trucraft Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 This has been a pipe dream for several years now. I started saving over five years ago for a new rifle. After and engagement ring, baby and a family car had all taken their toll on my stash I felt it was time to act. I wanted something to step up from my .243, I like to be a little different and at the time after a lot of reading the SAUM looked like just the kiddy. Compact, great choice of bullets and capable of dropping any deer species here and abroad. After some research on actions and their availability in a short action mag bolt face I had a text from Paddy. (Dane & Co) He said he had a few in hand and why don't I come and check them out. Less than a day later I had ordered a Borden Alpine from Callum at PRS. Having ordered the action I had several more months to wait and research every other component for this rifle. I like to do things the hard way and as this was to be my first custom I wanted to build as much as I could myself. (If I had realised the time and effort involved I may have done things different ) That said I have enjoyed the process and learnt a lot about rifles. The main bit that was out of my league was plumbing the barrel. I soon realised that being a slightly different choice of caliber this ment at the time not many smiths had a reamer. After a heads up from Davy I talked to Mik at Dolphin. He had a ton of barrels on the shelf and a 7mm SAUM reamer that he could cut a throat to suit the bullet of my choice. I lost count of the amount of emails sent back and forth but everyone was answered within eight hours. Great service! 13 months after ordering the first component I had everything in my hand and ready to put together. So this is the spec and where I sourced them from: Borden Alpine SA mag bolt face- Callum at Precision Rifle Services. Krieger 25” 1 in 9 twist, #6 contour .750 at muzzle. Chambered 7mm RSAUM – Mik at Dolphin Rifles Mcmillan A3-5 – Roger at South Yorkshire Shooting Supplies. Stock Duracoat, 4 colour Flecktarn style with matt lacquer – Dave at Valkyrie Rifles. CG Trigger - Hatzi 34mm Rings – Third Eye 20 MOA base - Third Eye Tactical Surgeon bottom metal – Long Range Hunting Forum AI .308 mag modified with the front plate removed and feed lips opened out. First I went to work on the stock. I had to open the barrel channel and prep for piller bedding. Then I used my router and Dremel to inlet the Surgeon bottom metal and CG trigger.(Have a Jewel too and will test both and see which I get on with best). Both before bedding. Everyone I have dealt with on this build has been spot on helping me no end to make this project come to life. Thanks Now just need to load some ammo and find time to get to the range! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryh Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Very nice! All the right parts from a slew of good people. Found 180 Berger Hybrids over 4831SC was a good starting point in my 7SAUM. If the AI mags give grief the Alpha's work very well and still allow you to seat out the bullets. Let us know how you get on with it? Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannywayoflife Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Lovely stick that mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz6br Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Very nice worth the wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumbrian 1 Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Lovely build, how do you find the Kahles scope in terms of glass quality and geting to grips with the parallax being on the top? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Nice bit of kit there mate, should be a real shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako 75 .243 Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 well worth the wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brown dog Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Lovely - a 'best of breed' rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trucraft Posted December 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Very nice! All the right parts from a slew of good people. Found 180 Berger Hybrids over 4831SC was a good starting point in my 7SAUM. If the AI mags give grief the Alpha's work very well and still allow you to seat out the bullets. Let us know how you get on with it? Terry I actually have a couple of the Alpha mags on order from US but they are taking an age to come so I thought I would play with the AI's for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trucraft Posted December 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Nice bit of kit there mate, should be a real shooter Lets hope so. As long as I bedded and bolted it together ok. I've not fired a round with the Kahles yet but will report on that later. Took the bare scope out with me in the truck few weeks back to check the ret and glass over some Sussex countryside. I have to say it's the that which promotes growth and vigour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trucraft Posted January 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Finally got to the range last week after all this crap weather. I was testing some Berger 168grn vld hunting with N560 and then some Accubond 160grn with H1000. The H1000 loads from 64 - 65.8 were all compressed with a COAL of 2.880" but nearly all shot well. This is the H1000 AB retest loads that showed most potential. The paper was getting damp by this stage as you can see. The card backer showed the groups much nicer! These were all 3 shot groups shot round robin except the bottom right 63.8 which is 5 shots, one of which I pulled to the left! 65 - 65.5 all showed ejector marks and some stiff bolt lift which is a real shame as they were tight. 65grns = around 3000fps 63.8 was 2977fps. I shall play with the COAL on this load i think. The 168's and N560 didn't look as tight but 60grns gave me 1/2" 5 shots @ 2912fps so will also play with the COAL on that load and see. Any feed back welcome! I also was using a new 6 baffle Maxim which performed really nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhunter Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Very nice indeed, fine groups in the load testing also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcampbellsmith Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 That's a cracking set-up. What dies and brass are you using? Thanks JCS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylor Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Got the same caliber in my long range hunting rig I use h1000 65 grn and 180 grn hunting berger vld shoots bug holes great caliber getting 2975 fps with mine Lovely rifle - enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trucraft Posted January 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 That's a cracking set-up. What dies and brass are you using? Thanks JCS I'm using Norma 300 SAUM brass necked down with Redding bushing die, neck turned then Redding comp bullet seating. I really love these dies, so simple to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billgun Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Cracking lookin build, well done. Well worth the wait. I had a .30 SAUM built to order 4 years ago. Still gives ragged groups and taking deer at extended ranges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swagger700 Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 How are you getting on with kahles scope . I'm looking at possibly buying one had quick look other day and thought it had edge over equivalent zeiss and Schmidt nice rifle and good caliber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trucraft Posted January 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Got the same caliber in my long range hunting rig I use h1000 65 grn and 180 grn hunting berger vld shoots bug holes great caliber getting 2975 fps with mine Lovely rifle - enjoy That's great velocity for those 180's. Are You running that on a long action or just a long barrel? I went for bullets in the 160grn range as I'm mag feeding and felt I wouldn't see a great advantage with the heavier bullet, at least not yet but may change my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylor Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 It's a short action remmy blueprinted with a Wyatt's exstended mag box but I got a seekins mag and bottom metal coming over soon It's a 26 in long true flight ultra match sg barrel With h4831 sc I was only getting 2800 fps but h1000 gave me 2975 fps with cracking accuracy low es and sd It has the new mcmillan a- hole thumb hole stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldie Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 I use H4831sc in my saum but it seems hard to get hold of is H1000 any better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trucraft Posted January 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 It's a short action remmy blueprinted with a Wyatt's exstended mag box but I got a seekins mag and bottom metal coming over soon It's a 26 in long true flight ultra match sg barrel With h4831 sc I was only getting 2800 fps but h1000 gave me 2975 fps with cracking accuracy low es and sd It has the new mcmillan a- hole thumb hole stock Sounds like a nice set up Taylor. I nearly went for a Seekins mag/bottom metal they are V nice. We should start a SnipersHide style "Show use those SAUM's" thread! I use H4831sc in my saum but it seems hard to get hold of is H1000 any better H4831 is up there as a go to powder for this cal hey. I have access to a few tubs of H1000 but not sure what general stocks are like. How are you getting on with kahles scope . I'm looking at possibly buying one had quick look other day and thought it had edge over equivalent zeiss and Schmidt nice rifle and good caliber I need to get a bit of hunting done with this set up and scope to be honest but my initial feeling is the Kahles would take some beating. The glass and ret are very good and once i;ve had a chance to push the ranges a bit and use the turrets I will report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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