.300 WSM Build

[BigDog00]

Alright all you gun nuts, I need some advice on this build. I am wanting to build (semi custom) a .300 WSM off of a 700 action and keep it fairly economical. This is pretty set in stone as I'm a remington fan. I haven't bought one in the last few years, but all rifles I have perform flawlessly. Originally I thought about just using a barreled action and swapping out the trigger and stock. Now after doing some research and not being able to find a barreled action in .300 WSM, I'm starting to thing it may be better to build off of a different caliber. I've read where the short action can limit the types of rounds you can load. I don't reload yet, but will start in the near future. It seems that going this route will be quite a bit more expensive and will probably need considerable gun smithing. What do you guys think? Anyone ever build a rifle off of this round and how did you do it?

 

[Matt Cashell]

I built a 300 WSM off a winchester short action years ago. I did not feel hindered by action length, and I actually loaded the relatively long 200 Accubond in that cartridge without trouble.

IMO, If you are going off a long action, you might as well build a Long Action 300 like a 300 Norma or even the standard 300 Winny.

In my experience, the gunsmith doing the work is more important than the brand of barrel.

I have built rifles with Douglass, Hart, and Shilen barrels, and they all shot lights out when they were spun on by someone that knew what they were doing.

I am thinking Hells Canyon Armory for my next build, as I know their smith is top notch.

 

[AZ Vince]

I will concur with Bitterroot that who is doing the work is more important than the actual name on the barrel.

 

[Stid2677]

Only advice I will offer since I'm not a push to feed guy, is this. Build it because you want and plan on keeping it. I say this because I have NEVER even come close to selling a custom for a fraction of what I spent on one.

Have fun and good luck,, IMHO the 300WSM is the sweet spot in that family. I own 325wsm, 300wsm and a 270wsm.

I had a 270WSM Remington 700 TI, rebarreled with a Douglas barrel to 300WSM, Sako extractor, changed the trigger out for a Timney and had it bedded. After all that it still would not eject right, the titanium action just had too much friction for me.

Was sold for about a 1500 dollar loss....

So I would not recommend this route..

Steve

 

[Shrek]

Fyi , the Winchester wsm short actions have a longer magazine than the Remington short actions. I can get a 3.05" col into my Winchester wsm action but my Remingtons only go 2.78 col without modification. If you mod the Remington with a wyatts extended magazine then you mill out the middle screw hole so it's bdl only. I have also had some feed problems with my modified Remington. I'm with the others about the barrels. I think all the custom barrel makers make barrels that are more capable than 99.999% of shooters and that the smith work is MUCH more important. Proper face and lug truing and a strait chamber combined with a good bed job and trigger job is where it's at.

 

[BigDog00]

Thanks for the info thus far. I guess where I'm torn is wether or not I spend money on a brand new basic BDL .300 WSM rifle or try to find something used and go from the ground up. My original plan was to just buy a SPS stainless and throw a B/C stock, timmney trigger, and possible a sako/m16 extractor on it. Now I'm not so sure. I have access to a used .30-06 that I could get really cheap if not free. I'm just not really sure what converting the '06 into the WSM would cost me, but I'm guessing its not going to be cheap.

 

[Ray]

The cheapest 300 short mag build on a Remington action you can do is find a model 7 in 300 SAUM ( SS w/ 22" barrel) and start reloading. You'll need to get it restocked and free floated. Then find brass. It's getting harder.

This is my favorite rifle.

 

[Matt Cashell]

Thanks for the info thus far. I guess where I'm torn is wether or not I spend money on a brand new basic BDL .300 WSM rifle or try to find something used and go from the ground up. My original plan was to just buy a SPS stainless and throw a B/C stock, timmney trigger, and possible a sako/m16 extractor on it. Now I'm not so sure. I have access to a used .30-06 that I could get really cheap if not free. I'm just not really sure what converting the '06 into the WSM would cost me, but I'm guessing its not going to be cheap.

I would go your first route.

The boltface isn't right on the -06, and those fat little 300s could have a hard time with the LA magazine.

Now if you were interested in something like a 280 AI or 6.5-284, I would go for the -06 and do it up!

 

[BigDog00]

I would go your first route.

The boltface isn't right on the -06, and those fat little 300s could have a hard time with the LA magazine.

Now if you were interested in something like a 280 AI or 6.5-284, I would go for the -06 and do it up!

Thanks BB, this is what I was leaning towards. I guess my thought process has been that I can start the build and see how it performs. Then I can decide if I want to throw a new barrel on it.

 

[Stid2677]

A word of caution on the sako extractor. The one I had done, caused the spent brass to eject too high and they would hit on the scope windage knob and then fall back into the action..

Not to try to sway your choice on caliber, but with modern powders if you hand load you can get an 06 to preform close to the 300wsm, within about 200fps. I have done extensive loads for both. That is about 3 inches difference in drop @400 yards using the very same bullet. Not as sexy as a Wissum, but holds more in the mag, feeds better and cheaper for brass.

Just saying.. More rifle for less money.

 

[Shrek]

With an inexpensive Remington the conversion would be about $200 in parts and what the smith work would be I can't say. If you are going to buy new and want to play with different calibers then you may want to look at a Savage.

 

[BigDog00]

I happened to notice that Brownells has a 700 "standard" short action for about $390. It comes with action, bolt, and trigger. I believe they have "short", "standard", and "long" listed in both the short and long actions. Would this possibly be a good starting point?