Remington 700 mag action to start.

[micky_blue]

Starting with a Rem 700 action std length with a mag bolt face, what should I build? I want something oddball for no reason what so ever. I have been considering a 300 h&h, maybe some type of rimless 405 win, maybe something metric. Please throw out some ideas.

Edit - part of me is thinking about a long range lead hurler. 26-27 inches of barrel. Maybe a rifle designed strictly for paper patching or powder coating? None of that is set in stone.

[pietro]

.

Lots to choose from.

This is a partial listing of those cartridges which use the same Belted Magnum case/bolt face - although some may be too long for the action you have:

.257 Weatherby Mag.
6.5 Rem. Mag.
.264 Win. Mag.
.270 Weatherby Mag.
7mm Rem. Mag.
7mm Weatherby Mag.
7mm STW
.300 H&H Mag.
.300 Weatherby Mag.
.300 Win. Mag.
.30-.338 Win. Mag.
.308 Norma Mag.
8mm Rem.
.338 Win. Mag.
.340 Weatherby Mag.
.350 Rem. Mag.
.358 Norma Mag.
.375 H&H Mag.
.416 Rem. Mag.
.458 Win. Mag.
.458 Lott

You can google any cartridge you're interested in, to find out if it's OAL will fit into your M700 action.
.

[Nobade]

I just built the same thing you are pondering. 1:18 twist 375 H&H with a Rem Varmint contour barrel, 26 inches long. Strictly for long range cast boolit shooting. Works great!

Pietro, you left out the 400 H&H. Shoots everything from 41 mag pistol bullets up to heavy 400+ grain BPCR bullets. If I didn't already have a 416 Taylor I would have built one of those.

-Nobade

[Hickok]

.30-.338 Win mag would be a an excellent cartridge. Just about a perfect .30 caliber magnum.

[69daytona]

.338 edge, its a 300 ultra mag necked up to .338 slightly better ballistics than the lupua mag but lots cheaper to load.

[376Steyr]

358 Norma. You can make cases from plentiful .338 Win brass, and have a vast array of 35 caliber moulds to work with, with easily found gas checks to boot.

[clintsfolly]

458 AccRel = 45lc-458 Lott or mild to wild ClintClint

[oldblinddog]

The .400 H&H looks interesting and brass is readily available. Never heard of it before today...

[micky_blue]

Look at the neck on the 400 H&H. It is LONG!!!!!

[oldblinddog]

Yeah it is! Plenty to work with.

[MarkP]

I wanted a med / big bore in a bolt gun to emulate 405 Win, 450 Marlin, 45-70's. I built a .416 for cast only shooting, it is based on a 300 WSM case. 20" bbl with 1:18" twist. It has a long neck and duplicates 450-400 ballistics. It is in a REM M SEVEN SS (formerly a 300 SAUM) top rifle in avatar.

[oldblinddog]

Pics? And do you have any trouble necking up from .30 to .40?

[MarkP]

135656135656135657
From Left 300 WSM, necked to 416, shoulder pushed back, 308 Win, 350 Rem Mag, loaded 416 BAC with 400 gr, 400 gr, 315 gr. I use elliptical expander balls Hornady and homemade to expand neck. I usually use 338, 358, 375, 416. I could probably skip some of the intermediate steps.

[725]

Whatever you choose, I'd keep an eye on brass availability. If it's a pain to make or find brass, you could be setting yourself up for frustration. This sounds like a fun project.

[tygar]

I really like my .375/338. It is very accurate, is easy shooting, has more velocity than the H&H, is really easy to fire form 338 brass.

[oldblinddog]

That's outstanding! Who made your reamer and dies?

Edit: For the .416 BAC.

[Lloyd Smale]

I like you 300 H&H thought. I love mine and its a do anything gun if ever there was one and gets 10 out of 10 in the cool classic category

[micky_blue]

I am leaning twords the 300 h&h right now. I am trading emails with a couple barrel makers about a gain twist barrel so I can shoot both cast and jackets.

[tygar]

I am leaning twords the 300 h&h right now. I am trading emails with a couple barrel makers about a gain twist barrel so I can shoot both cast and jackets.

Ok don't usually get into "wants" cause I "want" & build "stuff", just because!

The 300 H&H is a classic & I've had a couple but it's not an efficient case. That's why all the cases made from it are so good.

A 30-06 is close to it's power & a 06AI pretty much equals it.

All the cases made from it & blown out & or shortened & necked up or down perform better.

So, if you just want it, cause, fine, but if you looking for a more efficient, powerful case, consider another.

Good luck.

[tygar]

I really like my .375/338. It is very accurate, is easy shooting, has more velocity than the H&H, is really easy to fire form 338 brass.

Actually shot it today with Lyman 246 (they cast at 270) & NOE 270. Had a couple groups with both bullets at 1" or less.

[scb]

If it were me >>>> http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?233915-Another-50-Razorback

[Lloyd Smale]

actualy most opinions that mirror yours come from the history of the h&h. Its about forever been downloaded to near 06 ballistics. It can actually be handloaded in a modern gun to sneak past the 300 win mag and leave the 06 and even the improved 06 in its dust. 300 win mag power in the smoothest chambering round ive ever used. Hard to beat that.
Ok don't usually get into "wants" cause I "want" & build "stuff", just because!

The 300 H&H is a classic & I've had a couple but it's not an efficient case. That's why all the cases made from it are so good.

A 30-06 is close to it's power & a 06AI pretty much equals it.

All the cases made from it & blown out & or shortened & necked up or down perform better.

So, if you just want it, cause, fine, but if you looking for a more efficient, powerful case, consider another.

Good luck.

[Andrew Mason]

.450 marlin,

and i dont recall seeing .375 ruger or 416 ruger on the list

[tygar]

Actually they come from the fact that H&H has too much taper & when blown out the cases have significantly more powder capacity, therefore more speed & power than the H&H can achieve.

That's why the Wby was made and all the others that came from that case.

Whatever gain a "modern" powder can do for the H&H it can also do for the others.

[MarkP]

Pacifc Tool & Gauge made the reamers; they had a special going on, order a chamber reamer and get a size die reamer and die blank for only $79. It took several months to get them. I made seating dies using the chamber reamer and size die with the size die reamer. I used some old Pacifc Durachrome dies for the die bodies. Also have a Hornady custom die set; these were single pointed as my pilot on my reamer was too large for their die blank.


That's outstanding! Who made your reamer and dies?

Edit: For the .416 BAC.

[oldblinddog]

Great, thanks!