Your thoughts?

[HOTDANGIT]

Been a reader and now I’m a member of a great fourm. Not new to firearms or reloading, but I’m about to build my first savage barrel swap. Have a 300 WM that I plan on making into a 6.5 PRC for my hunting partners son. Long story short my buddy passed 5 months ago and his son and I are close so I put him in for a cow elk hunt and he drew😊 so he wants his own gun and to be honest we all do right lol.
so this journey begins together on this build. Any help would be great! The rifle is a model 111 300WM long range, smooth barrel nut and a sniper stock which will have to be replaced to heavy for the kid lol. Did I pickup the the wrong model for doing this?

[SageRat Shooter]

You picked the best option available for converting to the 6.5 PRC or 300 PRC.

http://northlandshooterssupply.com/ You can get or find pretty much everything you'll need right here.

That smooth barrel nut comes off with a regular old pipe wrench, but you'll want to get the correct barrel nut wrench for the replacement barrel nut you'll want to get with your new barrel. I'm a Criterion fan myself, but I don't believe they are chambering the 6.5 PRC yet. I believe Shilen does however.

God bless you for what you are doing... A man among men.

[HOTDANGIT]

Thanks for such fast reply! I’m going to look at the site when my little hunting buddy gets here.. I don’t know who’s more excited him or me on this build for a 15 year old he’s taken over a lot of his dad’s roles and Gary would be proud..

[mnbogboy2]

What a wonderful expression of friendship. Sorry for the loss of your friend, he will always be with you.
Great advice to call Jim at Northland and he will set you up with everything you need. He as well as members here are always willing to help you with any questions or problems that may arise.
God bless you.
If you chose a Shilen barrel hopefully wait times for a "sporter" weight barrels are reasonable. Again Jim at Northland can fill you in on the options available to turn that 111 into the perfect "elk rifle" for the young man.

[HOTDANGIT]

What a wonderful expression of friendship. Sorry for the loss of your friend, he will always be with you.
Great advice to call Jim at Northland and he will set you up with everything you need. He as well as members here are always willing to help you with any questions or problems that may arise.
God bless you.
If you chose a Shilen barrel hopefully wait times for a "sporter" weight barrels are reasonable. Again Jim at Northland can fill you in on the options available to turn that 111 into the perfect "elk rifle" for the young man.

thanks you for your encouragement..

[Shooter0302]

Another option would be to put a brake your WM. Don't know how big the cow elk's are, or how far your shots will have to be.
Another factor to consider is how much practice ]shooting] you are going to have this young man do prior to your hunt,so you might consider getting the Bbl. you get threaded for a brake. Nothing like getting "thumped" to develop a flinch . Check the "aftermarket barrel section for more company's that offer 'pre fits"

[HOTDANGIT]

Thanks for the reply this rifle came with a break, but he has shot my 6.5 prc and He wants one so we’re off on this journey.. As far as his shooting abilities we do a lot of coyote calling and he has no problem shooting 300 yards and farther.
The cow elk hunt he will range 100-350 yards max. shots.

[bsekf]

Unless he is a "big" 15, I would brake everything. Would a 30 or 7mm WSM work? God bless you and guide you through this journey.

Bill

[HOTDANGIT]

Thanks Bill.
I’ll be having him use my suppressor on the hunt.

[Dave Hoback]

Oh, wow man...I am truly sad for your, and this young man’s loss of his father. My prayers for the family & friends.

This is really an awesome thing you’re doing my friend. I actually have one of those proper wrenches for the smooth barrel nut, that I do not use. It would be my pleasure to send it to you to help with the build.

[HOTDANGIT]

Oh, wow man...I am truly sad for your, and this young man’s loss of his father. My prayers for the family & friends.

This is really an awesome thing you’re doing my friend. I actually have one of those proper wrenches for the smooth barrel nut, that I do not use. It would be my pleasure to send it to you to help with the build.

Thanks Dave,
I’m just going to use my small pipe wrench.

[HOTDANGIT]

Just ordered everything except a stock for it thanks for your help.

[Dave Hoback]

Just ordered everything except a stock for it thanks for your help.

Sure, but you really do want the special wrench to reinstall it. A pipe wrench won’t torque correctly and could mar the finish. If you change your mind, like I said...this one is all yours. I’ve never used. Brand new condition. If not don’t want this one, u should def. purchase one.

This is the one I have.

[Robinhood]

Nice gesture Dave!!!!

[HOTDANGIT]

Thanks Dave,
I just bought the combo ( Wheeler brand) I’m replacing the smooth nut with precision nut instead. All the parts should be here the end of next week? This is truly a great site!
any suggestions on a replacement stock?

[tobnpr]

Never had any luck with the tool for the smooth nuts. Rosin, no matter how much it was tightened, still slips most of the time...I just use a pipe wrench on these and save myself the aggravation. They're too cheap to worry about saving them.

If you're dropping the coin on a new match-quality barrel and trying to maximize accuracy, it's penny foolish not to purchase a precision ground lug, and trued barrel nut.

The contact surfaces on both of these items are where accuracy is gained (or lost). On the nuts, the rear face that mates to the recevier face serves the same function as the shoulder, on a shouldered barrel.
Ensures precise 90 degree, full contact between those surfaces. I have a shop-made jig for chucking up factory nuts and truing the rear face that serves the same purpose- but absent a lathe to do that a new nut is necessary. Besides, the grooved nuts are much easier to work with if you need to loosen/re-tighten to tweak headspace.

A factory, stamped lug can also be "fixed" on a surface grinder or vertical mill with a jig, but it's much easier to just buy one from the many sources available.

[HOTDANGIT]

Yes I bought a match grade nut and lug.. thanks for the information.

[Dave Hoback]

Ahh, good! That certainly is the better option. I use a machined Chrome-Moly Nut & Recoil Lug from PTG and they are both superb parts.

[Robinhood]

Don't forget to hone the high spots off of the face of the receiver.

[Axlrod]

First off very nice job on what you are doing! Don't know what your stock weighs now, but I just did a 22 creed with a Bell & Carlson medalist. I really like it, but weight wasn't a consideration.