Good target caliber options to change over a rem 700 in 300 rum

M

matm

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I got a decent deal on a rem 700 in 300 rum in an AI chassis that if it doesn't sell I plan on rebarreling it and keeping it. Im Wondering about conversion options and opinions from people who have done something like this. I would prefer to keep the. 540 bolt face unless someone wants to trade bolts. It will be a target rifle and i reload so factory ammo isn't an issue. I was thinking along the line of a 300 wsm or 7saum but would consider others if there is better options! I appreciate the help. Thank you

-mat
 
Why not just shoot the 300 RUM? I bought one for long range, launching a 230 Berger at 2900 fps is tough to beat unless you go to a 338 Edge or 338 Lapua.

But if you want to keep the .540 bolt face then you have 7 WSM, 300 WSM, 7 RUM, 7 STW, 7mm rem mag, 300 Win mag, 300 SAUM, 7mm SAUM,

28 Nosler would be my go to. A few guys I know have had them built, they are hammers out to and past 1000, very easy to load for and tune and becoming quite easy to get components for.

A 6.5 WSM is also getting good reviews at the local 1000 yard range
 
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I may keep it for a bit until the barrel burns out but it has an unknown round count so I don't know how long that will be. Its just not a very efficient round. I've had 338 lapuas before but they are a little impractical for my shooting. 338 edge is interesting but I can't seem to price out dies anywhere. I have not looked into 28 nosler yet but it's worth a read. I'll also read up on 6.5 wsm also. Thank you
 
I've never had but am interested in the 6.5-300 weatherby. I love my 257 bee and the 6.5 with the bullet options seems to me to be something special.
 
I agree with going 338 EDGE. I’m in the process right now as my 300 RUM is shot out at 1700 rounds. Not what I’d call a target shooting gun though. For my practice I shoot a 6.5x47. If not the EDGE then go with a custom reamer in 300 Win Mag and shoot 215 Bergers. My concern is you say it will be a target rifle. These are big rounds with lots of recoil, even with a brake. Not to mention they burn a pile of powder. Not economical for a target gun. If you were to go with the 6.5-300 Weatherby buy a few extra barrels! It will eat them up.
 
matm said:
I may keep it for a bit until the barrel burns out but it has an unknown round count so I don't know how long that will be. Its just not a very efficient round. I've had 338 lapuas before but they are a little impractical for my shooting. 338 edge is interesting but I can't seem to price out dies anywhere. I have not looked into 28 nosler yet but it's worth a read. I'll also read up on 6.5 wsm also. Thank you
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Ask Jerry at Mystic Precision about components for the 28 Nosler and 6.5 WSM along with the 338 EDGE. Ive seen components for the 28 in lots of small shops already.
Another good guy to talk to, if your on Facebook, is Gary at Big Horn Sales. He deals benchmark barrels, along with a PILE of reloading components some guys cannot get in.

As far as a 6.5-300 Bee, ive read up on them and I don't think you could pay me to own/build one. Guys saying barrels shot out (like right out, cant even hunt with it) in 1000-1500 rounds, I have yet to see a factory box of ammo in ANY store i've walked into in the past year, let alone dies and brass. If you want a 6.5 magnum the 6.5 WSM or 264 win mag would be, imo, way better options.

Now as far as the RUM goes, as far as a 30 cal long range (1000+) it is king. Now as far as "efficiency" goes, your right. The lapua is the better option. However with that, leads are $30-$50/100 more for 338 leads then .308 leads(berger otm hybrids anyway), the 300 ultra with a 230 berger at the same speed as a lapua pushing a 250 berger will be flatter with a higher BC. I also am a bit biased as I own one and have shot it side by side with the lapua out to 1200 yards. However when this barrel is shot out (in a year from now) I'll be screwing a 28 nosler on with a 28" benchmark tube.
 
