What to do with a magnum 700 action. Ideas?

[MBTcustom]

I have a problem. I got this awesome Remington 700 BDL about 7 years ago when I was in my blazing fast warp speed bullets phase. I love the rifle, I have hunted with it alot, and it was one of my favorites I names her Winifred. However, I burned the barrel out and since then I have become older and wiser and only hunt with cast lead now.
So now there sits Winifred forlorn and unused waiting for the day I decide to lavish attention on her once more.

But, I have absolutely no use for a 300winmag anymore. I'm never going to hunt like that again. I want to rebarrel her to a new caliber. Something cast friendly.
The problem is that cast lead in a 300 winmag is like dragging a uhaul trailer with a Corvette. I was thinking very seriously about turning her into a 458, but after getting the 45-70 guide gun (Duke) I just don't have any need for another 45 caliber rifle, and certainly nothing stronger than 45-70!
What to do, what to do............

I really want to put this rifle back in play fellers. What caliber should I do? 375 H&H? .416 Remington? I ain't goin to Africa ya know!
All my shots at game are going to be 200 yards or less at little Arkansas whitetail deer.
It's a puzzlement.

[nhrifle]

My vote would be for the .375 H&H, but I have been lusting after one for years so I am a little biased. How about something to really turn some heads? Big, long throw action like that shooting 22 WMR?

[Whiterabbit]

my philosophy is always, fat and slow, fat and slow.

My vote is a .510 cal. designed for 850 grain cast bullets from the NOE mold.

The case will be suitably sized such that you are magnum length when loaded, and can still feed besides. This will require a pretty small case (50-70 sized?), which when loaded with fairly slow powders (4895 class) should put you just over supersonic.

When designed specifically to shoot subsonic with a 16 inch barrel, it should be a low recoil shorty that, should you give it a pencil barrel, the rifle should be pretty handy, even light, and not recoil very much.

But still shoot 50 cent 50 BMG m33 if you wanted to. And why not?

Since its a magnum action, the case shoul dbe big enough to ensure that pressures with 4895 are low enough to be even anemic.

Like a really, really big pop gun :)

(you should be able to eat right up to that half inch hole, I do imagine...)

---------------

I THINK a 495 A-square will do this. case might be a smidge long for the heavies to fit in a magnum action, but it might work.

[Whiterabbit]

Next idea, buy one of Hubbel's 58 caliber black powder barrels, and make a roundball shooter that you can load with black powder. I have no idea how you'd get that guy to feed, but you'll have a neat mix of BPCR, roundball shoote,r and 24 (or 28?) gauge slug gun. I bet the Holy Black will make it a heck of a lot of fun to hunt with, too.

[AlaskanGuy]

Brother Tim-ber, I cant think of a better more cast friendly cal then the 375 h&h.... And just because you have all that room in the case for powder, dont mean you need to fill it.... If you go the 375 route, you wont be sorry... Recoil is very manageable with cast loads, and it just plain fun... And you will be ready for zombie elephants invasions during the end times.... I sure love mine..... I use mine for deer all the time.... Around here, shooting deer is like ringing the dinner bell for brownies, so it is my number 1 deer rifle...

AG

[Whiterabbit]

Don't you all go making logical and sensible recommendations now, now is the time for lunacy!

[btroj]

375 H&H is great with cast. Would be even better of the case was a bit smaller but it still does very well. 1700 fps with a 270'gr cast is easy to get accuracy from and would hammer deer quite nicely. It really isn't difficult to get 2100 fps and good accuracy and that would be very good on 200 yard deer.

[Nobade]

Mine is a 375 Taylor right now, that works wonderfully with cast. But I think it is going to become a 470 Capstick in the future once I find a stock I like. 18 - 20 inch barrel, red dot sight, heavy palma taper barrel. Shoot 480 Ruger pistol bullets for plinking and varmints, 400 - 500 gr. paper patched cast for big game. Burn just about any kind of available powder. Plenty of power at 20K psi so brass lasts forever. Brass is cheap - use Hornady belted mag basic. Have a bigger hole in the end than everybody else. What's not to like? Makes a good BP round too.

