Re: Remington/Savage Actions
If youre planning on a 300wm, you'll need a 110 action (or any long action, 110,111,112,114,116). The two digit series (10,11,12,14,16) are short actions and the three digit series are long actions. Check gunbroker, there are always 110 rifles for under $300, usually 30-06. Stay away from the WSM actions, as they are controlled feed, and the savage 300wm factory guns are built with the push feed bolts. You should be able to pick up an older, staggerfeed blind mag 110 for around 250 or so. If you are doing the barrelling yourself, add another $100 for go/no-go gages, barrel wrench and action wrench. Dont waste time with the wood barrel blocks that some are saying you can swap barrels with (along with the barrel wrench), an action wrench and a barrel wrench make the job much easier and quicker. So, for around $350 or so, you can have an action ready for a new barrel, then sell the old barrel and stock.
Dont forget to get a new recoil lug (sharpshootersupply has great ones) and swap the old one, they are notorious for not being true from the factory. they are around $30, and just slip into place.
As far as barrels go, any well known barrel maker should be okay. I bought a Mcgowen prefit when I did my 6.5 creedmoor. Lothar, Shilen, Pac-Nor and others also offer prefits. Check with northlander for some of these and factory takeoffs if you would rather go that route. McGowen had a sale when I was looking and that is one of the reasons I went with them. They offer 10% off to new customers and also run other sales periodically. They also have remington prefits (and others for that matter).
hope that helps some.