Light weight magnum build options

[Juano86]

Inside 500 yards a 270 wsm would be prefect. And flatter shooting. Am switching to the a 129 gr LRX in mine. 130 gr Nosler BT's and Berger CH's are too explosive at 100 yards or less. Factory 130 gr Fed vital shocks are 3300 fps, chronoed. My handloads are between 3089 and 3142 fps. Love the cartridge. A 130 gr Nosler BT prenetrated about ~26" in a hard quartering to cow elk at ~100 yards, she went 49 paces. Didn't hit the shoulder, entered at base of neck, created a fist size hole just under hide and went to rear rib on other side. A 130 Berger CH destroyed the whole shoulder of a 3x3 mule deer that was hard quartering to at 50 yards, hit bone, but still blew a hole into the chest cavity ~3" round, and destroyed both lungs. He went 30 yards. I've never had to do a follow up shot with my 270 wsm. But am going to a solid for less damage and an exit. Another 130 gr Berger CH on a white tail doe at 100 yards perfectly broadside, hit center of lungs on a rib, was so explosive it ruptured the diaphragm and the stomach. I started buying 129 LRX after that. I know you want a 300 wsm, great choice, but to only 500 yards a 270 wsm is plenty, flatter shooting and less recoil.

I'm already running a 7mm rem mag and have a 7mm SAUM. I'm really wanting a 30 cal to deliver a little more whallop as an all-rounder. I know the 130gr 270 Barnes ttsx's are great killers, but I'm looking to put a little more weight / authority on game. The 30's offer that marginal increase in frontal diameter also.

The 300 RCM would have been perfect in the model 7, but brass is hard to get. The 300wsm seems like a good option of an all-rounder…

I haven't ruled out a "custom" action, but they are pretty hard to get and also quite expensive here in Australia. Plus I have the option to use what I have, or pick up a production donor rifle / action and rebarrel it with a decent aftermarket barrel and have it bedded etc.

 

[SSG Graybush]

I'm already running a 7mm rem mag and have a 7mm SAUM. I'm really wanting a 30 cal to deliver a little more whallop as an all-rounder. I know the 130gr 270 Barnes ttsx's are great killers, but I'm looking to put a little more weight / authority on game. The 30's offer that marginal increase in frontal diameter also.

The 300 RCM would have been perfect in the model 7, but brass is hard to get. The 300wsm seems like a good option of an all-rounder…

I haven't ruled out a "custom" action, but they are pretty hard to get and also quite expensive here in Australia. Plus I have the option to use what I have, or pick up a production donor rifle / action and rebarrel it with a decent aftermarket barrel and have it bedded etc.

I somewhat disagree, energy is energy. As long as there's 1200+ #'s at your desired range your good. Anything more is just excessive recoil. My 270 wsm makes way bigger holes then my 3006, with a bullet that's 50 grs lighter. But I really like the 300 wsm as well and can see why you'd want it as a all around rifle. Get a Winchester m70, the newer Tungsten model is very nice. If you can down under. 7.2#'s I believe.

 

[Caulder]

I'd probably be rolling a 6.5 PRC here, but 300 WSM is also a fantastic cartridge. Don't let anyone tell you not to run it out of a short action. That's what it was made for and it already shoots bullets that are heavy enough for most anything from a short action without needing to seat differently. Short action is both a little shorter and a little lighter, which together make for a decent improvement over a long action when you are hiking a lot. No matter where I'm hunting, my long actions sit in the safe.

Defiance offers their medium action that opens up your reloading possibilities without moving too far away from the short action. I'd just get a short action like a nanook and run. You won't be able to max out the 300 WSM, but you don't want that much recoil anyway and it is more than capable of fitting the needs you have for it.

 

[Caulder]

Also, I see some comments here advising against a short barrel. FWIW, 300WSM will be more efficient out of a short barrel than most of the other "do-all" cartridges, certainly more than my 6.5 PRCs, which I still run with short barrels. 147s at 2740 fps with an 18 inch barrel is bad medicine for elk to 500 or so, and certainly on red and sambar.

 

[Juano86]

Also, I see some comments here advising against a short barrel. FWIW, 300WSM will be more efficient out of a short barrel than most of the other "do-all" cartridges, certainly more than my 6.5 PRCs, which I still run with short barrels. 147s at 2740 fps with an 18 inch barrel is bad medicine for elk to 500 or so, and certainly on red and sambar.

Thanks for your input.
300 wsm in a 20"-22" should be the go! And I'll reconsider my original plan with the Rem Model 7 S/A build. My brain was just stressing over the 2.80" COAL length limitation. I can just load em short and send it. Will be plenty for what I need.

I'm thinking a Shilen match-grade stainless #2 with 1:10 twist. I've got a 20 ounce wildcat composites stock ready to go, too.

 

[stinkyduck13]

I weighed my kimber m8400 300 wsm sling and a leupold vx-5 3-15 yesterday and it came in right at 8 pounds. Sling may be a bit Heavy.

