well at 1000 yards with his Snake Guns so accuracy is very good.
On the recoil go with a large diameter muzzlebrake as they tend to tame recoil better than the very slim brakes.
I also prefer lighter bullets over light loads.

[musketjon]

Remember that there is no game in North America that can't be taken with the 30-06. It can be loaded light with 110's all the way up to 220's. A full spectrum of power that's hard to beat.
Jon

[71MUSTY]

https://youtu.be/nvJXWqqwIpc

[NapalmCheese]

My Wy Pronghorn tags cost more than double(for does and bucks much more) what your instructor said. Please have him get tags for me for 2016 at that price. I call BS.
I had a 7mmRem mag and had it rebarreled to 264Win mag. I like it much better and it has less recoil. I also have a 7mm-08 and it works. I prefer it over the 7mag.
I like the 25-06 for long range(and short) hunting of Pronghorns/deer and such. Using 120gr Swift A-Frame bullets it will take elk just fine. The 257Weatherby is even better and shoots flatter with less recoil than a 270.

IIRC my WY doe antelope tags this year cost me $38.00 a piece in the general draw, left over tags can be bought at the same price after the draw. I hunted zone 81 and filled both tags within 2 hours of each other in two different areas of the same zone (one on BLM, the other on HMA).

I'm currently playing around with a 25 WSSM, I'm thinking next year might be a good time to try out a really fast TSX.

In 7MM, the 7 WSM still has a strong following and has plenty of capacity for big bullets, it fills the same sort of niche as the SAUM but seems to be more popular (easier to find brass) than the SAUM. There is nothing wrong with the 7mm RM, but the WSM or SAUM can put you into a shorter action which might save a little weight.

[hardlyworking]

2054 yards... I can't imagine. Standing on the berm at Ojai and looking back at the 600yard benches looks really damn far. More than 3x that? I'm going to need some practice.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Preferably, what I'd like to do is buy with confidence, and work up loads for hunting, and loads for competing (even just against myself). I like Lynn's suggestion of lighter boolits for lighter recoil which works well with MPBR flat-shooting and lighter all-coper projectiles. And then something in the longer VLD types for knocking over steel and poking holes in paper with a honkin break on the end.

I've looked at .284Win as well, and I have no reason to not like it. Seems like pretty good capacity, efficient shape, available brass (Win or necked up Lapua) and as kilshot says, uses the .473 bolt face.

But it sounds to me like getting into the RSAUM and playing with powders and bullet weights and muzzle breaks could keep me happy for years.

If I wanted to go the custom build route, and buy parts over time (say it takes me roughly a year to get everything together) what should I start my research on? Action first? Trigger? I do NOT need the best of the best. Hell I don't even need the best! I'm looking at good enough because I'm sure that *I* need more work than whatever components I'd be buying.

Is the RSAUM wide enough that it takes a special action (and by special I mean $$$) where the .284win or 7mmMag are more common and affordable?

I am just beginning this quest so don't be shy with the info. When I get this project completed I plan on taking CAPRC classes if they are still going on. I've got a lot to learn yet!

[LowThudd]

https://youtu.be/nvJXWqqwIpc

.416? How about a .950 JDJ. If he was standing, he woulda been on his butt. lol

[Calif Hunter]

I have just never learned to love the 7mm Rem Mag. I remember thinking how terrible the recoil was from a stock Rem 700 BDL in that caliber - and my go-to gun at that time was a Rem 700 in .300 Win. I do see that the 7mm bore has a following for long range shooting, but I would tend to go with a .284 Win or 7mm WSM.

[ar15barrels]

But it sounds to me like getting into the RSAUM and playing with powders and bullet weights and muzzle breaks could keep me happy for years.

Not very many years.
Magnums eat barrels.
Figure on 1200 rounds accuracy life for that barrel.

[hardlyworking]

Not very many years.
Magnums eat barrels.
Figure on 1200 rounds accuracy life for that barrel.

I've heard that about magnums but 1200, good grief. I know that serious competitors plan on barrels being an expense to be tracked like brass and whatnot, but I'm not that guy. Maybe the 284Win is more my speed? Bigger case than the 7mm-08, but not so hot as the Mag/WSM/SAUM?

[MJB]

Never do a muzzle break for a hunting rifle your friends & guide will thank you..........you need to hear to be able to hunt their never seems time to put protection on before the shot.......a shot or two I never feel the recoil now at the range I feel them all after the first 10 shots.

[ar15barrels]

I've heard that about magnums but 1200, good grief. I know that serious competitors plan on barrels being an expense to be tracked like brass and whatnot, but I'm not that guy. Maybe the 284Win is more my speed? Bigger case than the 7mm-08, but not so hot as the Mag/WSM/SAUM?

