Thread: 6.5 SAUM

I have had the T3 Saum going for quite a while now but have been busy with bigger toys
It takes the 140 Amax, 120 GMX & 130 Sirrocos in the magazine nicely.



It is pushing the 140 Amaxs out at around 3015-3040.
The 120 GMX & 130 sirrocos out at around 3150-3200.
Not to bad for a factory 22" barrel.
Here are a couple of groups from today.



While a couple of the locals looked on





Here is the case next to the 6.5-284 & 6.5 WSM



It has a fluted bolt with positive half cock modification, 1-8" fluted barrel, 20 moa alloy rail & the obligatory Limbsaver recoil pad.

Thats nice

Whats it like on brass, at those speeds, 3000ish compared to 6.5x284, how much faster is the wsm and saum, whats easier to get brass for? effective range about 5-600m?

Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

I have had the T3 Saum going for quite a while now but have been busy with bigger toys
It takes the 140 Amax, 120 GMX & 130 Sirrocos in the magazine nicely.



It is pushing the 140 Amaxs out at around 3015-3040.
The 120 GMX & 130 sirrocos out at around 3150-3200.
Not to bad for a factory 22" barrel.
Here are a couple of groups from today.



While a couple of the locals looked on





Here is the case next to the 6.5-284 & 6.5 WSM



It has a fluted bolt with positive half cock modification, 1-8" fluted barrel, 20 moa alloy rail & the obligatory Limbsaver recoil pad.

This really interests me. Can you ream a 6.5x55, and at these speeds is it a barrel burner like the the other 6.5 hot shots, 6.5 wsm and 264 WM?
Whats the recoil like, say compared to a 7mm rem mag (without a break). From way back, I have been fascinated by the 264 win mag but have settled for the 6.5x55. Maybe I should indulge.

Originally Posted by scoped

Whats it like on brass, at those speeds, 3000ish compared to 6.5x284, how much faster is the wsm and saum, whats easier to get brass for? effective range about 5-600m?

Those speeds are easy on brass, it will go harder but the brass suffers...

Norma brass no problem to get but it is soft...

Just finished sorting a 6.5-284 & it uses 7.5 grains less of the same powder, brass, 140 amax to go 150 slower with 2" more barrel than the Saum

My 6.5 Wsm with 4" more barrel is going 125 faster than the Saum but it is hard on brass.
So there probably isn't that much between the Saum & Wsm if built on the same platform.

I don't think you would have much trouble stretching it out a little further on animals.
Steel is a different matter, but the hi-horsepower 6.5s have a low round count & don't like heat so steel shooting isn't that sensisble.
Having said that any over bore hi-horse power round falls into the same category whether it is a .22 or .375.

Originally Posted by Tahr

This really interests me. Can you ream a 6.5x55, and at these speeds is it a barrel burner like the the other 6.5 hot shots, 6.5 wsm and 264 WM?
Whats the recoil like, say compared to a 7mm rem mag (without a break). From way back, I have been fascinated by the 264 win mag but have settled for the 6.5x55. Maybe I should indulge.

Recoil isn't too bad, it is only pushing a 140 grain pill.
Another reason I went that way rather than 7mm as they are on the edge of reason for recoil & fit the mag easier

The 6.5x55 would be able to be set back & reamed, the mag would need massaging possible, I assume it is a T3 Tikka ?
If so sometimes the barrel steel is a little ugly & doesn't play the game as well as it should while machining...

As far as a barrel burner goes, for a hunting rifle it is a non-issue unless you are culling goats

It is still harder on a barrel than a 6.5-284 but not as bad as a Wsm or Win mag, power capacity, volume, speed & heat is the culprit

so the saum would probably be the better bet if you wanted the most speed

Originally Posted by scoped

so the saum would probably be the better bet if you wanted the most speed

The Saum will give more speed than the 6.5-284.

A 6.5 Rum or 6.5/408 CT would probably give the most speed & shortest barrel life

The price for this Tikka T3 6.5 Saum is $2480 inc GST.

This includes fluted bolt & barrel, alloy rail, load development, 100 Norma brass, Limbsaver recoil pad, safe bolt modification & all freight.

Dies are Redding Type S Bushing, approx $250 or Hornady at $150

All the machining on all the rifles I sell is done by professional gunsmiths during normal working hours, with their own reputations & businesses at stake.