.300 Dakota
Well-Known Member
I have 1 Kelbly Atlas Lite LA built into a 6.5 SAUM. It wears a Hawkins Hunter flush mount system. I HAVE NOT attempted to use the magazine to feed. Main reason, is I FORGOT it when I went for initial break-in/testing. The magazine in place is full length Ultra Mag magazine for the proper width/depth. Not sure how it would feed, and I don't really have time to go load rounds. So I guess I should give that a shot first just for grins and giggles.
I received my 2nd Kelbly Atlas Lite LA Mag face today. I'm going to make it into a lightweight hunting rig. I'm going .30 caliber to burn a faster powder with a relatively larger case capacity without a ton of muzzle blast. I will limit barrel length to 20". My initial choice of cartridge was the 300 SAUM. I have 2 available stocks. Stock 1 is inletted for my action andca Proof Sendero barrel. Also, A Hawkins M5 DBM. I do not have the bottom metal bought.
Option 2 is a McMillan Edge Fill Game Warden inletted for a long action ARC Nucleus, but minimal inletting is needed to fit the Atlas Lite. Very minimal. That stock is inletted for a Bartlein 3B, which can be fluted and cut to 20" and ended at about 3 - 3 1/2 ounces heavier than the Proof. That stock is already fitted for the Accurate Mag system, and has the bottom metal and an Ultra Mag magazine installed.
Wondering if I need a longer cartridge to feed properly, option 2 is a .308 Norma Mag (NOT .300 Norma!!). It's about the next case capacity up (besides a WSM, which would not be significantly longer than the SAUM). I do not want to go any higher in case capacity and do not want a long throat (freebore). Yes, I'm well aware that brass for both is rare, but I've already taken care of that. If I were to chamber the 308 Norma, Hawkins says their Hunter mags aren't designed for belted magnums and may not feed well. I will incur several more ounces of weight if I move to a standard M5 Hawkins DBM. I can get an Accurate Mag .300 Win magazine in 3 round, which shouldn't stick out much farther than flush. The 2 aren't drop-ins for each other. The Hawkins take more material removal to inlet for.
I don't want to add weight, but I want everything to feed correctly. Do you guys think I'd be ok running the Hawkins Hunter 3.715" Ultra Mag magazine with a SAAMI .300 SAUM, or would I be ok running the same magazine with the belted .308 Norma? Or should I use the Accurate Mag and just buy a .300 Win Mag magazine and run the .308 Norma there? Or keep the Accurate Mag Ultra Mag magazine and run the 300 SAUM?
I originally picked the Accurate Mag for it's weight savings. However, the Mesa stock I requested be inlet for that system, was inlet for Hawkins M5 instead, and the Accurate Mag had WAY too much slop whereas the Hunter DBM fits like a glove. That's how I know the 2 aren't drop-ins for each other. I guess the answer would be to use the AM with a dedicated .300 Win Mag magazine if you don't think feeding the SAUM from an Ultra Mag Hawkins into a Kelbly is advisable.
Thanks in advance.
I received my 2nd Kelbly Atlas Lite LA Mag face today. I'm going to make it into a lightweight hunting rig. I'm going .30 caliber to burn a faster powder with a relatively larger case capacity without a ton of muzzle blast. I will limit barrel length to 20". My initial choice of cartridge was the 300 SAUM. I have 2 available stocks. Stock 1 is inletted for my action andca Proof Sendero barrel. Also, A Hawkins M5 DBM. I do not have the bottom metal bought.
Option 2 is a McMillan Edge Fill Game Warden inletted for a long action ARC Nucleus, but minimal inletting is needed to fit the Atlas Lite. Very minimal. That stock is inletted for a Bartlein 3B, which can be fluted and cut to 20" and ended at about 3 - 3 1/2 ounces heavier than the Proof. That stock is already fitted for the Accurate Mag system, and has the bottom metal and an Ultra Mag magazine installed.
Wondering if I need a longer cartridge to feed properly, option 2 is a .308 Norma Mag (NOT .300 Norma!!). It's about the next case capacity up (besides a WSM, which would not be significantly longer than the SAUM). I do not want to go any higher in case capacity and do not want a long throat (freebore). Yes, I'm well aware that brass for both is rare, but I've already taken care of that. If I were to chamber the 308 Norma, Hawkins says their Hunter mags aren't designed for belted magnums and may not feed well. I will incur several more ounces of weight if I move to a standard M5 Hawkins DBM. I can get an Accurate Mag .300 Win magazine in 3 round, which shouldn't stick out much farther than flush. The 2 aren't drop-ins for each other. The Hawkins take more material removal to inlet for.
I don't want to add weight, but I want everything to feed correctly. Do you guys think I'd be ok running the Hawkins Hunter 3.715" Ultra Mag magazine with a SAAMI .300 SAUM, or would I be ok running the same magazine with the belted .308 Norma? Or should I use the Accurate Mag and just buy a .300 Win Mag magazine and run the .308 Norma there? Or keep the Accurate Mag Ultra Mag magazine and run the 300 SAUM?
I originally picked the Accurate Mag for it's weight savings. However, the Mesa stock I requested be inlet for that system, was inlet for Hawkins M5 instead, and the Accurate Mag had WAY too much slop whereas the Hunter DBM fits like a glove. That's how I know the 2 aren't drop-ins for each other. I guess the answer would be to use the AM with a dedicated .300 Win Mag magazine if you don't think feeding the SAUM from an Ultra Mag Hawkins into a Kelbly is advisable.
Thanks in advance.