Brainstorming - General purpose 300 Win Mag

[BattleRifleG3]

Hey folks, it's one of "those" threads again.  I'm seriously considering switching to a 300 Win Mag for my 300 magnum needs, down from a 300 RUM, due to a number of advantages of that round.

This bolt action rifle would see use in informal target shooting and big game hunting.  I'd also like this to be a rifle I can pick up at a moment's notice and shoot with complete confidence in its accuracy.  In other words, this would be no safe queen or fringe use rifle.  It would most likely have a 3-9x50mm Weaver scope that has served me well on a more powerfully recoiling rifle.

I'm looking for a basic, comfortable stock, but I'm not averse to making one myself - I do that sort of thing.  Most of all I want a good, cost effective, reliably cycling and reliably accurate platform.  I'm not averse to a heavy barrel, IE Rem 700 Police or Sendero, but am leaning very much towards a standard weight barrel.  The more length the better though.

Detent driven extractors are out - sorry Savage.  A Weatherby type lever claw extractor would be great but a Remington C-Clip is better than a Savage one.  Also out are single stack feeding detachable mags.  It has to be able to be fed from the top with the mag in the rifle, whether the mag is removeable or not.  So out goes the Remington 710, which was never really in anyway.  Also out goes Tikka.  Not sure I'd really want to go with a Steyr Pro-Hunter either, with its mostly closed receiver.  I would like, however, to have a detachable mag if at all possible.

For the detachable mag, the Rem 700 SPS DM is looking like a good standard to start from, or perhaps as an alternative a standard SPS or BDL with a magazine conversion kit.  Multiple mag sizes would be a plus with that option.  The only other rifle I can name at the moment that offers 300 Win Mag with a detachable mag is the CZ-550.  Perhaps Winchester and Browning have had offerings there too?

In any case, recommend away.  If I had to identify any leanings it would be the Rem 700 SPS with detachable mag conversion and available flush and extended mags.  But I'm all ears to potentially better alternatives

[Ramrod]

I would skip the detachable mag and go with a Win. model 70. Feeding reliability is a non-issue. I believe they worked out the feedrail geometry for belted magnumns back in the 1930's.
But why would anyone want a .300 Mag for" informal" target shooting?

[beemanbeme]

Actually, if its gonna be his go-to rifle, he needs to shoot it on a regular basis at something.  While I don't think of the 300 as a hard kicker, its not something I would want to take out of the safe once a year and pump 50 rounds thru cold turkey.
Sounds like you need a Rem 700 CDL. Get the trigger tuned and you're good to go. 

[nasem]

as a 300 RUM owner... I say, forget all about the 30 caliber magnums and stick to a standard 30-06 or 308.  You can not expect a godly accurate 300 RUM rifle without MAJOR practice.... and I know you said you will be using this rifle alot but there are bad news to this... your going to wear out the barrel after 1000-1500 rounds.  You best be ready for a new barrle in about 15 months

[jro45]

My 300 Win Mag is a Savage. That I got back in the 70's. The barrel would shoot all it rounds about 10" apart. I tried every thing to change that over a year. I then had a new barrel put on. Then my 300 would shoot with in 1 inch at 200 yds with the new barrel I was a happy man.

I don't know how Savage shoots now because I stayed away from them after that.

I know that Rem is a good rifle.

[old06]

If I had to have a magnum round it would be the 300 Win Mag with out hesitation but the advice by nasem  to try to fill it with a 06 or 308 may be worth  a consideration. And I have never heard a Savage not to eject a round  I have several friends that shoot a Savage and I have one in 7 mag never a issue with it.They have been some of the most out of the box accurate rifles I have seen. Hope you work it out

[BattleRifleG3]

Should clarify - this isn't supposed to be a special "go-to" rifle, just that I don't want this rifle to be limited where it doesn't need to be.

I'm looking to go with the Win Mag as an alternative to the 300 RUM because of the insane cost of 300 RUM ammo (yes there's reloading, but with a 300 RUM even that's dang pricey.)

For my highest magnum needs, Hornady's Heavy Magnum loads are just short of the Weatherby Mag and only $35.  For the rest of the time, something less punishing on the shoulder and wallet is what I want to go with.  There's also the fact that there's a particular bullet that maxes out its effectiveness at 30 Win Mag speeds, and 300 RUM speeds just push it too fast to hold together on impact.

I already have the 30-06 covered, no worries there about "magnumitis."

[BattleRifleG3]

Question related to the same rifle search - Besides Savage and Remington, does any competitive manufacturer make a heavy barreled bolt action rifle in 300 Win Mag?  This is desired for two reasons, the first being of course accuracy, the second being that I'm looking for the maximum length barrel available.

[nasem]

Question related to the same rifle search - Besides Savage and Remington, does any competitive manufacturer make a heavy barreled bolt action rifle in 300 Win Mag?  This is desired for two reasons, the first being of course accuracy, the second being that I'm looking for the maximum length barrel available.

I believe there is a winchester model 70.... forgot which one, the black shadow or one of the dark synthetic once that used a bull barrel as thier "varmint" version of the model 70.  It came in many calibers including the wssm, 223, 308, 7mm mag, and I believe the 300 win mag.

[GCW]

I have been think about a 300wm for my go to rifle.Living here in the northeast I dont realey need a 300mag but I am planing on hunting elk I the nere future.For years my go to rifle was a old Ruger 77R in 30/06 toped off with a 2x7x32 redfield tracker scope,I bought this combo in the mid 80's and fired thousands of rounds through it and carried it many of miles,and killed alot of game with it.Back when I bought my rifle a friend who also goes out west with us bought Remington 700 in 300wm as his go to rifle and toped it off with a Leupold M8 4x,I have no ideal how much game he has taken with this rifle but he shoots this gun very well,I have seen him kill a 6x6 bull elk at close to 500yds with it.A Remington 700sps in 300wm in my book would do you well without haveing tons of money tyed up into a gun