Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: 110 schooling in 300wm

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    west sloper, co
    Posts
    17

    110 schooling in 300wm

    I just want to verify some thoughts in my head. I have swapped a couple barrels on my rifles, but I'm not a frequent swapper so the limits of what can be done escapes me.

    I have a Early 2000s era 110 in .300 win mag that I have swapped the barrel on already. It came with a heavy barrel and I swapped it for a Shaw magnum contour fluted barrel. It shoots good enough for me, but it's not what I consider light or a balanced carry gun. At 9 lbs 12 oz it seems top heavy and muzzle heavy with a 24 inch barrel that tapers to .73 muzzle diameter. The current recoil is okay since I'm not a high volume shooter and I did have a muzzle brake but ditched it as I really don't like them. I don't want to increase perceived recoil.

    Purpose: Definitely an elk gun since that's the one tag I can get when I don't draw an archery elk tag. Could get a goat, moose, or sheep tag if I ever beat the LOTTO like odds. I regularly shoot out to 500-600 meters (546-656 more or less yards for non military trained football players). I don't care about killing paper or steel at 1000 yards. And since the elk typically go to timber once rifle season starts, in the end this will mostly be used by being carried in the timber in very steep terrain. Yes I have other guns better for timber, but we all have seen elk out in the middle of the sage on the last day of rifle season just basking in the sun with no covered approach so my .270 hits a little soft out at 500 meters. In my mind an 8 1/2 pound gun would be an okay carry weight for a 600 meter gun.

    1. .300 win mag barrels can be had at 24 inches down to a muzzle diameter of .6 to .565. Is this too light a contour for a .300 wm in that 500-600 meter range?

    2. Is it time to let the .300 wm nostalgia go? Does a 7rm make more sense for this purpose? High BC lighter bullet. Maybe a slight bit less perceived recoil with the lighter rifle weight?

    3. Is it time to let go of the heirloom calibers and go with something totally different? Not too big a fan of boutique calibers that can't be picked up off the shelf. I assume with a long action magnum bolt I could still chamber short action magnum bullets. Is this thought correct and what would that on the shelf caliber be considering the parameters I have laid out.

    4. Or do I just ask too many question, and a person in his mid 50s should be happy with a heavy gun.

    Thanks for the input.

  2. #2
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    west sloper, co
    Posts
    17
    And yes that 9 12 weight is with scope and sling. Zeiss v4 4-16 is about 22 oz, so no real boat anchor there. I could get a stock lighter then 2 lbs, but that would be close to the cost of a new rifle or at least barrel and bolt head and it would still be top heavy. Besides, I really like wood stocks in cold weather.

  3. #3
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    125
    I know this is blasphemy to mention on a forum dedicated to Savage rifles, but Savage rifles generally are not the easiest to turn into lightweight rifles. There are some aftermarket manufacturers making parts for Savage rifles, but there are certainly more of those parts for Remington 700's and Tikka T3's.

    Now, saying that, it is definitely possible to have an 8.5 pound Savage rifle including scope and sling. You may have to replace your magnum contour barrel as well as your stock. You could save several ounces by switching to a different scope too, but you'll likely lose magnification. Something like a lightweight Leupold or an SWFA would fit the bill.

    You could spend a lot of time assembling a lightish weight Savage, or you could just buy a Tikka in 7 RM or 300 WM and mount a lightweight scope on it. I really don't like making the suggestion to buy a new rifle, but until stock manufacturers other than McMillan and Manners start making lightweight stocks it's hard to make a Savage truly lightweight.

    I should mention that I own a Savage model 16 Lightweight Hunter and I have been searching for years to find a replacement for the factory plastic stock. I'm very aware of the lack of an inexpensive lightweight stock for Savage rifles.

  4. #4
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    west sloper, co
    Posts
    17
    Very true. I got a model 12 down to 7:09 for the wife, but that was a 20 inch .308 barrel and a wood stock I routed out to 28 oz and a light weight leupy vx2. Wouldn't care to shoot much past 300-400 meters with those little scopes.

    My model 70 scoped with a vx3 is about 8 1/2, which feels pretty comfortable in .270. Dunno what magnum I could play to that weight, but I'd like to be in that ball park without dislocating a shoulder and still maintain my effective range. Could be just a savage pipe dream. I actually thought about a tikka t3 light in 7 mag, but truth be told I was concerned that might be too light at 6 1/2 pounds for my spindly self to be holding steady at max range. I guess I need to answer what magnum caliber is comfortable at what weight to get my bearings set and then determine what minimum barrel contour will hold a 2 shot group for that caliber. Yes I said 2 shot, if it's more than 2 shots then I did something wrong.

    Time isn't a factor on a barrel swap. Unless the local sporting good store has an amazing sale, I have to travel at least an hour in one direction to buy an affordable firearm. Kind of rural here.

  5. #5
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    155
    Keep in mind the lighter the gun the recoil does go up. For the average person it’s harder to shoot good.

    Also the lighter the barrel and any residual stress in the blank (from button rifling or hammer forging) that when you contour the blank if during the contouring process if you hit any residual stress points this can effect bore uniformity (sizes go sour/open up) which will effect accuracy. Also as the barrel heats up during shooting it can wander/effect your zero.

    That’s not a problem with cut rifled barrels but if it was my gun I wouldn’t go any smaller than a .630” muzzle diameter. A .650”-.670” is what is typically called a magnum sporter contour.

    Later, Frank
    Bartlein Barrels

  6. #6
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    155
    Going from a .600” muzzle to about a .650” muzzle your talking about adding around a .5# maybe a tad more but the contour at the breech end can effect this both ways.

    If you look at Winchester featherweight contours they never offered them in magnum calibers. Why? One was for a safety factor (wall thickness).

  7. #7
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    155
    Not knowing what stock is on your rifle or if you have intentions of changing it and not too concerned about spending some money (or should I say know what your budget is) but you can put some weight into the barrel and get a new stock as well. If you are considering a new stock as well I’d look at a Manners sporter stock in carbon fiber. Strong and light and excellent quality.

  8. #8
    Basic Member RustyShackle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    N.Ida
    Posts
    673
    Think 6.5x284!!!

    Or start chopping bbl length and relearn the dope charts for your load.

  9. #9
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    125
    Quote Originally Posted by RustyShackle View Post
    Think 6.5x284!!!

    Or start chopping bbl length and relearn the dope charts for your load.
    Good suggestion. The new 6.5 PRC is interesting too. It should have enough energy at 600 yards for elk. IIRC, the recoil isn't bad either. Less than most 30'06 loads.

  10. #10
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Age
    40
    Posts
    12
    what load data and velocity and you seeing on that 22” 300wm? I’ve read a fair bit about shorter magnums and I had the general understanding that you were basically creating a loud flame shooting 06 or 308 depending on how short you went.

  11. #11
    Basic Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    West Tn
    Age
    52
    Posts
    945
    Around 3100fps using 215 primers and rl17

Similar Threads

  1. 300WM build
    By A&8's in forum Member Builds & Range Reports
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 03-08-2019, 12:22 PM
  2. New guy, new to me 111 300wm
    By mikeybonez28 in forum 110-Series Rifles
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 02-27-2017, 03:23 PM
  3. Need Help with my 110 FCP HS PRECISION .300WM!
    By Savageham in forum 110-Series Rifles
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-01-2016, 01:34 PM
  4. 300WM to 338-06?
    By 12fv 308 in forum 110-Series Rifles
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 07-23-2012, 04:10 PM
  5. Used value on 111 LRH in 300WM?
    By USMCSSGT in forum 110-Series Rifles
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 04-23-2012, 08:09 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •