7mm WSM

[ofdscooby]

I just recently picked up a left handed long action trued and with a rifle basix trigger. I am planning on setting it up as a blind mag I wanted to do a short mag so I can set it up for copper and really hang those suckers out there to maximize capacity.What concerns do I need to adress to ensure that it feeds smothly? Also I know its not necessary and mostly just a cosmetic thing but it has the flat headed screw in the back of the bolt can I replace that with the allen head bolt in the back. Thnks for any help in advance and the reason I want to set up a copper gun is that I live in CA and would need it in certain areas of the state.

[nsaqam]

With the older staggerfeed magazines Savage felt that reliable feeding could not be achieved on the WSM's with a standard pushfeed bolthead. They produced a hybrid type CRF bolthead for these which substituted the plunger type ejector with a static ejector along with the rim of the boltface being cut away at the bottom.
You could probably make it work but maybe not 100% reliably.

If I were you I'd take a close look at the .280AI.

I was able to push the 162 Amax to 3050 and the 168 Berger VLD to 3000 out of my 26" tube. That is squarely in 7mm Rem Mag territory.

Feeding would be flawless and good formed brass is available over the counter.

I'm betting you can get a .280AI to shoot copper to within a hair of 7 WSM speeds.

[JCalhoun]

Scooby;

I replaced that screw you speak of on mine using the newer style Allen screw head. It's a simple swap.

BTW, I have a bunch of 7WSM brass for sale in the classifieds.

[ofdscooby]

Thanks for the responses I may go the route of the 280 it would be an easy swap and I wouldn't have to swap a bolt head I could also shoot the 139 GMX from Hornady and get that sucker moving

[nsaqam]

Make sure you go .280 Ackley Improved rather than regular .280 Rem if you load per a reloading manual and want top end performance.

The SAAMI MAP of the regular .280 is 61K and 65K for the AI version. Published reloading manuals don't like to list loads which exceed SAAMI MAP.

[ofdscooby]

Copy that thanks I don't have an AI yet looks like I may have my first coming down the pipe