300 WSM and action options, any good ideas?

[stanley52]

Ok so I called Hart and they had a fluted 26" finish .30 cal 1:10" blank on hand for sale so I immediately snagged that up. The dilemma now is what action should I choose? I have had great success with trued 700 actions, to do this I would need to open up the standard .308 face and put a sako extractor on it. Is this a solid platform for this cartridge? I would be using an AI detachable box mag, probably PTG with alpha mags so I can load out to 2.9+ COL. Other options include Stiller's TAC 30 with a magnum bolt face and Badgers WSM action. Opinions? Thanks everyone.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Ok so I called Hart and they had a fluted 26" finish .30 cal 1:10" blank on hand for sale so I immediately snagged that up. The dilemma now is what action should I choose? I have had great success with trued 700 actions, to do this I would need to open up the standard .308 face and put a sako extractor on it. Is this a solid platform for this cartridge? I would be using an AI detachable box mag, probably PTG with alpha mags so I can load out to 2.9+ COL. Other options include Stiller's TAC 30 with a magnum bolt face and Badgers WSM action. Opinions? Thanks everyone.

Get the custom action it may cost more now but if you decide to sell it will get you more in the end and after its all said and done its the better deal.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

Get the custom action it may cost more now but if you decide to sell it will get you more in the end and after its all said and done its the better deal.

Agreed. If you already had the donor action the situation might be different, I see no point in buying an off the shelf 700 just to tear it apart & rebuild it to meet the standards of off the shelf custom actions. As said above, in the long run the custom will retain higher value.

I have a couple of Stiller Short Actions, no complaints so far. I'm trying to talk myself out of a Badger Action, I want one in the worst way.

Starting from scratch, Custom action all the way.


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[stanley52]

Thank you gentlemen for your responses. The reason that 700 actio is a viable option is I can get new stainless ones from the remington custom shop for $370 from a guy I know.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

Thank you gentlemen for your responses. The reason that 700 actio is a viable option is I can get new stainless ones from the remington custom shop for $370 from a guy I know.

I understand your thought process, is that custom shop 700 trued? If not, consider the cost to have that process done. Depending on the options you select i.e. bolt knob, new recoil lug, pinned recoil lug, enlarged scope base holes, truing action face, truing bolt face, truing lugs & abutments, bolt fluting etc. you may very well be right in there with the price of a custom aciton that comes with all of those things from the manufacturer.

Here is a link that contains most of the reciever accurizing/blinging options:

LongRifles, Inc. Spring 2013 Remington M700 Accurizing Group Buy!



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[MontanaRifleman]

What bullet do you want to shoot? IMO, a 2.90" mag is too short. I have loaded for the 300 WSM in a short action and in order to seat bullets to fit the mag, I had to seat them deep in the case. The WSM case is 2.10" long, that leaves only .8" for bullet projection. I recommend a long action for long hig BC bullets. If you do go with a short action, be sure to short throat the chamber.

If it's in the budget, don't skimp on a 700 action. Go custom. I think Howa/Vangard actions make a good platform for a factory platform. The standard action is about .25" shorter than the 700 long action and long enough for a WSM with long bullets. Get a center feed mag box.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

What bullet do you want to shoot? IMO, a 2.90" mag is too short....

Very possible, my 7SAUM is a S/A repeater. 180 Bergers use up quite a bit of powder capacity .

My 6.5WSM is well over 3.00" OAL. So long in fact that I didin't have Chad install a mag box, it's a single slinger.



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[stanley52]

Ok so we have established custom is the way to go. I called stiller and the gentlemen there recommended the predator SA. He said it comes ready for a Wyatt internal mag metal so that you can load close to 3.0 COL. I am probably going to be shooting 200gr accubonds and the 205-208 (somewhere in there) Amax's.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

You can do that & it'll work just fine. You will probably sacrifice a little velocity but it won't be a handicap. Just make sure your 'smith knows you're rocking a S/A & heavy bullets so they can throat your bbl accordingly.

Worst case scenario, you'll end up like me & run them single shot


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[MontanaRifleman]

The 208 AMax has a nose of .777" and a bearing surface of .555" With a COAL of 3" and case neck of about .300", the Amax shank (bearing surface) will be seated about o.134" into the case plus the 0.175" tail. Doable but not optimal.

Why not a longer action?

 

[stanley52]

I could be completely wrong, but I have heard LA's won't feed 300 WSM because the shoulder at too great of angle.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

There are a lot of AI cartridges with sharper shoulders that feed fine. As long as the feed rails are milled properly and a center feed mag box, i wouldn't think there should be a problem. A spacer can also be used in the mag box. I have one in my M70 22-250.

Just something to think about. The short action will work, you just loose efficiency with longer bullets.

Maybe someone with a LA WSM will chime in...

 

[MudRunner2005]

If you want a custom action, I hear great things about Stiller, BAT, Surgeon, etc...I don't own a custom action on any gun, but I would feel as comfortable with any of them as I would a plain-old trued and blueprinted 700 action. Sure, the aftermarket ones are stronger, might have more nice and/or custom features and stuff, which is all fine & good. But if that's what you're looking for, I don't see how you could go wrong with any of the customs.

Me, I'm happy with trued 700 actions with jeweled bolts. That's fancy and strong enough for me. My smith knows how to work them in his sleep, so I am very confident in his abilities to make them shoot equally well as a custom.

However, it's all in personal preferences, and mainly all in how fat your pocketbook is. Me, I'm a budget man, b/c I have to be, it is not an option for me to build an all-out custom on my salary. But if you can afford it, by all means, I would.