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Perhaps I'll fire off an email to get me an idea of what's available for both. I have lots of 300 rum brass which can be used to form 28 nosler as well as 338 edge which is nice with the cost of nosler brass being high as it usually is. 28 nosler is still overbored just like the 300 rum though so it may be a bit of a barrel burner also. I have a 6 dasher and a 6.5 creedmoor already but I'm trying to use the action I have to keep the cost down a bit. With the magnum bolt face there isn't many "small" options. I've never heard of the 6.5-300 it doesn't really appeal to me so I'll pass on that anyway. Does anyone have experience with the short magnums?
 
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I'm in the process right now, and for me it came to three options. In order to utilize long heavy bullets, I will stick to a 2.5 inch case and in 7mm that leaves the 28 nosler, 7mm LRM, and 7mm rem mag. LRM I don't see coming mainstream anytime soon so it's a toss up if the extra velocity of the 28 is worth the $$ for brass. Probably make my decision at the bench when I drop off the parts haha.
 
I've never had a 7mm before but there is lots of impressive bullet options available and good BC makes it very attractive. I also like a good ol 30 cal though so it's a tough call
 
For target shooting, I would lean you towards the standard magnum cases - 7RM and 300WM. Both can be built into very accurate set ups. Brass is readily available and "cheap"... a whole lot less then some of the new gen super magnums. When I am target shooting, I don't want brass to be my limiting step.

Short magnums, except for the 300WSM, is pretty much dead and supply doesn't look very consistent going forward. And what is available is pricey.

Both the 7mm and 30cal have wonderful match bullets that make 1 mile very doable.... Not sure what your LR target shooting goal was but either will send slugs to 2000yds without much fuss.

Yes, they are slower then their largest cousins by maybe 100 to 200fps but when you want to shoot ELR, initial velocity really isn't that big a deal. EVERYTHING slows down and ELR accuracy really depends on how well that bullet was launched. If recoil and bore wear reduce consistency, all that happens is you miss at higher speeds.

Compare the same bullets going 100 and 200fps faster with any ballistics program. The actual difference in ELR ballistics isn't all that great. Typically, the faster will do the same thing 100 to 150yds further down range then the slower. If that is worth the increased cost and wear/tear, then go for it.

If you shoot far enough that your bullet will go subsonic, then another 100 or 150yds of transonic flight really isn't a big deal.

Last summer, I took my FTR rigs out to 1450yds... 308win with a big heavy bullet. Yes, drop was much more but putting bullets on target was really no big deal. The set up will hit a 5" circle at 1000yds in competition. I know the bullet will go subsonic so going further is now a function of elevation and leaning more into the wind.

Obviously, this is an extreme example BUT going fast at the start really doesn't mean as much as leaving ACCURATELY. My goal is to take the 308 to a mile this summer. There are many shooter who have already gone much further.

Enjoy your journey.... let me know if I can help with bits and parts.

Jerry
 
Hitzy said:
Nobody interested in the 300 Norma?
Seems to be getting some attention these days.
Click to expand...
i did a quick read and from what I found that after i paid for a new barrel, bolt work, brass and dies, I would be left with a slightly more efficient version of the exact same rifle. It is impressive but not the one for me.
 
Mystic Precision said:
For target shooting, I would lean you towards the standard magnum cases - 7RM and 300WM. Both can be built into very accurate set ups. Brass is readily available and "cheap"... a whole lot less then some of the new gen super magnums. When I am target shooting, I don't want brass to be my limiting step.

Short magnums, except for the 300WSM, is pretty much dead and supply doesn't look very consistent going forward. And what is available is pricey.

Both the 7mm and 30cal have wonderful match bullets that make 1 mile very doable.... Not sure what your LR target shooting goal was but either will send slugs to 2000yds without much fuss.

Yes, they are slower then their largest cousins by maybe 100 to 200fps but when you want to shoot ELR, initial velocity really isn't that big a deal. EVERYTHING slows down and ELR accuracy really depends on how well that bullet was launched. If recoil and bore wear reduce consistency, all that happens is you miss at higher speeds.

