7mm WSM: Savage large shank pre-fit for long range precision

Picked up a M11 in 300 WSM. Going to sell the sporter barrel and replace with a 7mm WSM.

This will not be for hunting, but specifically for bench rest shooting. I already have a .308 and am looking to build a 260 in the very near future.

I want to use the high BC 7mm bullets available and I already have a M11 action setup for WSM calibers.

I'm looking for a 1.25" straight barrel in large shank pre-fit. Barrel length: 30"? Suggestions on length. I need weight to better handle recoil. Also, thoughts on muzzle brake? I know the WSMs kick like mules and want to tame recoil as best as possible. No hunting and strictly bench, is a muzzle brake ok? How does it affect accuracy?

Where are the best places to look. I don't mind spending a little money for a good barrel. I don't think Jim at NSS has a 7mm WSM reamer.

I would talk you out of the 7WSM just because of shooting cost, lets put it this way, you will be spending at least $1.00 every time you pull the trigger. (Berger 180's run $45 a box of 100, and with around 60+ grs of RE 22 or 25 powder.) On top of that the Winchester brass is not the best. If I was to do it again, I would do a custom chamber using 300 or 270 WSM brass, necked up to 7. AKA 7/300 WSM (The shoulder is set back a bit further, and has a longer neck, and no they are not interchangable.)
http://www.accurateshooter.com/guns-of-week/gunweek071/
The other problem with the 7WSM , is there is not much information out there on the round for bechrest use, and only a small few are ueing this thing for 1000 yard benchrest. So be prepared if you ask a Bullet maker like Berger, or Sierra for information for them to tell you that they have none, that majority of thier customers use this for hunting.

I would not have a 7WSM with out a break, and it will not affect accuracy in any way shape or form. IMO 30 inch barrel is WAY too long, I would stay around 26 to 27 inches. It is a very bad idea get all of your weight from the barrel, I would opt for a more ballanced rig buy adding weight to the stock as well.

I saw that article. I guess I could look at the 284 Win or 280 Rem. I'd need a new bolt face and a large shank barrel. I know that CBI can do those two chamberings.

Something else to consider is a 7 SAUM, if it has to be a 7mm this would be my choice, a am torn between it an a WSM, 284 would be my last choice, and a 280 would not even be in consideration.

There is good brass available for the regular 7mmWSM.

It's very easy to fireform Norma 270 or 300wsm brass into regular 7mmWSM brass.

Don't forget the 200g Wildcat RBBT's and I've heard that Berger is cooking up some 195g Hybrids.

You need powder to push the big boys.

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Originally Posted by 82boy

Something else to consider is a 7 SAUM, if it has to be a 7mm this would be my choice, a am torn between it an a WSM, 284 would be my last choice, and a 280 would not even be in consideration.

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Let's say I wanted to look at the 7 SAUM. Still just a barrel change? The brass base is differently sized then the 7 WSM. Would I need a new bolt head?

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Originally Posted by capreppy

Still just a barrel change?

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Yup, SAUM speck is .5339 WSM speck is .535 both use the same bolt head. This is speck and not absolute, the bolt heads are not going to be so tight of tolarence that they would notice .017 diference when there is a tolarence built into them to account for diferences in brass.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by capreppy

Would I need a new bolt head?

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no.

.535"-.5339"=.0011" :)

Another added benefit of the SAUM is nosler brass.

The SAUM does have a bit less capacity than the WSM which isn't an issue with the 162/168/176/180 bullets but its my understanding that Berger will be releasing a 190 grain bullet. The added boiler room of the WSM will be beneficial seating the bullet in the neck/shoulder junction. With that being said....the straight 7 wsm has a short neck compared to both the. 270 and. 300 WSM (both of which have nosler and Norma brass available) forming either of these cases to. 270/7wsm or 7/300wsm gains a bit longer neck while still maintaining proper bullet seating in the neck shoulder junction while providing enough case capacity to avoid crunching powder in a super-compressed load.

If I were to do it again I would do the 7/300 wsm and not look back especially if we're single loading rounds in a heavy gu. Sitting at a bench.

If you want bullets with the best b.c. then the 300wsm Is a better choice than the 7mm.. nothin berger offers In 7 mm does better than a 215 hybrid or close to a 230 hybrid. 7mm Is an excellent round. 30 cal with heavier stuff Is simply better. Do little more research. ILL take 300wsm wirh a heavy barrel 28" finished length over the same 7mm short mag 8 days a week

I have a 7WSM with a 30" 9 twist McGowen, I shoot 162gr Amax" and 162gr HPBT, with 66gr of RL17 it is good for 3300+ FPS, It is probably my most accurate rig at long distances I own, most of my brass is 300 WSM necked down, it comes out nicer than 270 WSM necked up. with that really shot neck it has, you could not have to much neck tension if you tried, and it's a small shank so it kinda blows that myth out of the water.

Dean

Ultr mag and short mags from factory are all large shank now. Im building a 300wsm on a target action. Maybe.. I may just stick with 308 since Im already set up for It. Light neck tension Isnt a problem as long as Its consistent and as far as the neck length Its self. Not a Issue. Take 300 win mag. Extremely short neck. Lots of championships won with It over the years. Every thing 7mm stuff will do 30 cal will do and with the heavy stuff 30 does It better.

If you want plenty of load data, you could go with a 7mm rem mag. if you wanted to take out a live round, you would just need to extract the bolt.

Zombie thread resurrected from the dead! (Does not mean there is not good information here).
Please remember this is the aftermarket barrel section, not the reloading section.
:focus:

Nobody mentioned that the saum is a lot harder on the barrels! I have a 7wsm because I work with a guy that shot in some national F class shoots with a bunch of guys from the USA F-class shooting team, all of whom use 7saum, but were looking into changing to a different cartridge because the barrel life is short! I don't know any difference between the two in barrel life, but the f class guys were going through a couple barrels a year.

Back to the point, I am a big fan of 7wsm and will build another one in the future. The new "hot" round is the 6.5 saum built to GAP specs, he's had good luck with it and he's getting great accuracy and barrel life with it!