What followed me home

[orchemo]

First was Tric's Lyman black powder (no pic, sorry) - Thanks for a great deal on a nice 54 cal. black powder rifle.

Second was a Tikka 6.5x55 Swede - blued with walnut stock. I happened to have a factory Tikka laminate stock and put that on it with a Leupold 2.5-8 in Talley rings....happy camper.

Third was an un-expected item - Remington model 7 stainless/synthetic in 300 SAUM - Not sure why I bought it. It was a decent deal and seemed like I needed to buy it then ponder my options.

1. A pepper gray laminate stock would be great - that way it would match the Rem 673 rifles I have. Anyone used the Boyds stocks? Do they have the same palm swell as the 673 series stocks?

2. Convert to a 300 WSM since I already load and shoot this caliber? But it is a brand new rifles, seems hard to re-chamber a rifle that is not longer produced.

 

[DrMike]

Very nice. It is the ballistic twin to the 300WSM you already have. It is a handloaders cartridge that will perform admirably for anyone willing to take time to work with it. I'd likely secure dies and a good supply of brass for the 300 SAUM and load for it just because it would be so much fun to be different.

 

[SJB358]

WOW! Very nice pair of rifles! Man, you have a serious pair right there buddy. They both look really sweet! When do they get some range time?

That laminate looks REALLY nice on that Swede!

 

[nvbroncrider]

Well that Swede looks great and I know he's got brass and dies!! Hopefully soon?!? 24" barrel on that Tikka?

 

[orchemo]

Any thoughts on the Boyd's laminate stock for the model 7?

How do they fit? Same fell as factory?

I like the larger palm swell on the 673 rifles.

 

[orchemo]

Got loads for the swede Thanks to nvbroncrider. No time for range until next week

Input upon a model 7 stock appreciated. Boyd's, factory, b&c?

 

[Mortis]

Can't comment on fit of Boyd's for a Remington..... but I just restocked a Weatherby Vanguard, and the rifle dropped right in....no fitting required.

Still need to pillar and bed the action...but I am very pleased with the fit....

You have some sweet looking projedctile instruments.....

 

[sask boy]

Those are 2 very good looking rifles the laminated stocks are real good looking how do they stand up?

Blessings,
Dan

 

[DrMike]

Boyd makes a fine product that requires minimal tweaking for the fit on Remington rifles.

 

[Tnhunter]

Some great finds there! I especially like the SAUM find. I have both a 7 & 300SAUM and like them both. The 7 is in a factory laminate (you might be able to find one for yours) and the .300 is a 673, so is housed in laminate as well. I would like to add one of those SS .300s tho, very versatile rifle there. If you are going to handload for the .300, I think you'll want to leave it as a SAUM as you can get a bit more capacity & velocity over the WSM version. If you'd like to know a place for some quality loaded ammo for the SAUM at a great price, shoot me a PM and I'll give you the #. 150, 165, 180 and even 200gr available.

 

[Guest]

You have multiple options in laminate stocks these days. If you're into DIY, you can order something unfinished from Boyd's, Richard's Microfit (customer service is reportedly terrible...) or one of the other unfinished retailers. For finished stuff, you'd be hard pressed to beat the Boyd's (though I've heard the finish on some started yellowing after a short period of time - can't confirm that, though) or Stocky's. Stocky's has just about any color you'd like and various configurations, much like Boyds. If you haven't checked them out, do so before you buy anything. Might be just what you're wanting one place or the other.

I've had an itch for a 300SAUM every since a buddy of mine got one seven or eight years ago. He likes it, and it's a deer slaying machine. I saw a Ruger that looks brand new in 300SAUM in a nice looking factory wood stock for $399, could probably get it for $375 or so. But I have other priorities right now. I will have to disagree with Tnhunter on the case capacity/velocity issue. The WSM is definitely the winner in capacity and should, by that virtue, win the velocity race. But either of these is 85% of the way from 30-06 to 300WinMag, so you'd be pretty well set whichever way you go. I'd probably leave it alone and shoot it as is, just to see. But I like "different."

 

[DrMike]

If you are going to handload for the .300, I think you'll want to leave it as a SAUM as you can get a bit more capacity & velocity over the WSM version.

That's an interesting statement. Where did you get your information? All the measurements I've made show the WSM to have about 9% to 15% more case capacity, which translates into measurably increased velocities. I don't doubt that the 300 SAUM is a good cartridge, and in the field it is the ballistic equivalent of the 300 WSM; I've not seen the argument that it generated higher velocities, however.

 

[SJB358]

Those are 2 very good looking rifles the laminated stocks are real good looking how do they stand up?

