WSM action question

[mrgreentie]

I'm starting to put together my list of needs for a custom 300 WSM build and have a possibly foolish question. Can I use any short action for my 300 WSM? Aren't the WSM case heads larger in diameter than regular short action, non-magnum rounds? What do I need to look for? Also, can I use a 270 WSM or 7mm WSM action for a 300 WSM? (Told ya the question might be foolish!)

On another note, where the heck does everyone buy their actions? Used rifles? I really want a Remington 700 action...but the pickings are slim unless I buy a 300 WSM rifle and take the parts of it.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

Happy New Year!

~Mac

 

[Mikecr]

I would not consider a WSM a short action cartridge.
You will have a difficult time hodge podging with this cartridge, and ending up with any more than a poor performing mess of a gun.

So I'll throw in a recommendation:
Buy a savage 300wsm, and do whatever you like from there.
-It has the correct boltface(and floating bolthead)
-The action is correctly setup for a larger barrel tennon(to provided sufficient barrel steel around chamber)
-It has a working magazine for this cartridge
-Look for Controlled Round Push Feed(CRPF), and standing blade ejection with this action(awesome)
-Look for accutrigger
-plenty of aftermarket, and do it yourself barrel/cartridge changing

 

[wvcountryboy]

The only foolish question is the one you dont ask. The short mags have a magnum bolt face and the standard short action has the smaller 308 243 bolt face which is also the same as the 30 06 except its a long action. The short mags have the same bolt face as a 7mm rem mag and 300 wm. You could use a regular long action magnum action but that is sort of defeating the purpose of the short mag. Any short mag action will be the same. Super short mag is different. You could buy any old 243 and use the action. You will just have to have the bolt face opened and a saico extractor installed which is almost a must for a remington bolt anyhow.

I prefer a 700 myself. I thought about a savage for my 6mm ai build since the magazine is .150" longer but I went with a 700. The reason I would not get a savage is because you can't buy a jewel trigger for one. Once you shoot a 2 ounce jewel you will never be able to shoot anything else. I can not think of any disadvantage to a 2 ounce trigger unless you walk around with your finger on the trigger which is not safe anyhow. It will teach you not to put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot which is a good practice to use anyhow.

 

[300R]

I think you would be best off starting with a custom action like a surgeon 591 wsm, it is a short action with a longer magazine loading port or you could use a rem 700 short action and do the same thing by having it opened up,seekins make a short action wsm bottom metal which is little longer or...just use a long action and seat the bullets out as long as you like.If you don't have a donor action already do your math first because a custom long or short action will still be a better way to go,as for your question about the other wsm's, they all share the same bolt face.All the best with your build.

 

[mrgreentie]

Any short mag action will be the same. Super short mag is different.

So, just so I'm clear, if I buy a 7 mm WSM, or 270 WSM action, it will work for the 300 WSM without any modification? I found a used 270 WSM Rem 700 for a good deal and if I can use that action, without modification, I'll buy it now.

Thanks for all your help!


~Mac

 

[wvcountryboy]

Yes, the 270, 7mm, and 300 wsm use all the same action. They use the exact same case, the only difference is bullet size.

 

[mrgreentie]

Yes, the 270, 7mm, and 300 wsm use all the same action. They use the exact same case, the only difference is bullet size.

Perfect! Thank You!

 

[BountyHunter]

I would not consider a WSM a short action cartridge.
You will have a difficult time hodge podging with this cartridge, and ending up with any more than a poor performing mess of a gun.

Sounds like a "fuster cluck" experience speaking there.

WSM makes an absolutely great short action gun IF you are smart enough to set it up right in the beginning, and no hodge podging required or anticipated.

Start with the right action and an extended Wyatts box and it will have zero problems an poor performance is a non issue.

IMO buy a good custom action all tweaked out i the box and forget messing with a 700. You will be money, quality and happiness ahead. Look at the Tooley Orion and Stiller predators as top choices for the money and like the Tooley better as configured.

BH

 

[mrgreentie]

Sounds like a "fuster cluck" experience speaking there.


IMO buy a good custom action all tweaked out i the box and forget messing with a 700.