-Nobade

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

404 Jefferys...

I am in the stocking phase of one on a VZ24 action. NOE makes a mold.

[Artful]

358 Norma Mag? 338 Win Mag? -

My first thought was 458 American, just 'cuz I like the looks of the little bugger.

[txnative1951]

.300 Win Mag shotgun? Well, you did say that barrel was worn out, so you're nearly already there, right? :)

[3leggedturtle]

375 H&H or 358 Norma

[M-Tecs]

Sleeve the bolt down to .473 and pick whatever cast friendly round you want. How many rounds did you get out of it before it went south? If it was me I would do a 35 Whelen

[HotGuns]

Cut the case off at the neck and check the I.D. of the case.

Go from there. Figure out what you need for a bullet and make it happen. Its quick, easy and will still thump anything that walks. It can be as slow as you want it or as fast as you want depending on the mood you are in.

[Doc Highwall]

How about a 30 BR with a slow twist.

[UBER7MM]

Sleeve the bolt down to .473 and pick whatever cast friendly round you want. How many rounds did you get out of it before it went south? If it was me I would do a 35 Whelen

This is a very sensible suggestion, however.....


Goodsteel,
.
Since you've matured to cast boolits, how about something a bit different? 405 Winchester with a 1/14" twist! The rim is about .545" on them, like a 303 British or 30-40 Krag. There would be a little bolt facing work. 405'a OAL = 3.175", so the cartridge has the potential to fit in the magazine and action. Probably a lot of magazine fiddling like with a Siamese Mauser conversion to 45-70. It would be a truly unique combination, and you wouldn't be limited to "turn of the 19th Century" black powder pressures and velocities...

Just a thought....

[Reverend Recoil]

How about a 9.3X62 with paper patched .358 cast bullets? No custom bullet molds or sizing dies are needed.

[JesterGrin_1]

Call me Nutty but the 375 Ruger looks like a darn nice round. And the 416 Ruger or the .375 Ruger does not have that silly belt on the brass. So I was thinking it would be easier to reload and maybe even last longer than the H&H brass. But as normal I could be wrong lol.

[Sweetpea]

Tim, I'd have to vote for the 358 Norma, or the 375 H&H.

I'd probably go for the Norma, as it seems most have never heard of it.

Just like people think I'm kidding about having a 41 Mag.

[smoked turkey]

375 H&H. From mild to wild depending on the need. I agree that they are very cast friendly and make a very fine deer round. Left the best blood trail of any cast boolit I have used on whitetail. I recently loaded mine with 225 j-words at 2500'/s and took four plains game animals in South Africa. Worked very well for me on Blue and Black Wildebeest and Red Hartebeest. I was slightly over gunned on Mountain Reed Buck, but worked well just the same. Hitting the 200 yard gong was no problem and the proof is always in the shooting of the 375 H&H.

[nicholst55]

Why, it's obvious - .458 Lott, only shoot it with holy black and paper patched bullets!

[357maximum]

358 NORMA or 358Norma or 358norma ........I would pick one of them if it were mine, especially after shooting BadgerEdd's 358Norma.

[helice]

I had a Rem 721 in 300 H&H. It was wonderful. A 30-'o6 with a super long bolt.:grin: Worked great with the 311284. It finally went to my brother's son-in-law when he moved to Colorado. I thought I'd get some elk meat from him but he's been too busy raising kids and trying to keep the doctors paid to go hunting. I still like the 300 H&H though.....

[Three44s]

I would opt for the .416 Taylor

Best regards

Three 44s

[MBTcustom]

I was thinking more along the lines of getting a standard bolt and going 30-06........

[Nobade]

Well, that works too...

