short mag build

[JAYgs8163]

I'm almost done with 2 WSM builds. One a 300 WSM and the other 7 WSM. Both will be in the 9lb area scoped.

 

[PatriotHenry]

I would like to build a short mag long range mountain rifle. I want a lighter gun without a muzzle brake. Brass availability is important to me. It will be used for deer and elk out to 1000 yrds, I prefer 7mm or bigger. My old faithful 300RUM is too heavy for long hikes. What caliber/load do you recommend?

Elkandeer,
Here may be a suggestion to chew on. I bought a Seekins Havak in 6.5 PRCsummer before last. Long story (chamber issue a lot of guys have) had Justin Linebach-Kinport Peak Rifles re-chamber to 6.5 Sherman Short. It shoots bug holes, and is pretty light. There is room in the Seekins proprietary mag (3.14 COAL) to go to the Sherman Max or look at some Saum's or WSM's and have enough room for heavier projos. I am a wuss when it comes to recoil, so I do have mine braked. I also sent my bottom metal to Grayboe to have the inlet done on a Phoenix stock (Seekins stock sucked). They have the tooling to do it, you would just have to call.

My 2 cents.

PH

 

[Dilly_9]

Been reading through all the comments for suggestions on modifying my Tikka 300 wsm. I'd like to have the ability to load longer bullets and looking for suggestions on build options. Not sure if this appropriate to stem off of this discussion but if possible (and appropriate) can you through out some build options for the T3x? Rifle would be for packing out west…

 

[Alibiiv]

I would like to build a short mag long range mountain rifle. I want a lighter gun without a muzzle brake. Brass availability is important to me. It will be used for deer and elk out to 1000 yrds, I prefer 7mm or bigger. My old faithful 300RUM is too heavy for long hikes. What caliber/load do you recommend?

Just curious about the reason that you are strapping yourself with a short action? If it is for weight purposes is there really that much difference between the short and the long action where other areas on the rifle can be lightened? There's a pretty good margin for reducing weight in the stock for one example. If I "had" to go with a short-action cartridge with some horsepower I would be taking a very strong look at the .270 WSM with a 1-8 twist barrel so as to shoot the longer, heavier pills. This cartridge is all there that you are looking/asking for, including brass availability.

 

[elkandeer]

Just curious about the reason that you are strapping yourself with a short action? If it is for weight purposes is there really that much difference between the short and the long action where other areas on the rifle can be lightened? There's a pretty good margin for reducing weight in the stock for one example. If I "had" to go with a short-action cartridge with some horsepower I would be taking a very strong look at the .270 WSM with a 1-8 twist barrel so as to shoot the longer, heavier pills. This cartridge is all there that you are looking/asking for, including brass availability.

I've learned a lot from all of the great posts. It sounds like the majority agrees that limiting myself to a short action is not a good choice. The original reason for a short action was for reducing weight.

 

[lewislance13]

I would like to build a short mag long range mountain rifle. I want a lighter gun without a muzzle brake. Brass availability is important to me. It will be used for deer and elk out to 1000 yrds, I prefer 7mm or bigger. My old faithful 300RUM is too heavy for long hikes. What caliber/load do you recommend?

This is just food for thought. I own two 270wsm rifles and I really like the round. They came out with the 6.8 western and on paper it looks really impressive. It would fit your bill as to recoil, break, and long range capabilities. My only concern would be brass but Winchester is really pushing this round.

 

[Lionel Boyd Johnson]

Bottom line is there is only a couple rounds that work in a short action very good at all and its still pushing mag box length on the 3" wyatt if you wanna set them up to be efficiently as possible. You can do anything you want, is it the best option probably not.
Like I say pick the cartridge to fit the action and not the other way around.
I guess I don't understand why people are dead set on trying to go with a short action and heavy bullets. Theres only couple oz's's difference in weight, more headaches than its worth.
Other option shoot it single shot

Using Remington 700 actions as an example:

Otteson's book lists the total action weight as 35.2 oz and 38.1 oz for the short and long actions. This includes the magazine/floorplate group (ADL) and the recoil bracket. The difference in the magazine floorplate groups is.7 oz. Hope this helps. So, the answer to the question is 2.2 oz.

So, for less than three ounce difference, I'd choose the long action to broaden my cartridge options.

 

[Jack300WSM]

I've got a CA Ridgeline in 300wsm. Around 8lbs w/scope. Now I do have a EC tuner brake on it. Which I know you're trying to avoid but I pop some ear plugs in prior to the shot …consistent 1/2-3/4MOA and kicks like a kitten. Just what I've experienced with this setup. I have another 300wsm on a Rem 700 SA 26" HV with Grayboe Ridgeback. Recoil is very tolerable but gun overall is quite heavy for a walk around rig. I typically stay clear of 200gr'rs in both and stick with 165-180's which may be less than you want for Elk though

 

[Wallie]

