Two popular long range 7mm cartridges are the 7mm WSM and the 7 SAUM. Both of these rounds are used for long range hunting and shooting but they are not often compared in depth. So in this article, we will compare these two rounds to see which is better, why, and what each of these rounds is good for.
Here is the short answer:
The 7 SUAM has more energy at the muzzle but has more drop and more wind drift. The 7mm WSM has better long range energy retention and roughly the same amount of recoil.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look closer at each cartridge, their ballistics, and see how they compare in-depth.
In-Depth Look at the 7mm WSM
The 7mm WSM, or Winchester Short Magnum, was introduced by Winchester in 2001 as part of their line of short magnum cartridges. It’s based on a shortened .300 WSM case necked down to hold a 7mm bullet.
The 7mm WSM is known for its high velocities and flat trajectory, making it a popular choice for long-range hunting and target shooting. It’s capable of pushing a 140-grain bullet at over 3,000 feet per second (fps), which gives it excellent downrange energy and accuracy. The cartridge has a maximum effective range of around 1,000 yards, making it suitable for most long-range shooting applications.
One of the downsides of the 7mm WSM is its relatively high recoil. The cartridge generates a lot of energy, which can make it uncomfortable to shoot for some people.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 7mm WSM with a 150-grain jacketed soft point bullet:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 3100 | 3200 |
| 50 | -0.3 | 0.2 | 2963 | 2925 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.8 | 2831 | 2669 |
| 150 | -0.8 | 1.8 | 2703 | 2433 |
| 200 | -2.9 | 3.3 | 2578 | 2213 |
| 250 | -6.2 | 5.3 | 2457 | 2010 |
| 300 | -10.9 | 7.7 | 2338 | 1821 |
| 350 | -17.3 | 10.8 | 2224 | 1647 |
| 400 | -25.5 | 14.5 | 2112 | 1486 |
| 450 | -35.5 | 18.8 | 2003 | 1337 |
| 500 | -47.6 | 23.7 | 1898 | 1199 |
In-Depth Look at the 7 SAUM
The 7 SAUM, or Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum, was introduced by Remington in 2002. Like the 7mm WSM, the 7 SAUM uses a short action case which saves weight and size with your rifle making it better suited for hunting where pounds matter.
The 7 SAUM is a good cartridge for hunting elk, bear, deer, and moose as it has a high energy and good long range energy retention. Overall, the 7 SAUM is a good hunting round that is very versatile for big game hunting.
The downside to the 7 SAUM is that it has a higher recoil that can be harder to control for some shooters. However, with proper technique and enough range time, this round will be very controllable to shoot.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 7 SAUM with a 180-grain soft point bullet:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2900 | 3361 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 2764 | 3054 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.9 | 2633 | 2770 |
| 150 | -1.1 | 2.1 | 2505 | 2508 |
| 200 | -3.5 | 3.8 | 2381 | 2265 |
| 250 | -7.5 | 6.1 | 2260 | 2041 |
| 300 | -13.2 | 9 | 2143 | 1835 |
| 350 | -20.8 | 12.5 | 2029 | 1646 |
| 400 | -30.4 | 16.7 | 1918 | 1471 |
| 450 | -42.4 | 21.8 | 1812 | 1313 |
| 500 | -57.4 | 27.8 | 1711 | 1170 |
In-Depth Comparison
Now that we have looked at each cartridge individually, let’s compare the 7mm WSM and 7 SAUM side by side.
Ballistics:
The 7mm WSM and 7 SAUM are both flat-shooting and long-range cartridges, but the 7 SAUM edges out the 7mm WSM in terms of ballistic performance at close range. The 7 SAUM has a slightly larger case capacity, which allows it to achieve higher velocities and energy at close range. However, the 7 SAUM cannot keep its energy as well as the 7mm WSM at long range and is therefor a worse cartridge to use past about 500 yards depending on the cartridge.
Recoil:
Recoil is an important consideration when choosing a rifle cartridge, particularly for hunters who may have to take multiple shots in quick succession. In general, both of these rounds have about the same recoil, around 20-22 pounds, however, the 7mm WSM generates slightly more recoil with the same grain weight bullet by roughly 2 pounds.
Availability and Cost:
Both cartridges are relatively uncommon compared to more popular hunting cartridges like the 300 Winchester Magnum or 30-06 Springfield. However, the 7mm WSM is slightly more popular than the 7 SAUM so it would be easier to find ammo and less costly ammo for that matter.
Application:
Both cartridges are excellent choices for long-range hunting and shooting, and as far as applications go, are pretty tied up. One could argue that either one of these rounds has a slight edge over the other but at the end of the day they will still be used for the same distances and the same sized animals.