The .300 SAUM is a potent cartridge, whether chambered in the 22” barreled Model 7 or longer barreled rifles.
Whether for bush/woods hunting or long range hunting the .300 SAUM has the power to deliver fast emphatic killing across a wide range of body weights at all practical ranges providing, as always, the projectile is matched to the job at hand.
Compared to the .300 WSM, the .300 SAUM is potentially slower by 50-100fps (equal length barrels) a difference that if rifle to rifle variations are taken into consideration, is enough to blur the lines toward near identical performance. Larger velocity differences are however seen when comparing the 22” barreled Model 7 to the 24” barreled Winchester M70. Had Remington initially introduced the .300 SAUM in a 24 or 26” barrel, the initial launch and marketing campaign may well have had a different result. But what is done is done. The .300 SAUM chambered in the Model 7 is faster than the .30-06 by around 100fps and is slower than the .300WSM by about the same 100fps-130fps, placing the .300 SAUM roughly between the two cartridges.
The short length of the Model 7 makes it somewhat ideal for bush/woods hunting while its ultra-light weight is ideal for climbing high. As a mountain rifle, as with all light weight platforms chambered for potent cartridges, recoil torque to both the shooter and rifle platform are potential problems. The Model 7 .300 SAUM is an ideal candidate for suppression as a means to tame recoil torque, noise reduction being a secondary ‘bonus’ factor. Apart from this solution, the Model 7 shooter must be truly vigilant of accuracy related factors such as bedding and shooting technique.