Blessings,
Dan

Dan, my two laminated Model 70's (270WSM - 7mm WSM) are my favorite rifles. The stocks are bullet proof. Since they are laminated out of multiple pieces of wood with the grain running all different directions, they don't move. Each layer counteracts the other layer. I am a huge fan of laminates. While some can be heavier, if they are build well, they aren't too bad at all and perform as good or better than a good synthetic.

 

[Tnhunter]

If you are going to handload for the .300, I think you'll want to leave it as a SAUM as you can get a bit more capacity & velocity over the WSM version.

That's an interesting statement. Where did you get your information? All the measurements I've made show the WSM to have about 9% to 15% more case capacity, which translates into measurably increased velocities. I don't doubt that the 300 SAUM is a good cartridge, and in the field it is the ballistic equivalent of the 300 WSM; I've not seen the argument that it generated higher velocities, however.

The case capacity of the .300WSM is 72.9 and the capacity of the .300SAUM is 73.5. I have done some investigating and of the 3 factory .300SMs (WSM, SAUM & RCM) the SAUM has the greatest capacity. The ammo I use in my SAUM is from HSM and they also load for the WSM version as well.
Their published velocities look like this:
150gr Grand Slam WSM: 3,000FPS and for the SAUM: 3,100FPS
165gr Grand Slam WSM: 2,900FPS and for the SAUM: 2,975FPS
180gr Grand Slam the WSM: 2,868FPS and the SAUM: 2,920 FPS

For some of the other loads they make for both, they list a common velocity for both. There is not a lot of difference between the two, but a greater case capacity is not a bad thing when reloading SMs. Getting performance equal to what the factories get with their proprietary powder blends is not always possible. The reason why the WSM are so much more popular? They were the 1st ones out and had other rifles chambering for them besides Winchester (Browing for one, from the get-go). Remington's version was released later and never really caught on.

 

[Guest]

I'll take issue with the measurements you're giving, Tnhunter. The case body of the 300WSM is longer and wider than the 300SAUM. Assuming equal thickness of brass (which seems logical as both operate at the same SAAMI MAP, I believe, of 65kpsi) one can then deduce that the WSM enjoys an ever so slight advantage in case capacity over the SAUM. In the only text I know which lists comparative case volumes, Modern Reloading, Vol. 2, from Lee, the WSM is listed as having a "useful case capacity" of 4.91cc, where the SAUM has only 4.73cc.

Comparing Hunting Shack's published velocities is hardly a good comparison. In my experience, those values are dubious at best (from all manufacturers). Further, your comparison doesn't hold up when comparing ammo from other manufacturers. Remington shows the WSM leading by 20-80fps over the SAUM in the same bullet weights. Comparing load data from multiple sources shows the WSM to enjoy a 50-100fps advantage in velocity across bullet weights ranging from 150-180gr.

I've been saying for years there is no substitute for case capacity, and this is just one more example of exactly that.

 

[FOTIS]

Second was a Tikka 6.5x55 Swede - blued with walnut stock. I happened to have a factory Tikka laminate stock and put that on it with a Leupold 2.5-8 in Talley rings....happy camper.

I would be also! Great looking gun!

 

[Tnhunter]

I'll take issue with the measurements you're giving, Tnhunter. The case body of the 300WSM is longer and wider than the 300SAUM. Assuming equal thickness of brass (which seems logical as both operate at the same SAAMI MAP, I believe, of 65kpsi) one can then deduce that the WSM enjoys an ever so slight advantage in case capacity over the SAUM. In the only text I know which lists comparative case volumes, Modern Reloading, Vol. 2, from Lee, the WSM is listed as having a "useful case capacity" of 4.91cc, where the SAUM has only 4.73cc.

Comparing Hunting Shack's published velocities is hardly a good comparison. In my experience, those values are dubious at best (from all manufacturers). Further, your comparison doesn't hold up when comparing ammo from other manufacturers. Remington shows the WSM leading by 20-80fps over the SAUM in the same bullet weights. Comparing load data from multiple sources shows the WSM to enjoy a 50-100fps advantage in velocity across bullet weights ranging from 150-180gr.

I've been saying for years there is no substitute for case capacity, and this is just one more example of exactly that.

Well, I guess as they say, it's back to the drawing board for me then! :wink: I prolly should not believe everything I read in those silly gunrags, I reckon. Thanks for setting me straight (well, as straight as I get, anyway) :mrgreen:

 

[SJB358]

81.3 grains H20 capacity 300 WSM

74.00 grains H20 capacity 300 RSAUM

Those are taken from Quikload

Both are pretty close in all actuality, but the edge goes to the 300WSM and especially when you can stretch the WSM out a little further than SAAMI COAL. Loaded to the same OAL, they are really twins as the RSAUM has a longer neck and you aren't actually intruding on as much powder capacity, but with a bullet seated to the shoulder junction in both, you come out ahead, with powder room in the WSM.