Dilemmas, dilemmas!

[Horitexan]

What are the advantages of a shirt action over a long action?

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It’s lighter, a bit stiffer and quicker to work. The real advantage of me is that most of the calibers I shoot are short action calibers and with a switchbarrel rifle on an action with interchangeable bolt heads I can convert to lots of different calibers I like and shoot. Including a .223. If I shot more long action calibers it wouldn’t be as hesitant.

Have you seen the SwitchLug system?

https://youtu.be/qjHqB6WMzVM

https://youtu.be/JF_4ASiOZOs

I would think this would be right up your alley, Sean!


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[JakeGraves]

Reply

I’ve decided to go with the short action for sure. I can shoot the real heavy .30s in my 300wm and that gives me an excuse to build a dedicated hammer like a 300 Norma or a 338 Edge or Addiction. Lol! I’ve already been looking at a Defiance XR action. Lol.

Jake-

I don’t have any intention of running that 300wsm in competition, lol. It’s just for hunting. But I could see using the SAUM.

My biggest dilemma is whether to go magazine fed or internal box. I’m even more confused after talking to a “tech” guy at Berger. He claimed that even the 140 VLD and Elite hunter bullets would be too long for a short action. He said that if I don’t build it on a long action the base of the bullet will be below the neck-shoulder junction of the case; thus limiting the potential of of the SAUM Case. Of course, the same guy didn’t know there are extended boxes available for short actions. Lol. Jake, I know you’ve got a 6.5SAUM - what’s your advice? Is yours a magazine fed or internal box? Any issues shooting VLD style bullets up to 140 or the 143ELD?

My 6.5SAUM is built on a Defiance Short Action with APA bottom metal running Alpha mags. I have .120” freebore and can seat the 140’s out to the lands and still have room in the mags. Text me at(817) 914-6139 if you want me to send pics. I love this caliber and rifle.



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Reply above

[JakeGraves]

Not sure how I typed the reply in the quoted text. Anyway, let me know if you want pics of my setup.

[Mesquite Archer]

I would go long to keep heavy bullet weights as an option.

And I would go detachable box / mag fed for ease of caliber changes.

[Arrow Slinger]

Get a bow!

[WhiplashTX]

Wow no love for the 300 WSM. Another option you might consider is getting a barrel in 284, Sheshane, or Walker and single feed it for competion. The stock might look a little odd with a hunting barrel in a full bull channel when you swap to hunting mode. The 6mm dasher would be another choice if your feeling lucky about the wind.

[Horitexan]

Thanks Jake! I knew you are loving your SAUM, and I was looking for your input. It’s sounding like I can go magazine fed. Heck, I was mainly wanting the 155s for hunting as I’ve “heard” they are going to be Elite Hunters. If I have to I’ll single feed them. There are 130’s and 140’s that shoot better than I can. So a bunch of this is theoretical, for me. Lol!




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[Horitexan]

Get a bow!

I’ve got 5 of them and a new one on the way. Lol! Plus I manage a bowhunting operation. So it’s bow, bow, bow every day! I need my shooting and predator hunting to keep balanced and maintain some small measure of sanity! Lol! Besides, gun guys are more down to earth and less wound up than bowhunters who are always stressed about ‘getting it done!’ Lmao! [emoji23][emoji6]


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[JakeGraves]

Thanks Jake! I knew you are loving your SAUM, and I was looking for your input. It’s sounding like I can go magazine fed. Heck, I was mainly wanting the 155s for hunting as I’ve “heard” they are going to be Elite Hunters. If I have to I’ll single feed them. There are 130’s and 140’s that shoot better than I can. So a bunch of this is theoretical, for me. Lol!

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Glad I could help. Out of all my custom rifles, the SAUM gets the most playing time. I have taken the 140’s out to 2,050 yds and the only misses I get are windage and that’s not the bullets fault.

[gatorgrizz27]

Why not just go long action with 6.5-.284 or 6.5-06 and .300 WM? FWIW I shoot both short and long action Weatherby Vanguard, it is only 1/2" and 2 oz difference. I don't have any problems going back and forth.

