We're putting the band back together

I haven't done a rifle project in a little while so I figured I'd dig the old 116 lefty weather warrior in .300RUM out of the back of the safe and tinker a bit. I'm pretty sure they didn't make but a hand full of these rifles chambered for those pesky garden rhinoceros's .
She's been in there quite a while ever since she separated my ribs from my sternum after an extended range session. That and her habit of turning whitetail deer into leather bags full of something resembling melted grape jelly from head to tail.

I found an aftermarket Choate tactical in stock with a full bedding block that should fit the old gal, and figured I'd better order it before everyone discontinues the old flat back and stagger feed stuff.
I never really had a problem with the old dual pillar bedded factory synthetic stocks except with long heavy barrels and love to tinker and improve the factory stuff when I'm able, but this one has a pretty long magnum contour along with a pretty hefty recoil. The trigger has already been done, the bases are still on her and I seem to remember pretty good accuracy which hopefully will improve with a more rigid stock.
I also have a Burris E1 in 6.5-20x50 just sitting that the ballistic reticle should match up well to a 180gr .300RUM load. Pretty sure this one will test the warranty. The US made Burris FF2 with ballistic plex that was on it before worked just fine.
I already have dies brass bullets and powder for her and nearly 2 decades in the safe is probably long enough.

I think with my current budget restraints and the cost of new stuff it's time to scratch the odds and ends back together and give her another whirl.
You can bet I wont be benching multiple boxes of ammo on the same day anymore and If I can find the right data, H4895 or another suitable reduced load will probably be my go to instead of huge quantity's of RL22, IMR 4350 and Retumbo or trying to friction melt 125gr bullets on their way to a target LOL.
Heck, If I can slow it down enough, I just may shoot another deer with her and hopefully there will be something left to eat this time.
We'll see how this budget build blast from the past turns out.

I think my shoulder is hurting just reading 300RUM. I shot long range with a custom 300WM for many years and had a love / hate relationship with it. I loved the way it shot, but hated what it did to my body after firing 100 rounds out of it.
You should like the Choate tactical stock, I've got 4 of them. You might enjoy adding weight inside the rear of the stock as well as the hollow pistol grip area.

Sounds like fun! Separated your ribs from your sturnum.. priceless. I was speaking with a good friend the other night who is planning on having a custom rifle done. Titanium Action, all high end parts. And wants to do either 300RUM or 338 Lapua. I asked if he was planning to use a brake, and he responded “you know how I hate brakes buddy!” Meaning, most emphatically, NO! He then told me he’s shot them both WITHOUT a brake and said it’s not that bad. Uhhh, ok! Now he’s a big dude! 6’1” and pushing 400lbs. But I was never “little”, even before being disabled. In my healthier days, I was 6’4” and 235lbs. But the RUMS are utterly BONE JARRING to me! I’ve never shot the Lapua minus brake but imagine it equally as TEETH RATTLING! No, I enjoy my 260 Rem in my quite HEAVY bench rifle. Powerful enough, but easy to shoot all day.

Yeah this one came with a factory adjustable brake that actually works quite well. I also had a Beartooth neoprene slip on recoil pad on her with more than one of the foam spacers in it. The recoil didn't bruise me, make me flinch, or even make me sore on the shoulder and I assumed everything was right as rain. The next day after benching 60-80 rounds my chest was hurting and so my wife freaked out and off to the doc I went. The X rays he took showed the separation and I really had to think for a minute how I could have done it. it stayed sore for quite a while.

I've already got one of the Choate Tacticals on a post accutrigger 110FP in 25-06 as for a really long time there really wasn't much aftermarket available for heavy barreled long action Savages. Heck there really weren't a lot of heavy barreled long action factory rifles produced as most of the heavy barrels were on varmint and short action law enforcement series rifles. It seems like a decent enough unit that's plenty "sturdy" if nothing else. The 25-06 I have in a Choate does shoot well. I was just glad to find something in stock for a flatback staggerfeed lefty since aftermarket support for flatback staggerfeeds much less left handed ones is disappearing.
I do have some some reduced load data in an old notebook from one of the powder companies. Hopefully someone over at Hodgdon powder has some H4895 data or I can find some additional reduced data that will help me tame the beast a little further. If anyone has some from a reliable source I'm all ears.

I seem to remember Remington having to release .300RUM factory ammo in 3 power levels as well as a reduced recoil option in order to quell customer complaints of excessive recoil and completely blown apart game animals. I've seen first hand and more than once what the 180gr Sirocco Bonded factory loads do to whitetail deer and to call it excessive may be an understatement. I used to believe that was no such thing as "too dead" till I saw it.
Dang, I'm starting to remember why I parked that sucker in the back of the safe. Oh Well, Full steam ahead.

Wow..Crazy!