1st Post......Building a 1000yrd RUM???

[Crab]

Just aquired a Winchester 7mm STW which I dropped off at my gunsmiths today and is waiting for my go ahead on the 300UM conversion. This is my first MAG build so any advice would be appriciated. Looking to build a reliable shooter capeable of 1000yrds or more. I'd consider myself capealbe of making the shot and not affraid to spend a little money to better a stock set up, so here's my plan:

Medium heavy #5 Lilja SS fluted barrel, undecided final length (26.5?)
Holland straight brake turned to same diameter of barrel if possible
Work the stock Winchester trigger to around 2.5lbs or go custom (Jewell?)
Keep wood stock (strip/refinish) full glass bed

I want this to be my favorite hunting rifle and will be packed with minimal bench shooting. Not overly concerned about weight savings but worth considering as it will be packed. Trying to keep this build under controll which is very difficult for me, so please don't tempt me with bling that is unnecessary.
Thanks............CRAB

 

[midwesthunter]

First question that is going to arise is what do you plan on hunting at those distances? Also you will need to put quality glass on top of it. Don't skimp on the scope. I personaly would go with a 28-30 barrel. Leaning towards the 30". Trigger and stock are things you can upgrade as you go. Here are the 3 calibers I would consider in order. 338 Rum or Edge, 7mm STW or Rum, then the 300 RUM. Here are some ballistics to think about with 10 mph wind

338 - 300SMK 2850 fps at 1000yd 1778fps 2107KE 24.8MOA and 4.72MOA

7mm - 180VLD 3000fps at a 1000yd 1738fps 1207KE 23.6MOA and 5.31MOA

300 - 210VLD 3000fps at a 1000yd 1665fps 1293KE 24.5MOA and 5.8MOA

 

[liltank]

For a stock, my suggestion would be to look in to an aftermarket composite stock of some type. Wood is okay, but if you want to be serious about long range you should really have as solid a platform as you can. Laminate stock would be better than a normal wood stock especially if you put steel pillars in with Devcon bedding.

As far as bullets, the 300RUM is far more capable than just using the 210grn bullets. With a break you can jump up to the new Hornady 225, and use the Sierra 240grn bullet. These will far out perform any of the 210's. I do know that guys are pushing the 208 a-max and 210's to 3100 and up to 3200fps with the RUM. It is a very capable cartridge. I do agree that glass should be on the top of your list of things to buy.

28" would be the shortest I would go for the RUM. It has a large powder column and it wouldn't hurt to have enough tube to burn all that slow powder you will use. Just some thoughts.

Tank

 

[liltank]

Just looked on reloadersnest.com at some RUM loads for the 240grn bullet. A guy used H1000 in verying weights getting from 2630 up 2983fps. With a .7something BC, this bullet is going to rock anythings world with authority. The added benefit of shooting heavy bullets will be better barrel life. Have fun!

Tank

 

[Crab]

Thanks guys. This rifle will be mainly for deer and elk with the occasional varmint. I have a fairly modified 220swift for the little guys that I'm pretty partial to. I have and will be using a Leupold V3LR 6.5-20X50 w/30mm tube with varmint reticle (windage and elevation with side focus).
There won't be much wood left when he's done with the stock, more for looks then anything. I should go all glass now, but I want to play a little.
The barrel is my big question. My gun smith likes the Lilja which I'm totally impartial. Just want a good shooter. Length is the other big ??
As you guys know, it's near impossible to choose a caliber these days. I have spend a lot of time going over the ballistics and shooting most of them. Yesterday, I nearly purchased a Weatherby 340mag and a Seiko 338 Lapua, drooling over both for several hours. I left my 7mm STW sitting on the bench in pieces and told my smith to let me sleep on it (Now you got me thinking about that Lapua again)

 

[liltank]

I left my 7mm STW sitting on the bench in pieces and told my smith to let me sleep on it (Now you got me thinking about that Lapua again)

Yeah, I had a few restless nights deciding what I wanted to do. Lilja is great barrel maker, so no complaints from me on that. I would suggest the 3 grove 1:9 so you can really make the big boys sing if you choose to shoot them. Sierra suggests using the 1:9 twist for their 240grn bullet. If not, then 1:10 will work for every thing in the 30 caliber range. This caliber will do everything the Lapua can do to certain distance if you shoot the big heavy 30's. If not then they are not on equal ground when it comes to factory ammo. The Lapua will out run the 300 because manufacturers offer good ammo for that caliber. However it will cost you a bunch a money, so reloading is definitely the way to go when it comes to either caliber.

