300 Win Mag Bucket Rifle

[zenbiker]

OK, I'm tired of a safe file of mediocre factory rifle bumping into each other . I'm cleaning house. First on the list: a 300 WM. Custom Action, 28(yes, 28") barrel finishing out at .990 or so. Single Shot, Solid Bottom Action. Who should I consider to work with? Would even consider a lightly used rifle. I want to have an order in by the end of the week, so I appreciate the experienced and expert opinions.

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[nimrod12]

I had a custom winmag built a couple years ago. Remmy action, 1-11" twist 28" rock creek, Manners T2....shoots amazing. Young's guns did the work for me out of sand coulee MT, and i'd highly recommend them. Couple things to bring up. Right now there is a custom action maker out of Gillette WY having a group buy for his custom actions for $750. The Rock Creek I have(Medium Palma) is a work of art. Manners or McMillan either one would be just fine, Manners was cheaper for me. Stocky's has quite a few ready to ship anymore. Overall I love my 300. It shoots 1" groups at 400 yards with 190 Gr Bergers when I do my part, and due to the 11 twist, it's shooting them at 3150 with absolutely no pressure signs. Anyways, here it is...It was exactly what I wanted and once you go custom, it's tough to go back....Good luck on the build!
Nimrod12

 

[Aimsmall55]

Zen, here's what I did. I took a 700 action, had it blue printed, and hooked it up to a 30" Broughton 5c 1:10 with a Thruster brake. I had it throated for the 230 berger hybrids but it still shoots the 230 otms at mag length lights out. I'm now shooting the 215 Bergers at 3,028 fps. It is a HAMMER. I topped it off with a Bushnell XRS and added a Jewell HVR and an AICS. It is now an ELR gun that actually beats the .338 lapua in some aspects ballistically. It's good to about 1900 yards average.

 

[Rancid Coolaid]

Opinions vary, but my recommendation would be to start with an action that has the stuff you want. I have had a few customs built on a trued 700 and they just don't hold the value that a good custom action will. Take a 700 action, toss the trigger, add a bolt knob, add a heavy pinned recoil lug, add a side bolt release, true the action, and you still have a 700 action - just dressed up a bit.
If it is to be "the" gun, start with an action set up your way out of the box, then go from there.

Do it how you want, else you'll be doing it again later.

My 300WM of choice was build by RPRifles here in Texas, his action (rebranded Stiller), rfle basixs trigger, rock 5R barrel, and Manners T4A with chassis. It shoots better than me and loves everything down to 150s and up to 208 Amax. Stillers are tight when new, need some working in, but have functioned quite well for me.

All that said, when I hunted South Africa, I took a Remington Mil Spec 700 with nothing but a threaded barrel and a McMillan HGT stock - and it did right by me, to say the least, very accurate rifle, not expensive to put together. It wasn't a "dream gun" for most, but it was a hammer.