Compare the same bullets going 100 and 200fps faster with any ballistics program. The actual difference in ELR ballistics isn't all that great. Typically, the faster will do the same thing 100 to 150yds further down range then the slower. If that is worth the increased cost and wear/tear, then go for it.

If you shoot far enough that your bullet will go subsonic, then another 100 or 150yds of transonic flight really isn't a big deal.

Last summer, I took my FTR rigs out to 1450yds... 308win with a big heavy bullet. Yes, drop was much more but putting bullets on target was really no big deal. The set up will hit a 5" circle at 1000yds in competition. I know the bullet will go subsonic so going further is now a function of elevation and leaning more into the wind.

Obviously, this is an extreme example BUT going fast at the start really doesn't mean as much as leaving ACCURATELY. My goal is to take the 308 to a mile this summer. There are many shooter who have already gone much further.

Enjoy your journey.... let me know if I can help with bits and parts.

Jerry
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Thank you for the reply! I will also be looking into a more conventional round for ease of components. Just seeing what's out there!
 
matm said:
Perhaps I'll fire off an email to get me an idea of what's available for both. I have lots of 300 rum brass which can be used to form 28 nosler as well as 338 edge which is nice with the cost of nosler brass being high as it usually is. 28 nosler is still overbored just like the 300 rum though so it may be a bit of a barrel burner also. I have a 6 dasher and a 6.5 creedmoor already but I'm trying to use the action I have to keep the cost down a bit. With the magnum bolt face there isn't many "small" options. I've never heard of the 6.5-300 it doesn't really appeal to me so I'll pass on that anyway. Does anyone have experience with the short magnums?
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I shot the 6.5WSM for a number of years, great cartridge to play with at 1,000:)
BTW, when speaking of the 6.5/300 do you mean the 300WSM or 6.5/300 Win Mag?
The 6.5/300 Win mag is basically the 264 Win Mag if you were.
Cat
 
catnthehatt said:
I shot the 6.5WSM for a number of years, great cartridge to play with at 1,000:)
BTW, when speaking of the 6.5/300 do you mean the 300WSM or 6.5/300 Win Mag?
The 6.5/300 Win mag is basically the 264 Win Mag if you were.
Cat
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The 6 5 wsm was mentioned earlier and i haven't gotten around to checking it out yet but it's on the list. I was referring to the 6.5-300 weatherby that someone suggested earlier.
 
matm said:
The 6 5 wsm was mentioned earlier and i haven't gotten around to checking it out yet but it's on the list. I was referring to the 6.5-300 weatherby that someone suggested earlier.
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Ahh, I see!
it has been around for quite some time , I have the first volumes of Handloader Magazine and it is in there .
Cat
 
The nice part about the 6.5 wsm is you can buy dies from Redding (i think prophet river has em in stock), buy some 270 WSM brass and run it through the sizer and there ya go. The 270 wsm is going nowhere soon, for a hunting round it has taken off in the last 10 years and it along with the 300 wsm are going to be around for awhile. Another bonus to the 6.5 wsm is being that it is a long action, you will have plenty of room to seat them long vs a short action where you limited.
 
Maybe take a look at the 7-300win. Its basically 300 win mag brass necked down to 7mm. I think some call it the 7mmPractical. Gives a bit more velocity than the standard 7mm and better barrel life than 7 rum or 28 nosler. Not sure how hard it is to find dies/reamers though. I'm pretty satisfied with my 300 win mag running 210 Bergers (going to experiment more with the higher bc 212 ELD-x, having trouble getting them to group). When my barrel goes south i will look into the 7-300win, 338 edge, or maybe just a 28-30" barreled 300 wm to get just a bit more velocity for my hunting needs. 300 RUM brass doesn't seem to be that readily available which is a factor with the 338edge.
 
Hitzy said:
Nobody interested in the 300 Norma?
Seems to be getting some attention these days.
Click to expand...

Great cartridge but the bolt face would need to be opened up, which then presents the extractor problem. Feed rails are wrong with what he has. There are far better options unless he wants to spend big bucks moding his action.
 
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