My cousin owns a Lapua. It's fun to shoot. It has proven accurate, but have not had a chance to really shoot anything with it yet.

Tank

 

[Crab]

Thanks liltank,
I believe the 3 groove 1:9 is on my order sheet at the gunsmith. What about barrel length? I must have been mistaken when he was talking about a 26.5". My buddy's 300RUM is right at 30" with the 2" brake. I want to go with the Holland which is 1.25". I'd like to keep it as short as possible but get the max range out of the #5 barrel. I'd be willing to go to a heavier barrel if it would accomplish anything.

 

[WildRose]

Just aquired a Winchester 7mm STW which I dropped off at my gunsmiths today and is waiting for my go ahead on the 300UM conversion. This is my first MAG build so any advice would be appriciated. Looking to build a reliable shooter capeable of 1000yrds or more. I'd consider myself capealbe of making the shot and not affraid to spend a little money to better a stock set up, so here's my plan:

Medium heavy #5 Lilja SS fluted barrel, undecided final length (26.5?)
Holland straight brake turned to same diameter of barrel if possible
Work the stock Winchester trigger to around 2.5lbs or go custom (Jewell?)
Keep wood stock (strip/refinish) full glass bed

I want this to be my favorite hunting rifle and will be packed with minimal bench shooting. Not overly concerned about weight savings but worth considering as it will be packed. Trying to keep this build under controll which is very difficult for me, so please don't tempt me with bling that is unnecessary.
Thanks............CRAB

I'd go with the 28-32" bbl if this is going to be a dedicated 1000yd+ Rig.

If you keep the wood stock you need to do a good pier and glass bedding and a complete free float.

I'd also have the stock cut down the full length of the barrel channel such that you can drop in an aluminum square rod at a 45degree angle (corners stright up and down and perfectly horizontal instead of flat) and glass it in as well after completely free floating the bbl with good float space of at least 1mm all the way around.

The rod will greatly reduce or eliminate flex in the stock due to weight such as having the rig on a rest or bipod, along with the changes wood goes through due to weather.

With my wood stocks I did the same from the rear by drilling a hole stright through the mid point all the way to the back of the action and glassing another rod in there.

Once all the stock modifications are complete I'd also soak it to the gills with a good oil finish and then completely seal it with varnish or laquer.

You cant' stop wood warp completely but this will greatly reduce it.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Welcome to the site Crab

I currently have a Sendero 300 RUM with a 26" bbl, fluted Sendero contour which is about equivilent to Lilja's #7. I am in the process of building another 300 RUM on a 700 Action and it will be fitted with a Broughton 5C, Med Varmint contour (equivilent to Lilja #6) non-fluted barrel. It will finish out to 26-27" and I'll have an SSG 1" 10 degree V-Port Muzzle Brake put on it. It will be bedded in a BC Medalist sporter stock.

Let's start with the stock... since your rifle is going to be mostly a field hunting rifle, I would strongly, and I mean strongly advise against wood. Get a McMillan, HS Precision or B&C Medalist. IMO, the B&C Medalist, although probably not quite the quality of an HS which is probably not the quality of the McMillan, is a very good stock and probably the best bang for the buck. Properly bedded, i doubt that it will shoot any less accurate than the others. If you're going to get a bench gun, then a good pillar bedded laminate would be fine. I could go on, but I'll leave it at that.

Next, the barrel. Lilja's are fine barrels as are a lot of others. I'm getting the Broughton because i like the 5C rifling. I've read a lot of good things about it and plan to see for myself. On length, 26-27" should be fine for a "hunting rifle fitted with a brake. You will get more than adequate velocity out of it I am currently pushing Cutting Edge 180's 3470 fps out of my 26". If you want longer, that's your call... but for a carry rifle, I'll keep it to 27" or less. On contour, the 300 RUM packs a big wallop and the least non-fluted contour I would go with is what I am going with... .750" at the muzzle (Lilja #6). Fluted, I would go with the Sendero contour (.825, Lilja #7) Unless you really, really like the looks of flutes, save yourself some $$$ and go non-fluted and put it toward good glass. Lastly, i am getting mine nitrided which should increase barrel life by 2-4x's, increase velocity, greatly increase resistance to corrosion, and be a lot easier to clean. I'm getting the action done as well.

