want input for new custom rifle

[Waddison]

My father recently passed and left very little.
However, he taught my brother and me to hunt at a young age and shared the fall hunting seasons with us until he was no longer able to walk the fields, woods and duck sloughs. He did leave us with a rich love of the outdoors and wild game on the table.

I would like to take the few dollars he left me to have a custom bolt action rifle built in 6.5-300WSM. The money could easily be spent on anything or invested, I guess, but this may be something I could take afield with Dad in my thoughts and would never wear out nor lose it's value. I intend to use it primarily for Pronghorn and deer-size game up to the large Plains Mulies.

Ideas for actions/barrels/stock combinations, contours, lengths, crowns, etc. and/or barreled actions & stock combinations would be greatly appreciated. I am not a gunsmith by trade or hobby. I'll leave that to the pros, thank you.

I am not partial to walnut, laminates or synthetics. I like the look of walnut, but I like the stability of synthetics, too. I do not like high gloss finishes but prefer satin. Stainless is nice, but I like a well done traditional blued steel finish, too.

Budget: $2,000 max. - not including scope, bases, rings, sling or case.

All comments will be appreciated.

Waddison

 

[chris allen]

action

My suggestion is that you use an action that was developed specifically for the short mag case. This will eliminate a lot of feeding problems,as to the rest of choices, go with what is best for the application you will use the rifle for.ie prairie hunting a long barrel is not a disadvantage .Lots of carring light is nice.Cold weather Chrome Moly better than stainless. ON and on we could go.

 

[Waddison]

Chris,
Thank you for the input. On and on is good as I want as much info as possible to sift through. Again, I am not a 'smith and do not know most of the finer points. Why is c-moly preferred to stainless in cold weather? (Most of my deer and antelope hunting will be in Colorado and Wyoming.)

I have been giving consideration to a Montana action/barreled action and to possibly having my A-Bolt (.300WSM) rebarreled and re-stocked.

Thanks again,
Waddison

 

[chris allen]

bbl

Chrome moly has better ductile strenght in cold temp.(hope I used the proper Metallurgy term,its been a long time!) than stainless steel.

Word of caution Browning Abolts have a locking compound on the threads and it is possible to strip the threads out of the receiver (stainless model seems to cause the problem--- chrome moly ok ) believe me I've done it! Maybe this has changed in the last 5 years as I have been doing strickly armourer work for the RCMP.Maybe someone else can fill us in.

 

[GreyMauser]

I had a Montana 1999 built at a one man shop for just over $2000, including shipping, scope mounts but no scope, backup iron sights, bead blasted s/s, and Boyds laminated stock. Had an A-Bolt given pretty much the same treatment at a nationaly advertised shop, cost 50% more. Very happy with both. If I were to do one in short magnum, I'd go with either a Montana or a Remington 700 short action magnum bought locally (Montana can be very slow- they seem to have supplier problems at times).

 

[Waddison]

Update to my request for custom rifle suggestions!

Well, I had my 6.5x.300WSM built. It's been a little over a year since my post requesting suggestions. I really appreciated the input, so I thought an update might be in order for those that may be interested.

I looked at the Montana actions and barreled actions and checked a couple of other alternatives, too. Nice! Not terribly expensive, but kind of heavy. Good reputation on durability, too. I had a Remington 700SPS in .300WSM already, so I thought I would save a couple bucks by using it as a starter.

I ended up with the Rem 700 re-barreled with a Montana Rifleman barrel with a light sporter contour and a recessed target crown. Leupold bases and rings with a 4.5x16.5AO Nikon Monarch scope. Timney trigger set at 3.5 lbs. Stock is a walnut Remington 700 Classic with cut checkering (22 LPI) that was an 'extra' a friend gave me with a Rem. 700 in .222 Remington that I took off his hands. The barreled action is pillar bedded and 'glass bedded at the recoil lug and tang, too. The wood is natural colored with a clear satin Tung oil finish and a black Pachmyr butt pad. All the steel is satin blued. The sling is a hand tooled leather affair that Russell made for me before he passed away with Uncle Mikes QD swivels. Adjustment is limited, but it is a comfortable carry design.

Dies are RCBS special order, brass is Winchester .270WSM necked down to 6.5mm. (The .270WSM headstamp makes it easier to keep it separate from my .300WSM brass.)

I must have spent 3 hours cleaning all the gunk out of the bore. It took a lot of elbow grease to get a clean patch! What a CHORE!

I have begun loading for it and have sent about 150 rounds down range so far. It appears to be getting pretty well broken in as it isn't taking as long to get the copper fouling out using Sweet's 7.62 solvent.
I am just beginning to get interesting group sizes. With it's preferred feedings, it will print 3 rounds within 3/4" then the groups tend to open up to 1-1/4" to 1-1/2". I think this is due to the barrel getting too warm and the light sporter contour. Favorite powders seem to be Retumbo and 4831. I have used both WLR and WMLR primers with little performance difference.

The gun is surprisingly comfortable to shoot from the bench with either 120gn or 140 gn bullets. Velocities for the 120 grainers have been averaging 3276 f.p.s. and the 140 grainers at 3192 f.p.s. ES = 96 & 51 f.p.s. (120/140) and SD = 44 and 18 f.p.s. (120/140). These chrono results were with the Retumbo. I have yet to clock the 4831, though I think the 4831 will be somewhat slower as it begins to show pressure signs well before the case fills.

I know, I know! "Needs Pics". Yep. Need camera first. My HP digital went blooey this week. It is (was) so old (about 8 years!) that HP doesn't even support it anymore!
I won't get to the range this weekend, but I plan to next week. Maybe I'll have my new camera by then?

We'll see!

Waddison

 

[moosehunt]

That shooter sounds real nice, and a really interesting caliber. Regarding the use of .270 WSM brass instead of .30 WSM brass--another reason to use the .270 stuff is that if you use the .30, you'll most certainly have to turn the necks or they'll be to thick. Good choice, for two reasons! Light barrels do indeed heat up quickly and are often effected. Per chance did you have the barrel Cryo treated? That should help, and it's never too late. Personally, I think you selected wisely regarding a walnut stock and satin blued metal. I didn't catch the barrel length?

 

[Waddison]

Moosehunt,
Barrel was not cryo treated. Length is 24".

I did turn the case necks lightly even using the .270WSM brass.
I took a liking to 6.5mm calibers a few years ago. I load for a 6.5x55 and a 6.5-06, too. The published ballistic coefficients and the documented performance history on big game in Europe appeal to me. Also, it (6.5x55) is a caliber my wife can shoot comfortably.

I intend to try the 6.5 x.300WSM on deer this fall. Maybe South Dakota mulies again?

Waddison

 

[moosehunt]

I too like the 6.5 caliber. My sheep rifle is a 6.5x55 that I built off of a Mauser M96. Not much left of the original except the action. I made it real light weight with a purpose in mind--thin, short barrel, etc. On that 6.5x.300WSM of yours, I might have been tempted to consider a 26" barrel. I'd say you are really going to like this shooter. If you can't hold the groups down after 3 shots, you might consider cryo. You don't have to pull the barrel, can do it as a barreled action for just a skosh more than a barrel alone. I've been pretty happy with the results of cryo treatment, but it's not necessarily a cureall.