Those Badger extractors, made by PTG, work well to convert your bolt to an '06 face. I used to use sako style ones but since these new ones came on the market I have been a convert. They do take a little tuning of the hooks to get the cases to eject in the right direction though.

-Nobade

[Sweetpea]

I was thinking more along the lines of getting a standard bolt and going 30-06........

:shock::groner::killingpc

B O R I N G !!!

Whatever floats your boat...

IF you go for the '06, throat it and twist it for the blackout boolit, since you'll have room!

[Cmm_3940]

"The .30-06 is never a mistake."

[MBTcustom]

:shock::groner::killingpc

B O R I N G !!!

Whatever floats your boat...

IF you go for the '06, throat it and twist it for the blackout boolit, since you'll have room!

Why yes. Yes it is.
I have learned something from building rifles for people. They all come in asking for the wiz-bang wildcats, and I always recommend the boring old standby's.
243
270
308
30-06
7mm RemMag
Take your pick.
The reason I do this is because I have observed what people do with the things I make after I make them, and what I have observed is that if it's too hard to make the ammo, if it's too expensive to get the brass, if the gun pounds the snot out of you, if you have no experience with the caliber, nor shot more than 3 deer with it, the rifle is likely to become a safe queen. All that money and investment, and when I go to deer camp or see pictures a client posts, the rifle I labored over is absent and they are instead carrying their old standby.
Why?
Because it's what they are comfortable with and what they have confidence in. You can't buy that, and I can only do so much to build it into the gun.

I'm no different. I trust the 06 and I know it very well. I don't have to try to like it, or even think about it for more than 1.2 seconds. Not only that, but I have the XCB reamer that will make me an awesome cast boolit chamber with a tight neck.

The only problem is that for the cost of the bolt, I could sell the rifle and buy a Remington action and start from scratch. By the time I change the bolt, change the barrel, change the caliber, and change the stock, Winifred will have had so many facelifts, she may not be the same woman anymore.
Maybe I should pass her to someone who will appreciate her in her current state.

[Sweetpea]

Ummmm

I have 80% of those calibers in the safe... And yes, one is an '06...

I'm gonna have to go back to the 358 Norma.

Zero bolt issues, just spin your new tube on and get after it.

Brassmagnet has some dies for it he is giving away in Helping Hands right now, and brass is easily formed from others.

Shoot, you could cut 1/2" off the dies, and make it a 35 XCB MAGNUM!!![smilie=w:

[nekshot]

I am surprised no one brought up the 350 rem mag. That was the first thing I thought of when this thread began!

[UBER7MM]

Tim,
.
30'06 is a great choice. If you like the 7mm bullets/boolits and like the 30'06 case, how about the 280 Remington? Best of both worlds. The 7x57 will give much the same in a ¼" smaller case. The 7mm08 is an updated version of the 7mm Mauser.

[JesterGrin_1]

The problem here is do you plan to keep it or sell it? Or do you just wish to have something that you can drop by pretty much any store and pick up ammo to hunt with at a decent price without worry if loading and continually making sure your new loads shoot to the same spot. If so the 30-06 is a darn good lazy mans hunting rifle. :)

I have a couple of them just for that reason. If I am in a hurry and do not have something loaded and tried then I can just grab a 30-06 and go.

And for that very reason I have 1 30-06 Marlin XL-7 that I can drag around with me or another good use is a good loaner rifle. And as you know there is always a person in every group that either supposedly forgets there rifle or it breaks or simply forgot ammo lol.

But I prefer to load my own to take the game I am after. For me there is just something about taking game with components you hand assembled.

[Whiterabbit]

The reason I do this is because I have observed what people do with the things I make after I make them, and what I have observed is that if it's too hard to make the ammo, if it's too expensive to get the brass, if the gun pounds the snot out of you, if you have no experience with the caliber, nor shot more than 3 deer with it, the rifle is likely to become a safe queen. All that money and investment, and when I go to deer camp or see pictures a client posts, the rifle I labored over is absent and they are instead carrying their old standby.
Why?
Because it's what they are comfortable with and what they have confidence in.

Maybe I should pass her to someone who will appreciate her in her current state.

One reason I own exactly two bolt rifles. My gunsafe has no room for welfare guns! Everybody works.

You probably gave yourself the best advice, given the first post.

(I still think the guy who told you 404 Jeffrey gave you the best advice)

[swheeler]

425 Express

[Love Life]

338-22. The cartridge only exists in my head, but it should provide you with a barrel life of at least 500 shots.

[Whiterabbit]

wow, a non belted 22 eargesplitten loudenboomer. Basically the same thing but with cheaper brass! Bout the time you blow through the 20 rounds of brass, the barrel is done!

http://www.gswagner.com/bigreloading/refmaterial/poa2.jpg

Looks like a good cast shooter to me! :kidding:

[Love Life]

It does exist!!

[swheeler]

35 Newton, 35 Ackley Magnum, 375-338, 416 Taylor. Your choices are unlimited, maybe a 35 super malcom

[swheeler]

wow, a non belted 22 eargesplitten loudenboomer. Basically the same thing but with cheaper brass! Bout the time you blow through the 20 rounds of brass, the barrel is done!

http://www.gswagner.com/bigreloading/refmaterial/poa2.jpg



Looks like a good cast shooter to me! :kidding:

You'll have to open the bolt face for this one;)

[JesterGrin_1]

338-22. The cartridge only exists in my head, but it should provide you with a barrel life of at least 500 shots.

Believe me that when you start to use large cases with small bullets you will hit a brick wall of returns. A friend build a 6MM-06. And it turned out to be very touchy with pressure. And he did not get much in the way of more speed due to this. Not to mention throat erosion would be tremendously increased. He did just as well with a .243 Winchester Ackley Improved. I believe he was getting around 4100 FPS or so from a Hornady 58Gr Z Max.

[Whiterabbit]

Pretty sure there was facetiousness involved in that post.

[Nobade]

The only problem is that for the cost of the bolt, I could sell the rifle and buy a Remington action and start from scratch. By the time I change the bolt, change the barrel, change the caliber, and change the stock, Winifred will have had so many facelifts, she may not be the same woman anymore.
Maybe I should pass her to someone who will appreciate her in her current state.

See my previous post - no need for gunsmiths to be buying new bolts! You can even get really cute and adapt a Savage bolt head to a Remington bolt, then it's really easy to change face sizes. I have a blown up 308 bolt I have been meaning to do that to.

-Nobade

[WallyM3]

.404 Jeff.

[txnative1951]

Looks like the .300 Win Mag brass would fit a .458" bullet if converted to a straight walled case. The brass would probably last longer also. Basically, you would be creating a round that could use .45-70 bullets and handle even more pressure. Load it down and you could even have Trapdoor level pressures.

[MBTcustom]

Looks like the .300 Win Mag brass would fit a .458" bullet if converted to a straight walled case. The brass would probably last longer also. Basically, you would be creating a round that could use .45-70 bullets and handle even more pressure. Load it down and you could even have Trapdoor level pressures.

I thought about that long and hard, and really the 458 WinMag is still the most logical choice if I stay with the magnum bolt/face. Unless of course, the brass is cheaper for the 404? I'll look into it.

[dragon813gt]

I vote for the 30-06. Call me simple but you don't need more gun unless you are going to Africa. Sure you can build whatever you feel like. But if you go w/ one of the lesser used rounds dies, brass and bullets get expensive in a hurry. Case conversions can run the gamut from nice and easy to needing lathe work. I'd make it a good old '06 and shoot it a lot for minimal money. All those large bores chew up powder and lead as well.

[Nobade]

I thought about that long and hard, and really the 458 WinMag is still the most logical choice if I stay with the magnum bolt/face. Unless of course, the brass is cheaper for the 404? I'll look into it.

It is cheap if you use reformed Ultramag brass. Not if you use Jeff brass, and you have to change the bolt for that anyway - it is slightly bigger than a normal mag rim. 458 is great if you get a reamer with a Lott throat in it. The regular 458 throat is "unique" and a challenge to get cast to shoot well through. Not to mention obtaining a .423" groove barrel and a mould and......
416 Remington does the same thing as a Jeff, just not as cool....

-Nobade

[btroj]

Here is a wild idea Tim.....

Sell the rifle and use the money to buy a bore scope.

[BruceB]

The .404 is more practical today than it's ever been, as far as handloading is concerned.

I've reformed 160 .375 UltraMag cases to .404 without loss. NOTE that the .338 UltraMag is a bit shorter than the .375 and will end up with a shorter neck. The .300 UM will work, but MIGHT end up with necks too thin in wall thickness. Best to use the .375s. The cases are so close in head diameter that a standard H&H-size shellholder has worked fine for me over the last 45 years.....

All it takes to reform them is:

1. Size the case (without the decapping/expander assembly in the die) just enough to allow it to chamber in the rifle with a bit of "feel" on the bolt handle

2. Prime the case, charge with about 21 grains of #2400, and fill it with cornmeal, topping it with a bit of tissue.

3. Fire these VERTICALLY , somewhere that the noise won't matter.

Off-vertical firing can give uneven case mouths. Very little trimming or evening-up was needed if fired straight up.


NEI makes their 421-390 mould, which casts an almost perfect duplicate of the factory jacketed bullets. The bullet is an excellent fit in my rifle.

The cartridge has serious horsepower, with 2500 fps easily available with the 400-grain bullet. I bought mine for Wood Bison, and it worked superbly on a dozen or so of the buff.... up to a monster bull that probably weighed close to 3000 pounds (1700 pounds of MEAT IN THE FREEZER).

Also, you won't find a .404 on the next bench at the range very often....if ever!

[gewehrfreund]

Hmmm, I'm surpised no one has mentioned one that I always though would be cool in a magnum 700 action; 30-40 Krag. Perfect for cast.

[Nobade]

The .404 is more practical today than it's ever been, as far as handloading is concerned.

I've reformed 160 .375 UltraMag cases to .404 without loss. NOTE that the .338 UltraMag is a bit shorter than the .375 and will end up with a shorter neck. The .300 UM will work, but MIGHT end up with necks too thin in wall thickness. Best to use the .375s. The cases are so close in head diameter that a standard H&H-size shellholder has worked fine for me over the last 45 years.....

All it takes to reform them is:

1. Size the case (without the decapping/expander assembly in the die) just enough to allow it to chamber in the rifle with a bit of "feel" on the bolt handle

2. Prime the case, charge with about 21 grains of #2400, and fill it with cornmeal, topping it with a bit of tissue.

3. Fire these VERTICALLY , somewhere that the noise won't matter.

Off-vertical firing can give uneven case mouths. Very little trimming or evening-up was needed if fired straight up.


NEI makes their 421-390 mould, which casts an almost perfect duplicate of the factory jacketed bullets. The bullet is an excellent fit in my rifle.

The cartridge has serious horsepower, with 2500 fps easily available with the 400-grain bullet. I bought mine for Wood Bison, and it worked superbly on a dozen or so of the buff.... up to a monster bull that probably weighed close to 3000 pounds (1700 pounds of MEAT IN THE FREEZER).

Also, you won't find a .404 on the next bench at the range very often....if ever!

That's great to hear! I am glad somebody else out there had the same idea. Isn't even the 375 RUM case a bit short? My other question - who made your barrel blank? Pretty sure Kreiger makes them, not sure of who else. Thanks for sharing!

-Nobade

[Whiterabbit]

The .404 is more practical today than it's ever been, as far as handloading is concerned.

I've reformed 160 .375 UltraMag cases to .404 without loss. NOTE that the .338 UltraMag is a bit shorter than the .375 and will end up with a shorter neck. The .300 UM will work, but MIGHT end up with necks too thin in wall thickness. Best to use the .375s. The cases are so close in head diameter that a standard H&H-size shellholder has worked fine for me over the last 45 years.....

All it takes to reform them is:

1. Size the case (without the decapping/expander assembly in the die) just enough to allow it to chamber in the rifle with a bit of "feel" on the bolt handle

2. Prime the case, charge with about 21 grains of #2400, and fill it with cornmeal, topping it with a bit of tissue.

3. Fire these VERTICALLY , somewhere that the noise won't matter.

Off-vertical firing can give uneven case mouths. Very little trimming or evening-up was needed if fired straight up.


NEI makes their 421-390 mould, which casts an almost perfect duplicate of the factory jacketed bullets. The bullet is an excellent fit in my rifle.

The cartridge has serious horsepower, with 2500 fps easily available with the 400-grain bullet. I bought mine for Wood Bison, and it worked superbly on a dozen or so of the buff.... up to a monster bull that probably weighed close to 3000 pounds (1700 pounds of MEAT IN THE FREEZER).

Also, you won't find a .404 on the next bench at the range very often....if ever!

Does fireforming always have to be done with cornmeal and tissue? what about a paraffin plug? Is there ANY way to avoid vertical fireforming? My range will have a cow if I do that. Finally, can I use alternate powders? trailboss would be great, fill to base of neck and seat a wax plug or the like.

[3leggedturtle]

I was wrong, 358 Norma is based the case length of the 7mmRM 300W and 338W mags. Go with a 35 G&H Magnum, is a necked down 375H&H case .

[bmiller]

I always wanted a .458 Lott. I think that would be fun

[txnative1951]

I always wanted a .458 Lott. I think that would be fun

I looked up the .458 Lott. It seems to be pretty much exactly what I was thinking about when I suggested a straightwalled case made from the .300 Win Mag brass. Oh well... So much for having an original idea. :)

[swheeler]

I still think the 425 Express would be perfect, 300 Win Mag case and 423 bullet, match the 404 performance and brass is a dime a dozen. Savage was supposed to introduce it in late 1990's with their safari grade rifles, the rifles happened for a while but no 425 Express offered.

[BruceB]

[QUOTE=Nobade;2680830]ea. Isn't even the 375 RUM case a bit short?

No, the .375 RUM makes nice full-length .404 cases.

QUOTE: My other question - who made your barrel blank?

My rifle was made in England by Cogswell and Harrison,("168 Picadilly, London").
By its styling, I'd estimate it was built sometime after WWII. The proportions and general appearance look very much like an American post-war sporter. The stock is serial-numbered to the rifle, so it's probably original.

-

[BruceB]

Does fireforming always have to be done with cornmeal and tissue? what about a paraffin plug? Is there ANY way to avoid vertical fireforming? My range will have a cow if I do that. Finally, can I use alternate powders? trailboss would be great, fill to base of neck and seat a wax plug or the like.

The only method I used was 2400 and cornmeal. I used a loose tissue plug just to hold the "cartridges" together while being transported in a loading block. I see no reason that a wax plug wouldn't work.

I tried a few horizontal shots with the fire-forming load, and the case mouths came out very uneven. After that, I changed the method and vertical firing gave MUCH better results.

Why would your range object to your firing of what are effectively "blanks" (no bullets)? An explanation to a range officer should work. After all, you're only throwing a puff of flour into the air. Failing that, you'd have to locate open ground somewhere to do it. The loads ARE loud.

As mentioned, I only tried 2400 powder. It worked fine, so no further powders were tested. I think substituting powders of similar burning rate should work, but START LOW, and work it up just until you get reasonable case shaping.

The case only has to fit the chamber well enough to allow it to chamber with a heavier load AND A BULLET. When the first bullet is fired, the case will take its final, perfected form.

[Nobade]

[QUOTE=Nobade;2680830]ea. Isn't even the 375 RUM case a bit short?

No, the .375 RUM makes nice full-length .404 cases.

QUOTE: My other question - who made your barrel blank?

My rifle was made in England by Cogswell and Harrison,("168 Picadilly, London").
By its styling, I'd estimate it was built sometime after WWII. The proportions and general appearance look very much like an American post-war sporter. The stock is serial-numbered to the rifle, so it's probably original.

-

Thanks! I had been making Dakota cases from RUM brass, and thought Jeff cases would work but hadn't tried it yet. The drawing I have of the Jeff shows a 2.875" case and the RUM is supposed to be 2.850". Now you have gone and done it, I need to build a new rifle! The original English C&H rifle sounds like a nice thing to have. I thought from your post you had built a newer one, the old one is even better!

Just a FWIW for the other poster, a gunsmith friend of mine made up a deal to allow you to use your seating die to fireform cases. It screws into the die and has a rebounding firing pin you hit with a hammer, and a shellholder to hold the headspace. You can stick the other end of the die (with the seating stem removed) in a pipe that has its end buried in the ground or in a sand filled bucket. That way he points the case straight down to get the same effect you are getting and does them in his shop.

-Nobade

[Dark Helmet]

375 Weatherby, 411 KDF, 411 Express, 416 Taylor, 416 Rem Mag. The Taylor would be the cheapest to get into, trim, anneal and size your 300 brass, Lee dies, several boolits to choose from.

[longbow]

Not sure if it would fit the bolt face but I vote for the .50 Razorback! Why not? It is your gun and money but I like the .50 Razorback so you should make one. Or maybe a .50 Hush Puppy. I like them both.

Seems to me you asked so there you go.

Good luck with the decision.

Longbow

[FrankG]

.375 Whelen Improved .

.458 x 2.1 using 7mag or 338 cases cut off at shoulder . 450 Marlin dies are used for the 458 x 2.1 . I made it up before marlin come out with the 450 so I could have a bolt 45-70 on standard action. Feeds good from a mauser. Any 45-70 cast works good.
Three in the mag and one in the pipe !

[izzyjoe]

Tim, you are the man! I know you are wanting another 45 cal big bore rifle, so I'd say a 458 WM. It would make a great cast shooter, shoot you may even come up with you're own wildcat!

[butch2570]

Tim, you know a 06 is THE man with one calibers choice :grin:, but I think the 35 Whelen is the one for this one....

[MBTcustom]

Sooooo many juicy choices.

I have 60 vintage WW cases in 300WM unfired, so the 30-338 is really tempting. The Wade is even moreso.
458X2.1 has me stroking my chin thoughtfully.
I'll stew on it a while longer.

[btroj]

Enjoy the decision Tim. Like all of us you end up deciding what itch needs scratching at the time.

If not for cast the a 30-338 is an awesome cartridge.

[69daytona]

Why not a 338 edge, same case as the 300 rum just necked up to 338, 338rum is a shorter case.
Dies and brass are easy to come by and plenty of cast molds to choose from.

[Shooternz]

Why not a classic .300 H&H I have been thinking about buying the new A.C.E 300 Blackout mould
230 grains BC of .540 to shoot in my 721 300 H&H would make a great long range cast boolit combo,
I haven't tried cast in it yet I think the 300 would be an excellent cast boolit cartridge has a nice long neck and a gentle tapered case the boolit base will be inside the neck with most boolits. Robert.

[xpaholic]

358 norma/375 h&H would be too easy, 358 wsm would work and give you plenty of room in the mag to load 358009's. 375 ruger or dakota, if brass can be found/made or 375 wsm or 375/300 win. I have personally thought about putting a 458x2.1 together and have begun collecting the pieces. you could also swap bolts with someone, to a standard 308/06 face, and go with an improved whelen in 35 or 375 (some day I will build one of these also) or for that matter the improved 25-06 or 280. paper patch the boolits and start shooting. xp

[kens]

What about a .375 XCB project.??
Do unto .300WM as has been done to 7x57mm.
Take 300WM brass and push the shoulder back for a long neck.
Open the neck to .375
Screw on a slow twist barrel, and Presto!!!
A .375 XCB!!!!!

[rockrat]

Would think the 338wm case opened up to 375 would be a nice one for your 200yd deer. Don't know if you have done anything with the action yet, seeing this thread is about 1 1/2 years old, but the 375 H&H is a great cast boolit cartridge and it so happens I have a stainless factory Rem H&H barrel sitting on the shelf:)

[MBTcustom]

I have decided to keep it a 300 Win Mag. I have purchased a heavy contour Douglass XX barrel in 1-10 twist from a member in S&S, and gotten 100 NOS Winchester brass.
I'm pretty covered over with the 35XCB project right now, so the Remington will have to sit and wait for the moment. Besides, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a tactical stock. Maybe I can score a McMillan A-5 or a Manners somewhere along the line.

[Blackwater]

Well, Tim, I can't argue with your choice. Everybody needs a really good, spec'd out long ranger rifle, and the .300 is the Army and USMC's choice for real long range work, so it can't be a mistake. Still, I think the suggestion for the .458 Win. Mag. has a lot of merit, too. Shoot everything from .45 LC level up to elephant loads, and as a young man, you MAY just find the time and wherewithall to get over to the Dark Continent some day. Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY! Wouldn't be out of place on a Kodiak hunt, either. Shoot deer with .45/70 loads in the woods - many possibilities and options with it. But if you don't currently have a real sho' 'nuff long range wonder rifle, you need one'a those too, and you can make the .458 up later. Good luck. And re the stock, I've used the "tactical" stocks, and they're great in prone, but I can't for the life of me get comfortable with them in any other position, so when I got my long range special, I went with the std. varmint type HS Precision stock, but you're younger and more adaptable, and less habituated than I am, so it'll likely work for you. The A-5 type stocks DO make a good, straight back trigger release a little easier, and shooting long range, that ain't no small thing. Good luck with it, and I'm smiling as I say that, because I know you'll never quit until it DOES just what you want. That's the big "secret" to gunsmithing, and a lot more in life.

[MBTcustom]

Fortunately for me, I get to have my cake and eat it too. I have a 1917 that I will be building a 458 on someday.

I actually like the 30-338 and the 300 Lapua Magnum better than the 300 Winchester, and the Weatherby is a real smooth ride as well, but the fact is, the 300 Winchester is the most readily available option. Weatherby is expensive as heck, and the Lapua cartridges need a lot of brass prep in order to make them a reality (which is a huge blinking neon sign that says "get your human error right here!!!").
The 300 WM is the best choice in a 30 caliber magnum IMHO. It's possible that the 7mm Remington Magnum is actually a superior cartridge, but I'll leave questions like that to the philosophers. The fact is, I have the barrel, I have the correct action, I have 100 superb pieces of match brass from one lot, I have the reamer, and I have a lot of experience with this cartridge (in fact, the only cartridge I have more experience with is the 30-30 Winchester).
If I were a new client walking into MBT with my mind on a custom rifle, the 300 Win Mag is the cartridge that would be recommended to me.

[duckey]

Check out Lary Potterfield nearly perfect safari rifle on YouTube. He builds a .375 off a Rem 700. Maybe this will give you a direction to follow

[nilz]

If you are thinking about a 30-338 check out the 308 Norma magnum
http://www.norma.cc/sv/Produkter/Jakt/308-Norma-Magnum/

[Safeshot]

.416 Remington. Great with as heavy a cast bullet as you want. Then again you "could" always shoot "full house" condom bullets loads in it, if you needed the energy level. I would prefer a long heavy barrel with iron sights (perhaps receiver sight). Even keep the original stock. Just one opinion.