WSM to SAUM

skyfish

March 03, 2012 16:15

Can a rifle that's chambered in WSM be switched to a SAUM with a barrel change? Or is there to much difference in bolt face?

Thanks

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  tsr1965

  March 03, 2012 16:21

  Yes it can be changed easily by a barrel change. However, if the WSM barrel is any good, a good smith can cut a thread or two off, and rechamber it to SAUM. Comparatively speaking, there is not a lot of difference ballistically between the two, except the SAUM is slightly more efficient.
  
  Best
  
  EDIT 1
  
  I should note, that it is harder to cut a new chamber from an old chamber. To do it correctly, an extended reamer guide is needed, to maintain concentricity, lest you get the reamer to drift. Take it from a guy that has been there. After some thought, I would recommend going the new barrel route, especially if this rifle is going to be used for precision shootig. Also, as long as the barrel is off, if this is a standard action that has not had the face squared and threads trued, and the bolt face squared, I highly recommend doing that, while the rifle is apart.
  
  Best

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  nononsense

  March 03, 2012 19:05

  skyfish,
  
  Yes, you can have a new barrel fitted and chambered. The bolt faces are the same and the feeding characteristics are very similar. The differences are in the overall length, small differences in diameters and the shoulder angle. The setback has to be enough to remove the 35 degree shoulder of the WSM so that the 30 degree shoulder of the RSAUM is intact. The accuracy of the original chamber size is important to any additional work so that the second reamer cleans up the first chamber completely.
  
  .300 Winchester Short Magnum
  
  
  .300 Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum
  
  
  Best.

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