It's all about how much powder you burn...

If you are burning around 42gr (7-08), figure on 2350 rounds accurate barrel life.
If you are burning around 48gr (7x57), figure on 1800 rounds accurate barrel life.
If you are burning around 55gr (280/284), figure on 1375 rounds accurate barrel life.
If you are burning around 68gr (7rsaum/7mag/7wsm), figure on 900 rounds accurate barrel life.
If you are burning around 78gr (7stw), figure on 680 rounds accurate barrel life.

Play around with the accurate barrel life calculator here:

http://accurateshooter.net/Blog/barrellifeupdate.xls

The calculated numbers tend to be lower than many people actually experience because most people keep shooting the barrel after top accuracy drops off.

[bsumoba]

I've looked at .284Win as well, and I have no reason to not like it. Seems like pretty good capacity, efficient shape, available brass (Win or necked up Lapua) and as kilshot says, uses the .473 bolt face.

Look at the 2015 F-Class National Championship equipment list. The majority of the shooters are shooting 7s. 1st and 2nd place were shooting 284s. Lots of 284 variants on the list as well (284 Shehane, 7 Walker).

7 RSAUMs, 270/300WSM and other mags are on the list as well.

The benefit of the 284 is that it uses a standard bolt face.

300 WSM and 260AI were also on the list as well as 6 dashers, but they are definitely a minority. Having said that, it doesn't mean much. If the driver can steer the bullets in the right direction, then it doesn't matter what cartridge you shoot.

But it sounds to me like getting into the RSAUM and playing with powders and bullet weights and muzzle breaks could keep me happy for years.

Yes, it is a nice cartridge. But, barrel life is not very good. Competitive F-Class shooters will retire a barrel from big matches around 700-1000 rounds max. After that, X counts diminish quickly.

Shooting a 7 RSAUM without getting the barrel crazy hot will yield greater barrel life.

For optimum long range accuracy, stick with 180s, 183s or 195s and H4350 or H4831SC powders. No need to go crazy testing multiple powders and bullets. People have done that already...benefit from their years of burning barrels and spending money on chamber jobs. Unless you are a tinkerer, then test away

If I wanted to go the custom build route, and buy parts over time (say it takes me roughly a year to get everything together) what should I start my research on? Action first? Trigger? I do NOT need the best of the best. Hell I don't even need the best! I'm looking at good enough because I'm sure that *I* need more work than whatever components I'd be buying.

Is the RSAUM wide enough that it takes a special action (and by special I mean $$$) where the .284win or 7mmMag are more common and affordable?

The most important part of the equation for optimum accuracy IMO, is:
* Barrel (Bartlein Brux, Krieger, Broughton)
* Who chambers it (choose a reputable gunsmith)
* A wisely chosen reamer designed specifically for the bullet you want to shoot most often (hopefully the smith you choose has one so you do not have to invest in one).
* Trigger (Jewell, Bix N Andy)
* Optic (Nightforce, Vortex, March, S&B, Kahles)
* Action (Defiance, BAT, Panda, Surgeon, Barnard, trued 700 with modified or aftermarket bolt). This also depends on whether or not you want to mag feed or you are okay with single feed. Most cartridge/bullet combinations used for long range or competitive use are single feed because they are too long to mag feed. a 7 RSAUM uses the same bolt as a 7mmMag.
* Stock (depends on what kind of shooting you do).

* Do not forget about quality reloading components either.....

[hardlyworking]

More on that if you will bsumoba and others:

I am definitely with you on the Barrel first/most important.

Do those companies or the next tier down offer pre-cut chambers?
If they did would I even want one?
I understand if the chamber is something common like 308/30-06/223 pre-cut chambers are likely had from lots of places but maybe not in the various 7mms because of their relative un-popularity.

And if I'm building a dual purpose rifle rather than a dedicated competition gun where I know for sure that I'm going to be using e.g. Berger 180VLDs and might want a chamber cut exactly for that, what does one do?

Lets say I wanted to use both the new Hornady 162 ELD-X (BC .613) for target/steel as well as the 139 GMX (BC .486) for hunting. I probably would stick with these weights as the longer heavier bullets are going to increase recoil and decrease case capacity.

Do you order the barrel and the reamer (PTG?) or for a dual purpose gun like this do I just look for a e.g. .284WIN chambered barrel off the shelf? Again I'm not a pro, I'm probably not even an amature! I like to buy quality, but I don't like to throw money away on the best when I would under-utilize it. Gotta be honest with myself.