 

[Juano86]

I weighed my kimber m8400 300 wsm sling and a leupold vx-5 3-15 yesterday and it came in right at 8 pounds. Sling may be a bit Heavy.

Thanks for the info! What length barrel is on that?

 

[lancetkenyon]

I wouldn't even consider a 300WSM in an R7 length action. They barely fot in an R700 SA, and only if you stuff them deep.

300SS? Shorter than the 300SAUM, and similar velocity. You lose just a little to the 300WSM, but fit much better. For 500 yards, nothing you shoot at will know the difference.

Designed to fit is a true SA. But, that is R700 SA length, not R7 length.

 

[Juano86]

I wouldn't even consider a 300WSM in an R7 length action. They barely fot in an R700 SA, and only if you stuff them deep.

300SS? Shorter than the 300SAUM, and similar velocity. You lose just a little to the 300WSM, but fit much better. For 500 yards, nothing you shoot at will know the difference.

Designed to fit is a true SA. But, that is R700 SA length, not R7 length.

I'd have to buy and import a reamer for the Sherman cartridge then fire form brass etc? That's not ideal.
R7 isn't my only option, however they did factory chamber the 300wsm in the R7 so I'd just be constrained to 2.80"ish COAL.

 

[Goldengun]

Inside 500 w/180's don't even think about a longer action.

 

[Caulder]

Thanks for your input.
300 wsm in a 20"-22" should be the go! And I'll reconsider my original plan with the Rem Model 7 S/A build. My brain was just stressing over the 2.80" COAL length limitation. I can just load em short and send it. Will be plenty for what I need.

I'm thinking a Shilen match-grade stainless #2 with 1:10 twist. I've got a 20 ounce wildcat composites stock ready to go, too.

Barrel length sounds pretty ideal to me. I prefer 18 inch barrels, but I like to hunt with a can. 20" 300 WSM in a short action will be outstanding. My previous most was referring to your traditional remington 700 short action, so I can't necessarily advocate for the Model 7 action with 300 WSM (I don't own a model 7). I'm sure it would work, but I use remington 700 short action lengths for 6.5 PRC and would for 300 WSM as well.

Shilen's are great barrels. #2 might be a little thin if you intend to hang a can off the end, but if not, that will be perfect. Not sure about the ideal twist for 300 WSM in shorter barrels, but be sure to consider that you will likely be shooting bullets on the lighter end of the 300 WSM spectrum, so you may not need to go fast on the twist. That's one heck of a light stock. Should be a fun rig

Good luck

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

G'day from Australia,

I have the need to build myself a light weight 300wsm for backpack hunting. One rifle to do it all… Fallow, Red & Sambar deer. Shots are inside 500yrds, so no need for a full blown LR setup.

I have a few options and I'm sort of stuck on which way to go…

I originally bought a used Remington Model 7 stainless in 7mm SAUM to use as a donor (with a Wildcat Composites stock ready to go on it), but now tossing up whether the action is "too short" to get the best out of a 30 cal short mag with 180gr bullets.
Before you blast me about not keeping the 7SAUM, I also have a 7mm rem mag Tikka that I'm running up to 160gr projectiles with.

I've since found a second hand Kimber Montana 8400 in 300 win mag that I could rebarrel to a 300wsm. Has anyone built a 300wsm off a long actioned Kimber 8400 and had any issues? I'm thinking I can utilise the long mag and save some weight with the shorter barrel.

The plan for this build (whichever way I go) is a light contour 20" barrel with removable brake. Talley rings and a Leupold VX5-HD.

My options are;
-Rebarrel the Remington Model 7 from 7SAUM to 300wsm.
-Rebarrel Tikka T3X super lite (also in Wildcat Composites stock) from 7mm rem mag to 300wsm.
-Buy Kimber Montana 300 win mag and rebarrel to 300wsm.

The main reason for wanting a 300wsm over the 300 win mag is to be able to run it efficiently in a shorter barrel. I've looked into the 300SAUM & 300RCM also, but components are just too hard to find.
The factory 7mm rem mag Tikka is hamstrung by the short mag length and twist rate for heavies and the factory 7mm SAUM is hamstrung with the short action mag length also.

The main goal is a sub 7lb 30 cal short mag with a 20" barrel.
Any input, thoughts or recommendations are welcome.
Happy hunting.

Hey there throw some shrimp on the barbi!
We have a 8400 Montana in 270 WSM and it is a GREAT rifle for back packing and hunting it the mts! so you can go with a 300 WSM.

 

[stinkyduck13]

Thanks for the info! What length barrel is on that?

It's 24 inches! I was going to take the sling off this afternoon but I think it locktied' on

 

[Rick Richard]

I have a 300 WSM that shoots incredibly well with Berger 180 Elites, Hammer Hunter 181 and 166. With that said, bullets are at the limit inside the magazine and that is with an extended mag in a Defiance short action. bullets are seated .030 OTL. Also, for it to feed better I would recommend center feed vs staggered. If I was starting all over again, I would go XM or long action.