History
Remington introduced the 7mm Short Action Ultra Magnum in 2002 as its answer to Winchester's new short magnums. The goal was 7mm Remington Magnum ballistics from a short action: a fat, beltless case shortened to feed in a short-action receiver, driving 140 to 160 grain bullets at near-belted-magnum velocity. The numbers delivered.
It lost the short-magnum war to the WSM line and faded from factory catalogs. Precision and long-range shooters kept it alive: an efficient, accurate, well-proportioned 7mm with a dedicated handloading following and a second life as a long-range hunting round.
Lineage
Remington's beltless Ultra Magnum case, itself out of the .404 Jeffery line, shortened to short-action length and necked to a 7mm (.284 inch) bullet. With no belt it headspaces on the shoulder, and the same shortened case yields its sibling, the .300 SAUM. Across the aisle sit the 7mm WSM it fought, the older 7mm-08 Remington, and the modern 7mm PRC.
Specifications
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Case type | Rimless, bottlenecked (beltless short magnum) |
| Bullet diameter | 7.22 mm (.284 in) |
| Neck diameter | 8.13 mm (.320 in) |
| Shoulder diameter | 13.58 mm (.535 in) |
| Rim diameter | 13.97 mm (.550 in) |
| Case length | 51.69 mm (2.035 in) |
| Overall length | 71.76 mm (2.825 in) |
| Case capacity | ~67 gr H2O (nominal; varies by brand) |
| Primer size | Large rifle magnum |
| Belted | No |
| Rifling twist | 1 in 9 in (SAAMI reference); 1 in 8.5 in (recommended, for heavy match) |
| Max pressure | 65,000 psi (SAAMI) |
| Recommended barrel | 28 in, 1:8.5 twist |
Barrel Design
The SAUM is efficient rather than overbore, so it is easier on barrels than a 28 Nosler and reaches its useful velocity without an extreme tube. The short, fat case is part of why it is known for accuracy.
Twist is the place to be deliberate. The factory short-action rifles were often cut around 1:9 for the hunting bullets of the day, but the heavy 160 to 180 grain 7mm match bullets that make the SAUM a long-range cartridge want a faster twist. A 1:8.5 is my call, holding those bullets with margin while still shooting the lighter ones.
For length I set the baseline at 28 inches for the long-range mission, collecting velocity and tightening standard deviation on the match loads. A 24 to 26 inch barrel gives up little and makes a noticeably handier field rifle, an easy trade for a hunting gun. The tables below are computed at that 28 inch baseline.
Range Ammo Performance
Remington Core-Lokt · 150 gr PSP $2.97/rd
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Elevation (mil) | Energy (ft-lb) | Windage (mil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3198 | -0.3 | 3406 | 0.5 |
| 100 | 2928 | 0.0 | 2854 | 0.2 |
| 200 | 2673 | -0.3 | 2379 | 0.5 |
| 300 | 2432 | -0.9 | 1969 | 0.8 |
| 400 | 2203 | -1.6 | 1616 | 1.1 |
| 500 | 1987 | -2.4 | 1315 | 1.4 |
| 600 | 1785 | -3.4 | 1061 | 1.7 |
| 700 | 1599 | -4.5 | 851 | 2.2 |
| 800 | 1431 | -5.8 | 682 | 2.6 |
| 900 | 1287 | -7.4 | 552 | 3.1 |
| 1000 | 1170 | -9.3 | 456 | 3.6 |
| 1100 | 1083 | -11.4 | 391 | 4.2 |
| 1200 | 1018 | -13.9 | 345 | 4.8 |
| 1300 | 967 | -16.8 | 312 | 5.3 |
| 1400 | 924 | -20.0 | 284 | 5.9 |
| 1500 | 887 | -23.5 | 262 | 6.4 |
| 1600 | 853 | -27.4 | 242 | 7.0 |
| 1700 | 822 | -31.6 | 225 | 7.5 |
Muzzle velocity 3198 fps is estimated at 28 in from the 24 in factory figure of 3110 fps at about 22 fps per inch. Expect your own barrel to read a little differently. Velocity is color coded green supersonic, yellow transonic, red subsonic; treat transonic and subsonic rows as approximate.
Match Ammo Performance
Nosler Trophy Grade · 160 gr AccuBond $3.90/rd
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Elevation (mil) | Energy (ft-lb) | Windage (mil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2938 | -0.4 | 3066 | 0.4 |
| 100 | 2770 | 0.0 | 2726 | 0.2 |
| 200 | 2608 | -0.4 | 2416 | 0.4 |
| 300 | 2452 | -1.0 | 2135 | 0.6 |
| 400 | 2301 | -1.7 | 1880 | 0.8 |
| 500 | 2155 | -2.5 | 1649 | 1.0 |
| 600 | 2014 | -3.4 | 1442 | 1.2 |
| 700 | 1880 | -4.4 | 1255 | 1.5 |
| 800 | 1751 | -5.4 | 1090 | 1.7 |
| 900 | 1630 | -6.6 | 944 | 2.0 |
| 1000 | 1516 | -8.0 | 817 | 2.3 |
| 1100 | 1411 | -9.5 | 708 | 2.7 |
| 1200 | 1317 | -11.1 | 616 | 3.0 |
| 1300 | 1233 | -12.9 | 540 | 3.4 |
| 1400 | 1162 | -15.0 | 480 | 3.8 |
| 1500 | 1104 | -17.2 | 433 | 4.2 |
| 1600 | 1057 | -19.7 | 397 | 4.6 |
| 1700 | 1017 | -22.4 | 367 | 5.0 |
Muzzle velocity 2938 fps is estimated at 28 in from the 24 in factory figure of 2850 fps at about 22 fps per inch. Expect your own barrel to read a little differently. Velocity is color coded green supersonic, yellow transonic, red subsonic; treat transonic and subsonic rows as approximate.
Trajectory
FAQ
What barrel length and twist should I run?
For long range, a 1:8.5 twist and a 28 inch barrel let the SAUM stabilize and drive heavy 7mm match bullets. Because it is efficient, a 24 to 26 inch barrel costs little velocity and makes a better-balanced hunting rifle, paired with a 1:9 twist for lighter bullets.
Can you still buy factory 7mm SAUM ammo?
Only intermittently. Treat it as a handloader's cartridge today, which suits the precision crowd well. Brass is available, and it is a straightforward case to load.
How does it compare to the 7mm PRC?
The 7mm PRC is the modern, standardized, factory-supported version of the same idea, with a deeper ammo catalog and a longer case for the heaviest bullets. The SAUM gets close on efficiency and accuracy from a shorter action, but the PRC is the easier cartridge to feed today.
What is the 7mm SAUM good for?
Efficient short-action long-range shooting and hunting for handloaders who value its accuracy and balance. It delivers a lot of 7mm performance without the heavy powder charge or barrel wear of the overbore magnums.