If you're doing the Win 70, I think that's a good action but I'm not sure how long it is and what the length of the mag box is. This will be an issue with the 300 RUM shooting long, high BC bullets., especially if you want a repeater.

Glass... I have a NF NXS 5.5-22x50 with NP-R2 reticle sitting on my RUM and I can not think of another scope I would want. If I had the cash, I would get a few more just like it for other rifles. There are other scopes that will work well, but IMO, nothing beats the NF NXS.

Here's a little reading on some 300 RUM related stuff that got slipped into (hijacked ) this thread...

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/338-edge-bullet-elk-71567/

In short, and IMHO, anyone who is building a hunting 300 RUM should do it just like me except.... if it's in the budget, build it on a Defiance or Borden action.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

First is what is wrong with the 7mm STW. Does it not shoot well? I have 5-6 of them and they are outstanding 1000 yard rifles with proper bullets. If you are going to rebarrel the 300 RUM is fantastic as a long range hunting rifle. This year I took a deer over 1000 yards with one shot and on the next shot an antelope over 900 yards shooting 208 Amax bullets over 3200 fps out of my 28" barrel. If you are going to pack this rifle elk hunting think about weight. A 26" 300 RUM has plenty of power to easily make 1000 yard kills. Not only is it lighter by being shorter but lighter because you can go a step down in contour and still acheive the same stiffness. My two 300 RUM's are 28" #4 barrels and they are deadly at long range. They weigh 10-3/4 pounds scoped out.

Very few rifles will outperform a 300 RUM at long range hunting to 1200 or so yards. A quality hunting bullet with a BC in the .6's going 3500 fps leaves most everything in the dust. I own virtually every cartridge commonly discussed on this forum and I can tell you from 40 years personal experience those numbers are hard to beat inside 1200 yards. Which is where everyone shoots unless they are specifically trying show out with a mile kill or something like that. But in a hunting situation a guy can usually stalk to 1200 yards. If you shoot further than that it is best to get out of the RUM case and go to the 378 wby, 416 rigby, excalibur or similar cases in 338 or 375 caliber.

 

[liltank]

I'm thinking 28", but as stated a 26" would suffice.

Tank

 

[WildRose]

Thanks guys. This rifle will be mainly for deer and elk with the occasional varmint. I have a fairly modified 220swift for the little guys that I'm pretty partial to. I have and will be using a Leupold V3LR 6.5-20X50 w/30mm tube with varmint reticle (windage and elevation with side focus).
There won't be much wood left when he's done with the stock, more for looks then anything. I should go all glass now, but I want to play a little.
The barrel is my big question. My gun smith likes the Lilja which I'm totally impartial. Just want a good shooter. Length is the other big ??
As you guys know, it's near impossible to choose a caliber these days. I have spend a lot of time going over the ballistics and shooting most of them. Yesterday, I nearly purchased a Weatherby 340mag and a Seiko 338 Lapua, drooling over both for several hours. I left my 7mm STW sitting on the bench in pieces and told my smith to let me sleep on it (Now you got me thinking about that Lapua again)

I'm with Ranger. What is wrong with the 7mmSTW?

There's noting you can do with the Rum you cannot do just as well with the STW and with the STW you'll have substantially less recoil.

BBL length I'd stick at 28-30" but that's my personal preference. I'm a big guy so the weight is just not an issue.

The only advantage really to shorter bbls is if you are trying to swing it quickly in heavy brush and with the intent of this rifle I don't see that being an issue at all.

 

[Crab]

The 7mm STW has a very slight flaw in the last inch of the barrel and will not group so it's the perfect donor for my RUM.

 

[WildRose]

The 7mm STW has a very slight flaw in the last inch of the barrel and will not group so it's the perfect donor for my RUM.

That make sense.

What is the current length of barrel? You might find yourself far, far ahead financially and have a great weapon by having that inch simply cut off and the crown recut.

Have you shot any of the Rum's or the .338 Lapua so far? Are you comfortable with that much recoil?

In my experience most people under the 200-225lbs range find it rather difficult to snuggle up to them for multiple shots without some rather extravagent and expensive modifications such as custom recoil reducing stocks especially in rifles below 14lbs, which is the upper limit on what most people consider to be a suitable pack rifle.

If it would leave you 24" or more you should have adequte length for the STW for long range work. For the cost to do so I'd probably at least try it before spending the extra five hundred to thousand (have no idea what your gunsmith charges) unless you just simply want to try the Rum or Lapua and this makes for a good excuse for the wife... HA

Just a thought... .