Got a 300 Win Mag M70 Classic SM in 1996. Paid $525 for it NIB at Gart Brothers Sports in Colorado Springs. Mounted a $199 Leupold 3-9 Vari-X IIc that it still wears, had the trigger stoned for $20 and adjusted to 2 lbs at a local gun store by the sage wise veteran employee who worked there and did tiggers on the side. Gun weighs 8 lbs 15 oz loaded, glass smooth action and the floor plate has the finish dulled from carrying perfectly balanced with a bare hand in early Colorado elk season weather for many a season.
Lord, that rifle has some stories to tell of elk, mule deer and a few whitetails sprinkled in. Brakes, carbon barrels, suppressors were not on the radar. Christensen Arms had just been founded in 1995. Many guys here will never know what it's like to lap their own bolt, fire lap a barrel, bed their own action and free float a barrel. I also was ahead of the game by late 1990's standards by shortening the bolt stop for increased bolt travel, drilling out the sheet metal magazine filler, and installing a magnum length follower to use the 180 gr Barnes XBT at an OAL of 3.600". Fire lapping left it with a bit longer throat than stock so I took advantage of it. It will push that long bullet to 3080 fps with IMR7828 and the extra case capacity afforded by the long seating.
If I could have one 300 Win Mag... already have it.