BH

This will be my first custom rifle and I'm getting more nervous about the level of difficulty pulling this off. Let me run by you guys what I'm thinking and tell me if I'll end up with a headache or a solid build. I plan on sending my action to Krieger and have them true the action and install one of their barrels. When they send back the action and barrel I plan on slapping it in a stock I buy and go from there. It should be as simple as that, right?

My grocery list:

Action: Buy a Remington 700 SPS Stainless 300 WSM Rifle and use that action for my build. sample here: Remington 700 SPS SS 300 WSM

Barrel: Kreiger 5R 1:11.25 twist Stainless Barrel with a Varmint #7 contour. I'm trying to keep it somewhat light as I have to cover a lot of ground to get to certain spots on my hunts. (This is a long range hunting rifle running 180gr Sierra Gamekings. I will have Krieger true my action and attach their barrel to the action. Details: Their barrel list Their action service overview

Stock: Buy a HS Precision Stock off of a friend sample here: H-S Precision Pro-Series Rifle Stock Remington 700 BDL Short Action Police Sniper Varmint Barrel

Trigger: I'm undecided but I'm ok with the x-mark trigger that comes on the parts rifle i'm buying. I have one on my .308 and have no issues with the pull or feel.

Rings & Base: I'll roll with a Leupold set of rings and a Leupold one-piece picatanny base. I'm second guessing this as my selected optic may limit me on elevation so I may go with a Badger 30 MOA base. Thoughts?

Optic: As stated earlier, this is a hunting rifle. I have a Leupold MK4 ER/T on my bench rifle but dont really want to start there with this rifle. I'm thinking this optic: Bushnell Elite 4200 Series 6-24 x 50mm Tactical Rifle Scope 426245T

So. What should I look out for? Is this build solid? Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

~Mac

 

[Coyboy]

What bullet are you going to use?
Factory loads or handloads?
Factory will fit in a factory mag box.
If you handload you will want a wyatts extended box for a longer OAL.
Will Kreigers reamer be set up for your bullet and oal?
Will krieger throat off your dummy round?
Do you want a skim and lap on the reciever or full BP?
do you know if Kreiger does one or the other or both?
A #7 contour wont fit an HS varmit contour barrel channel. Are you preparred to open the channel?
Do you have the ability to skim bed the action to stock?
Your looking at a Badger 30 moa rail. TPS 20 moa rail is half the price, and the quality kicks a Leupold anything.

Just some of the questions you need to work out. If you had a smith you were working with I'm sure he would adress these issues with you.

 

[BountyHunter]

Having done exactly what you are talking about on a 300 WSM, here is a classic example of why I am not a fan of reworking at 700 action.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/no-click-lr-carry-gun-48155/

This was an experiment I did several years ago to see if reworking a 700 was worth it. It sure to hell is not in money or reliability.

FYI this "new" out of the box 700 broke two riveted (***) extrators in two years. Both on hunts where I carried a long cleaning rod to knock the cases out to finish the hunts. Ergo the new PTG bolt with correctly placed Sako extractor and end of problem, but still not as smooth as a custom action. First repair was done by remington too, so cannot be blamed on a local smith.

My advice is buy a new Tooley Orion WSM action ($850 delivered with pinned recoil lug) and put it with a Wyatts box and never look back.

Compare what you get for the money more importantly reliability with a tweaked 700 as to the Tooley and you will see why reworking a Remington action is not a smart move for money or reliability.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f37/tooley-orion-action-pics-requested-56798/

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f53/6-5x47-tactical-tooley-orian-59941/

BH

 

[jbcarter88]

Go through the questions that Jim from Center Shot posted. That's why he is bulding my first custom .270 wsm right now.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I was considering doing a project rifle similar to what you are talking about, with the exception of chambering it in 7 WSM.

After a discussion with my smith (who posts here) I was convinced to avoid a factory action with the intent of blueprinting and setting it up for the WSM and long bullets. After considering the financial aspects and how the finished rifle would feed-eject-perform I decided to go with a custom action and be done with it.

Here are the components that my smith recommended:
Borden Alpine Magnum, left hand
Holland Comp recoil lug
Seekins 20 moa rail base
Jewell trigger
Wyatts 3.000" extended WSM magazine box
Rem 700 BDL style floorplate
Hart SS barrel
Barrel fluting
McMillan Rem Hunter stock w/ decelerator recoil pad and light fill material
Pillar bedding
Bead blast matte finish on barreled receiver