I have a 7mm/300WSM in a short action shooting 180 VLD's, node at 2925 fps but worked up to 3000 for pressure. It is a bit of a narrow window to fit in a standard AICS magazine and keep the ojive up out of the neck, but it's plenty doable.
I also started with the condition that it needed to fit in a short action (TL3 barrel trader), and be as short as possible (built to run suppressed) while carrying 1,000 ft/lb energy to 1k yards (an arbitrary performance benchmark of mine) and be light enough to be carryable.
I went with a sendero profile 1:9 twist Benchmark (love them folks, and they are local-ish to me).
I had a take off 7mm barrel I used for destructive testing (cut it 1" shorter and velocity test, repeat) in conjunction with a bunch of quickload fiddling and came up with a noticeable break over point of diminishing returns on length at 22".
I read Vince Bottomley's article on Accurateshooter.com and followed his advice to neck down Norma 300WSM brass and neck turn. I found an excellent load that was to long OAL to fit in my magazine, and had PTG reduce the free bore on my reamer to optimize mag fit with a little room to "chase" the seating node.
Bare muzzle was definitely to much recoil for me to shoot comfortably, but the TBAC suppressor mount brake while not super effective tamed it right down, and I shoot it suppressed almost exclusively.
A suppressor is really the secret that the OP needs to capitalize on in my opinion.
The SAUM would be a decent choice if you NEED to trade some performance for some recoil, but I chose to add a couple pounds (9 lb bare, 11 lbs configured as I hunt with it) mostly to aid in shootability, and because I don't mind carrying 11 lbs around.
I am fairly recoil sensitive, and my Ultra 7 suppressor is golden ticket for success in my book.

 

[cabelasken]

That would be my initial answer as well but I fear recoil without a brake would be a lot to take on.

I'm a huge 30 cal fan and kick around a big 33 from time to time but when you get the bc up in the 30s the recoil gets stiff.

I agree 1k yards, light rifle and light recoil without a brake is a narrow band.

I shoot a 300 WSM 24" shillen match barrel 8 LBS with scope and loaded with ammo. kicks but not too bad. with 168 TTSX bullet, enough energy for elk up to 600 yds.

 

[Western4444]

I would suggest a 270 WSM with a 7 1/2 twist barrel. Purchase a used one and rebarrel. Bullet to use 165 Nosler ABLR.

Choose a light barrel, gun will be easy to carry around. Do not be frightened of a Muzzle Brake. From my view, with a light gun there will be high recoil, taking you off target. The added ounces mean nothing for a muzzle brake.

 

[Rexby4]

It's a long action.

It's built with a .195 freebore and my smith didn't recommend a short action. The stock isn't offered in the xm action. As in anything, it's a compromise.

I picked the saum for ease of tuning, brass availability, die availability and light recoil.

I talked to McMillan yesterday, they do build stocks for the XM

 

[Brushey Bill]

Probably smaller than you wanna go but I'd recommend a 6.5 SAUM. I run the Berger 156 Elite Hunter at 3030 fps in a short action. That's 1275 ft lb at 1,000 yards. My personal min is 1500 ft lb for elk and 1200 for mule deer but lots of elk are killed with 1200 ft lb. For perspective factory 300 Win Mag Hornady Precision Hunter with a 200 ELD-X has 1180 ft lb at 1,000 yards and lots of people sling those every year. But I understand some have a desire for a larger diameter. My rifle all up is 8lb with a Zeiss V6 3-18x50, and recoil is tiny.

Thats my pick 6.5 SAUM

 

[tooth doc]

I would like to build a short mag long range mountain rifle. I want a lighter gun without a muzzle brake. Brass availability is important to me. It will be used for deer and elk out to 1000 yrds, I prefer 7mm or bigger. My old faithful 300RUM is too heavy for long hikes. What caliber/load do you recommend?

i have a 7 wsm for lr hunting and comp.

I would like to build a short mag long range mountain rifle. I want a lighter gun without a muzzle brake. Brass availability is important to me. It will be used for deer and elk out to 1000 yrds, I prefer 7mm or bigger. My old faithful 300RUM is too heavy for long hikes. What caliber/load do you recommend?

I would like to build a short mag long range mountain rifle. I want a lighter gun without a muzzle brake. Brass availability is important to me. It will be used for deer and elk out to 1000 yrds, I prefer 7mm or bigger. My old faithful 300RUM is too heavy for long hikes. What caliber/load do you recommend?

I would like to build a short mag long range mountain rifle. I want a lighter gun without a muzzle brake. Brass availability is important to me. It will be used for deer and elk out to 1000 yrds, I prefer 7mm or bigger. My old faithful 300RUM is too heavy for long hikes. What caliber/load do you recommend?

my favorite is a 7 wsm, pierce action, cf 27 in , benchmark barrel

I would like to build a short mag long range mountain rifle. I want a lighter gun without a muzzle brake. Brass availability is important to me. It will be used for deer and elk out to 1000 yrds, I prefer 7mm or bigger. My old faithful 300RUM is too heavy for long hikes. What caliber/load do you recommend?

7mm wsm, proof wrapped benchmark barrel, 27in, , manners stock, pierce long action.shoots 168 berger hybrid at 3100 without pushing it. my longest kills are 623 yds on big mulie, 530 yds on monster eland bull. havent tried 180's. only negative is brass, so if you choose this find brass. personally i think its the best of the wsm line, and superior by a bit to the saum"s. dont really understand why brass became a problem. my gun shoots about .35 moa, ive used in lr comp to 1500 yds.