I like the hinged floorplates for bolt guns. It is much sleeker and I find myself carrying the rifle in one hand with my palm wrapped under the magazine, as it is the balance point. Plus, you have no chance of leaving the magazine at home or in the truck. If you need to be able to reload quickly for competitions, this doesn't apply.

[Horitexan]

Why not just go long action with 6.5-.284 or 6.5-06 and .300 WM? FWIW I shoot both short and long action Weatherby Vanguard, it is only 1/2" and 2 oz difference. I don't have any problems going back and forth.

I like the hinged floorplates for bolt guns. It is much sleeker and I find myself carrying the rifle in one hand with my palm wrapped under the magazine, as it is the balance point. Plus, you have no chance of leaving the magazine at home or in the truck. If you need to be able to reload quickly for competitions, this doesn't apply.

There’s a lot of wisdom in what you’re saying but I’m really a fan of short action calibers and I already have a lot of reloading gear for SA calibers. There aren’t many LA calibers I’m really interested except for the big boys like 338 Edge, 300 Norma, .375 H&H, 375 Cheytac - and the action for those is simply too big for this project and Bighorn doesn’t support a .585 bolt face and they say their action isn’t rated for those bigger calibers. My plan is to build a long action Switchlug rifle on a Defiance XL action down the road in 300 Norma and/or 338 Edge so I’m not really interested in going to a LA on this one.

Of course, I want the best of all worlds and I’m worrying about all this over ONE SINGLE bullet - that durn 155gr Berger that’s not even out yet. Lol! In the end, if I can’t shoot it except by single feeding it....well, so be it. I picked the 6.5 SAUM because of what it does with everything from 130gr to 147gr and shooting those new bullets is much more of a ‘want’ than a ‘need.’

If I stick with the short action, I can have a .223 or .223AI trainer barrel spun up and shoot some real heavy (80gr & 90gr) .224 or any of these interesting calibers that are very Texas appropriate:

22-250AI
6mm Creedmoor
6mm SLR
.243AI
6.5 Sherman Shortmag
6.5 SLR
6.5x47L
6.5 Addiction
.260AI
6.5 WSM
6.5 WSSM

Since I have a 300wm, I can push 215’s with that, if I want to. I just can’t justify building short action calibers on a long action with this particular configuration.


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[JakeGraves]

Good deal. The SAUM likes H1000, IMR7977, or RL 26. RL will give you the most speed but H1000 will not erode throats as fast.

[Texas89]

I went they this myself. Your options increase with the long action. As far as magazine of you plan to do a match or two I’d go external


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[Horitexan]

Good deal. The SAUM likes H1000, IMR7977, or RL 26. RL will give you the most speed but H1000 will not erode throats as fast.

How temp sensitive is the Reloader 26? I was planning to use H1000 since I use that, mostly, for my 300wm. But I’m tempted to develop a hunting load with the Reloader and a steel/match load with H1000. I can’t see a hunting round here or there having any effect on the throat, no matter how hot it is; but I don’t think I’d want to shoot long strings with Reloader. On the other hand, Clayton is kinda steering me away from using Proof barrels and towards the Bartleins I’ve been using; and that’ll make rebarrels fairly cheap. Especially since he can spin me an identical barrel off the original specs, without even having to send him the rifle. That may have me viewing throat erosion in a whole new light.


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[JakeGraves]

How temp sensitive is the Reloader 26? I was planning to use H1000 since I use that, mostly, for my 300wm. But I’m tempted to develop a hunting load with the Reloader and a steel/match load with H1000. I can’t see a hunting round here or there having any effect on the throat, no matter how hot it is; but I don’t think I’d want to shoot long strings with Reloader. On the other hand, Clayton is kinda steering me away from using Proof barrels and towards the Bartleins I’ve been using; and that’ll make rebarrels fairly cheap. Especially since he can spin me an identical barrel off the original specs, without even having to send him the rifle. That may have me viewing throat erosion in a whole new light.


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I would not pay extra for a Proof over a Bartlein or Hawk Hill. I do not have numbers for temp stability but don’t believe rl26 is as good as H1000 in that regard. Area 419 has some research data on their Facebook page comparing the two.